Dark ruby-violet color. The deep character of the ’97 vintage is revealed in the fine, vanilla-scented, allspice, clove, blackberry and cherry bouquet of this wine. The youthful flavors are very deep and full-bodied, showing ripe, mouth-filling, anise and black fruit character. Richly textured, with firm but ripe tannins, there is plenty of extract and flesh to balance the structure. Persistent minerality and spicy fruit in the finish add complexity and depth to this powerful wine.
Reviews:
- Wine Spectator: Big, bold, rich and polished, this is an immense and deeply concentrated Cabernet blend laden with ripe plum, currant, anise, green olive and cedar notes and finishing with gripping tannins. *Top 100 of 2000, Spectator Selection*
- Wine Enthusiast: Cassis and cream on the nose, and also a strong hint of menthol. It’s a large wine, emphasizing black-currant and plum flavors, a smooth wood-driven finish, and even some mint. There’s a lot of grace and style here, and ultimately a lot to like.
Producer Information
Beaulieu Vineyard is a historically significant winery in California’s Rutherford AVA that has been producing wine for more than a century. During Prohibition, it managed to obtain a contract to supply sacramental wine to churches, meaning it was able to remain in production between 1920 and 1933 when the Volstead Act was repealed. This makes Beaulieu one of the longest continually operational wineries in the United States. The company was founded in 1900 by Georges de Latour with the assistance of enologist André Tchelistcheff. Tchelistcheff went on to create the prestige cuvée Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and mentored many of the next generation of Napa winemakers, including Robert Mondavi, Mike Grgich and Joe Heitz. The company is currently part of Treasury Wine Estates. The Beaulieu vineyards sit at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains in the Rutherford AVA, and are planted with Bordeaux varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. As well as these plots, Beaulieu has vines in the St Helena, Calistoga and Carneros AVAs. There are many different varieties planted throughout these vineyards – Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne and Roussane, Mourvedre, Touriga Nacional, Merlot and Sangiovese. The flagship Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is hand-picked in the vineyard prior to fermentation in French oak barrels, concrete tanks and stainless steel tanks. After a period of barrel-aging, a selection of the top ten barrels are selected for bottling. The remaining Reserve collection is composed of varietal single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines sourced from various estate vineyards whilst the Napa Valley is the entry level range of a duo of Cabernet Sauviognon and Chardonnay.
