Beaulieu Vineyard
Reserve Tapestry Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Napa Valley, California, USA
Annual Fall seclusion at our cabin in the Rangeley lakes region of Maine.
(Notes this year were avoided, but scores are honest.)
Not as good as other bottles of the same vintage, solid though.
Annual Fall seclusion at our cabin in the Rangeley lakes region of Maine.
(Notes this year were avoided, but scores are honest.)
Not as good as other bottles of the same vintage, solid though.
The BV Tapestry doesn’t show its real self and value until it approaches 20 years. When you open these inside 10 years, it’s an average to very good wine depending on vintage. I’ve said it many times, you simply can’t get this kind of elegance and flat gorgeous complexity with any amount of decanting. You cannot fake or cheat long bottle evolution.
The one quality I get from this bottling at this age is Cognac with deep caramel flavors.
The nose reveals, dark currants, deep blackberries, dark liqueur cherries, baked, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, baked rhubarb pie, poached strawberries, anise, heavily steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry, crushed, rock powder, sweet tarriness, soft leather, hints of graphite, dry twig, salted caramel, Cognac, herbaceous notes-bay leaf, dark, rich, turned earth, hints of mushroom, hints of; vanillin, clove, nutmeg, understated, medium, dark spice, saline, peppercorns, dark, red, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets and lavender. Floral heaven and then some!
The body is round & full. The mouthfeel is gorgeously sexy. The tannins are round, soft but, still show some teeth & tarriness. The structure, tension, length and balance are exquisite and still has at least 5 years of life ahead. It’s magnificently on the other side of its peak. Dark currants, deep blackberries, dark liqueur cherries, baked, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, baked rhubarb pie with golden crust, poached strawberries, kirsch cherries, figs, prunes, dates, anise, heavily steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry, crushed, rock powder, sweet tarriness, soft leather, hints of graphite, dry twig, salted caramel, dark chocolate, Cognac, herbaceous notes-bay leaf, dark, rich, turned earth, hints of mushroom, hints of; vanillin, clove, nutmeg, understated, medium, deep, dark spice with shades of palate heat, saline, peppercorns, dark, red, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets and lavender. The acidity is flat out perfect. The long finish is; extremely well balanced fruit & earth, elegant, gorgeous, sexy, silky, ripe, lush, captivates the whole body, persists until you go to bed and even intrudes on your dreams.
While 94, no ordinary 94 with its age, complexity & beauty. It’s a WOW wine that rocks your mind, body & soul if you are deeply passionate about wine as I am. You want to slowly sip this all night.
Photos of, all the amazing scenery in and around BV...a Napa pioneer & legend.
The BV Tapestry doesn’t show its real self and value until it approaches 20 years. When you open these inside 10 years, it’s an average to very good wine depending on vintage. I’ve said it many times, you simply can’t get this kind of elegance and flat gorgeous complexity with any amount of decanting. You cannot fake or cheat long bottle evolution.
The one quality I get from this bottling at this age is Cognac with deep caramel flavors.
The nose reveals, dark currants, deep blackberries, dark liqueur cherries, baked, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, baked rhubarb pie, poached strawberries, anise, heavily steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry, crushed, rock powder, sweet tarriness, soft leather, hints of graphite, dry twig, salted caramel, Cognac, herbaceous notes-bay leaf, dark, rich, turned earth, hints of mushroom, hints of; vanillin, clove, nutmeg, understated, medium, dark spice, saline, peppercorns, dark, red, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets and lavender. Floral heaven and then some!
The body is round & full. The mouthfeel is gorgeously sexy. The tannins are round, soft but, still show some teeth & tarriness. The structure, tension, length and balance are exquisite and still has at least 5 years of life ahead. It’s magnificently on the other side of its peak. Dark currants, deep blackberries, dark liqueur cherries, baked, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, baked rhubarb pie with golden crust, poached strawberries, kirsch cherries, figs, prunes, dates, anise, heavily steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry, crushed, rock powder, sweet tarriness, soft leather, hints of graphite, dry twig, salted caramel, dark chocolate, Cognac, herbaceous notes-bay leaf, dark, rich, turned earth, hints of mushroom, hints of; vanillin, clove, nutmeg, understated, medium, deep, dark spice with shades of palate heat, saline, peppercorns, dark, red, fresh & withering florals with fields of violets and lavender. The acidity is flat out perfect. The long finish is; extremely well balanced fruit & earth, elegant, gorgeous, sexy, silky, ripe, lush, captivates the whole body, persists until you go to bed and even intrudes on your dreams.
While 94, no ordinary 94 with its age, complexity & beauty. It’s a WOW wine that rocks your mind, body & soul if you are deeply passionate about wine as I am. You want to slowly sip this all night.
Photos of, all the amazing scenery in and around BV...a Napa pioneer & legend.
Exceeded my expectations. Shared with chateaubriand, 23 March 2014, El Gaucho, Seattle, corkage
Exceeded my expectations. Shared with chateaubriand, 23 March 2014, El Gaucho, Seattle, corkage
1 person found it helpfulMar 29th, 2014Last bottle and consistent with the other three.
Last bottle and consistent with the other three.
Oct 2nd, 2016Tonight was our own micro Judgement of Paris with our friend Jean who makes Clerc Milon. It was a dual of 96's. 96 BVT vs. 96 Lynch Bages. Seems fair, right??? Two mostly comparable producers from the same year. Not sure how you make it much more fair. While both wines were very enjoyable, there has to be a winner right? The BVT; thicker, more broad, darker, more baking spice, finishing with a touch of Caramel & Congac. The Lynch Bages; bright dark and light cherries, soft, pure with the Bordeaux earthiness. Oh...forgot to mention, we tasted them blind. So, who won...CA or Bordeaux? We all agreed it was the BVT. Especially, early on. After an hour, it got a little closer but the BVT prevailed. Fun side by side tasting. One of the best I've done in awhile.
Tonight was our own micro Judgement of Paris with our friend Jean who makes Clerc Milon. It was a dual of 96's. 96 BVT vs. 96 Lynch Bages. Seems fair, right??? Two mostly comparable producers from the same year. Not sure how you make it much more fair. While both wines were very enjoyable, there has to be a winner right? The BVT; thicker, more broad, darker, more baking spice, finishing with a touch of Caramel & Congac. The Lynch Bages; bright dark and light cherries, soft, pure with the Bordeaux earthiness. Oh...forgot to mention, we tasted them blind. So, who won...CA or Bordeaux? We all agreed it was the BVT. Especially, early on. After an hour, it got a little closer but the BVT prevailed. Fun side by side tasting. One of the best I've done in awhile.
Aug 13th, 2016I under estimated this wine last weekend as I didn't decant it. Some concern over a 20 year old CA Cabernet. However, this wine is still all there. There's something special when the right wine hits 20 years of age and there is simply no shortcut or substitute. The evolution in this wine is spectacular. Ripe plum, blackberries, dark raspberries, cooked strawberries, amazing baking spices, sweet dark earth and minerals, swede and soft leather, tobacco leaf, great balance, an amazing elegant finish and perfect acidity. I would have not expected this much from a Tapestry but there you go!!! Holding my 07's for much longer than I expected based on this 96.
I under estimated this wine last weekend as I didn't decant it. Some concern over a 20 year old CA Cabernet. However, this wine is still all there. There's something special when the right wine hits 20 years of age and there is simply no shortcut or substitute. The evolution in this wine is spectacular. Ripe plum, blackberries, dark raspberries, cooked strawberries, amazing baking spices, sweet dark earth and minerals, swede and soft leather, tobacco leaf, great balance, an amazing elegant finish and perfect acidity. I would have not expected this much from a Tapestry but there you go!!! Holding my 07's for much longer than I expected based on this 96.
Jul 30th, 2016This wine will go another 5 years plus. It's still peaking. Black currants, black raspberries, cooked rhubarb, secondary Layers of strawberries, black licorice anise, sweet black earth and minerals. Lush and rich on the long, long finish. This BVT was epic!
This wine will go another 5 years plus. It's still peaking. Black currants, black raspberries, cooked rhubarb, secondary Layers of strawberries, black licorice anise, sweet black earth and minerals. Lush and rich on the long, long finish. This BVT was epic!
Jul 23rd, 2016
From double mag. Fruit very much still there but length, depth, complexity was shorter than '96s I drank a decade ago. Still a very fun wine but on the decline.
From double mag. Fruit very much still there but length, depth, complexity was shorter than '96s I drank a decade ago. Still a very fun wine but on the decline.
Jan 1st, 2017