Brian S

9.3

2023 vintage glad I have another bottle to see how this ages. Raspberry, cherry, plum, mushroom, forest floor, blood orange. Lovely wine. — 3 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.6

Deep ruby color. Aromas of cassis, blackberry and earthy notes. Plum, cherry and oak on the palate. So good! — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec & 2% Merlot, Dark Ruby with aromas of ripe juicy berry fruits, floral herbs & spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry & black currant with vanilla, oak and smoky notes. Well balanced, fine ripe tannins medium+ finish ending with fruit, tobacco, oak and minty spice! Nice now and some aging potential. — 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Every now and again, a wine comes into your life that causes you to rethink what you thought you knew about a type of wine. “Avvoltore” by Morisfarms is one of those wines for me.

The cork pulled perfectly. The wine pours a dark ruby color with an opaque core and some slight signs of sediment. Moderate staining of the tears. On the nose the wine is intense with bright, lush dark fruit: black currants, dark plums, blackberries, black cherry, tobacco, freshly tilled earth, cocoa, and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium++ tannins and medium+ acid. The texture is super grippy…like whoa. Confirming the fruits aforementioned on the nose and accompanied by notes of espresso, and trading the cocoa for dark chocolate. There’s a nice touch of baking spice too. The finish is very long. A super compelling wine that is still quite primary. I expect this vintage to be extremely long lived. My next bottle after 2032.

As an added note, the Super Tuscan genre has always given me mixed emotions. Many of the wines are usually very lovely and technically excellent yet, I often struggle with them because so many taste as if they could really come from anywhere. And that’s cool for a lot of people but I crave wines to tell me a story that give me a sense of where they’re from. “Avvoltore” does this with a style and grace that’s massively compelling. — 4 years ago

Pooneet K

9.0

A notch better than the last bottle 3 months ago, likely because I decanted longer. Perfect pairing with beautiful slow smoked and then seared steaks from Kinderhook Farms. Loads of cherry. Slightly chunky at this point but doesn’t detract, at least not with food. Delicious. — 6 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.1

Black cherry and tea. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

From the damned vintage comes another good wine. Is this as full-bodied as the 09 or 10? No. Notes on this wine are black cherry, rhubarb, mint on the nose and just about the same on the entry. Gains a floral note in the middle. Finishes with black cherry and white flowers. Rounded character but acidity is quite present. Tannin are a bit sweet, slightly astringent but doesn't really take away from this wine. If anything it adds a bit of mystery. This was a Coravin glass and a half today, with the remainder likely going down tomorrow. I'd say this is probably just about the time to start drinking on these if you have a few. — 7 years 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. — 7 months ago

Willie Carter

8.9

Deep plum in the glass with a wide brim. The nose is a bit shy upon opening with just a bit of blueberry and soil at first. With a nice long decant it starts to blossom. Raspberry jam and cherry soda with a hint of vanilla. There’s some figs and herbs with a streak of dark chocolate to boot.

Dare I say it? A Merlot for Cab lovers. But not in the bad way. It’s smooth and warmly pleasant Merlot that really takes the edge off of being a customary Big and Bold Napa red. Smooth and mellow and the alcohol never becomes a problem. The palate is the star here with such lively, lovely fruit along with oak and earthy elements. A definite winner. — 4 years ago

Jan de Weerd

9.8

And then the heavy hitter was brought in to close the night. A 20 year old Trefethen’s Halo . My goodness. Juice that was so dense, rich and complex, squeezed from dark boysenberry, blue berry, dark cherry fruits. Laced with vanilla and hints of cigar box and fresh new leather. All so well integrated, so complete and carried by fine polished tannins to an incredible finish. No wonder this wine was gone before we had landed back with both feet on the ground. — 4 years ago

with Tammy and Skip

Joan Ziegler

9.3

Shared with Roberts, Marc & Ray on Saturday night. Still delicious, cherry, very drinkable — 6 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

8.9

Lake Sonoma Winery Dry Creek Valley Old Vine Zinfandel 2006. Rich & bold. Black cherry. Spice. Oak. Well worth the wait! Cheers🍷 — 6 years ago

Tanner Larson

9.2

Palate of red cherry, finishes well — 7 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.2

N: Cherry. Spice.

P: soft plum. Juicy.

Mosaic $16.50 btg — 9 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Patent Wines – Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Oak Knoll District AVA, Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oak Knoll District, one of Napa Valley’s cooler AVAs. This sub-AVA is often called the “sweet spot” for Cabernet because of its moderate climate, producing wines that balance ripe fruit with elegance and freshness. Patent Wines focuses on small-lot production, emphasizing purity of varietal character and terroir-driven expression.

Aromas & Flavors
The nose bursts with ripe blackcurrant, blackberry compote, and dark cherry, layered with cocoa, cedar, and graphite. Subtle hints of violet, dried sage, and vanilla spice add complexity. On the palate, the wine delivers lush cassis, plum, and black cherry, framed by espresso and tobacco accents.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and lively acidity. The structure is firm yet refined, leading into a long, balanced finish of dark fruit, oak spice, and a whisper of minerality.

Winemaking Notes
Hand-harvested fruit from carefully chosen Oak Knoll vineyard blocks. Aged in French oak barrels (with a balanced mix of new and neutral) for 18–20 months to refine texture and integrate flavors while preserving vibrancy.

Food Pairing
A natural partner for grilled ribeye, lamb chops with rosemary, or braised short ribs. For a simpler pairing, aged cheddar or mushroom risotto work beautifully.

Verdict
A thoughtful Napa Cabernet that combines ripeness with restraint — Oak Knoll’s signature style. The 2022 vintage drinks well now after a decant but shows the structure to develop gracefully over the next decade. Cheers! — 10 months ago

Michael Chelus

9.0

Cherry, raspberry, currant, blackberry, stone fruit and welcomed barnyard funk. Great acidity and balance. — 4 years ago

Eric Peterson

9.5

Gravel and red currant smell. Tart cherry. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Deep Ruby, rich, complex, loaded with ripe berry fruits, currant, spice and cedar aromas. On the palate blackberry and cherry flavors with notes of pepper, smoke and sweet herbs. Fine tannins, long ending with an earthy smoky cedar character. Nice! — 5 years ago

Pablo Cetlinski

9.8

A Merlot for a Cab drinker. Loaded with a cherry/plum flavor and a silky tannin. Everything complemented with oak. Highly fruit forward. Perfect companion for roasted meats. If you want to taste Napa Valley Merlot and you have the money, go for it. — 6 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Ripe dark black cherry and briar. Extremely young, but wonderful exuberant fruit and acid balance. Cool climate Syrah with nice class. Round, smooth, and already showing rounded ripe tannins. I think their syrahs show amazing value and sing with a Swiss steak braise. — 7 years ago