Nickel & Nickel Vaca Vista Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
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Wilfred
Wong -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
An absolute crowd pleaser, this Oak Knoll District Cabernet has expressive red currant and floral aromas and pure red fruit flavors. Soft and silky throughout the palate, the fruit is juicy and full, with polished tannins, a broad mouthfeel and one of the smoothest, sleekest finishes of the vintage.
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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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Nickel & Nickel Vaca Vista Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon deftly combines elements of the Old and New World. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers attractive aromas and flavors of ripe berries, dried herbs, and rustic notes of earth. Enjoy it with grilled chicken thighs in a mix of fresh salad greens. (Tasted: September 3, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Solid, structured, slightly old school version, with a core of red and black currant fruit held in check for now by strident tannins and notes of warm loam and cast iron. There's freshness and a violet note buried here too, so worth waiting for it to unwind fully. Just a bit of a bruiser now.
Other Vintages
2019-
Wilfred
Wong
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Wilfred
Wong -
Wine
Spectator
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.