It was Niebaum Coppola, then Rubicon Estate as the Inglenook name was owned by TWG when Francis bought the land. Back around 2010 (?), Francis bought the Inglenook name.
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Yes, but the grapes for Rubicon have always come from the same site in Rutherford regardless of who owned the site and what name was on the label, right? I just don’t remember the estate looking like that and didn’t see a photo in a Google search that showed enough to confirm.
I have some 70’s vintage Niebaum Coppola in the cellar that is labeled as Mount Veeder. Part of why I was curious about the label.
I don’t recall what show it was, but there was an interview with Coppola at his home on the estate. IIRC it looked like that.
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Heublein owned the land, I believe, they sold the land to Francis and the Inglenook brand name to the TWG who used it on their 18L box.
The mansion set back in the property was always there and restored by Francis. Been there a couple times, inside it is a look back in time, not some modern McMansion.
Edit: I was partially correct, I must be thinking of Inglenook label was owned by Heublein. Craziest part is he bought the 46 acre JJ Cohn vineyard in 2002, with Lopez (Scarecrow) for $31.5M, imagine what that land goes for today.
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Because I might as well drink it! Plummy but not at all over the top. Worked really well with our beef stew. Dad left 4 bottles of this vintage. Why is completely beyond me.
p.s. the cork was a complete train wreck, that even defeated the Durand.
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Yesterday marked three years since my dad’s passsing. It’s disturbing that it’s Groundhog Day, so I have avoided going back to the Crypt on the day, preferring to wait.
So tonight it’s an un-crypt wine from the crypt.
It’s in great shape. Light color, but effusive aromatics, and it’s still sweetly fruity on the palate. What a beautiful wine.
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Cheers to you and memories!! November was 10 years without my dad and I couldn’t believe it. Seemed like just yesterday.
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The 11th anniversary of my father’s death is tomorrow, also seems much more recent. I think I helped get him interested in wine although, as a child of the Depression, he was always a bargain hunter. I sent him a mixed case of wine about six weeks before he passed. I always tried to balance between sending wines from varieties or regions he knew and a few that would be new to him. He opened one bottle each month, a typically methodical and disciplined system.
-Al
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Back to the crypt, and it’s another tale of what should have been. I don’t know where dad got this bottle, as there’s no price sticker or any identifying label from a secondary source. The bottle actually looks like it might have come direct from the winery, which dad did visit once.
Anyway, it’s dead. Deader than dead. The wines found with Egyptian mummies were fresher. Every bottle of BV GdL Cabernet Sauvignon from his cellar has been shot to hell. Damned shame.
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Dang, a '91 of that pedigree should be magnificent, or at least recognizably once magnificent.
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Smelled like rotting cabbage.
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That’s so surprising. I’ve occasionally considered picking up an older BV Georges de Latour PR at auction . . . but now reading this I’ll probably pass.
Several years ago, I was buying every bvglt 95 I could get my hands on. I haven’t had one in a few years, but they were amazing back then. I wonder how they are drinking now.
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Over Christmas I had a 95 Abreu Thorevilos that was just spectacular.
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What a shame. My dad once brought home a 1970 BV GdlT years ago, which was unusual for him ( we had a lot more French wine and the CA wines were always decent releases). It was a fabulous old cab. Too bad yours was dead.
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at the least you’ll be able to warn others away from the cursed wine.
My dad has all sorts of things in his basement collection that he has been given over the years. he’s always enjoyed wine, but never been a wine guy. But people definitely like to gift him nice bottles.
Aside from New England basement have no idea as the storage conditions but I envision that I’ll will be able to go on a similar journey one day. We’ve shared many a decent bottle over the years and many a good beer, in many countries. It’s a comforting thought to have to look forward to, or at least laugh at, in the future so thanks for always sharing your experience and your dad’s memory.
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I still have 1 ‘95 GdL in my cellar. Hopefully, it’s as good as your recollections.
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