Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Nickel & Nickel – Vaca Vista Vineyard – Cab Sauv– 2022
Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley, California 🇺🇸

Overview
A single-vineyard Napa Cabernet sourced from the cool and elegant Oak Knoll District. Fermented and aged with the classic Nickel & Nickel precision, this expression favors balance, red-to-dark fruit purity, and structure over sheer power. A modern Napa style that emphasizes approachability without sacrificing depth.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, cassis, plum, and violet, with cedar, vanilla, graphite, and a touch of baking spice. Subtle oak integration allows the fruit and minerality to shine.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus in body, polished, and cohesive. Fresh acidity, supple tannins, and a graceful arc from entry to finish. Not a bruiser — a refined, cooler-climate profile that stays lively and lifted.

Food Pairings
Flat iron steak, short ribs, mushroom risotto, grilled lamb chops, herb-crusted pork tenderloin, or aged cheeses.

Verdict
A beautifully balanced, site-driven Napa Cabernet that delivers both sophistication and drinkability. Finessed rather than forceful, and a strong example of why Oak Knoll continues to be one of Napa’s most exciting AVAs for Cabernet.

Did You Know?
Nickel & Nickel was founded by the Far Niente family with a mission to produce 100% varietal, single-vineyard wines, showcasing Napa’s terroir with clarity. Oak Knoll is one of Napa Valley’s coolest sub-AVAs, producing elegant, aromatic reds with natural acidity and restraint.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
Oak Knoll being a single-vineyard expression from this sub-AVA makes it one of the easiest, most easygoing Cabernets from the Napa floor, and I always like to have it as an opener when pouring more intense Napa reds. A perfect warm-up that sets the stage beautifully. — 13 days ago

Charlie Tapp

9.3

Black currants, blackberries, bramble, cedar and dark chocolate ganache, violets, blueberries, mesquite and barnyard. — 2 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.1

Blackberry, tobacco and cedar. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry fruits, sweet spice and cedar. Flavors of blackberry, cherry and currant, smooth with vanilla, oak and leather notes. Dusty tannins on long finish ending with espresso tones. Has room to age. Tasting Sample. — 5 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Patent Wines – Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Oak Knoll District AVA, Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oak Knoll District, one of Napa Valley’s cooler AVAs. This sub-AVA is often called the “sweet spot” for Cabernet because of its moderate climate, producing wines that balance ripe fruit with elegance and freshness. Patent Wines focuses on small-lot production, emphasizing purity of varietal character and terroir-driven expression.

Aromas & Flavors
The nose bursts with ripe blackcurrant, blackberry compote, and dark cherry, layered with cocoa, cedar, and graphite. Subtle hints of violet, dried sage, and vanilla spice add complexity. On the palate, the wine delivers lush cassis, plum, and black cherry, framed by espresso and tobacco accents.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and lively acidity. The structure is firm yet refined, leading into a long, balanced finish of dark fruit, oak spice, and a whisper of minerality.

Winemaking Notes
Hand-harvested fruit from carefully chosen Oak Knoll vineyard blocks. Aged in French oak barrels (with a balanced mix of new and neutral) for 18–20 months to refine texture and integrate flavors while preserving vibrancy.

Food Pairing
A natural partner for grilled ribeye, lamb chops with rosemary, or braised short ribs. For a simpler pairing, aged cheddar or mushroom risotto work beautifully.

Verdict
A thoughtful Napa Cabernet that combines ripeness with restraint — Oak Knoll’s signature style. The 2022 vintage drinks well now after a decant but shows the structure to develop gracefully over the next decade. Cheers! — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.

Light nose with cedar and chocolate notes.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with a soft mouthfeel.

Showing black currants, black plums, blackberries, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco, espresso, chocolates, diet cola and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Rich, spicy and elegant.

Fruit forward and complex. Nicely balanced with good structure.

Still young, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years. Has good potential to become a 95+ point wine. I'll have to revisit it in 10 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.

Complex and a great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak. I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. Gorgeous.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged for 21 months in (85% new) French Oak barrels. A tiny production of only 2,400 bottles made.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$175. — 2 years ago

Sebastian Corriere

9.2

Friday night birthday dinner with my Mom! Yummy with Corvina and Salmon on cedar plank grilled at home in Deerfield, Beach! — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.4

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep purple in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose with black fruits, cedar, tobacco, vanilla, licorice, cola, spices and chocolates.

Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, blueberries, blackberries, cedar, dried fruits, chocolates, raisins, tobacco leaf, light earth, light herbs, black pepper and Mediterranean spices.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

What a gorgeous Merlot from Napa Valley this is. This 4 year old Merlot is extracted and rich. Velvety and elegant. Fruit forward and nicely balanced. Complex and inviting.

Drinking beautifully right out of the bottle, and so much better after 4 hours in the decanter. Tannins show up after 3 hours of decanting.

I've had this vintage a year ago, and it is drinking better now. Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years. Has good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

This Single Vineyard Merlot is spicy and interesting. A great sipping wine that does not need food, but paired beautifully with the Italian prosciutto.

A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. A small production of only 4 barrels made. Aged in (75% new) French Oak barrels for 21 months.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$175. — 9 months ago

Robert Swart

9.0

A vanilla bomb! Vanilla, cedar, and black fruit dominant. The tannins are silky smooth. Can drink now or age a bit more. — a year ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Inky in color with a short purple rim.

Nice nose with black fruits, cedar, chocolates, spices and light earth.

Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, currants, oak, light vanilla, spices, chocolates, earth, tobacco, herbs, vegetables, black tea and peppercorn.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon from Oak Knoll District in Napa Valley is already drinking nicely, but needs 90 minutes to open up.

Nicely balanced and elegant. Fruit forward and rich, but not 'in your face' kind of wine. Feels like a fruit forward Left Bank Bordeaux.

Showing nice complexity already, and the high alcohol is not too noticeable.

A good quality wine that will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Spicy and interesting.

A great sipping wine, and will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Verdot; 1% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (40% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months. A small production of only 125 cases.

14.7% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 2 years ago