TN: 1979 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve

  • 1979 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/22/2021)
    Dark and opaque. Still. Nose of ripe dark fruit with gorgeous, yes gorgeous notes of tobacco, soy sauce (but less reductive than it connotes), some fresh tree bark, smoke and light potpourri. This is amazingly fresh. This is showing some tertiary characteristics but still well embedded in it’s secondary phase. I think it was Neal Martin that describes this wine as suspended in time. Exactly! The palate is dry and tannic. Definitely not well rounded and fleshy as the nose might suggests. 94 points on a technical basis is generous but warranted on an enjoyment scale. (94 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Sounds terrific! I’m always amazed by those Napa cabs from 70’s and 80’s, both their longevities and style. Just wish some of these wineries would go back to that. Thanks for the note!

The post 1970 (and beyond) BVPR’s are good wines, but not legendary, like the ones prior to that under Tchelistcheff ('70, '68, '66, '60, '59, '58, '51, etc).

Thanks for sharing, Jordan. I’ve also had a good experience with BVPRs from this era, although none have been the pre-1970 classics Stan noted.

Unfortunately the prices for BVPR, Mondavi Reserve, Dunn etc. seem to have climbed quite a bit in the past year or two.

Back in the day (I hate that phrase because my son uses it to describe the decade of the 90s), I used to hate the BV GdL wines because I found them way too tight and bitter. I soon realized that they were just not designed to be opened in the car on the way home from the wine shop and I had some classically delicious well-aged ones. I do not remember specific vintages except for 1974, which was outstanding at about 30 years out when well-stored.

Any thoughts on the '86?

Last had the 86 maybe 5 years ago. Very good, better than the 85.

Good to know, thank you!

The ‘79 BV GdL was my FIRST wine purchase EVER, shortly after turning 21, in the spring of 1984. :+1:
I believe I paid $19.99 at Liquor Barn in Dublin, CA.

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Thanks for the TN. I’ve always enjoyed these wines.

I had an auction reject 68 (terrible label/capsule condition) many years ago and it was just stunning. Hard to believe such a great wine came from such an ugly looking bottle!

Stan, although Tchelistcheff was with BV until 1973, I believe the 1968-70 GdL wines were actually made by Richard Peterson (father of Heidi Barrett), hired by Andre in 1968 to take his place. I was told that by Dick Peterson, and knowing how humble and modest he is, I have no reason to doubt him. I’m sure Andre had some input and influence!

I drank the 1978 vintage of this wine last year and it was showing very similar to what you described of the '79. Great vineyards and exceptional winemaking during that time. Thanks for posting.

Had the '79 a couple years back (birth year bottle for me) and notes sound consistent- glad it is holding up well. They don’t make 'em like they used to!

As I recall, those older BVPR wines were picked at around 23,5, fermented in big redwood tanks, went through ML in tank, and then were barreled down to American oak barrels–maybe 10 poer cent new–until Andre came back top consult in the '80s.

I wonder what people would say if somebody did that now, and how the market would react. Of course, somebody would have to get rats to live in the cellar.

That could very well be. I was told in the 80’s while visiting BV that the last GdL Andre made was the '70. But who knows? It’s like giving credit for the look of a motion picture to the director or the cinematographer? Depends. Either way, the wine did change post '73 to something lighter. Even the '74, in a legendary vintage, was not in the same league as as the '70, 68, etc.

On my first trip to Napa (with my parents, no less), BV was one of our stops. I remember the tour featuring the redwood tanks as a unique aspect of the BV elevage. We turned down the option for the PR tasting because it was an upcharge to the basic tour. I bought a couple bottles of the PR (90 and 91 vintages) as some of the very first wines for my cellar. I drank the last one (the 91) four years ago. I even took a note on it:

1991 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve
Purchased on release. Decanted off heavy crust in the bottle, but little sediment in the wine itself. Color was medium dark red with limited thinning. Aromas of currant, cherry, dried flowers, and a hint of tobacco. Palate has light red fruit character with currant and cherry carrying into a medium finish. This is nice old California Cabernet Sauvignon, but seems lacking in stuffing compared to its peers. Honestly earns its reputation as an underperforming flagship in this era.

Cheers,
fred

Thought I’d use this thread to comment on a '75 BV GDL I opened yesterday from a friend’s cellar. I think he acquired the bottle after it had been “cellared” in a friend’s garage in New Jersey for years.
I was encouraged by a sound cork and the wine aroma as I decanted the bottle. My friend thought he noticed a bit of sherry in his first glass but I never did. The (red)wood character stood out to me, with the fruit only a faint presence in the background. The color was dark garnet.
The wine was a bit thin but gradually developed. It was drinkable but took on a celery note that became dominant to me.
I took a third of the bottle home after recanting to have with dinner. I did seem better with food. Although the wine didn’t fall off, it also didn’t continue to improve and, I found it harder and harder to drink so poured out the last glass.

Timely indeed. I picked up a ’77 today for a little celebration next weekend. Cork and fill level look great, fingers crossed…

Unfortunately, I did not taste too many of the 70 and before BVPRs. I loved the 1970 and had only a taste of the 1968 at a Heublein Auction preview tasting. But, I did continue to very much enjoy these wines in the 1970s - 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1980. You may be right that there was a dip in quality around 1970 or so (I really don’t have the experience to know), but there seemed to be another dip in the early to mid-1980s when I stopped buying and tasting the wines.