The Timeless Legacy: Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has been widely recognised as the benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford since its inaugural vintage in 1936. At the state-of-the-art winery, dedicated exclusively to the crafting of Georges de Latour Private Reserve, a portion of the wine is fermented in new French oak barrels which provides early integration and enhances the dense, rich texture.
The Birth of a Legend: Inaugural Vintage
When André Tchelistcheff joined Beaulieu Vineyard in 1938, he tasted the de Latour family’s private wine - what they called ‘Private Reserve’ - from the 1936 vintage. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine was so distinctive that Tchelistcheff insisted it be bottled and sold as the winery’s flagship offering. In 1940, Beaulieu Vineyard released the first vintage of Private Reserve and named it in their founder’s honour. The resulting wine became the first release of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that was destined to become Napa Valley’s first ‘cult’ Cabernet.
A Wine Fit for Royalty: Notable Figures and Celebrations
In 70+ years since, Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has become one of the most collected American wines. Some of history’s most notable figures have enjoyed Beaulieu Wines. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Beaulieu Vineyard wines were the wines of state, being served at dinners and receptions honouring some of the great people of the age:
- The White House poured Beaulieu Vineyard wines at dinners given for Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur in New York.
- General Charles de Gaulle drank Beaulieu Beaurosé at a Waldorf Astoria luncheon.
- The French Foreign Minister in San Francisco poured Beaulieu Chablis at a dinner honouring British diplomat Sir Anthony Eden.
- Winston S. Churchill was served Georges de Latour Private Reserve at a banquet in his honour at the Waldorf Astoria.
- President Truman served Beaulieu Vineyard Burgundy and Rhone wine to Queen Juliana of the Netherlands at the Carlton Hotel, Washington, D.C.
- New York mayor La Guardia presented Queen Juliana with the particularly elegant 1942 vintage of Georges de Latour Private Reserve at a luncheon in her honour.
- On 24th March 1959, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip were served Georges de Latour Private Reserve at a Pan American Union dinner hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.
Continuing Tradition: A Spirit of Innovation
Today Beaulieu Vineyard persists with the spirit of innovation de Latour and Tchelistcheff instilled - to continue producing exceptional wines that stand among the world's finest. They have become a leader in clonal research and their BV Clone Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon wines are highly acclaimed. In the 80+ years since its inaugural vintage, the making of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has been honed to become the benchmark of Napa Valley Cabernet.
