Winemaker Notes
The 2018 growing season kicked off in late February and eased into a mild spring that gave us extended flowering and uniform clusters throughout the vineyard. Summer continued with an even trend, with consistent temperatures allowing fruit to have beautiful, extended hang time. With no heat spikes we were able to wait patiently for every cluster to achieve perfect phenolic maturity. A no rush approach to harvest allowed fruit to develop beautifully on the vine and the Cabernet came into the winery with mature tannins, great acidity and perfect ripeness. This vintage was “near picture-perfect,” and the resulting wines are generous yet structured and expand on the palate.
Tenacity, innovation and a single-minded commitment to “vineyard and varietal” have established Nickel & Nickel as the leader in single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Every Cabernet offers the purest expression of its vineyard. No two vineyards are alike. And, as the release of the new 2018 Nickel & Nickel Cabernets can attest, neither are any two vintages. Taste the pure, powerful expressions of unparalleled Napa Valley vineyards. The 2018 Nickel & Nickel Single-Vineyard Cabernets are crafted with excellence and made to be savored.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
From a vineyard outside of St. Helena, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hayne Vineyard has plenty of blue fruits, violets, and floral notes, medium to full body, some classic cedar and tobacco nuances, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. This is another pretty, elegant, yet also powerful wine that's going to benefit from just short-term cellaring yet age beautifully.
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Wine Enthusiast
This memorable, inviting wine is herbal and earthy, with a soft lushness on the palate. Blackberry, currant and black cherry mingle with ease, accented by toasted oak and clove. This full-bodied red holds its power and concentration with lasting elegance.
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James Suckling
Enticing aromas of ripe berry and orange peel with lavender and some toasted oak, following through to a full body with lots of luscious fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Drink after 2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hayne Vineyard is produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged for 18 months in French oak, 49% new. Displaying a deep garnet-purple color, it reveals notes of black currant cordial, baked plums and blackberry preserves with nuances of star anise, dark chocolate and eucalyptus plus a waft of black truffles. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with black fruit preserves, featuring ripe, velvety tannins and loads of freshness, finishing with wonderful purity. Rating: 93+
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
St. Helena is in the heart of the Napa Valley, nestled between Calistoga to the north and Rutherford on its southern border. On its western side, the Mayacamas Mountains guard it from the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean; to its east stand the Vaca Mountains. In conjunction, these mountain ranges serve to lock in summer daytime heat. But in the evening, cool air from the San Pablo Bay funnels up through the valley, creating very chilly nights. It isn’t uncommon for temperatures to drop 50 degrees, a shift that promotes a balance of sugar ripeness and acidity in wine grapes.
St. Helena contains a plethora of different soil types in a small area, which have been enhanced over centuries by rain runoff from both mountain ranges. Its vineyards cover a variety of terrain, spreading across the bucolic valley floor and its benchlands.
These ideal topographic and climatic growing conditions easily caught the attention of early winemaking pioneers. In fact, St. Helena is the birthplace of Napa Valley’s commercial wine industry. Dr. Crane founded his cellar in 1859, David Fulton in 1860 and Charles Krug in 1861.
Today there are no less than 400 separate vineyards planted within the 12,000 acres that make up the St. Helena appellation.
Revered most for its red wines based on Bordeaux varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, the St. Helena appellation is also a source of superior Syrah, Zinfandel and Sauvignon blanc.