When André Tchelistcheff joined Beaulieu Vineyard in 1938, he tasted the de Latour family’s private wine – what they called “Private Reserve” – from the 1936 vintage.
This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine was so distinctive that Tchelistcheff insisted it is bottled and sold as the winery’s flagship offering. In 1940, Beaulieu Vineyard released the first vintage of Private Reserve and named it in our founder’s honor.
The resulting wine became the first release of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that was destined to become Napa Valley’s first “cult” Cabernet. In 70+ years since Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has become the benchmark of Napa Valley Cabernet as one of the most collected American wines.
Established over a century ago, Beaulieu—which means “a beautiful place” in French—features over 1,100 acres of estate vineyards stretching across some of the best grape-growing sites in Napa Valley.
The winery is renowned for its precision; whites are cold-fermented to retain their vibrant character, while reds are cold-soaked for optimum extraction of color, flavor, and tannin.