Nichols Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021

You remember Silicon Valley Bank, the go-to source for funding for both the world of tech and Napa Valley that went from solvent to broke in just about 48 hours last March. Anyway, back to the price of Napa Valley Cabernet, that is just incredible and frankly, I don’t see how it is sustainable.

Fortunately for us, Britt Nichols is on our team. Her resume speaks volumes on what she knows about quality, a trained enologist with stints at Chappellet, Jordan, Pete Michael, and Philippe Melka; she has learned from the finest. What she knows about value is wound up tightly in dozens of NDAs. She can never reveal her sources but one taste of her 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet quickly tells you this is no ordinary $40 Cab.

No, the raw materials of Nichols Cab, the crazy vineyard fruit, the barrels, the education, add up to a $80+ wine. Still under the average of the Valley (!?!) but a Saturday nighter for sure. Nichols 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from a selection of Napa Valley AVAs including Rutherford, Spring Mountain, Atlas Peak and Yountville, whose vines are rooted in a mix of volcanic soils.

The spring of 2021 was warm, full of sunny skies, but with barely a drop of rain. Not since the mid-70s had the spring been so dry. Due to these drought conditions, the fruit set was paltry, but the small berry clusters were fabulously concentrated. These tiny, thick-skinned berries are the source of the wow-factor in Nichols Cabernet, the fruit is intense, berried-up and juicy, with a touch of dark chocolate and coffee.