2017 Beaulieu Vineyards 'Georges de Latour' Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Winemaker Notes:  The 2017 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe, fruit-forward and voluptuous, with brawny dark fruit aromas of blackberry, dark plum and black currant. Hints of delicate violet and black pepper spice also support the lush fruit, showcasing the depth, concentration, and balance of this extraordinary Cabernet. Full-bodied with breadth and weight, the rich palate is supported by robust flavors of blackberry, cassis, dark plum, mocha and molasses. Notes of vanilla, caramel and baking spice are well-integrated, a tribute to aging in new French oak barrels. The fruit is supported by signature “Rutherford Dust” tannins, adding a round, cocoa-powder texture, supple length and firm presence to the lingering finish. The ever-expansive palate, while seamlessly integrating with the full-bodied texture, crafts a wine that shows nuance, intrigue and approachability now, but with layers of complexity and structure that will allow the wine to age for years to come.

Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


James Suckling - "This is one of the most balanced Georges de Latour, offering currants, minerals, fresh herbs and spices. It’s full-bodied with very fine tannins. Long and focused. Subtle and complex. Very elegant and refined in the end. Reminds me of classic, old vintages from the 1960s and 1970s."


Wine & Spirits - "Georges de Latour purchased the first four acres of BV1 in 1900, adding another 130 a few years later, with 80 acres of prime vineyard land on the western Rutherford bench. He purchased the 147 acres at BV2 in 1910, at the southern border of Rutherford, neighboring the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. In great vintages of the 1940s and ’50s, André Tchelistcheff grew Georges de Latour Private Reserve wines that lived for six decades or more. Beaulieu has been through a lot of changes since those early days, and this is the first vintage, on release, to show the beautiful elegance those old wines must have had in their time. In 2017, this wine retained its freshness for six days after the bottle was first opened, when there was finally nothing left to taste. But that last taste was still bright and fresh, sustained by dusty Rutherford tannins and an aristocratic structure, infused by delicate red and black currant flavors."


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour was aged for 22 months in French oak, 95% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is open and ready for business, featuring notions of redcurrant jelly, black raspberries, boysenberries and spice cake with touches of red roses, camphor, dark chocolate and new leather. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers bags of fragrant red and black fruit preserves, framed by plush tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. This is a very pretty expression of this vintage, which is drinking beautifully now and yet should cellar for a good 20 years or more. 6,974 cases were made."