Beaulieu Vineyard

Infobox Winery
winery_name = Beaulieu Vineyard
winery_
location_city = Rutherford, California
location_country = USA
appellation = Rutherford AVA
former_name =
other_labels=
year_founded = 1900
first_vintage =
key_people = Joel Aiken, President of Winemaking
Robert Masyczek, Winemaker
Jeffrey Stambor, Winemaker
parent_company = Diageo
cases_per_year =
signature_wine = Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
varietal1 = Cabernet Sauvignon
varietal2 = Pinot Noir
varietal3 = Chardonnay
varietal4 = Sangiovese
varietal5 = Zinfandel
varietal6 = Syrah
varietal7 = Viognier
varietal8 = Merlot
varietal9 = Shiraz
varietal10 = Sauvignon Blanc
other_product1=
other_product2=
other_product3=
other_product4=
other_product5=
homepage=
distribution national
tasting= open to the public

Beaulieu Vineyard is a vineyard near Rutherford, California, belonging to the appellation Rutherford AVA. It was established by Georges de Latour and his wife Fernande in 1900.

History

Initially a purchase of convert|4|acre|ha|1 of land in 1900, Beaulieu Vineyard derives its name from the French phrase "Quel beau lieu" which translates to English as "What a beautiful place". Legend has it that Fernande uttered these words when she first saw the land.Fact|date=November 2007 The following year, they purchased a nearby winery originally built by California State Senator Seneca Ewer in 1885. De Latour's knowledge about phylloxera which at the time had ravaged many of Napa Valley's vineyards and his decision to import a rootstock variety resistant to the pest helped cement his stature as one of the early pioneers of California's wine industry.

When Prohibition in the United States began in 1920, most wineries in the country were forced out of operation. However, Beaulieu obtained a contract to supply sacramental wine to churches across the country. The demand for such wine increased dramatically during the years of Prohibition and the winery repeatedly expanded. By the Repeal of Prohibition in 1933, production had grown to over one million gallons per year.

Following Repeal of Prohibition, Beaulieu hired Andre Tchelistcheff from France as winemaker and the quality of its wines increased significantly. Tchelistcheff also became a mentor to other important winemakers such as Mike Grgich (whose Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the Judgment of Paris), Joe Heitz of Heitz Wine Cellars, and Robert Mondavi. By the 1940s, Beaulieu wines were served at all major White House functions.

In the mid-1940's, Beaulieu was owned by Marquis de Pins, whose wife was a member of the French wine-making de Latour family. This was noted in Life Magazine in an article on the debut ball at which their daughter was a debutante. [cite news|publisher=Life Magazine|date=November 19, 1945|title=Life Goes to a Debut]

In the Ottawa Wine Tasting of 1981, the 1970 vintage of Beaulieu Vineyard George de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon received second place.

The winery was purchased by international conglomerate Heublein-Inc., in 1969. [cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEFDD1F3DF932A25751C1A96E948260|accessdate=2007-11-13|publisher=New York Times|date=1988-12-11|title=A Corker of a Salesman|author=Frank J. Prial] Heublein was later acquired by RJR Nabisco, then sold to Grand Metropolitan in 1987. Grand Metropolitan became Diageo plc in 1997 through a merger with Guinness, [cite web|accessdate=2007-11-13|publisher=Funding Universe|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Diageo-plc-Company-History.html|title=Diageo plc] and is now the largest multinational beer, wine and spirits company in the world.

Location

References