2009 Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve
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Tasting notes
(a blend of all five red Bordeaux varieties): Bright red-ruby. Slightly medicinal aromas of dark berries, licorice and chocolate. A supple blend with restrained sweetness, but a bit sullen today as a strong chocolatey quality currently mutes the wine's fruit. Plenty of material here but showing less lift today than this producer's basic Napa Valley cabernet bottling. Tannins are dusty and slightly dry. Made from reserve lots that were vinified and aged separately before being blended.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2009 Reserve Tapestry is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Dark red fruit, flowers, licorice are some of the notes that emerge from this sleek, beautifully balanced red. As good as this is, it doesn't have the personality of the estate's Cabernets. Still, I like the deep, radiant, fleshy finish.
The 2009 Reserve Tapestry is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Dark red fruit, flowers, licorice are some of the notes that emerge from this sleek, beautifully balanced red. As good as this is, it doesn't have the personality of the estate's Cabernets. Still, I like the deep, radiant, fleshy finish. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2017. One of the most important wines of my formative years was a sublime bottle of the 1976 Georges de Latour. Today Michel Rolland consults on that wine, but frankly this is a very strong set of wines across the board, with a number of bottles that offer excellent value. Tel. (800) 373-5896
About the producer
Beaulieu Vineyard remains one of the most historically important wineries in Napa Valley. It is it one of the longest continuous running wineries in the region, as one of the few that kept operating throughout Prohibition.