Deep ruby color with slow legs. Oak, cassis, blackberry and tobacco on the nose. Black tea, plum, and dark chocolate on the palate. Long leathery finish.
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Decanted for about 2 hours before enjoying with a steak dinner. Maturing nicely and still enough backbone (with medium tannin) to stand up to the meal. Think this will perfect in another 2-4 years.
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Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 2.5 hours. There's a deep nose of cassis and blackberry pie, nice spice, dark chocolate, and hints of espresso. The palate is full bodied with cassis and red berries, wood spice, dust and round tannins. Very good. Held up well the next day.
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This venerable Rutherford Cab is still going strong nearly 10 years after harvest. I splashed it into a decanter right before serving and should have let it breathe for an hour. By the time we moved onto the Rubicon, this one was just really starting to sing. Dark fruit with an expected stronger wood character it still had medium minus tannin with medium acid to balance the fruit. I still have a couple more and one magnum to enjoy over the years to come.
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This was so good... Rutherford post card perfect wine. In my sweet spot for bottle age and with so much going on. Huge nose. Dusty mineral tannins supporting black and red fruits wrapped in licorice and tar. Rich mouthfeel and beautiful balance. Endless finish.
I'd put this up against the Rubicon any day and could not be disappointed... ever.
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8.5/10 - Drinking well now. Heavy but smooth velvet texture with balanced acid. Dark fruits with a touch of earthiness. Still some heat from the alcohol but doesn't detract.
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Pushing 10yrs old this is really in a nice place. Especially, on night 2 with one pour left. So aromatic with lots of cigar box in my Burg glass. The palate is now so resolved and supple with the extra 24hrs plus. Just beautiful. Wish I had more! Several more :).
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A bottle that I had forgotten about in my cellar. Curiosity got the best of me as I think 2012 Napa cabs are entering a sweet spot.
This deserved a decant, honestly. This was consumed from the bottle over the course of an hour or so, and the last glass was the best. I wouldn’t say this is an old school cab (although their history is), I’d say this is more in between old school and modern. Something for everyone to enjoy here. Aromatically, this was very floral...potpourri, slight note of herbs and just starting to channel a bit of secondary notes (tobacco, bay leaf). It sports a beautiful red/purple/black color variation in the glass with some translucence. On the palate, very classic...tar, kirsch, black currant, mocha, dark chocolate covered black cherries, and some baking spices toward the finish. The finish here really is starting to integrate as there is no harsh tannin or overt oak. Not quite warm vintage left bank Bordeaux, but trending that direction style wise. If opening now, decant 2-3hrs, or hold for another 3-5yrs easily to enjoy this drinking window.
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Wasn't sure what to expect based upon the varying CT reviews for this wine, so decanting time was extended to over four hours before tasting. Deep violet in the glass with a nose of dark fruits, floral notes, coconut and an herbal earthiness. The palate had a decidedly "toasted" profile while also offering up complex flavors of cedar/oak, tobacco, blackcurrants, plum, semi-sweet cranberry, raspberry and dark chocolate. The concentrated and rich mouthfeel was supported by velvety, polished tannins leading to a generous, moderately long finish. It was a challenge just to put the glass down between sips. Wonderful, enjoyable and what we love about Napa cabs.
Very dark red purple color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. Sweet dark fruits, cassis, black raspberries, dried cedar box, with a perfumed graphite character. Lovely on the palate too, really polished tannins, velvety texture, cassis, dark raspberry, dark cocoa, graphite. Very well balanced and constructed.
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3 years since my last btl and this continues to rock and great with Nita's "fat burgers" knockoff. PnP small glass & further slow oxed for 3 hours in btl prior to dinner. Semi opaque ruby color. Smoky nose with creosote, tobacco and mature berries. Well balanced with a polished, supple texture. Rich dark fruit, tobacco, chocolate and hint of cedar. Very tasty! In spite of its 14.5% Alc this is exceedingly fresh & balanced. Winery states it has Cohn fruit with a little bit of American oak / mostly French oak / 35% new. $60 is a very good value by today's Napa standards. Especially fun from the legendary producer label. My parents and I visited & tasted at the winery in 1971 in a little room ( now closed to the public) near the original entrance. Confusingly, Coppola / Inglenook messes around, a lot, with branding and cuvees designations. Too much for me! I really like this one but it appears they stopped the historic "Cask" designation, again, with the 2013 vintage and now label it Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon sans "cask" since this 2012. Oh well :). I plan to try a 2015 soon. NOTE: I serve all of my CA reds with a good 30 minutes in the fridge as these are best drank in high 50s/low 60s. Warm and this might not be so interesting and balanced with its 14.5% alc.
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Decanted for 90 minutes and it improved with air. This is built in a more rustic style. Notes of loamy soil, cassis, red currant, dusty tannin. If drinking now, decanting is recommended.
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Nice, but not notable. Authentic Napa Cab. Big bodied, rich and smooth up front. A bit of a bite on the finish. Berry, pepper and minerals. Seems to be drinking fine now. Relatively high price drives medium to low QPR.
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Surprisingly good for a second wine. Mind you, it needs a long decant. It's not fat and plump and eager to please like most 2012 napa cab. Much more traditional and holding its cards close to its chest. Dense, and there is a bit of heat, but nice flavors of graphite and gravel and lots of Rutherford dust. Very good for 50 bucks and a buy, but hold for 5 years.
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Rutherford dust comes through in a mix of spices, cassis, loamy souls and wet granite. Easy drinking, dark fruits, dark reddish hue and decent finish. Will improve in cellar
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Must. Decant. This. Wine. The least approachable 2012 Napa Cab I have tried. Started out a bit unpleasant, but after four hours of air, it opened up a lot but still seemed like it had more to give, as the mouthfeel was a touch on the thin side. I think/hope there is potential here. Revisit in a year or two.
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Second red wine at Table #1 at Oakton Wine Shops Bucket List Tasting.
Deep purplish ruby red. Rich nose with red berries, cassis, spices and cinnamon. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Dark fruits on the palate with layers of spices and dark gravel. Long and lingering finish. Solid Napa Valley Cabernet for around $70.00 and built to last. Drink till 2032. (91+)
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P & P: 89 pts. An hour later: 91. Opened up nicely. Must decant. Should be better in a year. More tanins than fruit, so a little worried about keeping it past next year. Time will tell
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Ruby in color with a nice nose. On the pnp this had an easy entry but was a bit thin. Decanted for 4 hours, tasting on the hour. This gained significant heft as it gained air. After the full 4 hour decant this was a much different wine going from medium bodied to full. This also had a strong mid palate which was lacking initially. While this did not have a ton of nuance or complexity I thought it was decent for the $45 I paid for it. I do think this will get better with bottle age. Although probably a short term ager, 2-5 years.
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Drank as a pop and pour at a restaurant. Definitely tannic and on the tight side but still super enjoyable. Most of the profile/complexity is buried plenty of chalky black fruit, cassis, and sweet red fruit emerge. Finish is cigar box and minerals. Need 5 years minimum to fully show.
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PnP with notes of black fruit, dark plum, black licorice, and some dark chocolate. Agreeable and an easy crowd pleaser, but fairly flat and predictable on the attack. What I would consider a "basic" 2012 Cabernet. Not much in terms of layering or complexity. Medium bodied with a hair of depth/viscosity to add a bit of interest. Otherwise, it lacks most of the nuances that hold one's attention.
Those who don't think too hard about what they are consuming will find some pleasure here, but don't expect the cerebral wine if the century. Drink now.
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Very young and gripping tannins Dill, baking spices, pepper, black fruits, ripe to baked Old world aromas with accelerated alcohol and masked acid Definitely a food wine that needs lots of decanting time
4-17-8-2-4
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Earthy, cigar box, muddled to muted fruit, and grainy tannins. Wine is very tight. Recommended by Sommelier at restaurant, should have known better on this infant Cab. Certainly drinkable, but this one should be cellared for another decade to smooth tannins and release fruit.
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Decanted one hour to smooth out tannins. Continued to smooth over next hour. French Oak, black cherry, Violet and baking spices on the nose. More fruit on palate. Good acidity. Medium finish. Could probably use one more year.
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Deep colour, sweet and intense nose. there are notes of blood plum, cassis, vanilla, tar and leather. It has waves of creamy black fruits and plenty of spice from the oak. It has enough savoury elements to be a wine that is both hedonistic and interesting and there is some chew from the tannins on the back-end.
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P: Med body; Nice entry with excellent length (albeit lacking intensity), tannins only lightly firming. Seeming more mature than perhaps any other of this flight, I'd drink now & over the next couple. 14.5% ABV 93 pts ea Suckling, WA, & Vinous; 91 pts Jeannie Cho Lee; 88 pts WS [This vendor's $54.99 would appear to be VERY competitive!]
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This was a bit on the musty side for me. Wet oak generally masked the fruit. Fruit trended towards plum and blackberries. No real depth on the palate. Pretty mediocre on the finish.
Was a tick better on Day 2, but nothing revelatory. Not a bad wine at all, just not my style.
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Tasted at ONIC tasting. Very elegant and subtle wine. Red cherry, raspberry, and other red fruit notes come forward in subtle way. I agree with one of the other reviewers that it would be nice for this to have a little bit more bite to it. Still an excellent wine, but is missing a little complexity to put it over the top. At this price point you would expect more 92 points.
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Red cherry, leather, licorice and plum. Tannins emerge with air, but not overly so. More fruit driven, but missing some of the earthiness I enjoy from other Rutherford's. Wish it had a little more bite to it as well. A wine can be too smooth. Slight black tea bitterness on the finish. Good, not great. Kind of disappointing. Not a good QPR. Hold. 88-89
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A big, towering Cabernet, in the old mold for Inglenook, and glad to see it return. Tannins are buried, but the wine has good heft and structure.. very fruit-laden, but has the substance to age well. Impressive. Tasted after it had been open for three days. Rating could be conservative.
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A dark Cabernet-based blend on the brooding and savory end of the spectrum. Dark red in color, full in body, nose of charcoal and cedar. Brooding tastes of black currant, olive, leather, and pepper, with a tannic finish that carries a hint of green peppers. Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot. 14.5% alcohol. It clearly has the stuffing to age for five years or more. Same on second day. This is a bit too dark and tart for me, but fans of the Old World should give it a try.
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I like this a lot for CA Cab. Maintains some semblance of structure and freshness with classic Cabernet flavors. Plenty of depth. leave my last two bts alone and I expect it will be worth a little btl age. This is CA cab worth owning and drinking. Not crazy expensive either.
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Not a fair evaluation. Pap, dark purple. Oaky nose. Syrupy sweet. No aeration which I think would have helped. Reminds me a lot of caymus with a little more depth and centered palate. This was a gift from the hotel, not sure I'd buy it or order it again. I think it's a $50ish dollar bottle, which is overpriced. This is the direction napa is heading. The same quality can be had from Argentina for half the price.
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Pop & pour very small glass & then slow oxed for 3 hours prior to dinner. Inky dark crude oil color and reticent at first but eventually clean dark fruited nose with some tobacco. Big but decent lift keeps this fresh. Well balanced with a polished, supple texture. Rich dark fruit, tobacco, chocolate and hint of cedar. Very tasty. ALC 14.5%. My dad was a retailer, a long time ago, and we drank and cellared the 66,67,68 and 69 on release. (They're long, long gone) We bought the originals for around $4 and sold them for around $7 per btl. The original version was more old school and I remember them even being a little leathery almost rustic and more lightly fruited. The more richly fruited, juicier, fresher $4.75 retail regular Inglenook cab version from the mid late 60s was actually more enjoyable than the cask IMO. I really liked this 2012 "Cask" but its a much bigger, more polished and actually more enjoyable wine to drink than its legendary ancestor was on release. In spite of the 14.5% Alc this wine maintains its freshness and balance. According to the winery has Cohn fruit and a little bit of American oak / mostly French oak / 35% new. Paid $60 and a very good value by today's Napa standards. Especially fun from the legend. My parents and I visited and tasted at the winery in 1971 in a little room now closed to the public near the entrance. Inglenook will always be special to me even though a visit today is too commercial for my liking.
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Drinking nice after a long decant. Mild berry nose, tastes of berry and anise, with a little bit of an earthy loam. Long legs and a pleasant long finish. Style seems to be changing with a new winemaker, I like it.
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90/10 French/American 85% cab, 12% cab franc, 3% merlot. Purplish color. Moderate aroma of green pepper, berry and toast. Full bodied with high, hard tannins. Flavors of berry and green pepper. Very long finish. Needs to lay down. Would drink again.
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Kinda confusing where they've been with the Inglenook labels and where they're heading, but this is the 2nd label of Inglenook, with Rubicon being the top label. The Cask moniker may be phased out in the future.
85/12/3 Cabernet/Cab Franc/Merlot. 90/10 French/American oak. Probably the best drinking now of their cabs, with Rubicon still being closed in it's youth. Not sure it's the best value, but not surprising that the Inglenook name carries a little higher price tag. Very good wine, cool history.
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Popped and decanted. Beautiful dark crimson color. Great nose of roasted plum, cassis, black currant, a bit of cedar cigar box and some charred oak. Similar flavors on the palate with ripe but juicy dark berry fruit and just the right amount of oak. Good acidity and tannins were smooth but present. Really great wine. Would seek out.
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Lush, rich, concentrated, forward, ripe and packed with fresh, sweet fruits, licorice, oak, smoke and black cherries. Drink it now or age, this is really nice and already open. For Napa Cabernet today, it's also really well priced.
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Nice mix of forest berries, forest floor, good tart ripe juicy blackberry; a bit more elegant, mod+ acidity, mint, eucalyptus; drying tannins. Very good, solid. 14.5%
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We tried this one right away to see what it was doing. The first day was very tannic and not good. Day 2 and 3 was much better as the tannins dropped off and some of the fruit stared showing. This wine may be drinkable now but I'm more inclined to wait a few more years and be more toward the 2034 date. Should be no problem considering the structure of this wine.
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12/15/2023 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep ruby color with slow legs. Oak, cassis, blackberry and tobacco on the nose. Black tea, plum, and dark chocolate on the palate. Long leathery finish.
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10/30/2023 - brianakrin wrote: 91 Points
Good dark fruit, crisp/bright, balanced but abit unidimensional.D/H. May improve.
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3/17/2023 - bjwca Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic Rutherford Cab, with black fruit flavors.
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1/21/2023 - Chiefwino59 Likes this wine: 76 Points
Soft long finish, dried fruit, mild oak
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10/30/2022 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well made cab, drinking nicely, should go another 5-8 well stored. Nothing remarkable, which is OK.
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7/4/2022 - Basegad Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for about 2 hours before enjoying with a steak dinner. Maturing nicely and still enough backbone (with medium tannin) to stand up to the meal. Think this will perfect in another 2-4 years.
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5/28/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 2.5 hours. There's a deep nose of cassis and blackberry pie, nice spice, dark chocolate, and hints of espresso. The palate is full bodied with cassis and red berries, wood spice, dust and round tannins. Very good. Held up well the next day.
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1/18/2022 - Chiefwino59 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Long smooth finish, dark fruit, plum, med oak, soft tannins
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12/25/2021 - srwatters Likes this wine: 92 Points
This venerable Rutherford Cab is still going strong nearly 10 years after harvest. I splashed it into a decanter right before serving and should have let it breathe for an hour. By the time we moved onto the Rubicon, this one was just really starting to sing. Dark fruit with an expected stronger wood character it still had medium minus tannin with medium acid to balance the fruit. I still have a couple more and one magnum to enjoy over the years to come.
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12/11/2021 - WineKnut Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was so good... Rutherford post card perfect wine. In my sweet spot for bottle age and with so much going on. Huge nose. Dusty mineral tannins supporting black and red fruits wrapped in licorice and tar. Rich mouthfeel and beautiful balance. Endless finish.
I'd put this up against the Rubicon any day and could not be disappointed... ever.
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11/13/2021 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8.5/10 - Drinking well now. Heavy but smooth velvet texture with balanced acid. Dark fruits with a touch of earthiness. Still some heat from the alcohol but doesn't detract.
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8/15/2021 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Pushing 10yrs old this is really in a nice place. Especially, on night 2 with one pour left. So aromatic with lots of cigar box in my Burg glass. The palate is now so resolved and supple with the extra 24hrs plus. Just beautiful. Wish I had more! Several more :).
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1/20/2021 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bottle that I had forgotten about in my cellar. Curiosity got the best of me as I think 2012 Napa cabs are entering a sweet spot.
This deserved a decant, honestly. This was consumed from the bottle over the course of an hour or so, and the last glass was the best. I wouldn’t say this is an old school cab (although their history is), I’d say this is more in between old school and modern. Something for everyone to enjoy here. Aromatically, this was very floral...potpourri, slight note of herbs and just starting to channel a bit of secondary notes (tobacco, bay leaf). It sports a beautiful red/purple/black color variation in the glass with some translucence. On the palate, very classic...tar, kirsch, black currant, mocha, dark chocolate covered black cherries, and some baking spices toward the finish. The finish here really is starting to integrate as there is no harsh tannin or overt oak. Not quite warm vintage left bank Bordeaux, but trending that direction style wise. If opening now, decant 2-3hrs, or hold for another 3-5yrs easily to enjoy this drinking window.
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1/10/2021 - perlberggj wrote:
Added Drink by date
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12/31/2020 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wasn't sure what to expect based upon the varying CT reviews for this wine, so decanting time was extended to over four hours before tasting. Deep violet in the glass with a nose of dark fruits, floral notes, coconut and an herbal earthiness. The palate had a decidedly "toasted" profile while also offering up complex flavors of cedar/oak, tobacco, blackcurrants, plum, semi-sweet cranberry, raspberry and dark chocolate. The concentrated and rich mouthfeel was supported by velvety, polished tannins leading to a generous, moderately long finish. It was a challenge just to put the glass down between sips. Wonderful, enjoyable and what we love about Napa cabs.
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7/31/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Very dark red purple color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 3 hours. Sweet dark fruits, cassis, black raspberries, dried cedar box, with a perfumed graphite character. Lovely on the palate too, really polished tannins, velvety texture, cassis, dark raspberry, dark cocoa, graphite. Very well balanced and constructed.
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7/19/2020 - Buck naked wrote: 91 Points
Drinking nicely right now. Getting dark berry, some chalk and a hint of tobacco. Nice lingering finish.
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1/4/2020 - yasha Likes this wine: 92 Points
open up nicely after about one hour.
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8/3/2019 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
3 years since my last btl and this continues to rock and great with Nita's "fat burgers" knockoff. PnP small glass & further slow oxed for 3 hours in btl prior to dinner. Semi opaque ruby color. Smoky nose with creosote, tobacco and mature berries. Well balanced with a polished, supple texture. Rich dark fruit, tobacco, chocolate and hint of cedar. Very tasty! In spite of its 14.5% Alc this is exceedingly fresh & balanced. Winery states it has Cohn fruit with a little bit of American oak / mostly French oak / 35% new. $60 is a very good value by today's Napa standards. Especially fun from the legendary producer label. My parents and I visited & tasted at the winery in 1971 in a little room ( now closed to the public) near the original entrance. Confusingly, Coppola / Inglenook messes around, a lot, with branding and cuvees designations. Too much for me! I really like this one but it appears they stopped the historic "Cask" designation, again, with the 2013 vintage and now label it Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon sans "cask" since this 2012. Oh well :). I plan to try a 2015 soon. NOTE: I serve all of my CA reds with a good 30 minutes in the fridge as these are best drank in high 50s/low 60s. Warm and this might not be so interesting and balanced with its 14.5% alc.
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5/25/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes and it improved with air. This is built in a more rustic style. Notes of loamy soil, cassis, red currant, dusty tannin. If drinking now, decanting is recommended.
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5/17/2019 - VinoViking Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nice, but not notable. Authentic Napa Cab. Big bodied, rich and smooth up front. A bit of a bite on the finish. Berry, pepper and minerals. Seems to be drinking fine now. Relatively high price drives medium to low QPR.
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8/17/2018 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Surprisingly good for a second wine. Mind you, it needs a long decant. It's not fat and plump and eager to please like most 2012 napa cab. Much more traditional and holding its cards close to its chest. Dense, and there is a bit of heat, but nice flavors of graphite and gravel and lots of Rutherford dust. Very good for 50 bucks and a buy, but hold for 5 years.
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12/27/2017 - Tonythefish wrote: 91 Points
See prior notes
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12/25/2017 - Tonythefish wrote: 88 Points
See prior notes
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12/9/2017 - Tonythefish wrote: 89 Points
Rutherford dust comes through in a mix of spices, cassis, loamy souls and wet granite. Easy drinking, dark fruits, dark reddish hue and decent finish. Will improve in cellar
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9/22/2017 - Cow Town wrote: 89 Points
Must. Decant. This. Wine. The least approachable 2012 Napa Cab I have tried. Started out a bit unpleasant, but after four hours of air, it opened up a lot but still seemed like it had more to give, as the mouthfeel was a touch on the thin side. I think/hope there is potential here. Revisit in a year or two.
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7/22/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Second red wine at Table #1 at Oakton Wine Shops Bucket List Tasting.
Deep purplish ruby red. Rich nose with red berries, cassis, spices and cinnamon. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Dark fruits on the palate with layers of spices and dark gravel. Long and lingering finish. Solid Napa Valley Cabernet for around $70.00 and built to last. Drink till 2032. (91+)
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6/19/2017 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great with a grilled ribeye and a 4 hour decant. In my opinion it can last a while and I have a few bottles that I'll sit for a bit....
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5/30/2017 - Burgessdpilot wrote: 91 Points
P & P: 89 pts. An hour later: 91. Opened up nicely. Must decant. Should be better in a year. More tanins than fruit, so a little worried about keeping it past next year. Time will tell
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5/11/2017 - RayT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ruby in color with a nice nose. On the pnp this had an easy entry but was a bit thin. Decanted for 4 hours, tasting on the hour. This gained significant heft as it gained air. After the full 4 hour decant this was a much different wine going from medium bodied to full. This also had a strong mid palate which was lacking initially. While this did not have a ton of nuance or complexity I thought it was decent for the $45 I paid for it. I do think this will get better with bottle age. Although probably a short term ager, 2-5 years.
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5/5/2017 - ews3 wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at large walkaround tasting. red & black cherry, lacking a bit of structure. a bit simple for the asking price here.
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4/6/2017 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very young, but much better than the bottle we had last October. Progressing in the right direction.
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2/14/2017 - Beefmd wrote: 94 Points
Loved it
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2/1/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Drank as a pop and pour at a restaurant. Definitely tannic and on the tight side but still super enjoyable. Most of the profile/complexity is buried plenty of chalky black fruit, cassis, and sweet red fruit emerge. Finish is cigar box and minerals. Need 5 years minimum to fully show.
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1/25/2017 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
PnP with notes of black fruit, dark plum, black licorice, and some dark chocolate. Agreeable and an easy crowd pleaser, but fairly flat and predictable on the attack. What I would consider a "basic" 2012 Cabernet. Not much in terms of layering or complexity. Medium bodied with a hair of depth/viscosity to add a bit of interest. Otherwise, it lacks most of the nuances that hold one's attention.
Those who don't think too hard about what they are consuming will find some pleasure here, but don't expect the cerebral wine if the century. Drink now.
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1/21/2017 - CocoaComicCraft wrote: 85 Points
Very young and gripping tannins
Dill, baking spices, pepper, black fruits, ripe to baked
Old world aromas with accelerated alcohol and masked acid
Definitely a food wine that needs lots of decanting time
4-17-8-2-4
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1/13/2017 - Jetcontrails wrote: 90 Points
Earthy, cigar box, muddled to muted fruit, and grainy tannins. Wine is very tight. Recommended by Sommelier at restaurant, should have known better on this infant Cab. Certainly drinkable, but this one should be cellared for another decade to smooth tannins and release fruit.
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1/13/2017 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted one hour to smooth out tannins. Continued to smooth over next hour. French Oak, black cherry, Violet and baking spices on the nose. More fruit on palate. Good acidity. Medium finish. Could probably use one more year.
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12/31/2016 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Deep colour, sweet and intense nose. there are notes of blood plum, cassis, vanilla, tar and leather. It has waves of creamy black fruits and plenty of spice from the oak. It has enough savoury elements to be a wine that is both hedonistic and interesting and there is some chew from the tannins on the back-end.
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12/17/2016 - srh Likes this wine:
Big Gun Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Tasting [8 Napa, 1 Alex Valley] (San Diego Wine Co.): N: Jammy (dk frts) yet with restraint; Intensity lurking?
P: Med body; Nice entry with excellent length (albeit lacking intensity), tannins only lightly firming. Seeming more mature than perhaps any other of this flight, I'd drink now & over the next couple. 14.5% ABV 93 pts ea Suckling, WA, & Vinous; 91 pts Jeannie Cho Lee; 88 pts WS [This vendor's $54.99 would appear to be VERY competitive!]
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11/12/2016 - Buck naked wrote: 92 Points
Still young , but still very, very nice.
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11/11/2016 - ageverett wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour.
This was a bit on the musty side for me. Wet oak generally masked the fruit. Fruit trended towards plum and blackberries. No real depth on the palate. Pretty mediocre on the finish.
Was a tick better on Day 2, but nothing revelatory. Not a bad wine at all, just not my style.
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11/11/2016 - mcease wrote: 92 Points
Tasted at ONIC tasting. Very elegant and subtle wine. Red cherry, raspberry, and other red fruit notes come forward in subtle way. I agree with one of the other reviewers that it would be nice for this to have a little bit more bite to it. Still an excellent wine, but is missing a little complexity to put it over the top. At this price point you would expect more 92 points.
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10/29/2016 - CJM wrote: 84 Points
clear deep garnet with no rim browning leather, tar, chocolate . low acids, low tannins . cassis short balanced finish . Bottle at big 4
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10/23/2016 - Mootsie wrote: 88 Points
Red cherry, leather, licorice and plum. Tannins emerge with air, but not overly so. More fruit driven, but missing some of the earthiness I enjoy from other Rutherford's. Wish it had a little more bite to it as well. A wine can be too smooth. Slight black tea bitterness on the finish. Good, not great. Kind of disappointing. Not a good QPR. Hold. 88-89
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9/18/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Wow is that rather fine Napa Cabernet.
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9/10/2016 - aChave Likes this wine: 92 Points
A big, towering Cabernet, in the old mold for Inglenook, and glad to see it return. Tannins are buried, but the wine has good heft and structure.. very fruit-laden, but has the substance to age well. Impressive. Tasted after it had been open for three days. Rating could be conservative.
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9/1/2016 - msuwine wrote: 91 Points
A dark Cabernet-based blend on the brooding and savory end of the spectrum. Dark red in color, full in body, nose of charcoal and cedar. Brooding tastes of black currant, olive, leather, and pepper, with a tannic finish that carries a hint of green peppers. Blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot. 14.5% alcohol. It clearly has the stuffing to age for five years or more. Same on second day. This is a bit too dark and tart for me, but fans of the Old World should give it a try.
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8/28/2016 - Dagman Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tannins in check (subdued), nice balance between oak and vanilla, excellent for PnP.
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8/11/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
I like this a lot for CA Cab. Maintains some semblance of structure and freshness with classic Cabernet flavors. Plenty of depth. leave my last two bts alone and I expect it will be worth a little btl age. This is CA cab worth owning and drinking. Not crazy expensive either.
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8/10/2016 - milwaukeewino wrote:
That smells and tastes European.
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8/6/2016 - Buck naked wrote: 90 Points
Excellent as always!
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7/15/2016 - KarmaTrip Likes this wine: 90 Points
Got this bottle by clearing redwood branches off of a roof.
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7/6/2016 - Thirsty1 wrote:
Not a fair evaluation. Pap, dark purple. Oaky nose. Syrupy sweet. No aeration which I think would have helped. Reminds me a lot of caymus with a little more depth and centered palate. This was a gift from the hotel, not sure I'd buy it or order it again. I think it's a $50ish dollar bottle, which is overpriced. This is the direction napa is heading. The same quality can be had from Argentina for half the price.
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6/23/2016 - rwgtkg Likes this wine:
Got better as we drank it. Definitely needs to be opened awhile before drinking.
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5/15/2016 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Pop & pour very small glass & then slow oxed for 3 hours prior to dinner. Inky dark crude oil color and reticent at first but eventually clean dark fruited nose with some tobacco. Big but decent lift keeps this fresh. Well balanced with a polished, supple texture. Rich dark fruit, tobacco, chocolate and hint of cedar. Very tasty. ALC 14.5%. My dad was a retailer, a long time ago, and we drank and cellared the 66,67,68 and 69 on release. (They're long, long gone) We bought the originals for around $4 and sold them for around $7 per btl. The original version was more old school and I remember them even being a little leathery almost rustic and more lightly fruited. The more richly fruited, juicier, fresher $4.75 retail regular Inglenook cab version from the mid late 60s was actually more enjoyable than the cask IMO. I really liked this 2012 "Cask" but its a much bigger, more polished and actually more enjoyable wine to drink than its legendary ancestor was on release. In spite of the 14.5% Alc this wine maintains its freshness and balance. According to the winery has Cohn fruit and a little bit of American oak / mostly French oak / 35% new. Paid $60 and a very good value by today's Napa standards. Especially fun from the legend. My parents and I visited and tasted at the winery in 1971 in a little room now closed to the public near the entrance. Inglenook will always be special to me even though a visit today is too commercial for my liking.
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5/8/2016 - cdp1276 Likes this wine: 94 Points
So buttery and a true oak bomb. Just so velvety and extremely short on the tannins.
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4/23/2016 - Buck naked wrote: 90 Points
Drinking nice after a long decant. Mild berry nose, tastes of berry and anise, with a little bit of an earthy loam. Long legs and a pleasant long finish. Style seems to be changing with a new winemaker, I like it.
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4/19/2016 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
Corked
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2/20/2016 - String Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great finish. Wild cherry aroma.
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1/22/2016 - ColluraJ Likes this wine: 88 Points
90/10 French/American 85% cab, 12% cab franc, 3% merlot. Purplish color. Moderate aroma of green pepper, berry and toast. Full bodied with high, hard tannins. Flavors of berry and green pepper. Very long finish. Needs to lay down. Would drink again.
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1/12/2016 - GTFreek wrote:
Kinda confusing where they've been with the Inglenook labels and where they're heading, but this is the 2nd label of Inglenook, with Rubicon being the top label. The Cask moniker may be phased out in the future.
85/12/3 Cabernet/Cab Franc/Merlot. 90/10 French/American oak. Probably the best drinking now of their cabs, with Rubicon still being closed in it's youth. Not sure it's the best value, but not surprising that the Inglenook name carries a little higher price tag. Very good wine, cool history.
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12/26/2015 - Desertdi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Spectacular wine
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10/2/2015 - Rich S Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and decanted. Beautiful dark crimson color. Great nose of roasted plum, cassis, black currant, a bit of cedar cigar box and some charred oak. Similar flavors on the palate with ripe but juicy dark berry fruit and just the right amount of oak. Good acidity and tannins were smooth but present. Really great wine. Would seek out.
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9/27/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Lush, rich, concentrated, forward, ripe and packed with fresh, sweet fruits, licorice, oak, smoke and black cherries. Drink it now or age, this is really nice and already open. For Napa Cabernet today, it's also really well priced.
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9/13/2015 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Nice mix of forest berries, forest floor, good tart ripe juicy blackberry; a bit more elegant, mod+ acidity, mint, eucalyptus; drying tannins. Very good, solid. 14.5%
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7/29/2015 - mygrogro wrote: 91 Points
fresh Fig and berry nose
nice mature oak base
sweet cab finish
a keeper
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5/27/2015 - Ron&nina Likes this wine: 90 Points
We tried this one right away to see what it was doing. The first day was very tannic and not good. Day 2 and 3 was much better as the tannins dropped off and some of the fruit stared showing. This wine may be drinkable now but I'm more inclined to wait a few more years and be more toward the 2034 date. Should be no problem considering the structure of this wine.
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3/15/2015 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
Go West tasting march 13 2015 (sheraton, stockholm, sweden): just plain good cab. I tasted several wines in the line up and they were all very good
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