Nickel & Nickel Winery was started with the idea of producing only extraordinary single vineyard Napa Valley wines. Each one is very low production and from unique sub-appellations throughout the Valley. The home vineyard of Nickel & Nickel, Sullenger Vineyard is situated behind the winery in the heart of Oakville and is named for John C. Sullenger, who settled the farmstead in the 1880's. The vineyard's 30 acres of clay loam soil is planted exclusively to Cabernet Sauvignon. This is Nickel & Nickel's signature wine with ultra-ripe fruit and classic Oakville structure.
This 2018 is the latest release and it's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 18 months in 50% new French oak.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine awarded this a Cellar Selection and scored it 95 points saying "A strong showing of black cherry and licorice lead the way to a soft, supple midpalate of luxurious complexity in this Oakville wine, 100% varietal and aged in French oak, half new, half once-used. Secondary notes of nutmeg, clove and coffee permeate through the structure and weight of the wine, which will do well in the cellar. Enjoy best from 2028 through 2038."
The International Wine Report scored this 94 points saying "The John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the home of Nickel & Nickel in Oakville. The 2018 is a fantastic wine, which opens to aromas of dark plums and red currants that are woven together with spices and pencil shavings as well as hints of earthy red clay and sweet tobacco that all take shape in the glass. On the palate this is medium-bodied, voluptuous and plush, with a ripe core of red and dark fruits and sweet spices that continue to build up to the seamless finish. A fantastic wine that is drinking beautifully today, but should also age gracefully for years to come."