Vineyard House Napa Valley Wine Tasting With Special Guest Charlie Plummer Wednesday, April 2nd 7:30pm
Thoughts on the matter: “I would like a wine. The purpose of the wine is to get me drunk. A bad wine will get me as drunk as a good wine. I would like the good wine. And since the result is the same no matter which wine I drink, I’d like to pay the bad wine price.”
Steve Martin
Comedian, writer, actor, banjo player
We don’t have any bad wines at Wine Watch and some of the really good wines are not that expensive but when you are in Napa Valley the really good wines seem to cost a lot. Especially the small production wines that hail from famous vineyard sites.
It was only a week ago that Jeremy Nikel hosted an event at the Vineyard House winery and he throws a GREAT party. It is not the first time that I have been invited to an event with Jeremy and the Vineyard House wines we have been following this winery since the very first vintage and hosted several tastings over the years with this 2nd generation Napa Vally vintner. Jeremy is the son of Gil Nickel who founded Far Niente Winery in the early 1970’s when there was only a couple dozen wineries in the valley at that time. Jeremy grew up in the vineyards and cofounded Nikel and Nikel winery with his father and mother in 1997.
The wines from this property have just gotten better and when Jeremy took our group on a tour of the vineyards and pointed out the neighboring vineyards owned by Harlan Estate for their iconic Harlan Estate wine, Bond and Promontory you can see why Vineyard House is the best value in Napa Valley cult wines. Jeremy even sells some of his grapes to Harlan Estate making these wines seem like an even better value as they are less than 1/3 of the price of their neighbors.
We wanted to purchase the 2024 vintage Premier Napa lot but it went above the price we were willing to pay as I set clear limits on every lot we bid on this year. The limit for the Vineyard House lot was $25,000 and we had the bid at $24,000 but the lot sold for $26,000 and if it were not for the 8% buyers fee paid I would have bid again but that would have put the wine over $450 per bottle already more than any of the wines that they make upon release.
Join us as we experience the newest releases from our good friend Jeremy Nickel with his right-hand man Charlie Plummer. The fee for this event which includes dinner is $275 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
Vineyard House Napa Valley Wine Tasting
With Special Guest Charlie Plummer
Wednesday, April 2nd
7:30pm
2020 The Vineyard House Chardonnay
2017 The Vineyard House Chardonnay
2021 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon HW Crabb's Hermosa Valley Napa
2019 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon HW Crabb's Hermosa Valley Napa
2014 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon HW Crabb's Hermosa Valley Napa
2013 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon HW Crabb's Hermosa Valley Napa
2012 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon HW Crabb's Hermosa Valley Napa
2021 Vineyard House Cabernet Franc Block 5 - Crabb's Black Burgundy
2019 Vineyard House Cabernet Franc Block 5 - Crabb's Black Burgundy
2016 Vineyard House Cabernet Franc Block 5 - Crabb's Black Burgundy
Menu
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Shrimp Enchilada with Salsa Verde Sauce
Crispy Scallion Pancake stuffed with Duck Confit and Hoisin Glaze
Medium Rare Sliced NY with Chimichurri and Cabernet Natural Sauce Sweet Potato Puree
Bourbon Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $275 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any dietary restrictions and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.
The Vineyard House was originally Hiram Crabbs place in the late 19th century, it was sold to the Stelling family and then to Gil Nickel. Gil left this house to his son Jeremy to ensure that he would always have a place in Napa Valley. On the Vineyard House property there is a 2 acre vineyard which some of the fruit from this site now goes into the this exciting new wine and he has also purchased 35 acres right there on the valley floor located just 50 feet before you get to Harlan estate and Bond Wineries. In the very near future this wine will be 100% estate bottled. Bill Ballentine was the winemaker from the first vintage which was 2005.
Today, Philippe Melka & Maayan Koschitzky are together making some of the best wines in Napa Valley. Philippe brings over 30 years of winemaking experience from renowned Chateaux and Wineries mostly located in Bordeaux, France and Napa Valley, United States. Maayan Koschitzky was born and raised in Israel and moved to Napa in 2011. He was named one of the “40 under 40” by Wine Enthusiast in 2019. In addition to making wine for some of the finest wineries in Israel, Maayan has an impressive list in Napa Valley, including Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle.
I have loved every vintage of this wine and we had all of them at the last tasting we had with Jeremy where we put his neighbor Harlan Estate’s wine next to Vineyard House blind and our group of “Wine Drinking People” picked the Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 over Harlan Estate 2009! These latest releases are a cut above the first wines, and we are just beginning to see the potential of this Vineyard House property.
A bit about The Vineyard House
The Vineyard House (TVH) is an exceptional and rare Cabernet Sauvignon created by proprietor Jeremy Nickel as a tribute to his late father Gil Nickel, founder of three of Napa’s most acclaimed wineries: Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel, and Dolce. Like his father before him, Jeremy’s vision for TVH is to build a world-class estate winery around his one-of-a-kind property in Oakville, and to produce an extraordinary and inspirational Cabernet Sauvignon that is at once drinkable and collectible. To that end, TVH has received rave reviews and held its own twice in blind tastings against Napa’s most renowned cult wines. TVH takes its name from a 19th century farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in a picturesque valley in Oakville, California. Known as The Vineyard House, the home was built in 1853 by William Baldridge, one of Napa’s most prominent citizens. It was bestowed to Jeremy by Gil when he passed away in 2003.
Jeremy is proud to continue the family tradition of great winemaking. “Here’s to all we do that would make our fathers proud!
"My father taught me many life lessons, one of which was “never compromise on quality.” The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon is a tribute to my father’s commitment to excellence, as well as his passion for fine Cabernet. An “Okie from Muskogee,” who established three of Napa Valley’s most iconic brands, Gil Nickel was not only my father, but my hero, whose lessons continue to inspire me every day. here’s to our fathers!" Jeremy Nickel
The Vineyard House is a loving tribute to Jeremy’s late father, Gil Nickel, creator of three of Napa’s most iconic wineries. Gil was also a gifted nurseryman, champion vintage auto racer, avid motorcyclist and guided missile analyst. While his passions were many, his friends and longtime associates agree that Gil was driven more by his ideals, loyalties, friendships, and sense of humor, than his business interests. In the Fall of 2003, Gil passed away after a courageous battle against melanoma.
Born Harold Gilliland Nickel in 1939 in Muskogee, OK, Gil studied Physics and Math at Oklahoma State University and graduated in 1961. After college, he served with the Oklahoma Air National Guard and achieved a service ribbon for his tour of duty in Vietnam. At the conclusion of active duty, Gil relocated to Southern California, where he worked as a guided missile analyst at the United States Navy laboratory in Corona, CA.
Eventually, Gil returned home to Oklahoma to join his father, Harold, and older brother, John, in managing the family’s Greenleaf Nursery Company, which was founded by Harold Nickel in 1945 as a small retail operation. Together, the brothers grew the nursery from its small-company roots to the second largest, family-owned wholesale nursery in the United States, a position it continues to hold today.
All the wines from Vineyard House in the store on SALE!!
2021 The Vineyard House 'The Boss Vineyard' Block 8 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $412.50 Your Price: $363.00
Notes of blueberry compote, plum, clove and black pepper intermingle with gravelly minerality and leather. The palate is enriched with silky, mouth filling tannins, bright black fruits with lingering notes of clove, dusty cocoa powder and brioche. The wine has extraordinary length and persistence and will only benefit from extended cellaring.
The reduced winter rains of 2021 brought a second consecutive year of drought that was felt across the valley. The headwinds, coupled with dry, difficult conditions during bud determination in 2020, resulted in a light vintage for 2021. Earlier ripening sites, on hillsides or with limited soil water, trended even earlier than normal due to the dry conditions and lightened crop load. Overall grape quality is quite high across the board with great color, balanced tannin structure and ideal chemistry. -Atelier Melka
2019 The Vineyard House 'The Boss Vineyard' Block 8 Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $412.50 Your Price: $363.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(95 Points) My favorite of the The Vineyard House offerings is the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Block 8, a wine that includes 10% Cabernet Franc. Gorgeous scents of cassis, bay leaf, black cherries and vanilla merge seamlessly on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is richly textured and supple, with a long, velvety finish. Impressively delicious. Wine Advocate
2019 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon HW Crabb's Hermosa Valley Napa
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80 Quantity in Stock: 3
(96 Points) "Consultants Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky stared working with this label in 2018. Sourced from the southwest corner of the property, in a valley between Bond and Harlan, the wine will be released in 2024. In August 2022 it was very tight, with a core of dark fruit, subtle brown spices and crushed stone minerality. Needs several more years to come together – and it will." JC for DR Jun 2022
2018 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon HW Crabb's Hermosa Valley Oakville Napa
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80
Distinctive character, with rich palate coating textures and lots of layers and depth - this is benchmark Wine
2021 The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80
This wine is a classic expression of a moderate to warm vintage, producing smaller berries and lighter crop than average. Dark in color, it opens up in the glass with expressive aromas of graphite with pronounced cherry and blackberry. On the palate, the wine is powerful with a good, firm tannin structure, blending in hints of natural sweetness, ripe fruit and great acidity. This wine is just starting to show its potential and will age gracefully for 15+ years.
This wine is a classic expression of a moderate to warm vintage, producing smaller berries and lighter crop than average. Dark in color, it opens up in the glass with expressive aromas of graphite with pronounced cherry and blackberry. On the palate, the wine is powerful with a good, firm tannin structure, blending in hints of natural sweetness, ripe fruit and great acidity. This wine is just starting to show its potential and will age gracefully for 15+ years.
2019 The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80
(95 Points) The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate comes all from the estate in Oakville and is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. It has a darker fruited style (blackberries, currants) as well as textbook Oakville iron, tobacco, and black olive. It's broader and more expansive compared to the 2021s, but also not quite as long or focused. Regardless, this is a brilliant, layered, sexy 2019 that will evolve for at least two decades. Jeb Dunnuck
2018 The Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80
(94 Points) Looking first at the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, this inky hued effort offers a dense, full-bodied, powerful, yet promising style. Giving up solid currant and cassis fruits, notes of dark chocolate and roasted herbs, a dense mid-palate, and a great finish, it needs to be forgotten for 4-6 years and should be long lived. Jeb Dunnuck
2013 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Napa MAGNUM
Price: $750.00 Your Price: $660.00
2013 Vineyard House Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80 Quantity in Stock: 3
TVH has produced a huge Cab, and this one is jammed with deep ripe flavors of juicy blackcurrant, blackberries and black cherries oozing with dark chocolate and some gentle nuances of freshly ground espresso. Randa Warren - Master Sommelier
2019 The Vineyard House Crabb's Black Burgundy Block 5 Cabernet Franc
Price: $183.00 Your Price: $161.04 Quantity in Stock: 3
2021 VINEYARD HOUSE CABERNET FRANC BLOCK 5 - CRABB'S BLACK BURGUNDY
Price: $185.00 Your Price: $162.80
The Cabernet Franc Crabb's Black Burgundy Block 5 comes from the Hermosa Vineyard and a block that sits immediately adjacent to Harlan Estate.... Beautiful black cherry and currant fruits, notes of dried flowers, new leather, unsmoked tobacco, and spice, medium to full-bodied richness, and outstanding balance all characterize this terrific Cabernet Franc that's geared for drinking over the coming 10-12 years. Winemakers: Philippe Melka Maayan Koschitzky
2021 The Vineyard House Chardonnay Napa
Price: $105.00 Your Price: $92.40
This wine opens with enticing aromas of orange blossom, bright citrus, and a delicate hint of creamy brioche. On the palate, it is impressively fresh and vibrant, with lively acidity seamlessly integrated into its medium-bodied frame. Flavors of passion fruit, citrus zest, and a subtle echo of brioche are carried by a refined, stony minerality. Beautifully balanced and elegantly nuanced from start to finish, this is a sophisticated expression of Napa Valley Chardonnay. Enjoy its youthful energy now, or cellar for graceful development over the next decade and beyond.
2020 The Vineyard House Chardonnay
Price: $105.00 Your Price: $92.40 Quantity in Stock: 2
Full and sleek, the 2020 Chardonnay starts with a snug grip of tangy acidity reminiscent of lemon peel, stone fruit, and a bit of pear. The mouthfeel is creamy brioche and honeycomb, with a balanced weight and silky texture.
2017 Vineyard House Chardonnay Napa
Price: $75.00 Your Price: $66.00 Quantity in Stock: 26
(93 Points) “Entirely barrel fermented, this layered, complex white is structured and complex. It offers tones of lemon peel, pear and Gravenstein apple, with a tangerine accent lending lift. Balanced and graceful, it winds its way to a finish of nutmeg and clove. — Virginie Boone”
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