The deep roots of Beaulieu Vineyard were first planted back in 1900, when founder Georges de Latour noticed similarities with his native Bordeaux and declared the Napa Valley ideal for winemaking. He followed up on this belief by planting vineyards in Rutherford with grafted, phylloxera-resistant French vines. The Cabernet Sauvignons that de Latour crafted from these grapes gave the world its first taste of California’s promise as a world-class winemaking region. In 1938 de Latour hired the young Russo-French enologist Andre Tchelistcheff, who would become California’s most distinguished winemaker. Tchelistcheff’s knowledge of traditional French techniques and willingness to experiment in local conditions brought BV the Grand Sweepstakes Award at the Golden Gate International Exposition, and led to the creation of Napa Valley’s first reserve wine, Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
