2019 Inglenook Rubicon

Aromas of ripe berries, sweet vanilla, licorice, dark chocolate and bread crust. Notes of dried herbs and pinewood, too. So well grounded. Smooth, with a lingering, silky mouth-feel. Full body and ripe, chewy tannins. Toned and muscular with hints of crushed rocks. Firm, linear finish. Try after 2025. (2022)

The flagship 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is slightly deeper purple-hued and checks in as a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. It's a clear step up, offering a terrific nose of ripe cassis and spiced currant fruits as well as cedary herbs, tobacco, and earth. Nicely concentrated, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, it has plenty of up-front charm (as do most 2019s) yet will have two decades of longevity. It needs plenty of air to show at its best today, so don't be afraid to put this in a decanter. 7363 cases. (2022)

The 2019 Rubicon is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little swirling to bring out classic notes of cassis, plum preserves, and juicy blackberries, followed by hints of wild sage, mocha, black olives, and crushed rocks with a waft of aniseed. The medium to full-bodied is taut and muscular, featuring rich black fruits and a lively backbone with velvety tannins, finishing long and lifted. (06/2023)