Private Reserve Georges de Latour Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

This was a nice pour out of 9L served up by their Winemaker, Trevor Durling. He and his team are a great group of people.

Really excellent evolution. Classic Private Reserve George Latour style. Fine, dark tarry tannins, dark cassis, wet clay, sandalwood, used tobacco, light herbaceous notes, understated lead pencil, some baking spices, dark spice, withering dark & red flowers, excellent round acidity, balance for days, soft structure & tension and an elegant, round, plush, velvety finish that close to two-minutes.

There are worse ways to start a Saturday then tasting & talking wine with Tor Kenward & Andy Beskstoffer having the 1980 BV George Latour Private Reserve & multiple vintages of Tor. Wine 94 technically but age & style 96. The overall experience is a 10.

These bottles came from his cellar so they are perfect. So silky smooth elegant. Beautifully ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, understated baking spices, fresh & used tobacco, sandalwood, raspberry, limestone powder, fine, dark spice, bright, withering dark & red florals, excellent acidity, sheer, balance, elegance and perfectly finish that lasts a full minute.

Andy Beckstoffer sold fruit for $150 a ton in the late 1970’s, early 80’s. Today, $50,000 plus a ton and a percentage of the producers bottle price.

A little dried in the nose and brown at the edges. Great underlying fruit, but a touch dried out

Very pure. Dark plum, violets, iron. Light and pure. Very good

This is a large-scale yet compact example of BV’s flagship wine. Displays notes of kirsch, maraschino cherries and tobacco on the nose. The nose gives way to a heady cocktail of maple syrup and moderate toasty oak. Plush tannins add weight on the mid-palate. Exceptional example at the price. Let this unfurl over the next few years.

1995 | Cabernet Sauvignon
Beaulieu Vineyard; Georges de Latour Private Reserve
Napa Valley; California, USA
(92-94; Drink 2015-30)

1986. Hauntingly beautiful. Aromas of red dirt.

Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), CA Cabernet Pre-2000; 20 April 2023 at Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY

Tasted blind. Dark reddish tawny, almost opaque. "Wild ass nose" my notes say. Notes of red fruit, plums, spice, moist earth, a little mocha and some old leather. Lively fruit matched with a nice structure. I'm in old Bordeaux land with my guess of 61 Mouton. Table talk points out how ultra rare this bottle is, with those in the know viewing it as one of the best CA cabs ever made. Hard for me to argue that as it sits next to the 74 Heitz MV and goes toe to toe with it all night.

Nice poise and balance. Plum, cherry and strawberry. Fresh but balanced. Pretty.