2022 Inglenook Napa Valley Rutherford Blancaneaux

If Captain Niebaum was partly responsible for introducing Cabernet Sauvignon to Napa Valley, then John Daniel Jr. was responsible for continuing his great-uncle's tradition of excellence and refining the varietal to respected status. In honor of Daniel's Cask Wines program, which he began in 1949, vintages from 1995 through 2008 of the varietal were originally called Cask and bore oak veneer labels. Up until then, the wine had been 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in American oak barrels. The 2009 vintage, however, saw changes in both the name and the production and aging regime, and now Inglenook's Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec—depending on the desired profile—all of which are aged in French oak.

For years, Inglenook has been among the top wines from Napa Valley and this Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Rutherford and white Blancaneaux is now only distributed via the Place du Bordeaux to affiliated wine merchants (including Grand Crus of course) as is the case for other icons such as Harlan, Insignia and Opus One). Sharing its name with one of The Family Coppola hotels in Belize, Blancaneaux - which means "white waters" in French - is rightly Inglenook's most prominent white wine. From the first harvest in 1999 to the 2002 harvest, Blancaneaux used the characteristics of Chardonnay along with three varieties from the Rhône Valley - Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne - but since 2003 the blend consists exclusively of those three Rhône varieties in proportions that best suit the overall appearance. Like Rubicon, Blancaneaux doesn't describe any one grape personality, but speaks volumes about the Inglenook terroir that contributes to the range of nuanced flavors, density and mix of aromatic interests.

The Blancaneaux 2022 is a blend of 40% Viognier, 37% Marsanne, and 23% Roussanne. The Blancaneaux, with its light golden color, leads with aromas of honey, white peach and pomelo. Fresh on the palate, with absolute purity of flavor, a persistent minerality carries the wine through a long aromatic finish.

FACT: The winemaker of Inglenook is Philippe Bascaules, who is also the managing director of Château Margaux. The wine is stored in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Collect' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, almost next to the A16 with ample parking. Click here for our address.