April 19, 2024 - 15.4% abv. Recent auction purchase.
Perfect cork condition, with the staining only at the very bottle of the cork.
Interesting take on Napa Cabernet. Still very young tasting - I blinded my wife on this and she thought it to be a recent vintage. Indeed, this does not show much aged character at all. Acidity is higher than usual for Napa Cab, but not screechy. Felt slightly out of place, actually, with this level of ripeness, but was integrated pretty well. Heat was not a problem, but body from the high alcohol was clearly on display. No overt oak that I could tell - much appreciated - just a pure fruit display. Not the most complex, but the flavor profile was Napa in a good way. Actually went very well with tortellini in a rich cream sauce with pancetta. Did not last long between my wife and myself.
January 9, 2021 - Terrific. Dark fruit. Great balance. Everything is in its right place with this wine right now. Perfect blend of acidity, tannin and fruit. Still so young and fresh. Probably the best Rudius Cab I've ever had of the many vintages. Still easy 15+ years of development.
October 18, 2020 - Don't understand the recent positive notes, found this had an attractive nose but palate was too acidic. Was hoping for more based on a current vintage, guess these early bottles weren't meant to age.
May 12, 2020 - Try again in a year became more like 12...a pretty good wallop of sweet vanilla oak upon opening blew off pretty quickly with some time in the decanter. A pretty clean cab, though a bit on the bigger side for my preference. Still fruit forward, but Ready to drink depending on your desired profile.
November 25, 2019 - Last bottle from release, and best one yet! Still very youthful garnet color with the only signs of it's age is the wonderful integration. Silky smooth, creamy dark berry fruit(reds and blues)..more savory dried fruit than candied sweetness...with a wonderful dusty graphite spice and firm white pepper oak barrel tannin kick on the finish. More of an elegant Napa cab, not a fruit bomb, with deep and broad complexities. Cedar and licorice...rich loamy earth, bay leaf and dark chocolate round out the mix. Killer Cab...aging well!
March 23, 2019 - Very smooth and balanced. Easy tannins, great mid-palate and finish. Crowd pleaser.
November 2, 2018 - Cork was loose, wine was spoiled.
April 2, 2017 - The first sip immediately after opening was awesome, pure red fruits and fine tannins. 30mins of air and it was all VA, with sticky dark over ripe fruits on the palate and nothing but alcohol and varnish on the nose. Never came back together and pretty much undrinkable. Helf some for night 2 to see if it recovers.
June 27, 2016 - First bottle lacking fruit mostly secondary flavors , lean
perfectly aged Napa Cab. Second and third bottles
fruit was still plentiful more full bodied than the first beautiful Cab drinking at its prime .Backberry
blueberry , dark fruit integrated , light oak and very slight heat on the nose .Opened for 3 hrs no
decant drank over 5-6 hr period .
February 16, 2016 - Really lovely tonight. While this packs a punch, it has a very light delicate side. Darker nose, framed well by oak. Nice red fruit profile, with red currants on the palate. This is very smooth and delicious right now. In a great spot and should stay here but drink these now. No need to wait any longer.