Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesA very attractive red now, with complexity and yummy drinkability. It’s medium-bodied with medium, round tannins that are fresh and more-ish. It’s dusty and lightly earthy with dark currants as well as tobacco. So much going on, in a subtle and refreshing way. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 10% petit verdot, and 5% malbec.
Deep black-fruit flavors, moderate tannins and a sense of good density make this wine from one of Napa's oldest producers impressive. Cloves, cedar, blackberries and a touch of anise combine for good complexity on the palate. Best After 2026.
Cellar Selection
Coming mostly from estate fruit, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Reserve is another plush, rounded, undeniably delicious release. Ripe blue fruits, spicy oak, and hints of chocolate define the nose, and it' s medium to full-bodied, with a layered, round, incredibly satisfying mouthfeel.
Juicy and relatively open-knit, with a gush of blackberry, black cherry and plum compote flavors taking the lead, followed by hints of licorice and apple wood. Shows a nice racy edge through the finish. Drink now.
The first wine in the progression that really speaks to the winery's Rutherford roots, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Reserve is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec that boasts aromas of ripe cherries, accented by baking spices, subtle cedar notes and a hint of mint. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, showing off the silky, fine-grained tannins typical of the region, finishing long and softly dusty, with a hint of cocoa.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.