BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
$181.99
Description
BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
100 Pts – James Suckling
“Wow! The aromas to this are really exceptional, with a tangerine edge to the blackcurrants, graphite, lead pencil, flowers and wet earth. It changes all the time. So expressive and refined. Full-bodied with great intensity and depth of fruit. The ultra-fine tannins display millions of layers. The texture on the palate is superb and lasts for minutes. This is the new 1974 Georges de Latour, which was a legend. Real Napa Valley red here. Drinkable now, to understand it, but truly great in five to six years and onwards. Benchmark.” – James Suckling, May 4, 2022
Our Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has been widely recognized as the benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford since its inaugural vintage in 1936. Our understanding of terroir comes from more than 100 years of creating rich, classic Napa Valley wines.
Vintage
The 2019 harvest started one to two weeks later than previous years due to February rains. Spring continued to be wet with some rain during flowering, followed by cool temperatures that allowed the grapes to mature gradually. Most grapes ripened at lower sugars, thanks to the extended, cool growing season, and winemakers were pleased with the full flavors, fresh acidity, and superb balance of the 2019 fruit. The resulting crop showed a modest yield with a slightly more compact structure and extract than in previous years.
Tasting Notes
The 2019 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is truly exemplary of this iconic wine, with a nuanced, exuberant nose that shows dark, ripe, berry fruit aromas of black raspberry, red currant, and black cherry, alongside delicate chaparral herb notes of wild lavender, rose, fresh mint, sage, and thyme. Exotic spiced notes from the well-integrated new French oak barrel aging adds caramel, cedar, and clove, all accompanying the plush fruit seamlessly, showcasing the depth, elegance, and balance of this world-renowned Cabernet. Full-bodied with tremendous concentration and power, the broad palate is multilayered with enticing flavors of dark black cherry, red currant, cocoa nib, amaretto, espresso, and graphite. Signature “Rutherford Dust” tannins add a fine cocoa-powder texture, with a long lift and persistent finish, while secondary notes of earth, espresso and pencil shavings add to the complexity and nuance. The mouthwatering palate is supple and fresh, with balanced acidity, demonstrating the classically elegant, luscious, and alluring character this wine is known for. Incredibly drinkable upon release in its youth and highly cellarable for many years to come.
Vineyard
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.
Winemaking
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 was blended with the Cabernet Sauvignon to further enhance the wine’s aroma and flavor profile. 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.
Beaulieu Vineyard Winemaker Trevor Durling, presides as only the fifth winemaker in the winery’s 119-year history. A native Californian, Trevor was raised in Sonoma County, the heart of Northern California’s wine country. With a love of agriculture, science and cuisine, Trevor pursued his studies at the University of California Davis in the Viticulture and Enology program. As winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard, Trevor incorporates his passion for creating fine wines, while preserving the heritage and legacy of Beaulieu Vineyard.
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