Inglenook Rubicon (375ML half-bottle) 2006
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Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Winemaking Notes
We took a gentle approach to the winemaking, allowing the must to cold soak for a period of four days prior to the onset of fermentation. Once the cap had risen, both punch-downs and pump-overs were made to optimize extraction. The majority of the musts were left on the skins for as long as 24 days to complete dryness. A portion of these macerations were gently warmed to 88 degrees Fahrenheit after fermentation to fully extract and complex the abundant tannin and anthocyanin (color). The result was impressively round and complex wines right out of the fermentor. The new wines were moved to 80% new French Oak barrels for 22 months.
Tasting Notes
Our 2006 Rubicon reflects the extended growing conditions of the vintage, displaying an elegant lusciousness of flavor as well as a long, round finish. The harmonious character of the vintage is augmented by the more classic impression of weight and fresh precision of the fruit. It is a vintage that offers much complexity and will repay aging, but is already balanced and integrated.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The new Rubicon, which is almost all Cabernet Sauvignon, brings to mind the 2003 and 2004. It doesn’t have the sheer force of 2002 or 2005, but it's certainly a classic Rutherford wine, and has a good future. Bone dry, it shows herb-infused flavors of blackberries, cocoa, spices and smoky sandalwood, and yes, the tannins are dusty. Drinkable now, with a good decant, and should develop in the bottle over the next 6–8 years.
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Wine Spectator
Supple, graceful and harmonious, with a mix of ripe, fleshy espresso bean, mocha, dried currant and dusty berry fruit that's focused and persistent, ending with firm yet integrated tannins. Best from 2011 through 2016.
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Wine & Spirits
Francis Ford Coppola's reassembly of Gustave Niebaum's Inglenook estate produces some of Napa Valley’s finest cabernets. This 2006 has yet to show at the level of recent vintages: It's still tight and floral, with a bitterness to the tannin that brings to mind Mexican chocolate. With age, the opulence of the fruit and oak may become more prominent; for now, it needs a rich cut of prime rib to balance the tannin.
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A decade later, Francis Ford Coppola purchased 1,500 acres of this historic property and revived Captain Niebaum's fine winemaking tradition. In 1995, Niebaum-Coppola acquired the remainder of the property and restored the Inglenook Estate to its original dimensions.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.