2010 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve

Produced from 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour was aged in new French oak for 22 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, it reveals notes of baked plums, dried blueberries, raisin cake and Chinese five spice with touches of tobacco, dried mint and cast iron pan. Full-bodied with a solid, grainy structure, it has a lively backbone and long, dried berry and spice-laced finish. Approaching maturity now, it should continue drinking for the next 10 to 15+ years.

Bright medium ruby. Crushed blueberry, minerals, licorice and crushed rock on the nose. Then very ripe verging on creamy in the mouth, with dark berry and milk chocolate flavors showing serious density and concentration but also a late-picked quality. The highest-alcohol Georges de Latour ever made. Not a great showing for its vintage: today I don't find the minerality of the site. (15.7% alcohol; 3.72 pH; 5.7 g/l acidity; aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak)

Bright ruby. Intense and quite complex nose. Sweet purple fruits and a hint of coconut and lime! (Bring on the tropical cocktails...) Then rather bolted-on aggressive tannins. Hot finish. Ambitious. And undaunted by a cool year! (JR)