California’s Beaulieu Vineyard will release its 80th Georges de Latour this year

Created at Beaulieu Vineyard by the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff,  the 2016 vintage of the Napa Valley classic will be released in September.

It was during the Depression with the vintage of 1936 that Andre Tchelistcheff, newly hired winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard, decided to produce a premium Napa Valley red wine called Georges de Latour Private Reserve, which arguably was the first California cult wine as well as the first to be carried in fine San Francisco restaurants that preferred European wines.

This September, 80 vintages but only four winemakers later, BV will release the 80th anniversary edition of the famous wine. The 2016’s vital statistics include a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3 percent Petit Verdot aged for 22 months in 90% new French oak barrels with an alcohol level of 14.9%. Production was 8,400 cases, and the price per bottle is set at $145.

Trevor Durling, only the fifth BV winemaker to make Private Reserve, was recently in New York City to give a sneak preview of the new vintage while also conducting a vertical tasting of 17 vintages of the wine dating back to 1965. While Durling did not vinify the 2016, he did come on board after taking over for Jeffrey Stambor in time to oversee its blending.

BV’s winemaker Trevor Durling (Photo: BV)

“I still see Jeffrey regularly,” Durling says. “He’s taken up golf in retirement, so I’m teaching him how to play – and he still talks to me about winemaking.” Informed that the current edition of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book makes a judgment that Private Reserve is now “back on track,” Durling laughs and says, “Oh, I’ll have some fun with that.”

Not unexpectedly, BV’s Private Reserve has gone through several changes through the years. The Private Reserves made by Tchelistcheff were leaner and lower in alcohol that today’s wines in what was then known as “the Bordeaux style.” When BV was purchased by the Heublein conglomerate in 1969, production was ramped up and quality tamped down for a period. During the past two decades, as a result of global warming and the popularisation of big wines, Private Reserve has as a result flirted with the 15% alcohol range and a more fruit-forward style.

While BV seldom changed winemakers, it frequently changed owners. After Heublein came RJR Nabisco, followed by Grand Metropolitan (later Diageo) and more recently Treasury Wine Estates. Like most winemakers, Durling speaks well of his predecessors while planning to make slight changes in the style of the wine. He says he will “dial back” the alcohol and reintroduce some of the savoury characteristics which characterised earlier vintages.

The 2016 – known as a very good vintage in Napa Valley – is a good first step. While still quite fruity with its cherry and cassis flavours, the 2016 Private Reserve has managed to integrate well the fairly high alcohol, and there are more savoury notes than have been present in recent vintages. In other words, it tastes more like classic Cabernet and less like an exuberant Merlot.

Another encouraging sign that Durling reports is Treasury’s increased investments in winery equipment and vineyard updates. And while winemaker enthusiasm is hard to quantify, it certain doesn’t hurt any to have it in spades as BV George de Latour Private Reserve now progresses toward its century vintage.