OK so let’s be honest here: it’s a sultry, tired muss. But still wonderful for all the right reasons. Crazy marzipan nose, spicy and layered in tertirary beyond comfort. But we love it. And why not. “Rutherford” is the OG bargain Napa wine–dating back to when there were TWO Beaulieu cabs. Only 16 years–and stellar versions from careful local cellars can go back many decades later–this exists to remind us how cab was once made. Those days are gone, although I feel Treasury has gone to great lengths to maintain the acidity and structural balance of these wines in recent years.
Brilliant and gorgeous–though I wouldn’t decant it–the mouthfeel luxuriously layered in bitter pith and ripe berry. You should have bought some of these. I have a few left.
2007 BEAULIEU VINEYARD ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 14.5
Stephen McConnell 