2013 Inglenook Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon (Winery Direct Library Release)

This is the wine formerly known as Cask. In 2013, it benefited from the viticultural work Philippe Bascaules and his team undertook to help the vines ripen their fruit more efficiently. Presented as a selection of the best lots that remain in the cellar after the blending of Rubicon, it ages in a combination of French (90%) and American oak, half of it new. It’s a remarkably gracious 2013, elegant and bright, with crunchy cool fruit that feels supercharged by the Rutherford tannins, a gravelly growl of energy. Those dark tannins shade the brightness of the fruit, even as the fruit adds tension and verticality to their richness. If you collect Napa Valley cabernet, this is a wine to cellar, especially at the price.