Nickel & Nickel
Archive of Nickel & Nickel
on May 20, 2013
The vineyards are green and burgeoning with new growth—well on their way to producing the 2013 vintage—but a lot of us here at the winery are still thinking about 2012. That’s right, we’re talking Nickel & Nickel Napa Cabernet Futures.
Wine Club Manager Julie Zanze shared a bit about Futures and the Thief Club earlier. What we love about the opportunity to acquire these wines right now is that fans are able to snap up their favorite wines among the vintage before they sell out. (If you’re a long-time friend of Nickel & Nickel, you know this happens all too often!)
True, a little patience is required as the wines mature in barrel, undergo bottling and then take on a little more age in bottle—but it’s well worth it. Wines are shipped in late winter of the year the wines release—so lucky 2010 Cabernet Futures buyers have already received their wines this year, while the rest of us are awaiting the August release party.
For more on our Futures program, including 2012 wine notes, our 2012 Futures Diary, information on our Thief Club, and how to acquire 2012 Nickel & Nickel Cabernet Futures, visit our Futures website.
We had a wonderful time at our barrel tasting event on Saturday! We hope you were able to join us. If not, call us at (707) 967-9600 to arrange for a tasting of select 2012 Nickel & Nickel Cabernets. To view our photo album from the event, click here.
on May 16, 2013
Good news for those of you who are fans of our the John C. Sullenger Vineyard Napa Cabernet: the 2013 vintage has a beautiful start! A picture and brief report from Viticulturist Aaron Fishleder:
Bloom is well under way, and our crop is setting for the year. It all looks great!
on May 10, 2013
Through Auction Napa Valley, the Napa Valley Vintners have contributed nearly $110 million to health, education and housing programs since the charitable auction began in 1981. Each year, the event combines the enjoyment of wine, food and camaraderie with the generosity of hundreds of wineries, guests and volunteers. With this year’s event just a few weeks away, excitement is at an all-time high.
This year, we and our sister wineries have the privilege of partnering with Lamborghini and FlexJet to present an experience that we hope will pique the interests of automobile, wine and travel enthusiasts—and raise important funds for community programs. A week spent with gracious host and winery proprietress Beth Nickel promises to be an experience the lucky winner and his or her three friends won’t forget.
To find out more about this auction lot, click here.
Follow the Auction Napa Valley fun on Twitter using #ANV13.
on March 25, 2013
With the beautiful weather we have been enjoying lately (including a few, spring rain showers), single-vineyard Chardonnay has been on our minds—especially our newest Chardonnay from Stiling Vineyard.
This vineyard, located in Russian River Valley, is planted in the infamous Goldridge sandy loam soils, providing excellent drainage. The coastal influence brings daytime temperatures that allow the fruit to ripen slowly, while retaining perfect balance.
If you haven’t enjoyed the 2011 Nickel & Nickel Stiling Vineyard Chardonnay, now is a perfect time to pick up a bottle (or two) and toast the coming spring.
An aerial view of Stiling Vineyard:
on March 22, 2013
This recipe from Executive Chef Trevor Eliason pairs delightfully with friends, family and 2011 Nickel & Nickel Stiling Vineyard Chardonnay. Members of our Nickel & Nickel Single-Vineyard Club will recognize this recipe from their March wine club shipment inserts. (Click here to view the online version of this brochure.)
INGREDIENTS
(SERVES 5–10)
Seasoning Salt:
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
2 tablespoons
kosher salt
Soup:
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium leeks, whites only, diced
3 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, quartered, then thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
½–1 cup heavy cream
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound rock shrimp
Combine all spices in a small bowl to make the seasoning salt. Mix well. Place the rock shrimp in another small bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the salt mixture. Mix gently. Reserve the remaining seasoning salt in a small, air-tight container and keep it with your spices. Cover the shrimp and place in the refrigerator until needed.
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and diced leeks. Cook on low for 20 minutes, or until the leeks are soft. Add the potatoes and cover with chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for another 20 minutes, or until
the potatoes are very tender. Add the cream and remove from heat.
Working in batches, carefully pour into your blender, filling only half way each time. Start on a low setting then move to high and purée the soup for one minute. Be careful not to blend the soup for too long as it will become gluey. Continue this process until all the
soup is puréed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Place soup back into a clean soup pot and reheat when guest arrive. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a medium sauté pan at medium-high heat. Add rock shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Stir and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
ASSEMBLY
For appetizers, pour hot soup into a pitcher then into shot glasses. Place one rock shrimp on top to garnish. For a first course, fill heated bowl with soup and garnish with 5 rock shrimp, or a sorrel leaf, for a non-seafood garnish.
