Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Reserve Bordeaux Blend 2001 Napa Valley $36
What the Wine Critics Thought: Wine Enthusiast 92 points
A lovely wine, one that winemaker Joel Aiken says is more accessible than Private Reserve, but the tannins suggest ageability. Rich and full-bodied, with blackcurrant, chocolate, coffee and herb flavors.Taken with a steak, it’s fine now, but will develop easily for many years. Blend of 4 Bordeaux varieties. — S.H. (10/1/2004)

What We Thought: Serious wine. Very Bordeaux-like with aromas of cassis and blackberry but a little tight with a firm tannic structure that softened dramatically after an hour in a decanter revealing lots of rich, dark, smooth blackberry and cassis fruit in a briary, full-bodied package. Decant this one if you drink it now or hold it for about 5 years until it blossoms. And, once again, no trace of TCA.

October 27, 2004