Inglenook Rubicon - Special 3 Bottles Mixed Case | 2014 - 2015 - 2016

2014 : 95 Punkte

Inglenook's 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is dark and quite potent. Inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, chocolate, menthol, licorice and plum give the wine its deep, unctuous personality. Stylistically, the Rubicon is darker, inkier and more voluptuous than the straight Cabernet. Soft tannins and silky contours add to the wine's considerable appeal.

- Antonio Galloni (09/2017)

2015 : 96 Punkte

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is a dark, exotic beauty. Dark cherry, plum, chocolate, and menthol make a strong opening statement as this bold, sumptuous wine shows off its personality. Radiant, supple and super-expressive, the 2015 is just as enjoyable as it has always been. The 2015 is just starting to open up, but it remains very, very young. Time in the glass brings out an attractive floral component that adds lift.

- Antonio Galloni (09/2018)

2016 : 97 Punkte

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is a wine of total precision and class. Translucent and energetic, with distinctly mid-weight structure, the 2016 is a wine of reserve, tension and breeding. Shy at first, the 2016 has a lot to offer, but it needs a number of years in bottle to be at its most expressive. Cedar, tobacco, licorice and wild cherry add the closing nuances.

- Antonio Galloni (09/2018)

2014 : 97 Punkte

Robust and structured, yet subtle and complex in flavor, this is a grand wine from a historic Napa property. Dark-chocolate, espresso, dried black-cherry, baked-plum and graphite flavors. Quite textured with firm tannins that are just beginning to soften. Full body and excellent concentration leading to a lingering finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2030. (11/2024)

2015 : 95 Punkte

Blackberry, blueberry, fresh mushroom and Spanish-cedar aromas. Full body and silky tannins with a lovely high tone of chocolate, currants and berries. (05/2017)

2016 : 97 Punkte

This is a powerful and structured red with full body, focused and polished tannins and a long and flavorful finish. It’s very close to the great 2013. A blend of 93 per cent cabernet sauvignon and seven per cent cabernet franc. Needs three or four years to come around. (12/2018)

2014: 95 Punkte

In the same ballpark as the 2015, the 2014 Rubicon (97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot) is a ripe, full-bodied 2014 that boasts a deep purple color, loads of currants, incense, and cedary spice aromas, terrific mid-palate depth, and building tannin. It can be drunk today or cellared for 15-20 years. (12/2017)

2015: 95+ Punkte

A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot, the 2015 Rubicon is slightly deeper in color than the 2014 and offers a deeper, more concentrated, yet slightly compact style that's common in this vintage. Blackcurrants, scorched earth, cedary spice, leafy herbs and licorice all flow to a ripe, beautifully concentrated, deep wine that needs 5-7 years of cellaring and will make for incredible drinking over the following 15+ years. (12/2017)

2016: 96 Punkte

The flagship 2016 Rubicon checks in as 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, and there are close to 4,000 cases produced. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts a stunning nose of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, cedarwood, and lead pencil shavings as well as even a hint of iron. These carry to a full-bodied 2016 that has terrific dept of fruit, solid mid-palate concentration, building tannins, and a great finish. This is a classic, age-worthy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that will benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age and keep for 3 decades. (01/2020)

2014: 94 Punkte

The 2014 Rubicon is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet in color with a touch of brick, it comes tearing out of the glass with powerful notes of crème de cassis, stewed plums, and dried herbs, followed by hints of tree bark, truffles and, rose oil. The full-bodied palate is solidly structured with firm grainy tannins and a lively line, finishing long and earthy. (10/2024)

2015: 95 Punkte

Deep garnet in color, the 2015 Rubicon comes barreling out of the glass with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant cordial, kirsch, blueberry pie, and candied violets, with suggestions of spice cake, incense, unsmoked cigars, and star anise. The full-bodied palate is impactful, with exotic spices accenting the black, red, and blue fruit preserves layers supported by plush tannins, and finishing long and opulent. (06/2023)

2016: 97 Punkte

The 2016 Rubicon, 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, requires a little shaking to wake up concentrated notes of black cherry compote, creme de cassis, and boysenberry preserves, leading to suggestions of chocolate mint, cumin seed, cardamom, and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house, with very firm tannins and a refreshing backbone supporting the generous black fruit and earthy layers, finishing with epic length. (06/2023)

2014: 93 Punkte

This muscular, extracted version has evolved, with the core of warm, mulled black currant and blackberry fruit picking up ample loam, smoldering tobacco and worn cedar notes. Shows leathery grip through the broad and rich finish. A wine that growls instead of sings. -- Blind 2014 California Cabernet retrospective (June 2024). Drink now through 2036. - J.M.

2015: 92 Punkte

This has an alluring beam of creamed raspberry and boysenberry fruit rolling through, laced with warmed red licorice, toasted vanilla and cedar hints. Has weight but comes off as stylish in the end. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2030. 3,622 cases made. - J.M.

2016: 92 Punkte

A savory hint leads the way, followed quickly by ample red currant and blackberry fruit flavors. Tobacco and freshly plowed earth accents score the finish, where the savory element lingers. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2021 through 2030. 3,847 cases made. - J.M.

2014 : 95+ Punkte

The proprietary red, the 2014 Rubicon (96% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) has a saturated black/purple color and a nose of blackberry and cassis with some camphor and charcoal. Chewy, rich and full-bodied, with exceptional precision and personality, this is a stunningly delicious and complex wine with a good 25-30 years of further potential. It is the antithesis of the rustic, somewhat coarse reds that were made under the Rubicon moniker when Francis Ford Coppola first acquired the Inglenook estate. Kudos to him for making dramatic improvements. Approachable already, this wine won’t hit its stride for another decade and will last 30 or more years.

- Robert M. Parker, Jr. (12/2016)

2015 : 94 Punkte

A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon bursts out of the glass with exuberant Chinese five spice, baked plums and crème de cassis notes with suggestions of sandalwood, dried mulberries, kirsch and menthol plus a touch of cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with loads of spicy flavors and fantastic freshness, framed by chewy tannins and finishing on a lingering earthy note. 3, 622 cases produced.

- Lisa Perrotti-Brown (10/2018)

2016 : 95 Punkte

Blended of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon gives up bold notions of crushed red and black currants, wild blueberries and blackberry preserves with touches of violets, dark chocolate, cardamom and bay leaves plus a hint of unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals great elegance and depth, with a beautiful line of finely grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing long and layered. 3,847 cases produced.

- Lisa Perrotti-Brown (10/2018)