Winemaker Notes

The experience of tasting Rubicon begins with its visual beauty of its dense, saturated ruby-purple color that is nearly opaque. Always a sign of ripeness and concentration, the color of Rubicon is powerful and dark and tells of the structure and seriousness of the wine. The aroma of the 1996 Rubicon is the classic estate Cabernet Sauvignon character of the black cherries and violets. Though aged in 60% new French oak barrels, the contribution of the wood is amazingly integrated and supports the fruit aromas rather than making them. On the palate, the sweet core of red cherries and dark raspberries is the property icon and a character found in all vintages of Rubicon. The lengthy finish is true to the late September harvest, which produced impressive, powerful tannins that will soften with time in the bottle.
Inglenook

Inglenook

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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.

GLO4574090_2000 Item# 80862