Back in the early days of Napa Valley, when the industry was growing and just staring to gain attention, Inglenook was a name to remember. It became one of the iconic brands, making great wine along with the other relatively new upstarts. While some retained their positions, and strengthened them over the years, others unfortunately did not. Names like Mondavi, Krug and Beringer are still iconic. Some have changed ownership once, or a few times, since Charles Krug established the first commerical winery in Napa in 1861. Many have changed their direction and focus, surviving through Prohibition and the Great Depression. It has not always been an easy road.
In the case of Inglenook, this has been a journey with many turns. Gustave Niebaum bought Inglenook in 1879. Under his watch, and eventually that of his grand nephew, John Daniel Jr., Inglenook reached the top of the Napa Valley wine world. In between was the death of Gustave, a few years of inactivity, and 14 years of Prohibition. John Daniel Jr. became owner in 1939. and would oversee everything for the next 25 years. In 1941, Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded 100 points by the Wine Spectator, earning a reputation for Wine of the Century.
Again, however, time took a different turn. After some declining years, the winery was sold to one of the big wine conglomerates. The grand estate and chateau were in need of repair and refurbishment. Then it was sold again, as the name itself became more of the commodity.
In 1975, Francis and Eleanor Coppola bought 1560 acres of the Inglenook vineyards, including the old Niebaum estate. Adopting a French tradition, they combined family names, and the Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery was born. What followed was a journey back to greatness. New philosophy, commitment and winemakers all made a difference. In 1995, the Coppola’s bought the last of the Inglenook vineyard land and the Chateau. Inglenook was reunited.
They make great wine again at Inglenook, make no mistake. This is a name to look for, and the wine below is a great example of that.
2014 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon – this wine is dark red, and has an explosive nose of dark fruits. On the palate it is full bodied and opulent, but the fruit is focused and pure. Some caramel plays along. I was really impressed with this at the very end of last year, when we tried it at a fun, little wine shop in Asheville, NC, Margaret & Maxwell (you can read more about them by clicking here). It also made our Top 25 Wines of 2019 list. Top notch, old school California Cabernet here. Not inexpensive, but well worth it at $65.
This is great stuff.
A votre santé
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