Napa’s ‘first cult cabernet’ hits remarkable 80-year milestone with the release of its 2016 vintage.
NAPA VALLEY, CA (August 22, 2019) – Beaulieu Vineyard has celebrated numerous milestones since founder, Georges de Latour and his wife Fernande, landed in Rutherford in 1900. This week, Beaulieu Vineyard will mark another significant milestone with the official celebration of the winery’s 80th anniversary of its first bottling of the notable Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. In honor of the momentous occasion, the 2016 vintage will be sold at the winery and at retailers across the country in a commemorative 80th Anniversary gift box. On Saturday, August 24th Beaulieu Vineyard will host a celebratory dinner aboard the famed Napa Valley Wine train, followed by a year-long consumer experience at the winery tasting room themed around the 80th Georges de Latour Private Reserve Anniversary.
Legendary Beaulieu Vineyard winemaker André Tchelistcheff was certainly on to something in 1938 when he insisted the de Latour family bottle its “private reserve” wine as the winery’s flagship offering. Today, it is a gold standard for Napa Valley Cabernet. Upholding the heritage and spirit of innovation of those who came before him, Beaulieu Vineyard’s chief winemaker Trevor Durling is confident that sommeliers and Beaulieu Vineyard fans alike will delight in the new 2016 vintage.
“We are at a pivotal moment and a very important time in the history of Beaulieu Vineyard,” notes Durling. “The first vintage of Georges de Latour was 1936 and we are now building on that legacy with the release of the 80th vintage. I’m honored to have my name on this label and I believe this is one of the best vintages I’ve had the pleasure to craft in the Napa Valley. Everything we’ve learned in eight decades of winemaking history has allowed us to capture the glorious spirit of this wine, while refining and investing in the vineyards and winemaking technology that contribute so much to its history. It is an honor to be writing the next chapter for such an important wine, and an incredible responsibility that I don’t take lightly.”
Beaulieu Vineyard is also offering a special 80th Anniversary Georges de Latour Experience for a limited time at the winery, which tells the story of Napa Valley trailblazer Georges de Latour and his ensuing namesake wine, recounting details from the winery’s historical past, to present-day innovations and what’s next for the future. Guests will savor a retrospective array of rare library vintages as well as current releases and a future selection patiently ageing in barrel. Guests will take home a complimentary custom Georges de Latour 80th Anniversary Riedel glass ($50 value) as part of the experience.
For more information on the 2016 vintage or to make a reservation for the 80th Anniversary Georges de Latour Experience, please visit www.bvwines.com.
About the 80th Anniversary 2016 Vintage:
The 2016 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP $150) is bursting with a bouquet of cassis, blueberry, blackberry, violet and wild sage, exhibiting the extraordinary concentration, depth and elegance of this superior vintage. Full-bodied and rich on the palate are lingering flavors of dark blackberry, root spice, chocolate and molasses supported by perfectly balanced acidity which adds length, juiciness and freshness to an everlasting finish. Plush, “Rutherford Dust” tannins support the ever-expansive palate, while seamlessly integrating with the full-bodied texture, crafting a wine that shows grace, ease and approachability now, but with underlying power and structure that will keep this wine alive for decades to come. Well integrated notes of vanilla and toasted oak spices – from aging in new French oak barrels – heighten the aromas and dance on the lengthy finish. To enjoy this wine at its full potential, we recommend at least five years of bottle aging; however, if you can’t wait, decant before serving.
About Beaulieu Vineyard:
Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve wines are handcrafted from the finest grapes of the vintage, focusing on premier estates in Rutherford, Carneros and other Napa Valley appellations. For more than 100 years, Beaulieu Vineyard has set the benchmark for rich, classic Napa Valley wines. This legacy honors the marriage between state-of-the-art technology and gentle, traditional winemaking methods, a combination that enhances the expression of our remarkable vineyard terroir.
