Rubicon

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot

Vineyards

Cohn, Gio, Walnut, Apple, Garden, Cask, Creek

Alcohol %

14.8

Barrel Regimen

20 months

Bottled

2010

Vintage Notes

Two thousand ten saw one of the coolest growing seasons of the last 30 years. Chilly spring temperatures resulted in slight delays in bud break and bloom, but the weather didn’t affect fruit set or the maturation of clusters through the bloom stage. The consistently cool weather allowed the fruit a slow rate of sugar development and necessitated longer hangtime. This resulted in highly fragrant and flavorful grapes and, subsequently, a more elegant wine.

Tasting Notes

Rich, round, and elegantly textured, the 2010 Rubicon exudes deep, dark aromas of kirsch, cherries and fruit jam combined with a hint of almonds. The mid-palate unfolds as a powerful combination of ripe fruit, showing tannins of equal intensity. The finale is long, persistent and expressive. To experience the full nature of this wine, one hour of decanting is recommended.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot

Vineyards

Cask, Walnut 94/96, Gio, Upper Garden, Creek, Gate

Alcohol %

13.9

Barrel Regimen

18 months - 80% New Oak

Bottled

2011

Vintage Notes

By all accounts, 2011 was a difficult vintage. Chilly spring temperatures and heavy rains delayed bud break, and crops were reduced significantly on account of the weather. The rains were also responsible for the lower alcohol-level this vintage. But, there was a silver lining: having less fruit intensified flavor concentration and phenolics in the grape clusters that remained. This year’s Rubicon is showing very complex aromas and a well-balanced flavor profile, which speaks to the estate’s ability to produce a quality wine despite what others would normally consider a bad vintage.

Tasting Notes

Our most recent tasting of the 2011 Rubicon revealed a complex nose that includes notes of graphite, dark red currants, and a floral potpourri of dried rose petals with hints of allspice. This wine demonstrates a refined richness, yet its intensity does not weigh down the palate. The flavors exude a freshness, complemented by nice acidity. Impressions of juicy dark cherries, tobacco, and currants are most prevalent, while notes of spices, tea leaves, and an intriguing earthy quality create a more rugged wine that is very expressive of its unique terroir. The wine’s essence is further enhanced by fine-grained tannins, which support an elegant structure and refined finish that boasts deep aromatic notes of espresso.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot

Vineyards

Pritchett Hill, Creek, Gio, Garden, Cohn

Alcohol %

14.5

Barrel Regimen

100% French Oak, 75% New Oak

Bottled

2012

Vintage Notes

2012 was one of the best vintages in recent history because of near perfect climate conditions. The entire season was marked by moderate temperatures, which lasted through September and October. Having no heat spikes or rain to contend with in the fall allowed the fruit to hang on the vines longer, giving the grapes better concentration and ripeness as well as more textural dimension and flavor complexity.

Tasting Notes

Captivating and complex, the 2012 Rubicon boasts very pronounced dark fruit with aromas of currants, black cherries, blackberries, cinnamon, floral notes and the freshness of thyme and other sweet herbs. The palate shows great volume and nicely integrated flavors, fine grained tannins and subtle oak that works beautifully with the fruit. There is softness and delicacy with layered complexity that is constantly evolving. The finish is long and expressive.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vineyards

Walnut, Cohn, Apple, Creek, Gio, Garden

Alcohol %

13.8

Barrel Regimen

18 Months - 100% French Oak 75% New Oak

Bottled

2013

Vintage Notes

Although it was one of the driest growing seasons on record, 2013 was a stellar vintage in large part because the vines were optimized by the ideal conditions of the previous year. The growing season produced a large crop, so the vines had to be thinned on multiple occasions, but these efforts paid off. The resulting fruit was highly expressive, well concentrated, and ideally balanced. Rubicon typically contains small percentages of other Bordeaux varietals, but because the Cabernet Sauvignon was so exceptional this vintage we felt it should stand on its own as a pure varietal.

Tasting Notes

Highly expressive with extraordinary quality and character, our 2013 Rubicon offers upfront aromas of cherries, black currants, and dark chocolate with substantial presence of oak, toast, and floral notes that continue evolving as the wine opens up. A dense, voluminous palate imbued with very fine tannins showcases flavors of dark crushed berries, cassis, and smoky wood. As the flavors gradually broaden, nuances of tobacco leaves and spices emerge. There is a precision and elegance to this vintage, which finishes with freshness due to the balanced natural acidity. Expect beautiful development as this wine matures.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2%Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot

Vineyards

Pritchett Hill, Cohn, Gio, Lower Garden

Alcohol %

14.2

Barrel Regimen

18 Months - 100% French Oak 75% New Oak

Bottled

2014

Vintage Notes

2014 was the second year of a significant drought in Napa Valley. Budbreak was early and temperatures were consistently warm throughout the growing season. This led to an early harvest of impressively concentrated fruit at excellent phenolic maturity. The result is a wine with fine, well-integrated tannins, ensuring enjoyment either in its youth or after decades of cellaring.

Tasting Notes

The 2014 Rubicon demonstrates harmonious, lasting character. Composed this year almost entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, offers a sweeter, rounder nose than one might find in other vintages, which is a testament to the seamless integration of fruit, tannin, and oak. Weighted throughout, the wine’s fragrance and flavors are linear from start to finish, with sophisticated notes of dark berries, black cherries, currants, spice and vanilla flowing together, bringing impressive complexity to this outstanding vintage.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

97% Cabernet Sauvignon 3% Merlot

Vineyards

Gio, Lower Garden, Creek, Pritchett Hill, Cohn

Alcohol %

14.5

Barrel Regimen

18 Months - 100% French Oak 75% New Oak

Bottled

2015

Vintage Notes

Following a relatively warm winter, the 2015 growing season at Inglenook began early, staying 14 to 21 days ahead of average from budbreak to harvest. Variable weather during flowering in May, and limited precipitation for the third consecutive year, led to relatively low yields. Merlot, the first Rubicon varietal to reach maturity, was picked on August 22nd, followed nine days later by the first lot of Cabernet Sauvignon. After several consecutive hot days, the pace of harvest ramped up quickly and the Rubicon harvest was completed by September 24th. Modest vineyard yields resulted in highly-focused wines that capture Inglenook’s signature elegance, while remaining round and generous on the palate.

Tasting Notes

2015 Rubicon displays both elegance and generosity. Resonant scents of black cherries, blackberries, and other dark fruits are enhanced by subtle nuances of vanilla bean, mocha, and allspice. Round, lush, and sweet upon entry, this wine is absolutely seamless on the palate. Silky, fine-grained tannins lead to a lengthy, fragrant finish with flavors that echo perfectly the aromas on the nose.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc

Vineyards

Apple, Cask, Creek, Gio, Lower Cask, Lower Garden, Walnut

Alcohol %

14.1

Barrel Regimen

18 Months - 100% French Oak, 75% New Oak

Bottled

2016

Vintage Notes

After four years of drought, a winter with average rainfall was welcome, as it provided ample soil moisture for a strong start to the 2016 growing season. Average late-spring temperatures and limited precipitation minimized the risk of frost during mid-May bloom, ensuring average yields. June closed with a heat spell, slowing vine canopy growth at the ideal time. Harvest of the blocks contributing to the 2016 Inglenook Rubicon blend occurred under optimum conditions from September 6th through September 27th.

Tasting Notes

Ideal harvest conditions endowed the 2016 Rubicon with the three elements associated with a truly great wine from the Rutherford appellation: complexity, balance, and elegance. The aromas are intense and focused with top notes of creamy, sweet vanilla, and black licorice wound around a core of exquisitely ripe black cherry and crème de cassis. This refinement extends directly to the palate, where the wine is both broad and deep with sensuous, silky tannins. Supremely balanced in terms of both opulence and complexity, ripe black fruits and an ultra-smooth texture provide an impressive crescendo to a very long finish.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Vineyards

Cohn, Gio, Creek, Apple, Lower Cask, Walnut, La Lomita, Lower Garden

Alcohol %

14.1

Barrel Regimen

18 Months - 100% French Oak, 75% New Oak

Bottled

2017

Vintage Notes

Rainfall in winter and spring of 2017 was bountiful, totaling nearly 50 inches. These conditions allowed for a smooth transition into bloom and fruit set. The beautiful organically farmed fruit used to produce the Inglenook 2017 Rubicon came from select vineyard blocks on our estate. We harvested Merlot on August 31st, began harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon on September 5th, and concluded with Cabernet Franc on September 28th. The fruit showed balanced acidity across the board, which created a compelling freshness in the final blend.

Tasting Notes

The 2017 Rubicon is expansive, with intriguing depth. The wine has exciting complexity below the surface, which enhances its expressiveness. There is a defined aromatic core of ripe red and black fruits, especially raspberry, black cherry, and cassis. It is seamless on the palate, with finely-polished tannins. The lingering finish is refreshing, with notes of crème de cassis and cocoa powder.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

88 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot

Vineyards

Cohn, Gio, Creek, Apple, Cask, Walnut, Lower Garden, Bridge

Alcohol %

14.3

Barrel Regimen

18 Months - 100% French Oak, 76% New Oak

Bottled

2018

Vintage Notes

The 2018 vintage produced a generous crop of excellent quality. Well-timed precipitation in March and April encouraged slow, steady shoot development in the spring. Moderately warm temperatures throughout the season were ideal for gradual, even ripening of our Cabernet Sauvignon and the other red Bordeaux varieties. The Rubicon harvest began at the end of September in the Cohn vineyard, and 75% of the fruit destined for the 2018 Rubicon was harvested by the first week of October. This early ripening of Rubicon fruit in 2018 made a significant contribution to the freshness and elegance of the final Rubicon blend.

Tasting Notes

Strikingly rich in color and extract, the 2018 Rubicon is unquestionably a precocious, hedonistic wine. The exotic, well-knit aromas and flavors include ripe cassis, allspice, star anise, vanilla and black licorice. Upon entry, this full-bodied wine envelops the palate with its luxurious concentration and supple, silky tannins, supported by vibrant freshness from the balanced acidity, and perfectly-integrated French oak. Very long and expansive in the finish, the 2018 Rubicon will be memorable for decades to come.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot

Vineyards

Apple, CASK, Cohn, Creek, Gio, La Lomita, Lower Garden, Walnut

Alcohol %

14.1

Barrel Regimen

20 Months - 100% French Oak, 74% New Oak

Bottled

2019

Vintage Notes

A wet winter just before the 2019 growing season fed our vineyards and a cool spring gave way to budbreak in the second week of April. That led to excellent conditions for an early bloom which occurred just after more rain in late May. The resulting 2019 crop was generously proportioned, and while July was cool, warmer temperatures in August and September promoted very gradual, even ripening. The 2019 Rubicon was harvested over a 36-day period, beginning in mid-September with Merlot. The round, ripe tannins of the Pritchett Hill blocks and the aromatic complexity of the Gio blocks were further complemented by the profoundly deep flavors of the Cohn vineyard.

Tasting Notes

Visually striking, with its violet-edged, opaque ruby-red color, the 2019 Rubicon opens gradually, revealing notes of blackberry, black cherry and cassis. Upon more aeration, notes of espresso, clove and cassis bud emerge. On the palate, silky and fine-textured tannins are wrapped around a firm structural core that anchors the wine. Subtle hints of tobacco, black licorice and anise arise during the extended, seamless finish. The overall vibrant energy and refinement of this elegant wine mark it as quintessentially Rubicon.

Appelation

Rutherford, Napa Valley

Blend

91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot

Vineyards

Gio, Cohn, Lower Garden, Apple, Creek

Alcohol %

14.1

Barrel Regimen

20 Months - 100% French Oak, 75% New Oak

Bottled

2020

Vintage Notes

Excellent canopy growth protected the fruit during the short stints of summer heat that lead to 2020's early version. All fruit was hand-harvested in just over four weeks, beginning with Merlot from the Gio vineyard on August 22nd, and concluding with Cabernet Sauvignon from the Apple block in the Pritchett Hill vineyard on September 19th. Practicing organic farming since the 1980's, Inglenook was one of the first Napa Valley vineyards to be certified organic in 1994. Experimentation is embedded in Inglenook's DNA, and within this ongoing evaluation, considerations of climate change, vine age, vintage and other factors reiterate that an estate of Inglenook's caliber and quality is forever a work-in-progress.

Tasting Notes

The 2020 Rubicon opens with an array of focused aromatics, ranging from creme de cassis and tobacco leaf to dark chocolate and espresso notes. On the palate, the wine is rich and inviting, with the sleek, cohesive structure of a classic Rubicon vintage. The original aromatics return in the finish, along with a hint of allspice and clove. Each taste of Rubicon expresses the wine's freshness as it unites with the heritage and longevity of the estate.