1882 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

I drank this on a weekend night when I really had time to sit and enjoy it. These are the tasting notes I made as the wine evolved for a few hours: Green bell pepper (which faded after a little while); the smell when you leave roses in the vase too long (pronounced vaaase the way the dog does in the Chewy commercial); red berries; not a long finish; nice silky body; juicy, alcohol, and, finally, Luden’s cough drops. The green bell pepper caught me by surprise and I was wondering if any ‘expert’ reviewers tasted the same thing. See below – a few reviewers backed me up on this!!! I liked this wine and I would like to drink it again.

The review on the High Spirits Liquor web site said:

Stunningly deep ruby in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with heady aromas of brambly black cherry, vanilla, warm brioche, and crème de cassis. As the wine warms on the palate, notes of red cherry, graphite and fennel emerge, as very polished, refined tannins carry the wine into a long, fragrant finish. Layered flavors, good tension, and a perfect integration of wine and oak interact to create this classic expression of Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon.

ShopFrance44.com said: Perfumed nose of dried flowers, cassis, baked blueberries and chocolate orange with a touch of cinnamon. It’s full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Vibrant and zesty cabernet. 

One of the reviewers at Cellar Tracker named Derek Darth who drank the wine in March of 2024 said: Dinner get together at Old Holland. Drank in Riedel Bordeaux. Appearance is clear, very deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of chocolate oak, cassis, ripe red bell pepper. Youthful. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), smooth velvety high tannins, very full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with aromas of chocolate, blackcurrant, blackberry, dark plums, cedarwood, milky oak, spicy red bell pepper. Big long finish. Very good quality. Just slightly shy of the jammy blockbuster type of Napa wine. Needs a few years for the oak to integrate or drink young if you like em big and oaky.

Also at Cellar Tracker, a reviewer called TwoPawsUp said: Deep Ruby color with slow legs. Very youthful wine still struggling to open up after a two hour decant. Lots of green pepper on the nose with some boysenberry and oak in the background. Black cherry, plum and licorice on the palate. Medium leathery finish. Rating may improve with age and would recommend holding for a few more years if in the cellar.