(Originally published February 2006)

Founded by Georges de Latour in 1900, Beaulieu Vineyard is now in its second century of Napa Valley winemaking. A native of Bordeaux, de Latour chose Rutherford as the site for his winery and initial 128 acres of vineyards, then purchased additional land near Oakville. Today these vineyards, which are still called BV#1 and BV#2, are the heart of Beaulieu’s production of Private Reserve and Rutherford Cabernets.

Early on, de Latour made a business decision that would have a dramatic impact on the winery’s future – he formed a relationship with the Catholic Church to provide high quality altar wine. Later, when Prohibition forced most California wineries to close, BV was able to stay in business legally. As one of only a handful of wineries to withstand the Prohibition years (along with Concannon, Martini, and Beringer, to name a few that are also still operating today), BV has been an enduring symbol of Napa Valley wines.

Among de Latour’s many other accomplishments, one other decision that must be mentioned was the hiring of a young Russian born, French trained enologist named André Tchelistcheff. During his thirty-five years at BV (1938 to 1973), Tchelistcheff (pronounced CHEL-a-chev) quite literally changed the face of winegrowing in Napa Valley – not to mention California and even the world.

From his insistence on the importance of hygiene and its relationship to the final quality of wine (something unrecognized by most vintners at that time), to his initialization of cold fermentation, advances in malolactic fermentation, and insistence on small oak barrels for aging wine – Tchelistcheff’s influences are felt in every single bottle of wine sold in the world today.

After de Latour died in 1940, his wife Fernande named BV’s top Cabernet after her husband – the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

But BV is not all about Cabernet. In the mid 1940s, Tchelistcheff was one of the few that recognized the potential of the Carneros region for Pinot Noir (and Chardonnay) and made the first of several excellent BV Pinot Noirs, BV’s vineyard holdings in Carneros are the main source of most of its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir production.

Among his other contributions to winemaking, Tchelistcheff was also known for his generosity in teaching and mentoring other winemakers, something he continued to do until his death in 1994. Among those who benefited from Tchelistcheff’s guidance was Joel Aiken, who joined BV as Assistant Winemaker in 1982 and was promoted to Head Winemaker three years later.

Aiken has continued the BV tradition of experimentation and innovation, replanting vineyards according to BV’s research on clonal selection and trellising techniques, introducing French oak again, launching the Signet Collection series of lesser-known varietals like Viognier, and creating the Coastal series of value-priced wines from California’s Central and North Coasts.

All of that is just a long way of saying that when you’re drinking BV wines – you’re experiencing an important part of California’s wine history. Learn more about Beaulieu Vineyards and its wines at www.bvwine.com.

We recently sampled a bunch of BV wines – here are our notes on our favorites!

Beaulieu Vineyard 2003 Merlot California Coastal Estates ($11). Appealingly tart red berry flavors and aromas are balanced by the smooth mouthfeel and tannins, picking up cinnamon, plum and mocha through the finish. Ready to drink now.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2004 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley ($13). All soft and melon driven, with pretty pear and delicate white pepper flavors that linger nicely. Ready to drink now.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2004 Chardonnay Napa Valley ($18). Nicely balanced, with aromatic, juicy citrus playing off smooth orchard fruit, a hint of toasty oak and appealing, subtle spices emerging on the lingering finish. A good value. Ready to drink now.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2004 Chardonnay Carneros ($20). Elegant and restrained, with layers of pear, apple, mineral, toast and vanilla bean that mingle on the moderate finish. Ready to drink now.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2003 Merlot Napa Valley ($18). A surprise tasting favorite, with pretty plum and red berry flavors that are rich but not over the top. With supple tannins and spicy anise accents. So drinkable! Ready to drink now and over the next year or two.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2003 Zinfandel Napa Valley ($14). Jammy and full-bodied, with concentrated red cherry and strawberry flavors accented with sappy, briary herbs, soft spices, cocoa powder and dusty tannins.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($17). Subtle eucalyptus aromas accent polished blackberry and cherry flavors, with toasty oak and smoky herbal notes on the finish. Ready to drink now.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford ($25). Classic “Rutherford dust” laces aromatic plum, black cherry, anise, cola and herbal notes that linger on a polished, generous finish. Good value! Ready to drink now and over the next four or five years.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2002 Tapestry Reserve Napa Valley ($50). A blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (81%), Merlot (13%), Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this deep, concentrated wine offers aromatic bittersweet chocolate, sage and tar accents to the black cherry and plum flavors that are quite young now, with ripe, chewy tannins that smooth out somewhat through the long finish. Tempting now (with proper decanting) and over the next five to seven years.

Beaulieu Vineyard 2002 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Napa Valley ($85). Rich and opulent, with aromatic black licorice and earth complementing the deep blackberry and plum flavors. Picks up an array of accents through the generous finish, including black olive, tobacco, cinnamon and cedar. Tempting now (with proper decanting) and over the next ten-plus years.