Inglenook

If Inglenook were a person, its life story would make for an engrossing film. One of the grand old estates of Napa Valley, located on the famous terroir of the Rutherford Bench, even in the 19th century it was recognised for its classic Cabernets. Passed from private owners to large businesses and back again, it endured a chequered hundred years, before finally being bought by a romantic artist who set about restoring it to its former grandeur.

Fittingly, given the cinematic ‘riches to rags to riches again’ narrative arc, that artist is Francis Ford Coppola, who, when he was not directing the likes of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, spent over 40 years reacquiring the Inglenook brand name, trademark and – crucially – vineyards.

As you might expect for Napa, Cabernet Sauvignon looms large in Inglenook’s story. The estate wine, Rubicon, is a long-lived Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend of depth, structure and savoury elegance that demonstrates precisely why Rutherford’s alluvial soil is so sought-after. But different exposures also show off other varieties less associated with Napa, such as Syrah, Roussanne and Marsanne. With a new state of the art winery completed in 2023, the script is already in place for the next chapter in Inglenook’s dramatic story.