Georges De Latour was a chemist from France who relocated to California in 1883. He started with four acres of land in Rutherford and gradually expanded his reach. His business thrived during Prohibition as he sold sacramental wine to the Catholic Church. Beaulieu means “beautiful place” in French. The estate vineyards sprawl over 1,100 acres.

A turning point occurred in 1938 when winemaker André Tchelistcheff joined Beaulieu Vineyards. Tchelistcheff tasted the 1936 de Latour family’s private reserve wine. “It was so distinctive that Tchelistcheff insisted it is bottled and sold as the winery’s flagship offering.” By 1940, under Tchelistcheff's guidance, the first vintage of Beaulieu Vineyard Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was released. Winemaking has been under the guidance of Trevor Durling since 2017, who recently transitioned to Darioush in 2025. Silver Oak’s former winemaker Nate Weis has now taken the reigns at Beaulieu.

In 2024, the 2021 BV Georges De Latour Cabernet Sauvignon was nominated as Wine Spectator’s #2 Wine of the Year. This flagship bottling from Beaulieu Vineyard is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petite Verdot aged for 24 months in French Oak barrels (95% new) This stunning release from Trevor Durling has his signature engraved all over the wine. It is purple-garnet in appearance with a spring floral bouquet of violets and an abundance of freshly picked black orchard fruits. On entry you are greeted with luxurious blackberry compote, exotic Asian five spice nuances, molten dark chocolate, recently cut sandalwood and a thread of classic Rutherford dust. There is exquisite harmony to this full bodied wine which displays an ample amount of ripe, supple tannins that will integrate more over time. There is refinement and pedigree to this wine that defines the historic Georges De Latours.

By W Peter Hoyne