Over the course of this year I’ve tasted my share of exceptional wines the world over. From the Adami Prosecco to the beautiful Champagnes of Henriot to the consistently brilliant Bordeaux of Canon-la-Gaffeliere to the lovely Douro Valley reds of Quinta Crasto, I could hardly go wrong.
Yet it was a relatively young (first vintage 1997) Napa Valley winery that captured my imagination and ran off with the “Wine Talk” Winery of the Year Award by a comfortable margin.
That is the subject of my Creators Syndicate “Wine Talk” column this week. Nickel & Nickel and winemaker Darice Spinelli excelled in every aspect of winemaking this year, but it was the lineup of remarkable 2005 Cabernet Sauvignons that sealed the deal.
The ’05 Cabs are beautifully structured, well-balanced wines with fine tannins that speak volumes about their class and breeding. What’s more, I firmly believe the Nickel & Nickel style is a better model for Napa Valley Cabernets of the future than the sweet, high octane “fatties” that are currently the darling of publications such as the Wine Spectator.
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