Tobacco. Structure. Great with steak. Not too much fruit — 3 months ago
1970 | Cabernet Sauvignon
Beaulieu Vineyard; Georges de Latour Private Reserve
Napa Valley; California, USA
(95-97; Drink 2025-40+)
3h decant
Nose has ripe cherry, cedar++, charcoal, grilled black cherry, faint olive and over-ripe blackberry.
Palate has dried cherry/blackberry, tobacco, strawberry, vanilla, dried mint, leather with medium+ tannins and plenty of acidity to hold for decades.
Epic, even besting the 1968 & 1995 for my palate!
Happy Father's Day 2024 to all. — 5 months ago
A good, solid California Cab but what’s all the fuss about? I’m seeing ratings of 98, 99, even 100 from JS. Really? No way. This is a clear case of praise crossing over into hype. Granted, still a bit young and not at its peak but after five years in the bottle and an hour of decanting it needs to be more than just fine if it wants to justify stratospheric scores. This wine compares unfavorably to Ridge Monte Bello, Stags Leap S.L.V. and other peers. It lacked sophistication and poise—where’s the promised minerality, graphite, cedar shavings, oak, leather, blackcurrant, cherry, and complex balance of fine grained tannins, fruit, acid and alcohol? Where? We chose this wine for a birthday dinner at Lawry’s Prime Rib in Beverly Hills. Not a disaster but a disappointment given our high expectations (and the high price).
— a month ago
wonderful wine. thx. Steve!!! — 5 months ago
Full bodied mouth feel - would definitely buy — 7 months ago
First wine since July trips! Back label: This 25-acre vineyard, planted in day and limestone soils, is situated in Salignac Gironde, 15 miles northeast of Bordeaux. He belongs to the Comtes de Tastes. Welldrained, south-facing slopes explain the name : Beaulieu, or
"beautiful plage".
Under the enlightened management of Count Vianney de Tastes, cover tropping, "green-harvesting" and leaf-pulling are the rule.
Consequently, yields are very low for the appellation at just 2,5 tons/acre, the equivalent of one bottle of wine per vine.
The 15-year old vines include 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. At 2,226 vines/acre, density is twice the average of most New World vineyards!
The hand-harvested fruit undergoes a pre-fermentation, cold maceration (3-5 days) after which the juice is slowly fermented (10-15 days), and then macerated for as long as taste (Tastes?) deems necessary. Malolactic then takes place in barrel, 60% of which are new.
The wine is aged on its lees for 12 months, gaining additional richness, freshness, and complexity and then bottled on the estate. Enjoy it now and over the next 5-7 years. Nice wine with complexity, earthy plummy aromas and lively palate. — 2 months ago
The one thing I get from this wine w/ this age is cognac notes and the 07 is just starting cognac notes on the long set. Still, rounded, medium plus, velvety tannins.
The fruits are ripe, juicy, lush; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, darkest cherries, & red cherries on the long set, strawberry hues. Chocolate/ cake/pudding/mousse, dark berry cola, mocha, dark chocolate, caramel, dark spice, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, anise core to black licorice, dark spice w/ palate heat, dry, crush rock, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, liquid, dry herbaceous notes, fresh to withering; dark, red, slightly blue flowers framed in a field of violets & lavender, round, summer rainfall with a softly tensioned state, tall structure, well balanced, finely but deeply knitted & evenly polish finish that is nearly endless.
If you can have patience, Tapestry is one of the best Napa Cabernet for the money & this one has plenty of life ahead. 10 plus years.
Photos of; sunset on a BV vineyard, their tasting from many vantage points & old Victorian House. — 4 months ago
Lovely Burgundy. — 6 months ago
Conrad Green
Light blue fruit with a salty edge of Iodene. A bit of funk. Good. — 23 days ago