Beaulieu Vineyard

2019 Reserve Clone 169 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

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A bottle of Reserve Clone 169 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.
Beaulieu Vineyard

2019 Reserve Clone 169 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

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750mL

This very limited bottling of the 2019 Clone 169 Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding demonstration of this unique vine. Aromas of violet and blueberry create a fragrant bouquet on the nose that is complemented by notes of red currant and red raspberry. On the palate there is a fresh elegance coupled with great acidity and a supple mouthfeel. Sinewy and silky textures create a wine that is approachable yet complex. While enjoyable now, this wine will continue to develop complexity in the bottle and will age well for another 20+ years when stored at ideal cellar temperatures.
96 pts
“Black-mushroom, black-olive, bark and forest-floor aromas with some currants. Medium-to full-bodied, with firmness and brightness. Some citrus and wet earth at the end. Two or three years will make a difference.”
James Suckling, May 4, 2022

Technical info

Alcohol 14.7%
Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
Blend 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation Napa Valley
Oak treatment 20 months in French oak, with 100% new barrels

Winemaking

At our state-of-the-art winery dedicated exclusively to the production of our Reserve wines, we utilized the latest technology to destem and optically- sort the berries to retain only the highest quality fruit. Cold soaking of the must and gentle pump overs gently extracted the flavor-rich skins into the juice. Upon completion of primary fermentation, we pressed the skins and transferred the wine into new French oak barrels for in-barrel malolactic fermentation and aging. Because of the unique and wonderful character of this clonal selection, we treat the wine as a separate lot and bottle a very limited amount.
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Vintage

The 2019 harvest started one to two weeks later than previous years, mostly due to February rains, but because the vines were in their winter dormancy, it did not affect the 2019 crop. Spring continued to be wet with some rain during flowering, followed by cool temperatures that allowed the grapes to mature gradually. Most grapes ripened at lower sugars, thanks to the extended, cool growing season, and winemakers were pleased with the full flavors, fresh acidity, and superb balance of the 2019 fruit. The resulting crop showed a modest yield with a slightly more compact structure and extract than in previous years.

Vineyard

The Cabernet 169 clone is a French, Bordeaux clone that first came to the US and was planted by UC Davis in 2003. Since then, it has been gaining popularity in all the major Cabernet growing regions, and is especially prolific on Mount Veeder within Napa Valley, although our Clone 169 is primarily sourced from our Estate Rutherford benchland vineyards. In 1980, we began a 14-year series of trials in conjunction with UC Davis, to identify Cabernet Sauvignon clones best suited to our Rutherford Bench terroir. Clone 169 was ultimately selected for grafting to rootstocks planted in the well-draining, alluvial fan soils of our estate vineyard. As a component of our Georges de Latour and other reserve Cabernet Sauvignons, Clone 169 has good berry size, high vigor, and a well-balanced acid to sugar ratio. The wine can be higher in alcohol, depending on the winemaking style and it was created to produce a big, bold Cabernet with intense complexity. The color is a vibrant, deep red and the mouth feel tends to be powerful with a lingering finish. This grape is definitely for the adventurous winemaker.

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