"Odedi"

9.1

Ruby in color with medium intensity and a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of red and black fruits with light wood, spices, coffee, earth, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, herbs and light black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, black currants, cooked plums, licorice, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, forest floor, spices and black pepper.

Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Napa Cabernet Franc from Oak Knoll District is still young, but already drinking very nicely. Elegant and nicely balanced, with a nice mouthfeel. Spicy with lots of earth notes, tangy and complex.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes in the decanter.

This Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years and see how it evolves.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food, like Lamb dishes.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermented with wild yeast and aged for 18 months in (20% new French oak barrels. A small production of 3,000 bottles.

13% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$75. — 4 days ago

Robert Swart

9.0

A vanilla bomb! Vanilla, cedar, and black fruit dominant. The tannins are silky smooth. Can drink now or age a bit more. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Flint Knoll Winery Noble Right Proprietary Red 2021, Napa Valley, California

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby/ Inky in color with a short purplish rim.

Strong nose of black currants, plums, cooked cherries, spices, cedar, licorice, chocolates, dark coffee, pencil lead, earth, vanilla, herbs and peppercorn.

Full-bodied, bold and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and very fruity with black plums, black cherries, currants, cedar, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, black pepper, earth and light vanilla.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Napa valley. Rich and extracted, yet elegant. Powerful and spicy.

Needs 3 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient. The high alcohol is not too noticeable already.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years, and has good potential to become a 95+ point wine. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years.

A very pretty wine made by Philippe Melka. Complex and well-balanced already. So nice to see that.

Good by itself or with food, and will pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.

A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 21 months in (75% new) French Oak barrels. A tiny production of only 4 barrels.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

93 points

$175. — 2 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.1

Blackberry, tobacco and cedar. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Deep Ruby with aromas of dark berry fruits, sweet spice and cedar. Flavors of blackberry, cherry and currant, smooth with vanilla, oak and leather notes. Dusty tannins on long finish ending with espresso tones. Has room to age. Tasting Sample. — 6 years ago

Ainsley

9.0

Black currant, cedar, leather, cocoa nib and green bell pepper notes supported by supple tannins and med acidity. — 7 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.7

V12. Beatiful wine. Cedar, soft smoke, and violet nose. Bright , rich, blackberry, blueberry and plum fruit. Soft, round, peppery,
slightly tannic and chewy finish. Well balanced. — 9 years ago

Brad Hemmer

9.2

Juicy dark fruit, dark chocolate, cedar, leather, smooth, building tannins. — 9 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Yellow in color with a golden hue.

Strong nose of white flowers, yellow apples, citrus, light cedar, lemons, herbs, light earth and mediterranean spices.

Full bodied and soft with medium acidity and fat legs.

Dry on the palate with lemons, apples, pears, light earth, light oak, spices and light honey notes.

Long finish with lemons and a touch of almonds.

This is a delicious Chardonnay from Oak Knoll District in Napa Valley. Rich and elegant, soft and smooth. Complex and engaging.

Nicely balanced and easy drinking right out of the bottle.

This 3 year old Single Vineyard Chardonnay is starting to drink at its peak now, and will continue to do so in the next 5 years. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years and see how it evolves. Has good potential to become a 94 point wine.

A great sipping wine that also paired nicely with my BBQ chicken wings.

100% Chardonnay grapes were aged on the lees in (40% new) French Oak barrels for 9 months. A small production of less than 2,900 bottles.

13% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$45. — 18 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Nickel & Nickel – Vaca Vista Vineyard – Cab Sauv– 2022
Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley, California 🇺🇸

Overview
A single-vineyard Napa Cabernet sourced from the cool and elegant Oak Knoll District. Fermented and aged with the classic Nickel & Nickel precision, this expression favors balance, red-to-dark fruit purity, and structure over sheer power. A modern Napa style that emphasizes approachability without sacrificing depth.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, cassis, plum, and violet, with cedar, vanilla, graphite, and a touch of baking spice. Subtle oak integration allows the fruit and minerality to shine.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus in body, polished, and cohesive. Fresh acidity, supple tannins, and a graceful arc from entry to finish. Not a bruiser — a refined, cooler-climate profile that stays lively and lifted.

Food Pairings
Flat iron steak, short ribs, mushroom risotto, grilled lamb chops, herb-crusted pork tenderloin, or aged cheeses.

Verdict
A beautifully balanced, site-driven Napa Cabernet that delivers both sophistication and drinkability. Finessed rather than forceful, and a strong example of why Oak Knoll continues to be one of Napa’s most exciting AVAs for Cabernet.

Did You Know?
Nickel & Nickel was founded by the Far Niente family with a mission to produce 100% varietal, single-vineyard wines, showcasing Napa’s terroir with clarity. Oak Knoll is one of Napa Valley’s coolest sub-AVAs, producing elegant, aromatic reds with natural acidity and restraint.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
Oak Knoll being a single-vineyard expression from this sub-AVA makes it one of the easiest, most easygoing Cabernets from the Napa floor, and I always like to have it as an opener when pouring more intense Napa reds. A perfect warm-up that sets the stage beautifully. — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Inky in color with a short purple rim.

Nice nose with black fruits, cedar, chocolates, spices and light earth.

Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, currants, oak, light vanilla, spices, chocolates, earth, tobacco, herbs, vegetables, black tea and peppercorn.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon from Oak Knoll District in Napa Valley is already drinking nicely, but needs 90 minutes to open up.

Nicely balanced and elegant. Fruit forward and rich, but not 'in your face' kind of wine. Feels like a fruit forward Left Bank Bordeaux.

Showing nice complexity already, and the high alcohol is not too noticeable.

A good quality wine that will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Spicy and interesting.

A great sipping wine, and will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Verdot; 1% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (40% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months. A small production of only 125 cases.

14.7% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 3 years ago

Sebastian Corriere

9.2

Friday night birthday dinner with my Mom! Yummy with Corvina and Salmon on cedar plank grilled at home in Deerfield, Beach! — 6 years ago

Paul K

9.1

A little to pronounced sweet vanilla. Give it time to settle down. — 6 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.3

Massive dark earthy tones. Cedar, dark toasted oak, deep terroir on the nose and palate. Very dark inky color. Incredible legs.....long long finish. With such a limited production, you just know this gonna be big and gorgeous and something extraordinary. This can lay for years.....thankfully many bottles still in the cellar. Will only get bigger with the time.... — 9 years ago

with Jeff, PJ and 5 others

"Odedi"

9.2

Gaderian Wines Oak Knoll District Merlot 2022, Napa Valley, California

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep purple in color with a short reddish rim.

Red and black fruits on the nose with light oak, chocolates, spices, cola and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, black cherries, cedar, light vanilla, milk chocolates, coke, light earth, herbs, licorice and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This young Merlot from Napa Valley is already drinking beautifully. Rich, elegant and fruit forward.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime.

This Single Vineyard Merlot will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years. Soft, smooth and very spicy. Nicely balanced and complex.

Easy drinking, and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A tiny production of less than 1,000 bottles.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$58. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.

Light nose with cedar and chocolate notes.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with a soft mouthfeel.

Showing black currants, black plums, blackberries, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco, espresso, chocolates, diet cola and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Rich, spicy and elegant.

Fruit forward and complex. Nicely balanced with good structure.

Still young, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years. Has good potential to become a 95+ point wine. I'll have to revisit it in 10 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.

Complex and a great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak. I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. Gorgeous.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged for 21 months in (85% new) French Oak barrels. A tiny production of only 2,400 bottles made.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$175. — 2 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.3

Black currants, blackberries, bramble, cedar and dark chocolate ganache, violets, blueberries, mesquite and barnyard. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Patent Wines Oak Knoll District Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Napa Valley, California

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose with blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, raisins, cedar, dried figs, chocolates, light cola, herbs, vanilla, licorice and black pepper.

Full bodied and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, cedar, black currants, figs, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs and peppercorn.

Long long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Oak Knoll district.
Rich yet elegant. Extracted and fruit forward with a teeth staining color.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after some airtime when tannins show up.

Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel. Tangy and interesting.

A lovely wine from a tricky vintage in Napa Valley. Not showing any smoke taint at all. Alcohol is nicely integrated. Delicious stuff.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Has great potential to become a 96+ point wine.

Good by itself or with food, and a great sipping wine. Would pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged in (75% new) French Oak barrels for 22 months. A small production of only 550 cases.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$68. — 4 years ago

Brian Messineo

9.2

Pop and pour. Loads of red fruits and cedar. Has an interesting sweet candy like note that runs through it. Not sure if this is something that integrates with more time or if it’s just the nature of the fruit from this vineyard. — 6 years ago

Willie Carter

9.3

Deep, deep ruby. Wide brim with cherry accents. Beautiful aromatics of stewed plums, milk chocolate, cedar, and ripe red cherries. Yes, you can make the claim that this yet another Merlot that drinks like a Cab and you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. For me, this is a quintessential Napa Merlot, big and bold with more than enough finesse to separate it from Cabs. Medium to full bodied with round tannins and medium acidity. Just enough fruit on the palate with black cherry, more plums, and cherries. The savory aspects come into play with forest floor, black olives, and oak. Wonderful length and spice on the finish.
— 8 years ago