Nickel & Nickel 707-967-9600 58164 St. Helena Highway Oakville nickelandnickel.farniente.com Tours and tasting by appointment daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
mellow introduction to our experience. The wines get progressively bolder as we travel down valley. A Hayne Vineyard (St. Helena) is soft and velvety, a beautiful expression of the variety, with understated tannins. Our third wine, a Quicksilver Vineyard Cab from Rutherford, is light but not soft, with a supple structure. We talk about soil types and climate. The Nickels had a background in the nursery and flowers industry, so they understood the importance of these components. Starting at the top of the valley, where temperatures top 100 degrees throughout the summer, fruit ripens quickly and delivers smoothness and finesse. Moving south, dropping temperatures (even by only a few degrees) can mean longer hangtime and bolder flavors. The second half of our tasting showcases the flavors and oomph that earned Napa cab its global reputation. An Air Show Vineyard (Oakville) wine is peppery and earthy, calling out for a hearty pasta dish. The State Ranch Vineyard (Yountville) offering has strong tannins and a long finish; dried cherries from our pairing plate meld seamlessly, enhancing the palate. Finally, the Vaca Vista Vineyard from Oak Knoll is bold, savory and deep, showing dark, ripe fruit and a firm body. As the experience winds down, we sit back and take in our surroundings. Seated on the front porch of the farmhouse, smelling the fragrant flowers and watching the resident horses frolic, it’s been an ideal afternoon, filled with knowledge and delight. Celebrating and Savoring: A Private Group Experience at Nickel & Nickel A focus on single-varietal, single-vineyard Napa Valley cabernet sauvignons paired with complementing cheeses and accouterments. For groups of nine or more. 90 minutes, $135 per person plus 20% service fee. Club Lounge Private club, members-only tasting set among Oakville winery gardens and barns. Complimentary for club members up to four guests, Friday and Saturday only.
Unveiling the Winemaking Journey: Communal Tour and Tasting Begin in the historic Gleason Barn and continue through the fermentation barns and barrel cellar. 90 minutes, $110 per person Discovering Single Vineyards: A Private Tasting Experience Immerse in a private tasting of single-varietal, single- vineyard wines. 60 minutes, $100 per person.
N ickel & Nickel focuses on doing one thing very well—single vineyard wines. With more than 19 different cabernet sauvignons (as well as a few other stellar varieties) from across Napa Valley, it’s an interesting collection to taste through, as the soil and climate differences come into sharp focus. We’re greeted with a taste of chardonnay, made in the Burgundian style, which is light and refreshing. Like the cabs for which it’s famous, Nickel & Nickel’s chardonnays are 100% varietal and each sourced from a single vineyard. Take the tour The Exploring Napa Valley: Terroir Tasting ($155 per person) begins with a tour of the grounds, which are bright and welcoming, with flowers and greenery at every turn. A restored farmstead features multiple barns and a large farmhouse, built in 1884, that’s been modernized without losing its turn-of-the-last- century charm. Historic touches throughout are both charming and educational. We learn about the 1997 founding of the brand, part of the Far Niente Wine Estates portfolio (which also consists of Dolce, EnRoute, Bella Union and Post & Beam), by Gil and Beth Nickel, and about the construction of the onsite barns. One was built in 1770 and originally stood in New Hampshire. The Nickels had the structure painstakingly deconstructed, brought to this property and reconstructed in 2002. It was reimagined into a rustic welcome center in 2022. Another barn houses part of Exploring Napa Valley Appellations: Terroir Tasting Discover the essence of Napa Valley’s micro-regions through a one-of-a-kind tasting experience. 90 minutes, $155 per person.
Did You Know? Gil Nickel passed away in 2003 after a battle with melanoma. Since 2004, Nickel & Nickel annual fundraisers for cancer research organization V Foundation have raised more than $200 million.
the production facility, which is modern (2008), but made using the same post-and-beam methods. We stop to view soil samples from the many vineyards N&N uses. Some are fine, light and sandy, others rocky, ranging from small pebbles to fist- sized chunks. Colors range from the lightest beige, almost white, to deep, dark, espresso-colored dirt. It’s easy to see the differences and understand how these different growing conditions would impact the resultant fruit. Taste the terroir Our tasting consists of six 2021 wines, sourced from vineyards from as north as Calistoga and as south as Oak Knoll. Starting with the hottest climate wine, the Kenefick Ranch Cab from Calistoga is fruity and easy, a
August 2024
NorthBaybiz 59
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software