Beaulieu Vineyard, founded in 1900 and a pioneering winery of the Rutherford appellation, recently announced the release of its inaugural vintage of the 2018 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($80 per 750 ml bottle). With more than a century of experience in Rutherford, Beaulieu’s extensive vineyard study, block by block, and its experimentation with various techniques culminates in this new wine – the ultimate expression of Rutherford terroir. Beaulieu Vineyard has not debuted a nationally available, new wine since 1990.
The winery’s heritage in the region makes it one of the largest and oldest landowners of vineyards in Rutherford—amounting to over 360 acres—and is a founding member of the Rutherford Dust Society, a membership organization dedicated to the highest standards of grape-growing and winemaking in the region. Its history as one of the preeminent cult Cabernet producers makes it a must-know for wine lovers and collectors alike.
Beaulieu Vineyard’s Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from some of the best and most historic blocks in the heart of Rutherford. These blocks produce intensely concentrated and layered fruit, resulting in a wine that is a quintessential representation of Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, with layered aromatics, depth of flavor, finesse, and taut structure.
“The winemaking team and I handled the fruit with the utmost care, enhancing the distinctive attributes through a 21-month aging process exclusively utilizing French oak barrels that we had yet to employ before,” says Winemaker and General Manager Trevor Durling. “The resulting wine offers depth and balance along with the tell-tale note of ‘Rutherford Dust,’ leading to a velvety-smooth and persistent finish. Legendary California wine figure André Tchelistcheff was right when he said, ‘It takes Rutherford Dust to make great wine.’”
The 2018 vintage was one of the premier vintages of the past decade for Napa Valley. The region enjoyed an ideal growing season and harvest, resulting in a stunning first vintage of the Rutherford Reserve with concentrated flavors, color, and excellent acidity. Aged in 80% new French oak with small percentages of Malbec and Petit Verdot to enhance the complex flavor profile, Beaulieu Vineyard’s newest offering will cement its place as a wine to know in its debut year and beyond as it becomes a permanent offering for the winery.
Beaulieu Vineyard is located at 1960 St. Helena Highway in Rutherford. For more information, or tasting reservations, call (707) 257-5749 or visit the website at bvwines.com.