2005 Rubicon Estate Merlot

Rubicon Estate Winery is the former name of what is once again called Inglenook. The original Inglenook in Rutherford was founded in the late 19th century by the Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum. Then in 1975 the film director Francis Ford Coppola and his wife bought the historic estate, calling it Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery. At the same time Heublein Inc. acquired the Inglenook brand name. From 2006 to 2011 the Coppola’s renamed their estate Rubicon Estate. Following complicated legal and financial negotiations, Coppola acquired the famous Inglenook trademark in 2011, allowing the estate to once again be known as Inglenook. Today the estate’s Rubicon Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship wine.

Rutherford AVA is just north of the Oakville AVA in the heart of Napa Valley, and it is equally distinguished. It is home to Beaulieu Vineyard and inglenook, arguably Napa Valley’s most historically influential wineries. Inglenook started making in wine in the late 19th century, and Beaulieu Vineyards was producing by the first years of the 20th century. BV founder Georges de Latour is particularly esteemed for having recruited Andre Tchelistcheff, a renowned research oenologist, to move from France to Napa Valley in 1938 and run BV’s winemaking. The legendary Tchelistcheff brought European winemaking techniques to Napa Valley and vastly improved wine quality. Other Rutherford winemakers followed his lead. Today there are 5,000 vineyard acres in Rutherford and many acclaimed producers. The famous Silverado Trail with its exclusive, limited production wineries, runs partly through Rutherford AVA. Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignons are characterized by supple tannins, richness, notes of cherry and plum, depth and the ability to age for several decades. Besides Cabernet Sauvignon the AVA also grows Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. It received its AVA designation in 1994.

The Merlot grape is such a deep blue that it is named for the blackbird. It’s an early ripening grape and one of the primary varietals used In Bordeaux. Merlot is also grown in the "International style," which is harvested later to bring out more tannins and body.