Vintage 2020 was 'one of the most challenging in history'. Heat and fires (although BV was not affected by the fires). 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot. The fruit comes from the estate's historic vineyards in western Rutherford Bench. A portion of the wine was fermented in new French oak barrels. The rest was fermented in stainless steel and concrete. Extended skin contact, then pressed and put to French barrel (95% new) for malo and 24 months' ageing.
The oak imprint is deeper on this wine than the other BV wines tasted at the same time, despite heady perfume and luscious fruit. Baking spice and vanilla and toasty char over baked cherry, crème de cassis and hibiscus. The tannins hold the iridescent sheen of dark fruit back, bringing drama, pause, emphasis – like long, curlicue swirls of calligraphic ink punctuating the story of the vintage. Despite its potent concentration and oaky sweetness (it's never going to be anything other than quintessentially Napa Cab), the fruit has purity and energy and it's going to age and give pleasure for a long time to come.
Wine Enthusiast (97)
Fascinating, fresh and ripe fruit flavors fill this full-bodied, velvety-textured wine with blackberries, raspberries and cranberries. Subtle oak spices add interest from the aroma through the finish. Decant this time-tested wine if drinking soon.
Jeb Dunnuck (93)
The star of the show from this team in 2020 is the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges De Latour Private Reserve, a deep purple-hued Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 24 months in French oak (95% new). It has terrific aromatics of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, graphite, and spice, and these carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium to full-bodied, has solid tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. There are some firmer, chalky tannins here, but this is beautifully done and should have two decades of longevity.
