Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Inglenook — Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Crafted from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot, and 0.5% Petit Verdot, this estate-grown Cabernet showcases the remarkable 2018 Napa Valley vintage. Although positioned below the iconic Rubicon, it delivers the pedigree, precision, and elegance that have defined Inglenook for generations.

Aromas & Flavors
Layers of cassis, blackberry, black cherry, espresso, cedar, and graphite unfold alongside subtle bay leaf, dried herbs, and baking spices. The fruit is generous without excess, allowing Rutherford’s signature savory character to shine.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied with polished tannins, vibrant acidity, and exceptional balance. Deep and structured yet remarkably approachable, the wine carries impressive concentration while maintaining finesse through a long, refined finish.

Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye, dry-aged steak, lamb chops, braised short ribs, wild mushroom dishes, or aged Cheddar and Gouda.

Verdict
An outstanding expression of Rutherford Cabernet that consistently overdelivers. Powerful without being overwhelming, refined without sacrificing depth, it captures the classic Napa profile with remarkable harmony and age-worthy structure.

Did You Know?
Founded in 1879 by Gustave Niebaum, Inglenook is one of Napa Valley’s most historic estates. Under the stewardship of Francis Ford Coppola and renowned winemaker Philippe Bascaules (formerly of Château Margaux), the estate has been meticulously restored to its original vision of producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon.

🍷 Personal Pick
The 2018 and 2019 vintages remain among my favorite recent years from Napa. This bottle is proof that you don’t need to step up to Rubicon to experience the soul of Inglenook. It delivers everything I look for in a classic Napa Cabernet—depth, structure, refined herbaceous character, and effortless balance. A cerebral wine that reminds me why Rutherford continues to be one of the world’s great homes for Cabernet Sauvignon. — 16 hours ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

1973 vintage. Okay fill. Opened with a Durand. Cork 80% saturated. Musty, hot, slightly “raisined” nose. Light medium body. Drank more like a Burgundy at this stage of life. Amplifying savory aspects currently. Definitely instructive and an absolute blast to hit the FLB (Friday Lunch Bunch) with. These formative, ancient Napa Cabs always so revealing, primal and archival. The 1973 cork a little longer than those short stuff 1968 and 1969 ones. 6.12.26. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of very fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of mostly ripe with some tart and drying fruits: cassis, blackberries, pipe tobacco, Serrano pepper, purple flowers, leather, and a pleasant mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the alcohol is medium+. FWIW, this is an impressive wine on the nose and the palate.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon (or blend there of) or Sangiovese-blend, or Tempranillo (or blend) from the United States, France, Italy or Spain. However, the shear generosity of fruit and lavish oak treatment leads me to Napa. Additionally, there’s a structure that gives me mountain fruit vibes. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain, 2015. Perhaps I was trying to be a bit too clever but scoring lots of points nonetheless. Probably one of the more memorable, contemporary Freemark Abbey’s I’ve had. Really impressive. Drink now through 2050. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

I have said before, they farm some of the best Napa Bordeaux blended fruits. There are likely different opinions on what happens in the winemakers process after harvest. But on pure fruit, yeah they do. This 23 is no exception.

The fruits are ripe, lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberry w/ awesome purple & blue fruits. It is round, elegant, very balanced. Softly layered baking spices with candied red, dark flowers with violets, rainfall acidity with a finish that lasts two-minutes and lands on moist clay & fruit.

Tasted at Roy Estates. The view from Roy Estate is one of the very best, if not the best view of Napa rolling vineyards. — 2 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Pale straw lemon color with aromas of tropical fruit, lime citrus and grassy aromas. On the palate flavors of pear and grapefruit with herb notes, vivid acidity. Medium+ finish, ending with fruit, grassy noted and mineral tones. — 3 months ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

7/2026. Great flavor and finish. Nice fruit. — 12 days ago

Michael Patrone

9.7

Dinner with Anu/David. Wonderfully integrated. Still has tons of fruit, ready for another decade or two. — 25 days ago

with Meghana

Ali

9.0

Pineapple finish — 2 days ago

Tom Garland

9.3

+1 hour decant(lots of chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: subtle notes of dark fruit, sandalwood, potting soil, milk chocolate, floral. Taste: velvety, layered, concentrated mouthcoating wine with blackberry/blueberry, loamy soil, graphite, smoke, pepper, and a minerally dark chocolate dry long finish. YUM! better than 5 years ago...it's Come Together as the Beatles would say. — 2 months ago

with Brenda

William Brouwer

9.0

Enjoying this oaky, chocolate, great tannins with my brothers in Visalia. — 2 months ago

Joel Lara

9.3

Nicely balanced with fresh acidity and soft tannins that leave a slight dryness on the finish. Notes of cassis, raspberries, blackberries, and bitter chocolate on the palate with underlying hints of cloves, pepper, and black olives. Lovely, persistent finish. Went really well with dry-aged ribeye. — 2 months ago

Inseon Hwang

9.2

Black cherries and blackberries, balanced tannins and structure, minerals, slight graphite. — 3 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

1.5 hour decant(some chunky sediment). A remarkable inky purplish garnet color with some bricking. On the nose: exquisite notes of ripe dark berries, cassis, smoked meat, floral, black olives, mint. Taste: velvety, elegant, structured mouthcoating wine with blackberry, cassis, earth, licorice, crushed stone, and a spiced-mineral-dark chocolate espresso long finish. YUM!! — 4 months ago

with Brenda

Jody Scharf

9.3

full holds on well jammy — 11 days ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.1

v17. Very good! Dusty pepper and tobacco nose. Fresh, rich black currant and soft plum fruit. Smooth, long, dry slightly chewy mocha and leather finish. Nicely made. — 18 days ago

Jayna Fontenot

9.7

Holy smokes. Currant and dark cherry, and medium red nose, that leads into a perfectly tannic finish. — 20 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened with the assistance of a Durand and decanted about an hour prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1981 Rubicon pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a combination of dried, ripe and tart, red and black fruits: mixed brambles, red and black currants, black cherry, tobacco, Poblano pepper, old leather, dried flowers, a mix of organic and inorganic earth, minerals and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium+ and sanguine. A rather remarkable ‘81 that seems almost evergreen when considering the color and condition of the fruit. In fact, it seemed to gain energy with air. Impressive. Drink now with a short decant and through 2041. — 2 months ago

Michael Gustafson

9.0

Peppery for me. I liked it. Bunny thought too grainy. Didn’t Ike it. At Atlas ATL — 2 months ago

with Guisela

Cary Jones

9.3

My last bottle of this special, super smooth wine. Did not disappoint. — 2 months ago

Lauren Young

9.3

Needs decanting, — 2 months ago