We selected all of the grapes for this wine from the finest sections of our Beaulieu Vineyard Ranches No. 9 and No. 8 in the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area (AVA). These sections consistently yield exceptional grapes due to site (exposure, mesoclimate and soils), clones and cultivation techniques. The vines are grafted to a selection of Dijon clones that yield small berries for intensely flavored wine. Winemaker Domenica Totty says that she waits to harvest these Chardonnay grapes until their nectarine character changes to ripe peach, their green apple character turns to golden apple and their floral jasmine notes become honeyed.
Producer
The deep roots of Beaulieu Vineyard were first planted back in 1900, when founder Georges de Latour noticed similarities with his native Bordeaux and declared the Napa Valley ideal for winemaking. He followed up on this belief by planting vineyards in Rutherford with grafted, phylloxera-resistant French vines. The Cabernet Sauvignons that de Latour crafted from these grapes gave the world its first taste of California’s promise as a world-class winemaking region. In 1938 de Latour hired the young Russo-French enologist Andre Tchelistcheff, who would become California’s most distinguished winemaker. Tchelistcheff’s knowledge of traditional French techniques and willingness to experiment in local conditions brought BV the Grand Sweepstakes Award at the Golden Gate International Exposition, and led to the creation of Napa Valley’s first reserve wine, Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
