Nickel & Nickel 2017 Hayne Vineyard St Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

95 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media – The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Hayne Vineyard is rich, racy and silky, just as wines from this site tend to be. Dark cherry jam, wild raspberry, espresso, mocha and wild flowers all lift from the glass. Medium in body and silky with tons of persistence, the 2017 is wonderfully open-knit today. I would cellar it for a few years, its considerable immediacy notwithstanding.

Appellation – St. Helena, Napa Valley

Varietal – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Aging – 16 months in French oak; 48% new. 52% once-used

Vineyard Notes – The Hayne Vineyard is situated in St. Helena at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains and is well known for its single vineyard wines from the site. The vines are small to moderate in size due to the gravelly, loam soils and the vineyard produces small yields. The warm St. Helena temperatures are ideal for producing sweet, jammy fruit and this vineyard tends to be picked at the beginning of harvest each year.

Tasting Notes – Ripe and juicy, with plum and berry fruits complemented by a slight earthiness, this 2017 selection is a testament to its extraordinary vineyard provenance. The wine is both approachable yet complex, with fine tannins and subtle notes of fruit and earth lingering on the finish.