Nickel & Nickel 2023 John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley ($100)

 

 

I remember when Far Niente began breaking out single vineyard sites in Napa Valley and releasing them under the Nickel & Nickel brand in the late 1990's. Napa Valley wines were in high demand, and were selling out quickly. Wineries moved to make smaller-production lots that commanded higher prices, and if I'm not mistaken, this John C. Sullenger Vineyard bottling was one of the original Nickel & Nickel bottlings. It has always been solid, and this is a fine vintage. It is full-bore Napa Valley, and specifically Oakville in personality, redolent of dense blackcurrant fruit, a whiff of lavender, a brighter black cherry note, graphite, and a bit of vanilla and cocoa. The tannins are polished, and it should go for another seven to ten years just fine. It's a terrific wine. Part of me wishes it had some more of an angle to it, because in some ways it just seems like so many other terrific Oakville Cabernet Sauvignons. Nonetheless, it is a carefully crafted wine that ticks every box for the pedigree and price point. (94 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber 

Bella Union 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)

Bella Union is a sub-brand of Far Niente, a Napa Valley staple. It has a Far Niente-reminiscent Art Nouveau label style, and is named after a late 1880's Deadwood, South Dakota brothel depicted in the outstanding HBO series Deadwood. Let's just say that it was a slightly classier brothel and casino than some that preceded it. On to the wine... It is delicious. Winemaker Brooke Price and consulting winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown have delivered the goods here. It's seamless, focused, even from beginning to end, and it almost reminds me of a Michel Rolland wine, where it's hard to describe what you love about it except that it is so well blended that everything fits together. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end to this vinous book, and the pages turn every second after you take a sip. There are wines that elevate a certain terroir or place, and those can be stellar teaching moments. I think this wine is a little different than those. Yes, I think it is definitely a Napa Valley Cabernet, but what it emphasizes is skilled blending and it's straight-up a wine-making clinic This is really good wine at a fair price, all pedigree considered. (94 Points)

 

 

- Tim Teichgraeber 

Review: Calera 2022 Central Coast Pinot Noir ($32)

 

 I ADORE this wine, and what a great value! This is Calera's entry-level Pinot Noir, and yeah, at $32 it isn't exactly cheap, but wow, what a vibrant, fresh, charming, and layered wine. It smells of dried violet and rose petals, cranberry, thyme, ripe raspberry. It's lively, fresh, and vibrant on the palate with a modest amount of new oak added and a wisp of limestone on the finish. The purity of the fruit and the quality of the winemaking is just off the charts. I cannot recommend this wine more highly. I think this might be the most impressive Central Coast AVA offering from Calera that I have ever had. I just can't stop smiling. This is a wine that just makes me to drink wine, because it is exactly what great wine should be.  (94 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

Review: Ghost Blanco Tequila

Flavor-infused tequilas are still a bit of a rare thing, and that's probably for the best, but this100% blue agave ghost pepper-infused-tequila is not half bad. Tasted straight, the ghost pepper burn is deep, slow, and long. Added to a margarita or mezcal margarita, you might want to kick the tajin rim to the curb, because you're definitely going to get enough spice from the spirit. The heat is definitely less vegetal than jalapeno, it's deep red chile, and way more umami. It makes a very nice margarita, especially when you add a little bit of cranberry juice to soften the heat and skip the salt rim altogether. 

Here's a recipe from the company that works pretty well...

Spicy Cranberry Margarita 

2 oz Ghost Tequila 

4 oz Cranberry Juice 

0.75 oz Agave Syrup 

0.75 oz Triple Sec 

0.75 oz Lime Juice 

Garnish with Fresh Rosemary Sprig, Limes, and Fresh Cranberries. Rim with Citrus Sugar

Sorel Liqueur Review... A Great Bar Addition ($39)

Jack from Brooklyn has released a new liqueur called Sorel based on a traditional non-alcoholic, traditional Jamaican concoction, sorrel, that combines hibiscus tea, ginger, allspice, cloves, and sugar. This liqueur is only 15% alcohol, but that makes it shelf-stable, at least for a good while. 

Tasted straight, the initial impression is floral, then you descend the ginger stairway to the earthy, savory allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove department.

That alcohol level also makes it more of a mixer than a sipper, but it is delicious on its own, and the quality of the ingredients really set it apart from so many other drinks. It is deeply spicy, woody, and there is some acid that will pucker you up. It is definitely leaning spicy and warm with fruity and floral notes, all in harmony. It does seem to capture all of the ingredients at almost ideal states of dehydration, freshness, all infused at the right temperature. That is no small feat. Color me impressed. 

It is not remotely like Averna,which is for me the most symphonic Italian amaro - it is a completely different thing. But I would compare it to Averna in terms of its complexity and layers. I would also compare it to an exceptionally complex vermouth, even though it isn't red wine based.

Sorel liqueur is made by Jackie Summers, a Black entrepreneur from Brooklyn with roots in Barbados and a background in food chemistry. The spirit is made from organic grain alcohol flavored with Moroccan hibiscus, Indonesian nutmeg, Nigerian ginger, cassia from Indonesia, and Brazillian cloves. 

This is definitely a very sophisticated, elevated take on traditional sorrel. I know it is supposed to be "shelf stable," but I think this kind of freshness would be hard to preserve, and this is not necessarily a cheap condiment. I would keep it in the fridge and reach for it regularly, just like I would a good vermouth.

Sorel sounds like something that you'd expect to find somewhere on the back bar of a first-class tiki establishment next to velvet falernum, but it has color, and way more personality and complexity. It may prove to be something more than a mixer.

This liqueur has a deep purple, crimson flavor a-la-hibiscus tea. It will definitely add color to a cocktail. 

Sorel makes the mouth water as the spices unwind on your plate, so enjoy it before you mix it. 1/2 ounce of this liqueur could make for a brilliant adjusted cocktail. Imagine substituting 1/2 of an ounce of Sorel for 1/2 ounce of sweet vermouth in a negroni. It is also not bad with soda and lime, or mixed with a sparkling wine as a more exotic take on a kir royale.

If you're a bartender, this is a liqueur you're going to want to play with for a long time, because it's simply brilliant and beautifully executed. It's a straight-up home run.

 (96 Points)

Review: Neal Family Vineyards 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)

 

 

 This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Neal family's biodynamically-farmed estate vineyards in Rutherford and Howell Mountain. It has a primal, savory loaminess on the nose and plush cassis and raspberry fruit on the palate along with notes of cocoa and cigar box. It's a delicious and rather plush wine that perhaps wants a bit of acidity, but it's lovely for near-term drinking and honestly, it's a pretty good deal by contemporary Napa standards, especially if you're looking for an organic, biodynamically-grown Cab. Mark Neal, of Jack Neal and Son, is a major manager of CCOF certified vineyards in Napa Valley.  (92 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

Review: Brandlin Estate 2018 Henry's Keep Proprietary Red Mount Veeder, Napa Valley ($115)

 This blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 3% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot could be labeled as a Cabernet Sauvignon, but I assume veteran winemaker Steve Rogstad wants some blending flexibility for future editions, so it is simply called a "proprietary red" blend. The real beauty of the wine is that it perfectly captures the terroir of Brandlin Estate on Mount Veeder at the southwestern end of the Mayacamas range. Mt. Veeder delivers great concentration, but fragrant wines that aren't heavy on the palate. That is exactly what you get here. The nose is of dried flowers with hints of madrone and mocha, and the winery describes the red and black currant fruit notes as "shimmering," which is pretty close to a perfect description. This gorgeous red is as feathery as it is powerful, and that's what Mt. Veeder does best. (94 Points)

Review: Decoy 2021 Sauvignon Blanc California ($20)

A great value (and a delicious wine), this zesty white has great layers of kiwi, lime leaf, grapefruit and clover. It's deep, full of sunny California fruit, and would be killer with a summery tomato, watermelon and basil salad. (91 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

Review: Goldeneye 2019 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley ($60)

 I adore Goldeneye's Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs, but they're definitely on the riper side compared to some other Pinot Noirs from the very cool Anderson Valley. I do sometimes wish the grapes were picked a little bit earlier, because they have great vineyard sources and I think the wines could be a little more restrained. That said, they are usually delicious, and this is a great example. This lavish blend has deep black and red fruit, pennyroyal herb notes, brown sugar, and baked plum flavors that are deep and long. I'd recommend drinking it relatively soon, but it's absolutely delicious. (92 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

 

Review: 2019 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($115)

There's definitely some coastal fruit at play in this expensive but entry-level Kosta Browne entry. There are savory herb notes present, good acidity, blackberry, cranberry and black cherry fruit over loamy, earthy, umami notes. It's very well-made and complex, and it has enough structure to hold up well for another 7 or 8 years. (93 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

Review: Chappellet 2019 'Signature' Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($89)

This classic hillside Napa Valley Cabernet that bears the signature of Don Chappellet has long been one of my favorite Napa Cabs. It always has great intensity and the spicy, slightly herbaceous notes that make Pritchard Hill special. This vintage is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec, and 3% Merlot. It is deeply colored with aromas of chocolate, cassis, dill, white pepper, and sage. Seamless on the palate, it's clearly built to last with a beautiful balance of fruit, spice, tannin and acid. Gorgeous. (96 Points) - Tim Teichgraeber

Review: Acumen 2021 Mountainside Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Valley Sonoma County ($35)

High end Sauvignon Blanc is so often over-oaked, and over-burdened with lees stirring, but here the excellent fruit is left to shine with glowing kiwi, passion fruit, pineapple, lime, lemongrass, and grapefruit flavors that just bounce around all over the place like a Juicy Fruit gum-inspired cocktail. It's just the right amount of pungent, grassy and juicy. The stellar fruit is sourced from the Farina Vineyard at the base of Sonoma Mountain, and I applaud the winemaker for not not over-complicating this wine. Made from organically grown grapes. (95 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber