2008 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

We hand selected grapes from the finest Cabernet Sauvignon vines from the western bench of the Rutherford AVA in our iconic BV Ranches No. 1 and No. 2, originally planted by Georges de Latour in the early 1900s. We focused on clonal selections (6, 4, 169, 7 and 8), which yield small berries with the high skin-to-juice ratio needed to make intense, long-lived wines. The fruit was handpicked and optically sorted once it arrived to the winery in order to ensure the highest quality selection. These specifically chosen vines are deeply rooted in the well-draining alluvial fan soils of Rutherford, considered one of the finest regions in the Napa Valley for Cabernet Sauvignon.

At our state-of-the-art winery, dedicated exclusively to the crafting of the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a portion of the wine is fermented in new French oak barrels which provides early integration and enhances the dense, rich texture. The balance of the must is fermented in stainless steel and concrete tanks which preserves the freshness of the fruit. Following judicious extended skin contact, the wine was pressed and returned to barrels for malolactic fermentation and aging. A small amount of Petit Verdot and Malbec were blended with the Cabernet Sauvignon to further enhance the wine’s aroma and flavor profile.

22 months of aging in French oak (95% new barrels). We work very closely with our barrel producers, being highly selective in the limited number of cooperages we use, as well as ensuring the style and consistency of the barrel is exactly right and an appropriate match to the style we’re aiming for when crafting our Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This barrel regime is very important to the elevated quality of this wine.