Rubicon 2002 shipped yesterday!

[par]

This is an outstanding wine (but pricey). It ships in very limited quantities from napa and i really enjoy it. This wine will sell out in the next 2 months and can only be bought from the winery (Rubicon Estates).

just wanted to share because i snagged 3 bottles yesterday!

[LasciviousXXX]

Excellent par! What's the wine like? Tastes? Flavors? Aroma?

I'm quickly becoming a wine whore as well so I eat this kind of stuff up



XXX

[Kayak_Rat]

Yes please let us know what the profile is. I am also a young wine-whore in training.

[par]

i haven't tried the 02 yet. I usually will have it put away for 5-10 years before i touch it. This is what wine spectator thought about the 01:
The Wine Spectator Dark, smooth, rich and complex, with a silky texture leading to a core of ripe plum, black cherry, smoky oak and wild berry flavors, finishing with a long, intricate aftertaste. This is a wine that grows on you. Best from 2006 through 2012. 5,230 cases made. Score: 92. —James Laube, November 15, 2004.

the most recent rubicon i had was a vertical tasting of 92,93 and 94. The 92 was the best with hints of vanilla and leather. An absolutely excellent wine with a very long and (as they say above) intricate taste. This wine ages exceptionally well.

[par]

and this is what the winemaker has to say:

Vintage 2002 is a milestone year for Rubicon, the flagship wine of Rubicon Estate. Made exclusively from organically grown grapes from this storied Rutherford property, Rubicon 2002 was born under ideal spring and summer weather conditions. Harvest 2002 was a momentous one—the first time in 36 years that the smell of fermenting Cabernet filled the air of the Inglenook Chateau.

Based on the principals of gravity flow winemaking, the Rubicon Winery was designed to expertly handle the Estate’s 235 acres of vineyards. Each lot of grapes represented the yield of only 2 acres of vineyard, hand sorted, lightly destemmed, and lifted gently into the wood fermenting tanks without the use of a pump. Using traditional punch-down methods, the new wines fermented in small six-ton lots until pressing. Evaluating the young wines after harvest, it was clear from their complexity and texture that the research, thought, and care that went into recreating the Rubicon Winery was well invested.

“The harvest of 2002 was a dream come true for me personally,” says Rubicon Estate Winemaker Scott McLeod. “This was a culmination of the Coppola’s vision to reunite and restore the great Inglenook Estate. But until we actually made wine inside the Chateau again, the dream would not be complete.”

Rubicon is not made to reflect any one varietal. Instead, it is a representation of the renowned property from which it comes and reflects the richness and the ripeness of this Estate. The deep ruby red hue of this wine is a result of the perfect ripening of the Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot for extra flavor dimension. Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot lift and intensify aromatics.

Rubicon 2002 is dark with saturated ruby-purple color, like all Rubicon. Color this dark signals a very ripe year and high extraction. The aroma of the 2002 Rubicon is the classic Estate Cabernet character of black cherries tinged with violets. Though aged in 100% new French Oak barrels, the contribution of the wood is amazingly integrated and supports the fruit aromas rather than masking them. The palate reveals a sweet raspberry note and a dark chocolate finish. The lengthy finish is true to the late September/early October harvest, which produced impressive, powerful tannins that will soften with time in the bottle.

The 2002 Rubicon is approachable now, but will develop further complexity over time and can be cellared in optimal conditions for 15 to 20 years. Pair the 2002 Rubicon with rich, red meats such as beef tenderloin and filet mignon.

Appelation: Rutherford, CA
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Pertit Verdot
Vineyard: Gio, Garden, Creek, Cask, Lower Cask, Apple, Walnut
Barrel Regimen: 225 Liter French Oak, 100% New Barrels
Case Production: 5,296 Cases
Acid: .52 g/100ml
pH: 3.86
Alcohol: 14.6%
Released: March 15, 2006

[LasciviousXXX]

Beautiful description, more expensive than any bottles I've bought but I'll have to keep it in mind when making purchases.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy,

XXX

[par]

I also highly recommend the estate wines. the cab is $44 for a bottle and it's excellent. The rubicon is the flagship but it'sn not 2-3 times better, maybe 20% better. But i highly encourage you to try them.

the coppola presents, edizione pennino and sophia wines are crappy. The higher end ones are really nice.

[LasciviousXXX]

Excellent! Thank you Par.

The wife and I are attending another Wine Tasting Event at a high end shop here in Sedona this coming Wednesday. Apparently they hold one once a month for their regulars and stuff. This wednesday is Italian White's and Red's. I can't wait.

I'll try out those that you recommended Par, always nice to try something new. The shop that's holding the wine tasting do carry some nice older Chateau series stuff

XXX

[(909)]

Originally Posted by LasciviousXXX

Excellent! Thank you Par.

The wife and I are attending another Wine Tasting Event at a high end shop here in Sedona this coming Wednesday. Apparently they hold one once a month for their regulars and stuff. This wednesday is Italian White's and Red's. I can't wait.

I'll try out those that you recommended Par, always nice to try something new. The shop that's holding the wine tasting do carry some nice older Chateau series stuff

XXX

I've been drinking Italian wines lately and really enjoying them. Funny how things go in cycles. For a while it was Calif Pinots then Calif Cabs then French reds, now it's Italian reds and whites.