Nickel & Nickel 2023 C.C. Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford

95+ Points Parker                                                 
Nickel and Nickel Winery is all about single varietal, single vineyard wines and the  C. C. Ranch is a beautiful Cabernet from Rutherford 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

96 Points Vinous: "From C.C. Ranch in Rutherford, perched on a west-facing knoll of volcanic bedrock, this wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 55% of which were new. In 2023, it is gorgeously perfumed, opening with sweet red and black cherry fruit. The palate is super-lush yet composed, showing silky, satiny fruit and a progression toward brighter red-fruited tones, layered with sweet Asian spice. Very fine-grained tannins give shape and polish, leading to a cocoa-nib and crushed sea-salt finish. Deeply satisfying and harmonious, it delivers balanced richness without excess."

95 Points Decanter: "Broad, dense and slow moving, this broad-shouldered version is textbook Rutherford, with a dark well of cassis and plum reduction flavors flanked by singed cedar and a finish that lets a sanguine curl and ping of iron slowly emerge. Best from 2028 through 2040."

94 Points Wine Spectator: "Broad, dense and slow-moving, this broad-shouldered version is textbook Rutherford, with a dark well of cassis and plum reduction flavors flanked by singed cedar and a finish that lets a sanguine curl and ping of iron slowly emerge. Best from 2028 through 2040."

C.C. Ranch is planted in Rutherford, along the slope of a knoll west of the Silverado Trail. The vineyard grows classic Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon on well-drained, gravelly loam soil and receives a variety of exposures, depending on the block and location. The vines are well balanced and the canopy is opened up to give good light exposure. Nickel & Nickel produces wine from 15 select acres of this 115-acre vineyard.     

In 1997, Gil Nickel opened Nickel & Nickel Winery on the 42-acre John C. Sullenger property in Oakville, California. They opened to the public in 2003 showcasing their Cabernet Sauvignon based portfolio as well as some of their Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah bottles. Nickel & Nickel sources its fruit from different vineyards across Napa Valley and showcases them in their single-vineyard wines. From Rutherford, Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, Stags Leap District, and beyond, the idea was to let each wine display its individual terroir. Vintage after vintage the wines continue to receive high praise from press and consumers alike, and represent high quality production in the Napa Valley.