Rudius, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville

A near perfect pairing with a bone in rib roast. Dark color, intoxicating nose of dark fruit, earth, and floral notes. Full bodied but good balance with flavors of red and blueberry, ripe and tart. Very good QPR.

2008 vintage

Medium purple in color, with blackberry and plum aromas. The palate shows a core of mineral, dark fruits, cedar, and graphite flavors, which are pleasant but still a bit tight even at 19 years on. Medium finish.

2006 vintage

Showed very well again. Not the most complex CS, but balanced and classically styled. My last bottle, but this should be enjoyed sooner rather than later if you have any remaining bottles.

2006 vintage

Absolutely lovely. Seems at peak now, with still a few years.

2008 vintage

15.4% abv. Recent auction purchase. Perfect cork condition, with the staining only at the very bottle of the cork. Interesting take on Napa Cabernet. Still very young tasting - I blinded my wife on this and she thought it to be a recent vintage. Indeed, this does not show much aged character at all. Acidity is higher than usual for Napa Cab, but not screechy. Felt slightly out of place, actually, with this level of ripeness, but was integrated pretty …

2006 vintage

I bought this upon release from the winery and it was the last vintage I purchased from the winery. This is clearly a modern napa wine. I can appreciate the gobs of red fruit and flowers, but there's some noticeable alcohol on the finish. I would not hold this further.

2008 vintage

Terrific. Dark fruit. Great balance. Everything is in its right place with this wine right now. Perfect blend of acidity, tannin and fruit. Still so young and fresh. Probably the best Rudius Cab I've ever had of the many vintages. Still easy 15+ years of development.

2006 vintage

This bottle was a great deal better than the one 2.5 years ago. Delicious. It has evolved in a great way. Rich nose of very dark fruit and tobacco. The palate is viscous, intensely dark flavor with mushrooms,

2008 vintage

Very silk like and well integrated. Opened and aired for 1.5 hours, could have waited longer but it drank well. My notes from June match this bottle and the previous taster in April. White flowers is not something I have ever used as a descriptor but I like it and it works for this wine. Soft tannins and slight bright fruit fades to a full mouth feel. Drink window can be longer but this is in a good spot and …

2008 vintage

Don't understand the recent positive notes, found this had an attractive nose but palate was too acidic. Was hoping for more based on a current vintage, guess these early bottles weren't meant to age.

2006 vintage

Opened and aired for 2 hours. Very tight on opening, the 2 hours in the bottle airing out helped. Very integrated, slight to no tannin, deep fruit with a full mouthfeel. Drink or hold for a couple of years

2008 vintage

Try again in a year became more like 12...a pretty good wallop of sweet vanilla oak upon opening blew off pretty quickly with some time in the decanter. A pretty clean cab, though a bit on the bigger side for my preference. Still fruit forward, but Ready to drink depending on your desired profile.

2006 vintage

Pop and pour, let it sit in glass for about 30 minutes. The fruit is silky, very fine tannins, and there is a lot of white flowers and violets. The floral component and rich fruit makes this a standout wine.

2008 vintage

Consistent notes from January 2016: "This is sitting in a nice spot right now. Rich but balanced. A lot of chocolate covered blue fruit, some tar and smoke. Coating and smooth. Very nice tonight."

2008 vintage

Last bottle from release, and best one yet! Still very youthful garnet color with the only signs of it's age is the wonderful integration. Silky smooth, creamy dark berry fruit(reds and blues)..more savory dried fruit than candied sweetness...with a wonderful dusty graphite spice and firm white pepper oak barrel tannin kick on the finish. More of an elegant Napa cab, not a fruit bomb, with deep and broad complexities. Cedar and licorice...rich loamy earth, bay leaf and dark chocolate round …

2006 vintage

Very smooth and balanced. Easy tannins, great mid-palate and finish. Crowd pleaser.

2006 vintage

Pleasantly surprised again

2008 vintage

Cork was loose, wine was spoiled.

2006 vintage

Napa Cabs by Luis - Part II (Jason's House) : A 3 hour decant (not my choice all you commenters!). The nose is intriguing, but there is definitely some alcohol there. THe palate is thin from a flavor perspective and also alcoholic. Overall, this is on the dark side of cabernet, and I suspect this may have been overdecanted. As a pop and pour 2 years ago, it was much more enjoyable.

2008 vintage

Needed some time to open but quite tasty.

2008 vintage

A disappointment. I guess I'm just not a cab guy mostly. It was pleasant, but not as clean as I hoped, compared to something like a Renaissance Cab. And costs more to boot. Seemed to have some oak that mostly turns me off, though I'm not saying it was big oak. Big fruit, not a lot of definition of flavors and a modest nose. No lingering ending...

2008 vintage

Quite enjoyable rounded cab. Feels like has some merlot or the like to create some softness. Surprised at the good QPR.

2008 vintage

Great fruit - nice cab.

2008 vintage

Maybe an off bottle. Not much personality and a bit hot.

2008 vintage

Medium bodied. Simple cassis fruit. Gentle tannins on finish. Fairly evolved, this will probably better integrate over the the next year or so. Very nice now- its tough to find many better $50 California Cabs of similar quality.

2008 vintage

The first sip immediately after opening was awesome, pure red fruits and fine tannins. 30mins of air and it was all VA, with sticky dark over ripe fruits on the palate and nothing but alcohol and varnish on the nose. Never came back together and pretty much undrinkable. Helf some for night 2 to see if it recovers.

2006 vintage

Decanted and drank over 4 hours. Seems tight, or this is it, hard to tell. It didn't improve over time in the decanter. Tannins over power the fruit at this point.

2008 vintage

From memory. 14.8% alcohol. Surprisingly, dark ruby color, but lighter colored than expected. The nose was expressive with ample cassis, dark cherry, earth, and flashes of chocolate covered coconut. The palate was stacked with dark fruit, earth, and mineral notes on the finish. Structurally, this medium-bodied wine had excellent acidity and a balanced, rounded mouthfeel. The tannins were well managed and unobtrusive. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this bottle because of its balance and honesty. It was not trying to be …

2008 vintage

Decanted for two hours prior to drinking. Beautiful nose of red cherries a touch of cocoa, cassis, earth. Great mouthfeel and not over-the-top at all. One word to describe this wine: balance. Everything from the nose to the palate to the finish was completely in check and complimentary of each other. My idea of a solid Napa Cab.

2008 vintage

Pours a little thin ruby in color but with some air really comes alive. Was concerned at first as this was very tight but with a couple hours of air really started to blossom. drink or hold but decant for now.

2008 vintage

First bottle lacking fruit mostly secondary flavors , lean perfectly aged Napa Cab. Second and third bottles fruit was still plentiful more full bodied than the first beautiful Cab drinking at its prime .Backberry blueberry , dark fruit integrated , light oak and very slight heat on the nose .Opened for 3 hrs no decant drank over 5-6 hr period .

2006 vintage

a quick decant allowed this to show beautifully. than tannins have softened quite a bit and the wine has fantastic red fruit, cocoa, and just enough backbone to keep the richness in check. not overly complex, but quite enjoyable.

2008 vintage

Really lovely tonight. While this packs a punch, it has a very light delicate side. Darker nose, framed well by oak. Nice red fruit profile, with red currants on the palate. This is very smooth and delicious right now. In a great spot and should stay here but drink these now. No need to wait any longer.

2006 vintage

Drinking superbly at this time.

2008 vintage

This is sitting in a nice spot right now. Rich but balanced. A lot of chocolate covered blue fruit, some tar and smoke. Coating and smooth. Very nice tonight.

2008 vintage

Certainly benefitted from pairing with marinated, grilled venison tenderloin but delicious on its own. Slow ox for 6 hours - no decant. Purple, viscous, glassy wine with juicy red and purple fruit. Well balanced. Chocolate and some mellow oak spice and vanilla flavors. Smooth lengthy finish.

2008 vintage

A soft cab with some nice chocolate and red berries. It feels like the tannins are mostly resolved surprisingly. Juicy and delicious.

2008 vintage

Fairly dense wine with lots of red and blue fruit notes. Low acidity but ample tannins that went through some dusty stages throughout the night. Underbrush, tobacco and latte notes made the wine interesting. Fun to drink.

2006 vintage

A notch below the 2007 in my opinion but just quibbling here. Terrific wine, decanted for 2 hours and it is a classic Cab - big, long finish with nice notes of blackberry and pepper. If you compare this to other, more 'celebrated ' Cali cabs this is a very good QPR.

2006 vintage

Just had a taste, but wow, big, gorgeous, still has plenty of time.

2006 vintage

Remains a really nice california cab that is modern and large scaled. Gorgeous blackberry, licorice, smoke, chocolate, dusty earth, tobacco and some espresso notes. Touch of the baking spice that I always get from Mike Hirby as well.

2006 vintage

This had been opened for a few days. Lacking the normal density I've come to expect from Rudius. Mocha, dark fruit but a touch stewed. Definitely not a flawed bottle but the stewy fruit is a bit off putting.

2006 vintage

nose and flavor profile of black pepper, menthol, cedar, plum, dark chocolate, and blackberry. beautiful mouthfeel supported by powdery tannins that are resolving nicely. long finish shows a tiny touch of heat at the outset, but fades nicely. excellent wine as always.

2006 vintage

Tasted a bottle off of Coravin. This is coming along really nicely. Nose: Bright blackberry, black cherry, graphite, earth and stone notes. Developing nose of a classically styled wine with some dusty sage coming through as well. Palate: Dense and silky, tannin is well resolved for a 2006. Black and Blue fruit notes on entry with sweet coffee, spicy oak and truffle notes. Finish: Moderate finish that is actually quite detailed.

2006 vintage

Decanted for two hours. Aromas and flavors of currant, black licorice, cherry compote and smoke. Very nicely filled-out, and a long, detailed finish. Drinking quite well, although the last glass about 4 hours in was the best. Drink or hold 2-4 more years.

2006 vintage

Beautiful cab. Beautiful.

2006 vintage

PNP with friends on Friday night after an underwhelming CNP...big easy drink and I didn't really pay attention...I was dragging the next day

2006 vintage

my last bottle of this? sad... decanted 1 hour, paired with roasted brussels sprouts, pan-seared filets and sweet potato. meal was ok, wine was marginally better. the showing this time around was much older than 8 years would belie. i would have said 15+ if tasting blind. cherry pipe tobacco, leather, sweet blackberry, a little acid, and fully-integrated tannins. could have been an iffy cork. enjoyable, but not as much as previous bottles. if scoring this bottle, 86-88. i still …

2006 vintage

Notes similar to last except I don't seem to be suffering the same palate fatigue as previous. Beautiful red and black fruits, integrated oak and significant tannin. My last bottle. I'm sure it would have lasted another 5 years easy.

2006 vintage

Popped and poured. A little tight initially, but then opened beautifully. Cassis, black cherry, vanilla and spice on the nose and palate. Not thick, but rich, very smooth and velvety texture. The tannins while soft, still show up in the finish. While this was my last bottle, This appears to be still improving. I would not fear holding another 5-10 years.

2006 vintage

Are you sure?

Rudius, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews