BV was there: The Rise to Global Fame

1940s, A Decade of Firsts

After Georges de Latour passed in 1940, the minutes from the first Directors' meeting show that there was never any discussion as to whether Fernande should succeed her husband as the head of the winery. She had long since earned that right, becoming the first in a series of women presidents at BV. From there, the ‘40s continued to be a decade of firsts that raised BV’s profile and cemented its reputation.

1941

The inaugural vintage of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is released. Its renown for innovation and quality quickly spreads worldwide, turning it into Napa Valley’s first Cult Cab.

It took an icon to recognize an icon. Upon arriving at BV, André Tchelistcheff tasted a special lot of 1936 Cabernet Sauvignon, the de Latour family’s private wine, and insisted that its fine quality demanded a separate bottling. In 1941, this wine became the inaugural release of our now world-famous Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Said Georges to André over a glass: “This wine shows what’s possible. I want all my wines to be this good. That’s why I’ve brought you here.”

1949

For the first time, BV wine is served to U.S. presidents and at presidential events. Harry Truman attends a luncheon at New York City’s Gracie Mansion to commemorate the laying of the United Nations cornerstone and Georges de Latour Private Reserve is poured for the guests. The first, but not the last, BV is served at the White House during almost every presidential administration.

Fernande de Latour presents 12 of her wines in Paris for a historic tasting. There, it’s sipped by 50 wine connoisseurs, including representatives of the French ministry of agriculture, viticulture associations, professors, editors of newspapers and viticulture magazines, owners of famous vineyards, members of the Tastevins and Club des 100, Paris hoteliers, sommeliers, gourmets, epicures, and “Parisian personalities.”

2025 is the 125th anniversary of that historic moment. In preparation for our year-long celebration, we’ve been combing our archives and reconnecting with family, friends, and team members far and wide to rediscover the people and happenings that made it all possible