2017 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep purple colour. Dense cassis dominates the nose. The palate is brambly and a little jammy, with very soft tannins integrated into the fruit already at this young stage. Some warming alcohol on the finish but the soft tannin and succulent fruit help to mask it somewhat. (TP)
Critic scores
Tom Parker MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Aromas of currants, blackberries and violets follow through to a medium body and firm, tight tannins that give it length and structure. This needs time to soften. Better after 2022.
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and boisterous in feel, with good energy and terrific balance for the year. Sweet floral notes, blood orange and spice add shades of nuance to a core of dark red berry fruit. More than anything else, though, I am very pleasantly surprised by the wine's freshness and overall energy.
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is incredibly primary at this stage. Deep, unctuous and flamboyant to the core, with a huge center of fruit, the 2017 is going to need a number of years in bottle to shed some of its baby fat. Although the 2017 is decidedly rich – especially by the standards that have characterized the Inglenook wines in recent years – it holds tremendous promise.
About the producer
Inglenook is one of Napa’s oldest wine estates, founded in 1879, but is today owned by Francis Ford Coppola.