Neyers Cabernet Sauvignon Neyers Ranch is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
"We harvested the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon crop from our Conn Valley Ranch in the first week of October, a week later than we picked the same vineyard the prior year. The size of the crop was about 20% smaller in 2017 as well, mostly due to the cold, wet weather we experienced in spring during flowering. Grapevines are self-pollinating, and cold, windy or damp weather interferes with this process, a problem known the French call coulure. Ironically, the harsh spring weather of 2017 had a huge impact on the size of our crop. Still, this smaller crop ripened fully and evenly, and at harvest time we picked beautiful, dark-colored clusters under near-perfect conditions. The finished wine was immediately remarkable for its flavor and complexity, and the wine looks to be one that will improve for many years. During my career in the Napa Valley wine business, I’ve learned to expect the best wines from cold years like 2017. These are vintages that are viewed initially with lowered expectations, but my experience has been just the opposite. Going back to my first Napa Valley harvest in 1971, these ‘colder years’ invariably result in wines with brighter, more attractive flavors, and the wines age longer and more gracefully.
Following harvest, the wine was fermented using wild, native yeast in an temperature-controlled stainless steel tank. After 45 days or so, the tank was drained and the pomace pressed, and the wine transferred to 60-gallon French oak barrels, 25% of them new. During the first year, we racked the wine off of the yeast lees three times, and by May 2019 it had been sufficiently clarified to bottle without fining or filtration. I am especially impressed by its bright ruby hue, a color so commanding it reminded me of the 1995 red Bordeaux wines I tasted from barrel during my trip to France in the Spring of 1996. It’s loaded with flavors that range from wild cherry to chocolate, enhanced by the lovely hint of tobacco leaf and mint. Each aromatic component has its own individual fascination, but all of them together provide a remarkable experience. Here’s a complete Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that we expect it to improve for 20 years. It's a from a very small crop that will provide decades of pleasure." - Bruce Neyers
Review:
Attractive aromas of blueberries and lavender follow through to a medium body, firm and silky tannins and a slightly chewy finish. Needs a couple of years to soften. Better after 2022.
-James Suckling 93 Points
Nickel & Nickel C.C. Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
VINEYARD DESCRIPTION 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.
HARVEST NOTES The beginning of the 2022 growing season was exceptionally mild, with budbreak kicking off in March. By May, the vines began to demonstrate strong shoot growth and average crop yields ahead of veraison in mid-July. While we welcomed a few heat spikes during the summer months, our proactive approach to vineyard management allowed us to not be negatively impacted and we maintained great quality through heat mitigation preparation, including the use of shade cloths and misting systems, among others. Mild to moderate temps in August created optimal conditions allowing for bright and focused flavors.
SENSORY EVALUATION The 2022 C.C. Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon offers a pure expression of Rutherford, pushing the edge of ripeness while retaining a juicy vibrancy. Concentrated red raspberry and cherry flavors blend beautifully with subtle notes of clove, baking spice, and the signature Rutherford dust. The oak harmonizes with the fruit, adding depth, while vibrant acidity and silky tannins create a layered mouthfeel.
The C.C. Ranch exudes finesse from the very first swirl with lifted plum and floral aromatics opening onto a beautifully plush palate. Ripe raspberry and plum flavors are underscored by seductive spicy notes, with soft tannins gently supporting the wine from entry to completion. With fruit that grows brighter and fresher as the wine progresses to the finish, this Rutherford Cabernet is incredibly approachable now but will continue to age gracefully over time. A finish that lingers well after the last sip.
Nicolas-Jay 'l'Ensemble' Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Winemaker Tasting Notes | A bright, magenta color with pinkish red edges shows intensity, youthfulness and concentration. Aroma sequences immediately leap from the glass with freshness and vigor. There are red berries, freshly cut straw, rhubarb and elegantly perfumed red flowers. A blood orange zest intermixes with Herbes de Provence, cranberries and tight-grained French barrique. The structure of the wine is medium + at first, but as the wine unfolds in the mid-palate it begins to tighten and constrict. Acid levels are earnest in this wine, but there is a broad density that seems to take a combative stance to its brightness as the finish expands into chalky minerality, tangerine spice and an underlayment of crushed river rock. It's silky, pretty and elegant, but with a grit and willpower that suggests an exquisite vintage made by an experience and sensitive winemaking approach.
Vintage | The beautiful 2021 vintage began with a warm dry winter followed by a wet and cool late Spring. Despite rain during bloom, yields were high and the vines soaked up the nourishing moisture early in the season. June also brought a heat dome with temperatures breaking 115 degrees in the Willamette Valley. Luckily, this unprecedented heat came at a time before the grapes were susceptible to damage and the growing season continued warm but without issue. A cooler August was a sigh of relief as we neared harvest. Grape ripening slowed down and the very healthy and abundant fruit began showing signs of ripeness in early September. We began picking on September 4th with 2 separate chardonnay vineyards and finished on September 27th with our latest and highest elevation chardonnay site – Spirit Hill. Harvest was beautiful and dry with only one small rain event toward the end, ideal for a successful vintage. The fruit was pristine and yields comfortable, leading to moderate alcohol levels and bright acidity. Our first vintage made entirely here at the Nicolas-Jay estate, the wines are showing purity of fruit, beautiful texture and tension and are sure to continue to evolve for years in bottle.
Review:
A jeweled ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir L'Ensemble needs a little time to open in the glass before revealing aromas of fresh pine, ripe cherry liqueur, and toasted spice. Supple and medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins, it delivers elegant freshness and wonderful purity through its long, mouthwatering, seamless finish. Drink 2025-2037.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Niner Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec.
2021 was a benchmark vintage for Cabernet in Paso Robles. The long, cool growing season was ideal for our Bordeaux grapes and allowed them to slowly ripen, creating complex flavors and wines built to age. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon was aged 21 months in French Oak barrels and is one that you’ll want for your collection. It is an elegant wine with a balance of dark fruit flavors and herbaceous notes with lush tannins.
Review:
92 points, Editor's Choice - Wine Enthusiast
In our exploration of the North Coast wine region, we found the sandy loam soils of the Russian River AVA to offer the best Pinots with balanced, natural acidity and richness on the palate. Our Outerbound Pinot Noir opens with layered aromas of ripe red cherry, pomegranate and cola fruits on the nose, with flavors of juicy strawberry and rhubarb pie carried through the wine’s lingering dusty tannic finish.
Review:
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
Pulled from a Gentleman's cellar, all wines from this cellar have been purchased by the owner either from the importer or direct from winery. They stayed in his cellar until being moved to the Timeless Wines warehouse.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collector’s cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Thorn Clarke Shotfire Shiraz is made from 100% Shiraz.
Striking deep red-purple in color. A rich, voluptuous wine with aromas of blackcurrant and mulberries accompanied by notes of smokey oak and hints of cloves. The palate is filled with dark fruits and chocolate backed up by taut tannins and lingering oak.
Story:
When the Clarke forebearers discovered gold in 1870 at the Lady Alice mine in the Barossa goldfields, so began a family dynasty intrigued by geology. A fine legacy that is reflected today in the terroir of our vineyards. The Shotfire range immortalizes the Shotfirer's hazardous job of setting and lighting the charges in the mines.
Fran shares his story on how he discovered Thorn-Clarke:
"It was October 2001 and I was searching for and sourcing for Australian wines, as it was clear that Australia was going to become the "next big thing." After tasting about 100 assorted wines, I decided I liked the style of Barossa, Shiraz best - chocolate, cherries, mint and eucalyptus - so I started focusing on Barossa growers (years later, Barossa Shiraz would develop its reputation as the Icon Shiraz for Australia).
Late on a Thursday afternoon, the carrier delivered a beat-up box of 12 bottles from Australia, 10 of which were leaking. The box was from a guy named Steve Machin, who had just left Hardy's and was beginning work with the Clarke family on setting up a possible new brand. The samples were sticky and messy, but I popped the corks anyway ..... and I was glad that I did. The wine inside tasted like Christmas - mint, eucalyptus, camphor, and evergreen aromas. Great acidity, color, flavor and length of finish - very tasty. These samples were so good and so exciting, especially compared to what I had tasted prior, that I immediately called the number on the card. I didn't realize that it was a Perth number (Western Australia) and it was actually 3:00 in the morning. It turned out I was calling the residence of David and Cheryl Clarke, where a sleepy Cheryl answered the phone. I told her, you don't know who I am, but we are going to be doing business together very soon, and lots of it! After a few months of talking, faxing (yes, faxing) and sorting out the details, I began importing their wines.
That super-star wine from the busted box of samples is the wine we know today as Shotfire Shiraz. It was originally called Stone Jar, but fortunately we came up with a better name. Many years and vintages later, I'm still glad to be importing Shotfire Shiraz and other Thorn-Clarke selections .... and I'm still glad that Cheryl Clarke woke up for that phone call."