Beaulieu Vineyard Georges De La Tour Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Beaulieu Vineyard Georges De La Tour Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 is a 750ml Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon bottled at 15% ABV from the Rutherford AVA. Named to James Suckling's Top 100 Napa and Sonoma Wines of 2017, this vintage earned high praise from Antonio Galloni of Vinous, who called it "fabulous" and "all class," noting its remarkable finesse from start to finish.

Quick Facts: ABV: 15%  |  Origin: Rutherford AVA, Napa Valley, California  |  Vintage: 2014  |  Producer: Beaulieu Vineyard (BV)

Production & Heritage

Beaulieu Vineyard was founded in the early 1900s by French immigrant Georges de Latour, who planted vineyards in Rutherford that remain the backbone of this wine today. The 2014 Private Reserve draws fruit from BV Ranches No. 1 and No. 2—the original plots de Latour established—and is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and 3% Merlot. Fermentation took place at a dedicated winery built exclusively for this cuvée, with 55% of the juice going into new French oak barrels for early fruit-oak integration; the finished wine aged 22 months in French oak, 88% of which was new, building the dense, layered texture the label is known for.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Deep garnet-purple in the glass, the nose opens with baked blackberries, dried mulberries, and preserved plums. Secondary waves reveal allspice, cardamom, lavender, and cigar box.

Taste: The entry is plush and expansive, delivering briary black currant, cherry, and cassis alongside cedar, sandalwood, and mocha. Muscular tannins frame the mid-palate while impeccably balanced acidity keeps the rich fruit focused and vibrant. Hints of graphite and sautéed herbs add complexity through the peak.

Finish: Long and textured, with lingering notes of tobacco leaf, dried mint, and crème de cassis. The oak influence stays integrated rather than dominant, fading into a quiet minerality.

How to Drink Georges De La Tour 2014

This is a wine built for drinking neat—decant it for at least an hour to let the tannins soften and the aromatic layers fully unfold. A large-bowled Bordeaux glass concentrates the complex nose. While this Private Reserve is primarily a sipping wine, its structure and intensity also make it a striking component in a wine-based cocktail: a Cabernet Reduction Sangria with dark stone fruits and warming spices mirrors the wine's profile; a New York Sour substituting this Cabernet for the red wine float adds gravity and depth; and a Kalimotxo (red wine and cola) with a premium Cab like this elevates the Spanish classic into something unexpectedly refined.

Best For

• Celebrating a milestone anniversary or career achievement
• Gifting a serious Napa Valley Cabernet collector
• Anchoring a Rutherford-focused blind tasting alongside peers from the same AVA
• Pairing with a special-occasion prime rib or Wagyu dinner

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Georges De La Tour 2014 taste like? The dominant profile centers on ripe black currant, cassis, and cherry layered with cedar, mocha, and sandalwood, supported by muscular yet polished tannins and bright acidity.

How does Georges De La Tour compare to Opus One? Both are iconic Napa Valley Cabernet-based wines from neighboring Rutherford and Oakville vineyards, but Georges de Latour Private Reserve tends toward a richer, more powerfully structured style at 15% ABV, while Opus One generally emphasizes elegance and Bordeaux-like restraint in its blend.

Is Georges De La Tour 2014 good for cellaring? Yes—its muscular tannin structure, balanced acidity, and 22 months of new French oak aging give the 2014 vintage a framework that should support continued development for years in a temperature-controlled cellar.

Where is Georges De La Tour made? The wine is produced at Beaulieu Vineyard's dedicated Private Reserve winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, using fruit from BV Ranches No. 1 and No. 2, the estate's original vineyard blocks planted by founder Georges de Latour.

What foods pair well with Georges De La Tour 2014? Grilled bone-in ribeye benefits from the wine's tannin grip; braised lamb shanks with rosemary echo its herbal undertones; aged Gruyère or Comté highlight the mocha and cedar notes; mushroom risotto with truffle oil complements its earthy depth; and dark chocolate torte mirrors the wine's cassis-driven richness.

What sizes does Georges De La Tour 2014 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle; larger format bottles such as magnums may be available depending on the vintage allocation.

Is Georges De La Tour 2014 worth the price? Positioned as an ultra-premium Napa Valley Cabernet with over a century of brand heritage, inclusion in James Suckling's Top 100, and high critical praise from Vinous, the 2014 Private Reserve competes credibly at its price tier against first-growth–caliber California wines.

Why Georges De La Tour 2014?

The 2014 vintage landed in one of Napa Valley's most consistently lauded growing seasons of the decade, and the Private Reserve captures that quality at full intensity. A dedicated winery built solely for this single wine—an unusual commitment in California winemaking—allows the production team to fine-tune every stage from fermentation through barrel aging without compromise. Fruit sourced from vineyard blocks that have been in continuous production since Georges de Latour himself planted them gives the wine a provenance few Napa labels can match. Antonio Galloni's unequivocal praise and the wine's place among James Suckling's Top 100 confirm the 2014 as one of the stronger recent expressions of a label that has defined Rutherford Cabernet for generations.