Beaulieu Vineyard (Winemaking, 8 Delicious Wines, Prices 2024)

The historic Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) is nestled in the Rutherford appellation in California. 

It’s iconic Napa Valley wines left a memorable trace in the history of America’s wine industry and have even been served at prestigious White House dinners since the 1940s.

So, what makes this over-a-century-old vineyard a trendsetter even today?

Let’s uncover all the secrets of the wine producer Beaulieu Vineyard including, its colorful history, meticulous winemaking, and the best Napa Valley wines it offers. We’ll also explore an easy way for you to invest in these premium wines. 

A Brief Introduction to Beaulieu Vineyard

Beaulieu’s name originates from the French phrase, “Quel beau lieu,” meaning “what a beautiful place!” 

This Napa Valley winery is known for its signature Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon wines. 

The grapes grown in Beaulieu Vineyard are mainly the Bordeaux varietals and some others.

Today, Beaulieu Vineyard is owned by the Treasury Wine Estates wine company. If you want to drop into the estate or taste the wines, you can attend a Cabernet collector tasting at the reserve tasting room.

Now, Beaulieu Vineyard has a very eventful past! 

It managed to remain operational and continue its winemaking legacy even during the Prohibition era by producing sacramental wine for the churches.

So how did the winery maintain its reputation over the years?

The Origin and Evolution of Beaulieu Vineyard

The story of Beaulieu begins with the businessman George de Latour, who set out to create Napa Valley wines superior to those made in his native France.

In 1900, after selling his thriving cream of tartar business, he bought a 4-acre ranch that was to be the original Rutherford vineyard. 

Gradually, De Latour and his wife Fernande increased their landholdings. The 127-acre Rutherford plot became “BV Ranch No. 1” while another plot added in 1910 became “BV Ranch No. 2.” 

George de Latour dealt with the phylloxera problem of Napa Valley by importing phylloxera resistant rootstock vine varieties for his winery. He also subverted the 1920 Prohibition Law by producing sacramental wine, making BV a gamechanger in the California wine industry.

In 1938, after the repeal of Prohibition, he recruited famed viticulturist Andre Tchelistcheff. Tchelistcheff introduced innovative techniques like malolactic fermentation of red wines and French oak barrel aging. 

Andre Tchelistcheff released the winery's flagship offering - the 1936 vintage of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. 

In 1969, the vineyard was bought by Heublein Inc., and then in 1987 by Grand Metropolitan. The winery was then sold to Treasury Wine Estates in 2016.

Let’s now explore the viticulture and terroir of Beaulieu Vineyard.

Beaulieu Vineyards and Viticulture

The Beaulieu Vineyard sites lie at the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains in the Rutherford AVA (appellation), west of Napa Valley. 

The traditional Bordeaux varieties planted are:

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Chardonnay 
• Cabernet Franc
• Petit Verdot
• Merlot
• Malbec 

In addition, Beaulieu also cultivates these grape varietals:

• Pinot Gris
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Mourvedre
• Syrah
• Merlot
• Sangiovese
• Marsanne
• Roussanne

The original Rutherford vineyard is on the St. Helena highway. 

Following the acquisition of surrounding land plots, the vineyards expanded into the St. Helena, Calistoga, and Carneros AVAs. 

Wine producer Beaulieu Vineyard owns the following vineyard sites:

• BV Ranch 1 and 2: The original BV vineyards are located in North California  and enjoy a pleasant, long growing season and optimal sun exposure.  
• BV Ranches 5, 8, and 9: Found in Napa Valley’s Carneros region, these vineyards are known for growing Syrah and Merlot grape varietals.
• BV Ranch 10: This is Beaulieu’s experimental property growing different varietals such as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Valdiguie, and Carignane.
• BV Ranch 11: This ranch grows a rare phylloxera-resistant Zinfandel. 

We’ll now explore the vinification process at Beaulieu Vineyard.

Winemaking at Beaulieu Vineyard 

If you’re in California’s wine country, and want to see the harmonious union of heritage and innovative technology, you should go on a tour of the Beaulieu Vineyard! 

The vinification at the Beaulieu Vineyard winery involves:

• Sorting: Once the grapes are harvested, they go through meticulous sorting. A modern optical sorter picks out only the best grapes.
• Fermentation: The sorted grapes are fermented in barrels which impart oaky flavor and rich tannins to the wine in its early stage of development. 
• Aging: The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. It is also periodically racked or transferred from one barrel to another to remove solid remnants. Once aged, expert oenologists sample the wines in a state-of-the-art wine tasting room before bottling.   

The wines of Beaulieu Vineyard winery are characterized by the tasting note of “Rutherford dust.” Famed viticulturist and winemaker Mike Smith defined “Rutherford Dust” as the “fine dusty tannin” effect with hints of plump cocoa powder!

Want a taste of the wines of this intriguing Napa Valley vineyard? 

We’ve got you covered.

Best Beaulieu Vineyard Wines to Buy in 2024

Check out some of our favorite BV wines you can buy in 2024:

1. 2013 Beaulieu Vineyard Rarity Cabernet Sauvignon

The wine has an intense flavor of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, and elegant violet aroma. The balanced acidity and firm tannin levels offer an incredible mouthfeel.

Price of 2013 Beaulieu Vineyard Rarity Cabernet Sauvignon: $920

2. 1961 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 

This deep ruby Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has a floral and berry fruit aroma. The palate is rich with tasting notes of blackberry, cherry, and sweet plum, along with velvety tannins.

Price of 1961 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: $690

3. 1970 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Beaumont Pinot Noir 

This incredible Napa Valley wine has an intense nose of leather, dark fruit, and soy sauce. It is full-bodied with smooth tannins and a long finish. The palate includes berry, red fruit, plum, and chocolate flavor hints. 

Price of 1970 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Beaumont Pinot Noir: $311

4. 1997 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Reserve Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon

This Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied with a rich palate of cassis, spice, cherry, and cocoa. The Cabernet is packed with a layered fruity aroma and firm tannins.

Price of 1997 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Reserve Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon: $301

5. 1968 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Burgundy 

This is a well-aged wine with a structured palate of black cherry, dark fruit, and chocolate. It has an intense nose of leather, cassis, and cacao. 

This flavorful Burgundy works as an excellent complement to classic meats, veal, pork, beef, lamb, roast chicken, and Asian seafood dishes.

Price of 1968 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Burgundy: $255

6. 2012 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Signet Collection Reserve Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon 

This Napa Valley wine with exceptional aging potential has tasting notes of black cherry liqueur, blackberry, and crème de cassis. The opulent aroma bouquet has spice, vanilla, and toasted oak notes. 

Price of 2012 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Signet Collection Reserve Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon: $202

7. 1978 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Claret

This smooth BV wine has aromas of green olives, toasted oak, plum, and tea leaves. It delivers magnificent spicy and fruity tasting notes of cherry, blackcurrant, and earth.

Price of 1978 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Claret: $158

8. 2016 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Maestro Collection Cabernet Sauvignon Ranch 2 

This Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a vibrant nose of blackberry, black currant, raisin, and vanilla. It has balanced acidity, robust tannins, and a flavorful palate of mocha, espresso, and black plum.

Price of 2016 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Maestro Collection Cabernet Sauvignon Ranch 2: $95

Wondering if these premium BV wines are investment-worthy? 

Let’s find out.

Investing in Beaulieu Vineyard Wines

Beaulieu Vineyard wines have good aging potential and can develop well in a cellar for a few decades. The lead winemaker at the Beaulieu winery, Trevor Durling, aims to create a wine that can age for over 30 years. 

Beaulieu Vineyard wines have also been rated high by many prominent wine experts. For instance, the 2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon scored a 96 on Wine Spectator. 

Beaulieu Vineyard wines have shown an appreciable increase in value over the years. For instance, between 2020 and 2021:

• The 2013 BV Rarity Cabernet Sauvignon grew by 48%, from $678 to $1,004.
• The 2002 Beaulieu Vineyard BV Reserve Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon appreciated by 31% from $107 to $140.

Beaulieu Vineyard wines have also had some exciting auction outcomes:

• The 80th anniversary Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Celebration Lot of 29 bottles was sold for $260,000 at the 2019 Napa Valley Auction.
• A 26-bottle mixed Beaulieu Vineyard wine lot sold for $4,000 at a Zachy’s auction in February 2021.
• At a 2016 Sotheby’s auction, a 12-bottle lot of the Georges de Latour Private Reserve, 1951 sold for $13,475.

Now how can you invest in these highly desirable vintage wines? 

Vinovest can help you build a portfolio of high-return premium wines like Beaulieu Vineyard and many others.

Buy Beaulieu Vineyard and Other Collectible Wines Through Vinovest

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Benefits

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Vinovest’s Artificial Intelligence-based platform makes it easy to buy and sell fine wines like Beaulieu Vineyard. 

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Secure A Bottle of the Sumptuous Beaulieu Vineyard Wine for Your Collection!

Beaulieu Vineyard, with its rich winemaking legacy, has set a benchmark for high-quality wines both in the California wine industry and worldwide. 

The supple tannin, delectable flavors, and arresting aromas of these wines will bewitch you. 

As you relish a bottle of these fine wines, you can also earn good returns by cellaring them as a long-term investment.

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