Inglenook '1882' Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

This red wine originates from the United States, specifically the Rutherford AVA in Napa Valley, California. Inglenook is one of Napa's most historic and legendary estates, originally founded in 1879 by Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum. Today, it is owned by filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who spent decades painstakingly reuniting the original property.

The "1882" Cabernet Sauvignon pays tribute to the first vintage ever produced by Niebaum, the same year he dug the estate's historic caves. Positioned as an approachable, estate-grown alternative to their flagship Rubicon, this wine offers classic Rutherford character at an incredible value.

Wine Description

The Inglenook "1882" Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is a remarkably vibrant, fresh, and beautifully textured mountain-and-benchland red.

• Appearance: Deep, inky ruby red with dark garnet reflections.

• Nose: Highly attractive and expressive. It opens with aromas of ripe cassis, black cherry, and dark plum, intricately layered with cocoa powder, tobacco leaves, cedar, and subtle hints of smoke and violets.

• Palate: Immediately round and supple upon entry. It delivers a solid core of juicy blackberries, black cherries, and dark chocolate. The mouthfeel boasts excellent volume and density, perfectly balanced by a striking, vibrant acidity and fine, well-polished tannins that lead to a lengthy, focused finish with a touch of savory vanilla oak.

• Technical Details: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit was entirely estate-grown, sourced from the Chateau, Cohn, and Red Barn vineyard blocks. It was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (11% new and 89% neutral) to emphasize the pure, organically farmed fruit over heavy wood character. The alcohol content is 14.5% ABV.

Accolades

The 2018 vintage is widely celebrated across Napa Valley as a legendary year, and the 1882 bottling earned exceptional critical praise:

• James Suckling: 94 points (Noted as "solid... juicy and intense").

Food Pairing

This wine’s refined tannin structure and savory-sweet dark fruit profile make it incredibly food-friendly. It pairs beautifully with grilled ribeye steak, roasted rack of lamb with rosemary, or duck breast. Thanks to its traditional roots, it also stands up excellently to hearty, rustic dishes like braised beef stews, wild boar ragout, or savory mushroom tarts. For a cheese pairing, select mature, hard options like an aged Gouda or sharp white Cheddar.

Vintage Quality

The 2018 growing season in Napa Valley was practically picture-perfect, yielding a generous crop of flawless quality. A cool, steady spring followed by a moderately warm summer allowed the grapes to achieve long, slow, and perfectly even ripening. This long hang-time provided the 2018 "1882" with spectacular aromatic complexity and an innate freshness. While it has softened beautifully and is drinking fantastically right now, it has the structural integrity to easily cellar and evolve through 2032.