Winemaker Notes
Layered aromas of blue and black fruits waft from the glass at its first swirl. The wine further unravels on the palate with delightful purity of fruit. Flavors of plum, black currant and savory herb come alive from beginning to end. Full and expressive, Vaca Vista’s subtle tannins are beautifully integrated, offering a sleek and long finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I am not sure if many wine professionals refer to Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as elegant. The 2017 Nickel & Nickel Vaca Vista Vineyard is stylish, beautiful, and rewarding. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with an active mindset and delivers a delicious, mouthwatering treat. Its aromas and flavors of vivid red berries and blueberries stay long and bright on the palate. Pair this outstanding wine with an oven-roasted, rosemary, and mint-accented leg of lamb. (Tasted: September 5, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
-
Wine Spectator
Shows a slightly hefty side, featuring steeped plum and blackberry fruit, laced with cocoa powder, warm earth and roasted cedar notes. A touch extracted in feel along the edges, but the structured is fine-grained and the fruit stays just fresh enough. Best from 2021 through 2028.
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.
As one of Napa’s coolest sub-appellations, the area begs for diversity among its vineyards. Merlot and Chardonnay firmly compete with Cabernet Sauvignon for a place here. Some of Napa’s best Zinfandels also come from the Oak Knoll District.
Situated far in Napa’s southern end, Oak Knoll receives a strong cooling influence from both the San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Coast’s evening fog and breezes. Summer days are warm but on average ten degrees cooler than in St. Helena farther north up the valley; summer nights are chilly. A long growing season promotes for leisurely ripening of grape berries, resulting in an impressive balance of sugars, phenols and acidity.
Notable producers include Trefethen, one of the appellation’s oldest wineries, Robert Biale, legendary Zinfandel producer and Lewis Cellars, a family-run, hands-on establishment.