Through a series of events many years ago I ended up with a significant variety of the various single vineyard offerings from Nickel and Nickel which is a sister winery to Farn Niente specializing in single vineyard wines. I grilled a marinated flank steak and brought a couple of bottles up to open with dinner. Fresh zuchini from the garden with good Pecorino and toasted almonds, farm fresh Ohio sweet corn (I picked it) and a sliced tomato from the garden rounded things out.

2003 Nickel & Nickel Branding Iron Vineyard Napa Cabernet-This is an Oakville vineyard close to the valley floor. The wine is medium bodied in the glass. Nose of Napa dust, red berries and vanilla. Smooth on palate with red berries, currants and plums. Nicely done with a good balance and long smooth finish. B

2007 Nickel & Nickel Vogt Vineyard Napa Cabernet-Vogt is a Howell Mountain property and this wine screamed Howell Mountain. Dark purple and dense in the glass. Dark nose of cassis, black fruits, espresso and bramble. A bit heavier than the Branding Iron with mountain fruit tannins. Plenty of depth on the palate with dense fruit in a well polished package. B+

Two wines from completely different terrains and different vintages yet the family style showed through with a very polished well made wine with not too much of any one component and great balance.

For the high price, Nickel and Nickel has never done it for me. enjoy
one occasionally but the cost is out of sight.

On 7/29/16 8:44 AM, Bi!! wrote:

On Friday, July 29, 2016 at 12:29:30 PM UTC-4, Lawrence Leichtman wrote:
> For the high price, Nickel and Nickel has never done it for me. enjoy
> one occasionally but the cost is out of sight.
>
> On 7/29/16 8:44 AM, Bi!! wrote:

I had no idea what the current price was when I bought them. I paid between $35 and $50 for what I bought a few years ago. I just checked btw and current pricing is between $60-$100 and given that Opus One, Shafer Hillside, Caymus SS, Insignia, etc are all pushing well above $200/bottle I would guess that eventually they will only be available to the Chinese soon.