2015 Beaulieu Vineyard Maestro Collection Ranch No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon

Founded in 1900 by Georges de Latour, a native of France, and led for many years by the legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff, Beaulieu Vineyard has one of the oldest and most romantic histories in the Napa Valley. De Latour bought his first vineyard in Rutherford and named it “beau lieu,” French for "beautiful place.” His vision was to create a serene wine chateau and the estate is still one of the most scenic in the region. Beaulieu’s Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon dates back to the 1930s, and it quickly became one of California’s premier wines. Tchelistcheff, trained as a wine master in France, shaped the character of BV’s wines during the 1950s and 1960s. Today the winery is still famous for its BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve, but also makes Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, thanks in part to the acquisition of vineyards in other parts of Napa Valley. Altogether the winery owns 1,029 acres and produces a total of 750,000 bottles a year.

Stags Leap District AVA in southern Napa Valley has a storied history. It is home to Stag’s Leap Cellars, whose 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon won the famous Judgment of Paris blind tasting that included several of Bordeaux’s most exalted First Growths. Vineyards were started in area in the late 19th century, but the district’s rise in prestige started in the late 1960s when Nathan Fay planted Cabernet Sauvignon. Fay later sold his estate to Warren Winiarski, founder of Stag’s Leap Cellars. The district was given its own AVA designation in 1989, and today there are 1,400 vineyard acres. The AVA is especially notable because it was the first in the U.S. to be granted AVA status based on terroir. Its distinctive soils is a mix of volcanic soils, river sediment and loamy clay-like soil. Because the soils don’t retain water well, vineyards in Stag’s Leap tend to grow fruit with great intensity and flavor. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for 95% of the grapes planted in Stags Leap.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.