Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Tapestry 2004

The 2004 Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Tapestry weaves five classic varietals — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec — into an elegant, beautifully balanced wine. The deep, expressive aromas and flavors are filled with black cherry, briary blackberry, cassis, dark cocoa and cedar character. Pre-fermentation maceration, gentle punch downs in open-top fermenters and in-barrel malolactic fermentation all contributed to the wine's richly textured flavors.

Beaulieu barrel-aged the wine for 20 months, with 70 percent new barrels, to add warm vanilla nuances. For even more complexity, they used a tapestry of different oak barrels; over half were French, with the balance being American, Hungarian and Russian.

This wine makes a delicious complement to seared duck breast, mesquite grilled steak, filet mignon with shiitake mushrooms or roast lamb.