A winery with serious prestige and history, the Beaulieu Vineyard name traces back to 1900, when Georges de Latour's wife, Fernande, first laid eyes on the land that would become their original Rutherford vineyard, she named it "beau lieu," or "beautiful place." De Latour saw the potential of the land and sold his prosperous cream of tartar business, purchasing the four-acre ranch and later founding Beaulieu Vineyard. For many years I have enjoyed visiting the BV Reserve Room — one of the great locations to try some of the best wines in Napa. The new red wines by BV were outstanding across the board. Trevor Durling has taken over as winemaker and general manager in the past year, as the torch has been passed from superstar winemaker Jeffrey Stambor. Originally from Sonoma County, Trevor has a degree in viticulture and enology from the esteemed University of California, Davis.
Look to the 2015 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 91) which shows excellent value and wonderful Napa terroir. The standout wine was the absolutely epic 2014 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Georges de Latour’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 95) which has incredible depth, precision and an old world feel. This is truly one for the cellar. Learn more about these gorgeous new wines at https://www.bvwines.com Here are the new releases by BV.
2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Merlot- This outstanding Merlot by Beaulieu Vineyards opens up with aromas of black tea, red currant and anise. Nicely structured and balanced, the wine reveals black tea, anise, black cherry compote and milk chocolate flavors that sit alongside some nice minerality and light tannins Drink 2018-2024- 89
2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon- The herbaceousness of this wine hits you immediately with red bell pepper and sage. This shows a nice combination of weight and structure, as the wine reveals black tea, anise, creme de cassis and Turkish coffee flavors. Forward and delicious, enjoy this excellent wine over the next five plus years. Drink 2018-2024- 89
2015 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Head winemaker Jeffrey Stambor has crafted an outstanding new wine with the 2015 BV ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon. This opens with green bell pepper, sage, and anise on the nose. The mouthfeel is polished and refined. Black tea, mocha, anise and creme de cassis with red bell pepper flavors impress. Downright delicious now, this wine will age gracefully for a decade or more. Drink 2018-2028- 91
2014 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Tapestry’ Red Wine- The 2014 ‘Tapestry’ by BV is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot with a touch of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. This starts off with aromatics reminiscent of anise, cocoa powder, creme de cassis and red bell pepper. This has a wonderful balance and sense of place. Anise, mocha, creme de cassis and green bell pepper flavors connect with a great structure. This polished effort improves after a two hour decant. Drink 2018-2030- 92
2014 Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Georges de Latour’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2014 BV Vineyards ‘Georges de Latour’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a highly compelling blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Merlot, largely sourced from the Rutherford AVA in the Napa Valley. The nose is polished and downright intoxicating. Anise, creme de cassis, coffee grounds and red bell pepper bring you back to the glass for more. This has a Bordeaise feel and a wonderful balance. Black tea, mocha, anise and creme de cassis with a touch of blueberry compote complete this exceptional wine. There is a wonderful balance and poise here. Drink 2019-2035- 95