Beaulieu Vineyard

Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

California

Napa Valley

As with most Napa estates in 2020, BV Private Reserve was low yielding after a dry year, and is knitted down with black pepper, crayon, earth, cassis and grilled cocoa bean flavours, full of spiced pleasure. There is a luscious underpinning of acidity also, with muscular tannins that allow the juice to flow through them while holding everything in place. A 2020 vintage that has been carefully handled, where all wine lots were treated separately for the entire winemaking process and kept in stainless steel tanks to be able to fully track flavours before putting in 95% French oak. Trevor Durling winemaker.

Inside Bordeaux

The 2020 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has 7% Petit Verdot in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bounding out with notes of stewed black plums, black currant pastilles, and dried mulberries plus wafts of sauteed herbs, dusty soil, and tar. The full-bodied palate has a chewy texture and plenty of freshness to support the baked black fruit flavors, finishing with a spicy lift.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Excellent quality, full of flavour, balanced, cassis, liqourice and cocoa bean, espresso, sage, drawn out through the palate. A wonderful example of an intense, concentrated BV, full of estate signature. Tasted twice. 95% new oak for ageing, 3.64ph, harvest September 25 to October 13.

A leisurely and successful growing season, no notable heat spikes, and cool evenings allowing ripening through to mid October. This is beautiful, get touch of floral notes, cocoa powder, the classic Rutherford dust, beautiful freshness also, touches of eucalyptus, fresh mint leaf, black cherry and damson, feels classic and yet generous. A touch of resistance to the tannins adds grips and restraint. A brilliant example of what Napa Cabernet can deliver. 95% new French oak, slight upscore from a year ago, confirming just how well these wines age. Trevor Durling winemaker, no external consultant.

Coffee bean depths, concentrated tapenade and cigar box, shot through with eucalyptus, dried Chinese plum, mint and liquorice. Full of primary fruit, the tannins are extremely well worked, as is signature with the estate, velvety and smooth. There is some dry extract on the finish, you can tell this wine is going to age extremely well but I suggest holding on before drinking, as a few more years will develop the light and shade contrast that is surely sitting within it. 95% new oak. A fire vintage in Napa, but they had harvested almost entirely by the point fires broke out, and they didn't lose power at the winery so were able to work the tanks remotely. Trevor Durling winemaker, no external consultant.

Succuent in concentration and texture, clear eucalyptus aromatics alongside peony floral notes. This is juicy from the first moment, with a lightness to it despite the concentration. Rich and velvety texture, the tannins are confident but classic. Still young, very much in the generous Napa style, but this has a focus on the finish, with delicious dried herbs, touches of tar, dark cherry, sour plum, broad shouldered but balanced, full of promise and depth. 3.7ph. Low yields in this vintage, 30-40% down across the vineyards, harvested a little earlier than usual because of the heat, meaning small berries with lots of concentration. First vintage assembled by winemaker Trevor Durling.

At a sweet spot for drinking, tons of primary fruits, spice, chocolate, cocoa bean, espresso, all melted together, seasoned by dried herbs, eucaplyptus and smoked earth. This was a vintage with lots of hang time so a late harvesting window through to the third week of October. Barrel fermentation on 40% of the production, 90% new oak. Michel Rolland consultant at the time.

Forest floor, truffle, Rutherford dust, dark chocolate, espresso, sliding from primary into fully tertiary, and this is just gorgeous, drinking so well right now,. Soft undergrowth and smoked vanilla bean, stretches out and then gentle fades. Love it. The winemakers Joel Aiken and Jeffrey Stambor were working together at this point, with a mix of American and French oak for ageing.

Tipping into its tertariy phase, this was a wet vintage with cool nights, and it is majoring on tobacco, dried roses, undergrowth, mint and autumnal fruits at this point, still with a lovely freshness that holds it all together. At the height for drinking, as the aromatics start off strong but soften out after 10 minutes or so, although there is still grip on the palate. Old school, with balance and charm, a window into old school Napa. Joel Aiken winemaker, who learnt under the legendary André Tchelistcheff. This was the first vintage that they added a touch of Merlot to a wine that had been 100% Cabernet Sauvignon since launch. Also the first vintage where they added French oak, instead of just American, at this point around 50/50.

Fully in its tertiary phase, showcasing waves of undergrowth, soot, campfire, tobacco, oyster shell, soy. There is a core of sweet wild strawberry, but I suggest enjoying it soon, while the fruit remains in tact, as incredibly it feels a little more tired than the 1973 vintage, also tasted here. Tom Selfridge's last vintage as winemaker, and Joel Aiken would have blended and bottled it in his first vintage. American oak for ageing, not new.

Sommelier

1974 was an outstanding vintage and one that produced a notably fuller/riper style at Beaulieu. Pale to medium brick-tawny colored, the 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour offers up a gorgeous perfume of dried roses, vanilla pod, toasted nuts, and orange peel, leading to a core of dried figs and unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate is lively and plush with delicate, perfumed flavors and a peppery finish. 29,900 cases were made—the largest production in the history of this label.

This is sitting snugly in its drinking window, retaining enough freshness to keep focus on blackberry fruits, tobacco leaf, mint. Succulent, with fine tannins. Exceptional, relatively cool vintage giving extended hang time, and enough concentration to take it through the years. It doesn't feel young, but it feels vibrant and alive, and is just so moreish. André Tchelistcheff's last vintage (before his later return). Entirely American oak barrels for ageing, no new oak.

2021	Ingen prisIkke tilgjengelig	Spektakulær
2020	Ingen prisIkke tilgjengelig	Eksepsjonell
2018	Ingen prisIkke tilgjengelig	Eksepsjonell
2017	Ingen prisIkke tilgjengelig	Spektakulær
2015	Ingen prisIkke tilgjengelig	Eksepsjonell

Kategori	Rødvin
Polnummer
Produsent	Beaulieu Vineyard
Årgang	2020
Land	USA, California, Napa Valley
Flaskestørrelse	75 cl

Alkoholnivå	%
Syre	%
Sukker	g/l

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