1998 | Beaulieu Vineyard | Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Strongly aromatic, the wine reveals classic Rutherford scents of black-cherry, mineral, green and black peppercorn with anise. Rich in berry , mineral , and mild herb flavors, with a supple, lively texture and very fruit forward, the fine, yet firm tannins provide a solid structure to insure at least a decade of improvement is ahead. A youthful hint of vanilla-oak in the finish will harmonize with the rich fruit in time.

Reviews:

• Vinous: Our first bottle showed a slightly dull medium red color and an element of pruney oxidation, not to mention a peppery herbal streak and a distinct mid-palate dryness. But a second bottle showed a much darker, fresher color and an altogether juicier character. Yes, there's an element of peppery herbs that few 1998 California Cabernets totally avoid, but here there's altogether more red and darker fruit intensity and an element of mid-palate energy that does not read as greenness. The finish is quite firm, with building tannins. My score is obviously for this second sample, which is one of the best bottles of 1998 Cabernet I've tasted recently.

• Wine Spectator: Has a very good, solid core of ripe berry and raspberry character. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a medium finish. A bit one-dimensional but with an outstanding concentration of fruit.

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wine to churches, meaning it was able to remain in production between 1920 and 1933 when the Volstead Act was repealed.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.

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