I grew up tasting the mid - late 60s Inglenooks with my dad who retailed them. Has anyone tasted the 2009 now reissued under a label simular to the 60s label? I believe Copala hired a new French winemaker to re introduce the name and cask wine. Anyone had it or excited about it?
I’m VERY interested in trying it…I’m looking forward to notes here, and might setup a tasting when I’m in town in November
I was 15-18yrs old but I remember liking the freshness and grapeness of Inglenook’s $4.75 regualar Cab better than the $7 cask which was more structured, tanic and classic. I think Dominus now owns some of those vineyards.
I went to a tasting of these in London going back to 1952 - there was a clear drop off in quality round in the last 60s, where the owners were blatantly trading on the name, but the 50s stuff was incredible.
The Inglenook/Napanook story has always confused the hell out of me. Was Napanook part of the original Inglenook vineyard and subsequently parceled off? Or was Napanook its own stand-alone vineyard (obviously the case nowadays)?
Love the new label!
It is my understanding that the old Inglenook Cask was a blend of three vineyards. I think two of them are owned by Coppola and have been going into Rubicon. Will these grapes now go into the Cask? The third vineyard (Napanook) went to John Daniels’ daughters, became the vineyard souce for Dominus and eventually was sold to Dominus/Mouix.
The Cask has been back around for a decade+ now, and I believe it was just a label change. As I understand it, it is not made in a cask at all (now) but is just a brand name, so I think they just changed the label to Inglenook.
I see that the new label is being discussed in the press. A conglomerate I am a little part of from Arkansas bought the first release of 2010 Inglenook Cab (the old Rubicon) at the Premiere auction in Feb, and I thought it was pretty yummy. Then again, I have always kind of liked the old Rubicon. Coppola hired Phillipe Bascaules, formerly of Margaux, to make the wine.
I went to the winery 2 months ago to check it out. 90% of the tourists are gone, but they had not changed the name on the sign and the old names were still being used on the labels. I will wander by soon and see if there is progress and report back.
Interesting. I’ve noticed that in much of Rubicon/Inglenook’s recent marketing they’ve advertised that “During the last 25 years, Francis Ford Coppola has reunited all of the Estate’s original vineyards and restored winemaking to the Inglenook chateau.” I suppose they at least do not consider Napanook one of the original vineyards?
Don’t know. Hope someone can provide more info.
WE had a story on Coppola this last edition. http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2012/Francis-Ford-Coppola-From-Feature-Films-to-Fine-Wine/
Bascaules was not hired until last year. So the 2009 isn’t really his, is it? Inglenook is crediting Stephane Derenoncourt with this vintage. I’ve had the 2005, 2006 and the 2008 and enjoyed them all. I didn’t think I would like the 2008 but it worked.
I know they kept some with the wooden labels but I think those were only available to heritage members or chateau guests.
They do publish a good deal of information about the wines, the vineyards in each wine and other randomness on their product description pages if you’re so inclined.
And thoughts on the Napanook issue… I think it’s quite possible that Coppola considers his quest complete as Napanook is truly a separate plot of land located outside of Rutherford. That’s my understanding, anyway. The reality may be quite different.
A welcome change, have always been a traditionalist when it comes to labels/winery names. Hope this also marks the long term commitment to go back to an age worthy, old school style of wine making against the current trend of “make them big, and drink them young”! As suggested above, concur, the Inglenooks of the 50’s are fantastic, with quality really dropping from the late 60’s on. Look forward to following/tasting them over the next several years.
The new Napa cult wine?
I thought the missing piece from the Inglenook vineyards was the Scarecrow parcel of the old J.J. Cohn vineyard. I seem to recall Coppola buying up all but a small part of Cohn’s old property.
Tom its been 40+ yrs since I drank the wines on release but I remember really like the 60s Inglenooks… back then anyway. My dad and I tasted at the winery too and it was pretty low key back then. No buses and limo groups.
Todd, maybe you can get Francis on for a Q&A to clear up the vineyard questions?
The Rubicon/Inglenook Estate vineyard is what Francis put back together, minus the JJ Cohn piece he partnered with and let Bret Lopez have for Scarecrow. Hence the connection of the old Inglenook property per Francis, since Napanook is not a contiguous piece. Rubicon is also the largest contiguous Organic vineyard in the US IIRC.
Roy, Cask was an homage to John Daniel and the Inglenook Cab he made in 1000ltr American oak puncheons if IIRC. So it does see oak, American, while Rubicon saw French.
Sitting he with the 2002 Rubicon, so interesting to happen on this thread. You wont see Inglenook labels til 2013, part of the purchase agreement for the label from CWUS.
Unless I’ve misread something, that can’t be right. I’ve seen the new label on shelves here already.
Craig, our new winemaker and technical director is Philippe Bascaules, who was with Chateau Margaux for the past twenty years. He joined us in 2011, so the 2009 Inglenook Cask Cabernet was made under the direction of wine consultant Stephane Dereroncourt (http://www.vigneronsconsultants.com/). It was aged 18 months in French and American oak barrels - not the 900-1200 gallon oak puncheons that were historically used.