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Nickel & Nickel Vineyards Buy Online |
Rating: C
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
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8164 St Helena Highway, Oakville, CA 94558
Phone: 707 967 9600 Hours: Mon - Fri: 10am to 3pm, Sat - Sun: 10am to 2pm - Appt Only Club/Discounts: 15%-20% Discounts, No Red-Only Club Tasting Fees: $30 for 4 Cabernets and 1 Chardonnay We drove by the winery and called in as the 2003 release party was going on. It cost $30 for a glass, and you could go around and try any of the seven Cabernets they were pouring. The place was pretty crowded but it seemed like good value as you could retry the wines as often as you wanted. Our favourites have not changed from the 2001 tastings - The Tench, Sullinger and Stelling stood out.
July 10th, 2005: The tasting fees at Nickel & Nickel are expensive, and we were shocked when we were told that it was $30 each, but you do have to remember you are at a high end winery in the heart of Napa Valley. Also you are supposed to do a tour with every tasting but we wanted to get straight to the wines which was probably the reason why they let us in without an appointment. The winery itself is definitely unique in that it is a restored 1884 Queen Anne home, farmstead and barn, making a pleasant change from the new, modern wineries all over Napa. We had excellent service at the winery (our charm got us two free tastings!).
If you can negotiate the very confusing directions and signage for parking (David was driving), Nickel & Nickel is definitely recommended. The wines are all 100% varietal, single-vineyard., mostly Cabernet but other varietals also. |
Sort by : Vintage / Name / Rating
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| 2000 Stelling Cabernet Sauvignon ($115) | Rating: C-D
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
 Best Wine - February, 2007
Excellent. Drinking very well right now. Smooth, good fruit up front with a long finish. The primary vineyard for Far Niente |
| 2001 Stelling Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($120) | Rating: C-D
Jul 10th, 2005 |
| Favourite wine of the day. A beautiful wine. Soft tannins yet silky. Very elegant. Drink it today or hold for years. This is the primary vineyard for Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon.
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| 2001 Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) | Rating: C-D
Jul 10th, 2005 |
| We really enjoyed this wine and probably the best value at the winery. The Tench Vineyard is in volcanic soil, producing very flavorful grapes. The wine is full in the mouth yet has a very nice finish. I'd like to taste it in a few years. |
| 2003 Sullinger Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) | Rating: C
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
| Very dark color. Very good fruit and smooth lingering finish. Very nice wine |
| 2003 Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) | Rating: C
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
| Much better balance. Less fruit up front but more structure and a much better finish |
| 2001 Dragonfly Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) | Rating: B-C
Jul 10th, 2005 |
| This wine has a "jammy style" - strawberry jam. It smells light yet is definitely fuller in the mouth than the Carpenter Vineyard. At $90 a bottle, this isn't good value.
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| 2001 Rock Cairn Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($75) | Rating: B-C
Jul 10th, 2005 |
| The Rock Cairn Vineyard is not watered at all, producing grapes with big, full tannins. There is not much fruit flavors but the finish is huge. It's too young to tell. |
| 2003 Vogt Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) | Rating: B-C
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
| Lingering berry flavor on the back end. Not your typical Cabernet from Howell Mountain, but good wine. Seemed more merlot than Cab. |
| 2003 Branding Iron Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) | Rating: B
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
| Plenty of fruit up front but lacking a finish. |
| 2003 Match Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) | Rating: B
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
| Getting better. Huge fruit on the nose. More structure but still lacking the finish |
| 2003 Rock Cairn Cabernet Sauvignon ($85) | Rating: B
Feb 3rd, 2007 |
| Very dry finish and little fruit. Complete opposite to the Branding Iron or Match. Would make an excellent blend if they combined the fruit! |
| 2001 Carpenter Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) | Rating: A-B
Jul 10th, 2005 |
| A very light cabernet with the fruit up front and very little finish. Definitely fruit forward. "A cabernet for beginners" |
| 2003 Chardonnay ($43) | Rating: A
Jul 10th, 2005 |
| They said that they don't do a second fermentation with the Chardonnay, but it still has the buttery taste. Didn't like it. Avoid.
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Sort by : Vintage / Name / Rating
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