Inglenook Rubicon (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2008

Professional Ratings

• 95 Wine Enthusiast
  Even though 2008 was not the greatest Cabernet vintage, Rubicon has produced one of the most delicious bottlings of the year. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a little Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot for complexity, it's so delicious now, you might want to finish off the bottle. Soft and velvety, it appeals with blackberry and cherry pie filling flavors, and the oak appliqué is perfect. Combines the ripeness of this central Napa Valley vineyard with impeccable winemaker taste, resulting in a gorgeous wine. Will develop through this decade.
• 95 Connoisseurs' Guide
  Deep, rich, ripe and focused, this wine charms from the outset with aromas that are spot on for varietal precision and smell of the complex, layered best of the West Rutherford Bench. Its combination of currant and black cherry notes with hints of root beer and sweet loam are followed on the palate by a supple entry, balancing acidity and by the solid framing of long-grained, polished tannins. Like its aromatic character, its flavors are writ large and writ precisely, and while no one is going to mistake it for a quiet, nuanced wine, so too will no one find anything but deep and lovely character here.
• 93 Wine & Spirits
  This is a fine vintage of Rubicon, the top wine from Francis Ford Coppola's estate, a re-integration of Gustave Niebaum's Inglenook vineyard in the western benchlands of Rutherford. It’s tight, sweet, firm and juicy, the cushion of Rutherford tannins mellowing the tension within the layers of fruit and wood. Scents of spice, sage and tangy red cherries brighten the finish. For seared duck magret.
• 92 Wine Spectator
  Rough-hewn, dense and chewy, with a complex earthy edge to the dried berry, sage, underbrush and cedar flavors. Full-bodied and well-proportioned, ending with a loamy earth aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot.