- About This Wine
- Ratings & Reviews
- Tasting Notes
About This Wine
Ratings & Reviews
Tasting Notes
ABOUT THIS WINE
REVIEWS
TASTING NOTES
From one of Oakville’s most historic and pedigreed vineyard sites, the 2023 Nickel & Nickel John C. Sullenger Cabernet Sauvignon captures the essence of Napa Valley Cabernet at its most refined and site-expressive. This estate vineyard, planted exclusively to Cabernet Sauvignon on well-draining clay loam soils, consistently yields wines of precision, depth, and unmistakable character, and the 2023 vintage stands among its most compelling to date.
The growing season provided near textbook conditions for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. A cool, wet winter replenished the soils, followed by a long, temperate growing season that allowed for slow, even ripening. Extended hang time into late October delivered optimal phenolic maturity while preserving vibrant acidity, resulting in a wine that balances richness with freshness in a way that defines great Oakville Cabernet.
In the glass, the 2023 Sullenger immediately impresses with its aromatic intensity and purity. Layers of dark cassis and black cherry unfold alongside lifted violet notes and a distinct graphite minerality that speaks clearly to its terroir. Subtle hints of cedar, espresso, and cocoa emerge with air, adding complexity without overshadowing the fruit.
On the palate, this is a beautifully sculpted wine that marries power with elegance. The core of ripe black fruit is dense yet finely tuned, framed by polished tannins that carry a cocoa powder texture and remarkable finesse. The influence of French oak, with just over half new barrels, is seamlessly integrated, contributing structure and nuance rather than overt sweetness or heaviness.
What truly elevates this wine is its balance and precision. There is a natural tension between richness and acidity that keeps each sip focused and energetic, leading into a long, persistent finish marked by purity of fruit and subtle spice. It is a wine that delivers immediate pleasure but clearly possesses the structure and depth for long-term cellaring.
For collectors and enthusiasts seeking a benchmark Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 John C. Sullenger Vineyard is an essential acquisition. It encapsulates the philosophy of single-vineyard expression that Nickel & Nickel has championed for decades, offering a transparent view into one of Napa Valley’s most revered sites.
This is Cabernet Sauvignon at a high level of craftsmanship, where site, vintage, and winemaking align seamlessly. Decant in its youth to reveal its full aromatic spectrum, or cellar confidently for the next 10 to 15 years as it evolves into an even more complex and layered expression of this historic vineyard.
Alcohol: 14.2%
The growing season provided near textbook conditions for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. A cool, wet winter replenished the soils, followed by a long, temperate growing season that allowed for slow, even ripening. Extended hang time into late October delivered optimal phenolic maturity while preserving vibrant acidity, resulting in a wine that balances richness with freshness in a way that defines great Oakville Cabernet.
In the glass, the 2023 Sullenger immediately impresses with its aromatic intensity and purity. Layers of dark cassis and black cherry unfold alongside lifted violet notes and a distinct graphite minerality that speaks clearly to its terroir. Subtle hints of cedar, espresso, and cocoa emerge with air, adding complexity without overshadowing the fruit.
On the palate, this is a beautifully sculpted wine that marries power with elegance. The core of ripe black fruit is dense yet finely tuned, framed by polished tannins that carry a cocoa powder texture and remarkable finesse. The influence of French oak, with just over half new barrels, is seamlessly integrated, contributing structure and nuance rather than overt sweetness or heaviness.
What truly elevates this wine is its balance and precision. There is a natural tension between richness and acidity that keeps each sip focused and energetic, leading into a long, persistent finish marked by purity of fruit and subtle spice. It is a wine that delivers immediate pleasure but clearly possesses the structure and depth for long-term cellaring.
For collectors and enthusiasts seeking a benchmark Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 John C. Sullenger Vineyard is an essential acquisition. It encapsulates the philosophy of single-vineyard expression that Nickel & Nickel has championed for decades, offering a transparent view into one of Napa Valley’s most revered sites.
This is Cabernet Sauvignon at a high level of craftsmanship, where site, vintage, and winemaking align seamlessly. Decant in its youth to reveal its full aromatic spectrum, or cellar confidently for the next 10 to 15 years as it evolves into an even more complex and layered expression of this historic vineyard.
Alcohol: 14.2%
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99 POINTS - "Dried lavender and mulberry are fine contenders for attention. This fragrant and well-tempered red shows restraint amidst its broad, generous demeanor. Licorice, leather, soy sauce, and purple plum weave through a mineral core to a most elegant finish." - Tasting Panel
96 POINTS - "The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon John C. Sullenger Vineyard comes from a site just south of To Kalon. Loaded with black cherries and ripe fruit, this full-bodied wine is rich, voluptuous and silky on the outside, but underneath that flesh, there's a firm structure and dusty tannins that linger easily on the elegant finish. This is a real beauty from the western side of Oakville." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
95 POINTS - "Another Oakville beauty, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon John C. Sullenger Vineyard sports an inky purple hue and gorgeous aromatics of cassis, currants, iron, leafy tobacco, and violets. It's medium to full-bodied, tight and focused on the palate, with building tannins, the fresher, structured style of the vintage, and outstanding length. It's tight and reserved at the moment, so hide bottles for 3-4 years if you can. It's another brilliant wine I'd love to have in the cellar, and it will see its 20th birthday in fine form." - Jeb Dunnuck
95 POINTS - "Deep and dark with lovely perfume and spices, showing aromas of blackberries, violets, blood plums, graphite and potpourri. The palate is textural and refined, offering mouthwatering tannins and a polished, detailed finish. A charming single-vineyard wine with plenty of flash and tension." - James Suckling
96 POINTS - "The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon John C. Sullenger Vineyard comes from a site just south of To Kalon. Loaded with black cherries and ripe fruit, this full-bodied wine is rich, voluptuous and silky on the outside, but underneath that flesh, there's a firm structure and dusty tannins that linger easily on the elegant finish. This is a real beauty from the western side of Oakville." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
95 POINTS - "Another Oakville beauty, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon John C. Sullenger Vineyard sports an inky purple hue and gorgeous aromatics of cassis, currants, iron, leafy tobacco, and violets. It's medium to full-bodied, tight and focused on the palate, with building tannins, the fresher, structured style of the vintage, and outstanding length. It's tight and reserved at the moment, so hide bottles for 3-4 years if you can. It's another brilliant wine I'd love to have in the cellar, and it will see its 20th birthday in fine form." - Jeb Dunnuck
95 POINTS - "Deep and dark with lovely perfume and spices, showing aromas of blackberries, violets, blood plums, graphite and potpourri. The palate is textural and refined, offering mouthwatering tannins and a polished, detailed finish. A charming single-vineyard wine with plenty of flash and tension." - James Suckling
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Dark cassis and black cherry lead with a violet lift and graphite undertone. Sleek yet powerful on the palate, ripe black fruit is framed by fine, cocoa-powder tannins and subtle notes of espresso and cedar spice. Polished and cellar-worthy, it finishes with length and precision