Wine Advisor
Inglenook, Rubicon 2018
View analysis
Description
Since its inaugural vintage in 1978, Rubicon has been the Estate's premier red wine, reflecting the soul of the property and expressing Francis Coppola's wish to create a Bordeaux-styled grand wine, that is, "a wine that can please contemporary taste, but with a historical aspect [that defines] our vineyards at their zenith." Rubicon was named after the small river crossed by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C., declaring his intention to gain control of Rome, thereby launching a civil war among opposing factions. Over time the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" has come to signify any irreversible action with revolutionary intent or the outcome of which holds great risk. True to its uncommon depth, Inglenook's Rubicon continues to be a testament to the finely tuned rendering of a risk well-taken.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Inglenook's 2018 Rubicon is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, all aged 18 months in 75% new French oak. Scents of wood-grilled cherries, graham crackers and mint mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is tannic but ripe, with a certain austerity and reserve. It finishes long, which augurs well for the future, but it just isn't particularly charming right now.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon sports a deep garnet-purple color and expressive notes of mocha, tapenade, grilled meats and cedar with a core of creme de cassis, baked plums and blackberry pie plus a waft of garrigue. The full-bodied palate has tons of juicy black fruit layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and fragrant.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is a dark, sumptuous beauty. Silky contours and soft curves wrap around a core of inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and dried herbs. All the elements come together in this racy, opulent Cabernet from Inglenook. I am not sure Rubicon is meaningfully better or more complex than the Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018. It is richer and creamier, to be sure, but not necessarily more complex.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is a terrific example of the year in the way it marries energy, vibrant fruit and mid-weight structure. All the elements are so nicely balanced. Crushed red berry fruit, mocha, spice, leather, licorice and sweet pipe tobacco abound. Classy and polished to the core, the 2018 Rubicon is a winner from Inglenook. Readers should expect a decidedly laid back style for the year.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is regal, polished and sophisticated - a very pretty wine with notes of dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and rose petal. This deep, dark and full wine shows tons of personality, elegance and class.
About the Producer
Inglenook's Chateau winery is completed. Conceived to be a state-of-the-art facility, the Chateau's design is based on gravity-flow, one of the first of its type in Napa Valley, and includes an early form of rebar—using cable from cable-cars in San Francisco—to stave off earthquake tremors and to help the building shift safely during the crush process. True to his fastidious nature in each step of the winemaking process, Niebaum devises California's first grape-sorting table and also installs the state's first bottling line to ensure the wines' provenance from growth to bottle, the latter always bearing the California Pure Wine Stamp and secured with an intricate wire maze to guarantee the wine's integrity.
