TASTING NOTES:
The 2017 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe, fruit-forward and voluptuous, with brawny dark fruit aromas of blackberry, dark plum and black currant. Hints of delicate violet and black pepper spice also support the lush fruit, showcasing the depth, concentration, and balance of this extraordinary Cabernet. Full-bodied with breadth and weight, the rich palate is supported by robust flavors of blackberry, cassis, dark plum, mocha and molasses. Notes of vanilla, caramel and baking spice are well-integrated, a tribute to aging in new French oak barrels. The fruit is supported by signature “Rutherford Dust” tannins, adding a round, cocoa-powder texture, supple length and firm presence to the lingering finish. The ever-expansive palate, while seamlessly integrating with the full-bodied texture, crafts a wine that shows nuance, intrigue and approachability now, but with layers of complexity and structure that will allow the wine to age for years to come.
VINTAGE:
The 2017 vintage in the Napa Valley was smaller yielding but high in quality. The region enjoyed much needed rain during the winter months ending the drought. A short period of warmer than usual temperatures during Labor Day weekend accelerated harvest for early ripening grapes varieties, resulting in an intense and, at times, unpredictable harvest. Though yields were lower than usual, the wines show exceptional flavor intensity and growing conditions were perfect for producing a wine with beautiful fruit and tremendous concentration of flavors, highly saturated color, and plenty of complexity.
VINEYARDS:
We hand selected grapes from the finest Cabernet Sauvignon vines from the western bench of the Rutherford AVA in our iconic BV Ranches No. 1 and No. 2, originally planted by Georges de Latour in the early 1900s. We focused on clonal selections (6, 4, 169, 5197, 7 and 8), which yield small berries with the high skin-to-juice ratio needed to make intense, long-lived wines. The fruit was handpicked and optically sorted once it arrived to the winery in order to ensure the highest quality selection. These specifically chosen vines are deeply rooted in the well-draining alluvial fan soils of Rutherford, considered one of the finest regions in the Napa Valley for Cabernet Sauvignon.
WINEMAKING:
At our state-of-the-art winery, dedicated exclusively to the crafting of the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a portion of the wine is fermented in new French oak barrels which provides early integration and enhances the dense, rich texture. The balance of the must is fermented in stainless steel and concrete fermenters which preserves the freshness of the fruit. Following judicious extended skin contact, the wine was pressed and returned to barrels for malolactic fermentation and aging. A small amount of Petit Verdot was blended with the Cabernet Sauvignon to further enhance the wine’s aroma and flavor profile. We work very closely with our barrel producers, being highly selective in the limited number of cooperages we use, as well as ensuring the style and consistency of the barrel is exactly right and an appropriate match to the style we’re aiming for when crafting our Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This barrel regime is very important to the elevated quality of this wine.
- VARIETAL COMPOSITION:
- 97% Cabernet Sauvignon
- 3% Petit Verdot
- VINIFICATION: Aged 22 months in French oak (95% new barrels)
- ALCOHOL: 14.7%
- TA: 6.2 g/L
- pH: 3.7