Inglenook Cask Cabernet

Description

ABOUT THE WINE In 1975, Francis Ford Coppola purchased the historic Inglenook property, intent on restoring the estates legacy of creating the same world-class wines founder Gustave Niebaum and his grandnephew John Daniel, Jr. produced for decades. Rubicon, the estates flagship wine since 1978, is produced from the best fruit of the estates vineyards, comprised of the historic Gustave Niebaum Cabernet selection, which was first planted on the property in the 1880s.VINTAGE The 2008 vintage delivered a small crop as a result of a dry winter followed by a spring frost. Summer brought very warm temperatures and weather was moderate in the fall, allowing for harvesting at the peak of ripeness. The result yielded fruit with profound aromatics and highly concentrated flavor.WINEMAKER’S NOTES 2008 marks the first Rubicon vintage that Bordeaux winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt has consulted on. With a focus on creating an elegant style of wine, the fruit was handselected at harvest, followed by an array of fermentation techniques to bring out the fruit. The wine was then barrel-aged in cool, temperature-controlled caves. Derenoncourt describes the Rubicon as round and rich in the mouth with creaminess on the palate.TASTING NOTES Elegantly textured and rich in flavor, 2008 Rubicon delivers pronounced black cherry and cassis impressions with aromas of blueberries, dark chocolate, licorice and spice. A fresh, ripe fruit entry and full-bodied palate with velvety tannins that linger into the finish.OWNER’S NOTES 2008 Rubicon is very well made, and exact. It demonstrates Inglenooks future direction as more sophisticated, elegant and fresher. – Inglenook / Rubicon Estate / Niebaum-Coppola