Rudd Estate Red Wine Oakville 2014

A connoisseur of the Napa Valley knows the sheer eminence that Rudd wines possess and the level of superiority and distinction they are so well known for. Everything that Leslie Rudd conceives, establishes, and produces, he takes to the pinnacle of excellence. And his life's ambition to craft a world class wine and estate with the confluence of the remarkable 2013 vintage has culminated in nothing short of the zenith of greatness. In 1996, Leslie Rudd purchased this landmark property surrounded by such famous vineyards as Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle's Maya, Joseph Phelp's legendary Backus Vineyard and Bond's St. Eden Vineyard in Oakville. In doing this, he wanted to establish a legacy of world class wines that he could pass down through family generations. And with winemaker Frederick Ammons, formerly of Bill Harlan's Napa Valley Reserve, Opus One, and Chateau Pape Clement in Bordeaux, his wines are among the most elite of Napa Valley. Their flagship wine, the 2013 Estate, is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot and aged in 88% new French oak. Dark garnet color with bright edges, the 2013 Rudd Oakville Estate Red initially offers a lively, youthful nose that develops into a classic Oakville character with floral and dried rosemary notes. Blue and black stone fruits, lavender, spices and menthol are laced together exquisitely in the glass. Expansive on the palate, the dark fruit aromatics become more pronounced with a cocoa-like sweetness. Presenting structure and density for aging, the 2013 Rudd Oakville Estate Red will elegantly mature, offering additional complexity and depth with 5-8 years of cellaring and continue to develop for many more, however it is the wine's overall balance that stands out at this stage. Powerful yet elegant, commanding with grace, this vintage is a requirement for a true Napa collector.