Let’s face it: it’s not every day that we get to host a superstar band for an intimate performance in the Barrel Cellar. But Thursday, April 12, was such a day.
Guests of Live in the Vineyard gathered in the Gleason Barn for tastes of 2010 Truchard Chardonnay before moving to the South Fermentation barn for a selection of Single-Vineyard Cabernets, delicious appetizers and cheeses.
Crispy pork belly wonton with sour cherry chow chow, Saba dressing and micro cilantro—just one of the beautiful hors d’oeuvres coming from Chef Trevor Eliason’s kitchen.
The band Fun. is currently at the top of Billboard’s and iTunes’ charts—and with good reason. The sound of their music filled the Barrel Cellar—resonant vocals, expert keyboard and deft guitar. We, the lucky audience, were captivated from the first note.
Fun.’s lead vocalist, Nate Ruess
Following the concert, guests mingled in the Gleason Barn, sipping on 2006 Dolce and assorted bite-sized tarts. And when Fun. came out for a meet-and-greet, you can bet there were plenty who gathered to get their photos snapped with the band.
Guests greet Fun. in the historic Gleason Barn
Many thanks to Fun., Live in the Vineyard and to all who joined us for this stellar experience!
(Photo credit: Clifford Grodin/Access Bay Area Magazine)
We are getting ready for one of our favorite annual events at Nickel & Nickel: our Futures Barrel Tasting.
If you haven’t been out for our Futures event, it’s a must-do—and here’s why. On Saturday, May 12 you’ll have the opportunity to taste all 12 of our 2011 Single-Vineyard Cabernets in the barrel cellar. That’s right, you will be tasting wines that were harvested just a few months ago. Even though these are new wines, you will begin to detect dominant aromas and flavors as you sample these Cabernets.
One of the best features of our annual Futures program is the opportunity to reserve your favorite wines. As you know, each of our Cabernets have extremely limited production, so many people take this opportunity to snap up a future release before it sells out. The hardest part, of course, is waiting for the wines to be released! Not to worry—in the meantime we can keep you stocked with each new release.
So, we hope you will join us for the pleasurable adventure of trying these distinctive wines from our newest vintage. And if you can’t join us on May 12, you can still take part in the 2011 Futures program. Give us a call at (707) 967-9600 and we’ll reserve some beautiful wines for you.
I am writing this on the spring equinox, the gateway to a season with rewards of color and fragrance. Mother Nature and Father Time have performed their magic again! With our much needed recent rains and the former months of drier than normal weather, we are set for a spectacular showing of scale and form throughout the winery grounds. The bulbs along Highway 29 are out in force. The Red Emperor (tulip) steals the show, with countless multiplying daffodils flanking the side of the nearly 1200 foot-long bed. Just gearing up, our custom blend of wildflowers covers every square inch of soil along the highway in front of Nickel & Nickel. They are charged with carrying on the show for months to come, in shades of red, yellow and blue. Keep an eye out for the stately Yellow Lupine as it towers over its domain.
What little winter we had here in Napa Valley is quickly slipping away from us, and spring is nipping at our heels. Tulips and daffodils peak through the earth after their long slumber displaying springs vibrant colors all around Nickel & Nickel.
This year we have decided to dedicate the entire garden at Nickel & Nickel to fresh herbs of every kind. Wonderful sweet herbs like tarragon, cilantro, chervil, parsley and chives, which pair so well with Chardonnay and are a great additions to any dish. Hearty, robust herbs like thyme, rosemary and oregano will make the garden an aromatic experience and are wonderful for marinating meats and fish. With our estate beehives awake and the bees hungry, our garden will soon be propagated and we will have delicious honey. Everyone wins!
Time to break out the barbecue that has been hibernating, open some Syrah or Zinfandel and grill up some nicely marinated meats and vegetables. We will be spending many hours with our hands in the dirt over the next few weeks getting everything planted, but the bounty we receive is so rewarding, it hardly seems like work.
Valentine’s Day might be behind us now, but love is still in the air for me.
As a recent bride, it was my first Valentine’s Day with my husband as a married couple, and I wanted it to be as special as possible. I’ll admit that I was excited to finally be able to buy a Valentine’s Day card from the “Husband” section at Hallmark, but the pressure was on…what should I give my husband that shows I’m excited to be his wife? Should the tone be sexy or sweet? Traditional or creative? With so many options, it finally hit me that since the day is about celebrating with the ones we love, and I love Cabernet, that I should treat my new husband to some luscious Nickel & Nickel Cabernets!
I thought even more about our recent nuptials in Sun Valley with its heart-stopping views and romantic setting, and decided to put together a case of the luscious Cabernets we chose to celebrate with at our wedding. Each wine was a special pick that mirrored our tastes: the 2005 Witz End Cab was a little bit country and a little bit rock’n roll; the 2008 Quarry Vineyard was an intoxicatingly beautiful Cabernet; and the 2006 Dolce satisfied our craving for sweetness with some hidden surprises. These beguiling wines created a most festive and indelible moment sprinkled about the tables. The wines infused our Valentine’s Day with wonderful memories of our nuptials, and I think an annual tradition has found its start!
