Description
The 2016 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is bursting with a bouquet of cassis, blueberry, blackberry, violet and wild sage, exhibiting the extraordinary concentration, depth and elegance of this superior vintage. Full-bodied and rich on the palate with lingering flavors of dark blackberry, root spice, chocolate and molasses supported by perfectly balanced acidity which adds length, juiciness and freshness to an everlasting finish. Plush “Rutherford Dust” tannins support the ever-expansive palate, while seamlessly integrating with the full-bodied texture, crafting a wine that shows grace, ease and approachability now, but with underlying power and structure that will keep this wine alive for decades to come. Well integrated notes of vanilla and toasted oak spices - from aging in new French oak barrels - heighten the aromas and dance on the lengthy finish. To enjoy this wine at its full potential, we recommend at least five years of bottle aging; however, if you can’t wait, decant before serving.
WINEMAKING NOTE
At our state-of-the-art winery, dedicated exclusively to the crafting of the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is fermented in roughly 50% new French oak barrels which provides early integration and enhances the dense, rich texture. The balance of the must was fermented in stainless steel and concrete fermenters which preserves the freshness of the fruit. Following judicious extended skin contact and in-barrel malolactic fermentation, the wine was pressed and returned to barrels for aging. A small amount of Petit Verdot was blended with the Cabernet Sauvignon to further enhance the wine’s aroma and flavor profile. With the 2016 vintage, we took more care in selecting the barrels chosen specifically for crafting Georges de Latour. We narrowed down our barrel coopers to the top 10 premium barrels to craft a Cabernet with incredible structure without any of the harsh grippy, astringent tannins that are sometimes associated with Napa Cabernet. This barrel regime is very important to the elevated quality of our Georges de Latour Private Reserve.