After a fine growing season with even ripening, 2012 yielded a large crop of generous and opulent wines. The nose, while still reserved, is indeed sumptuous with hefty oak aromas as well as blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. The attack is surprisingly soft, with fine-grained tannins, but the concentration accelerates into a textured and spicy palate with mint chocolate tones and black fruits. It expands on the balanced and long finish, showing more complexity and weight. Read more at https://www.decanter.com/wine-reviews/usa/california/beaulieu-vineyard-georges-de-latour-private-reserve-28060#zpSXA4vez5QXSoLt.99

At a sweet spot for drinking, tons of primary fruits, spice, chocolate, cocoa bean, espresso, all melted together, seasoned by dried herbs, eucaplyptus and smoked earth. This was a vintage with lots of hang time so a late harvesting window through to the third week of October. Barrel fermentation on 40% of the production, 90% new oak. Michel Rolland consultant at the time.

Composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 90% new. The alcohol came in at 15.5% this year. Deep garnet in color with a hint of purple, it springs from the glass with spritely notions of crushed red and black currants, wild blueberries and fragrant violets plus touches of black tea, dark chocolate, licorice and roses and a waft of tilled black soil. The impactfully concentrated, full-bodied palate confirms this wine is aging at a glacial pace with loads of bright, primary fruit and a taut backbone of grainy tannins matched by bold freshness, finishing very long and perfumed. This wine still has many years ahead!

One of the appellation's more famous wines, this opens in black licorice and blackberry, alongside a streak of malted chocolate, soft and sinewy, with a tension of acidity that adds age-worthy structure. Dense and interesting now, it'll get better over time, cellaring well through 2027.