| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | U.S.A. > California > Napa Valley |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
A storrming, stonking Napa wine, playing at the top of its game in 2019. Somehow takes the power and concentration of Napa but makes it full of texture, life, light and shade. Espresso, liqourice root, cocoa bean, cassis, cranberry, black cherry, cold ash and crayon. Hard not to fall in love with, nothing overdone, everything in its place. Winemaker Todd DeVincezi, consultant winemaker Philippe Bascaules. All aged in French oak barrels, 75% new.
Aromas of ripe berries, sweet vanilla, licorice, dark chocolate and bread crust. Notes of dried herbs and pinewood, too. So well grounded. Smooth, with a lingering, silky mouth-feel. Full body and ripe, chewy tannins. Toned and muscular with hints of crushed rocks. Firm, linear finish. Try after 2025.
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose pops with vivacious notes of warm cassis, blackberry pie and redcurrant jelly, plus hints of crushed rocks, bay leaves and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers a solid, firm and grainy texture with a lively backbone cutting through dense earth-laced layers, finishing long and minerally. Impressive! Drink Date: 2024 - 2044
Supple, generous and supremely well textured with chalky but fine tannins supporting the rich blackcurrant and cherry fruit. I love the cool blue fruit sensation also, this feels well worked and differently stylistically than many other Napa wines. A sense of refinement here, delicate yet still vibrant and confident. A clear difference between this and the normal bottling. Chewy and ripe with floral fragrance, some milk chocolate elements, caramel, coffee, sweet strawberries, herbal raspberries, liquorice and tobacco - such a lot going on here, but you can feel all the nuance and detail. An excellent wine worth seeking out. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Ageing 20 months in French oak (74%) new. (Drink between 2025-2049)
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose pops with vivacious notes of warm cassis, blackberry pie and redcurrant jelly, plus hints of crushed rocks, bay leaves and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers a solid, firm and grainy texture with a lively backbone cutting through dense earth-laced layers, finishing long and minerally. Impressive!
