Inglenook Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc 2017
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Robert
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With a pale gold hue, the 2017 Inglenook Sauvignon Blanc opens with fresh, subtle notes of lemon-lime zest, white peach, lemongrass, and citrus blossoms. A light touch of French oak adds structure and complexity to this surprisingly full-bodied, vibrant wine, which exhibits distinct minerality on the palate. The finish is highly aromatic with lingering freshness and a return of the citrus and white peach notes present on the nose.
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Wine Enthusiast
From the producer's Tank House vineyard, this 100% varietal white is outstanding in its tart embrace of Meyer lemon and green apple. Floral, earthy and herbal, it was given time to age in a majority of stainless steel, with just a touch of new and neutral French oak. Structured, complex and lengthy, it is a wine well worth seeking and a welcome addition to the winery portfolio.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made entirely of Sauvignon Blanc, the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc comes bursting out of the glass with vibrant pineapple and passion fruit notes pus hints of yuzu zest and lemongrass. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers an electric charge of citrus and tropical flavors with a racy backbone and great length.
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James
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Robert
A decade later, Francis Ford Coppola purchased 1,500 acres of this historic property and revived Captain Niebaum's fine winemaking tradition. In 1995, Niebaum-Coppola acquired the remainder of the property and restored the Inglenook Estate to its original dimensions.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.