Nickel & Nickel Regusci Vineyard Block 4 2004

The Regusci Vineyard is nestled against the Vaca Mountain range on the eastern side of Napa Valley in the Stags Leap District. Nickel & Nickel makes Regusci Cabernet from Block 4, a tiny three-acre section of the 43-acre vineyard. It hasa western exposure and a gentle slope that aids drainage. The soil is made up of weathered volcanic materials that are mixed with gravel and produce vines of moderate vigor with average-size clusters. Stags Leap has wonderful, warm temperatures moderated by cool, afternoon breezes, so the fruit experiencesideal conditions throughout the growing season.

This 2004 Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon has been one of our favorites right outof the fermenter. Perfumed with a ripe core of mixed red fruits, it opens with bright raspberry and cherry notes that expand on the palate. Rich and jammy, this wine has an incredible middle palate that seems to have no end. Polished and round, the soft,velvety tannins blend with the warmth from the oak, adding layers that mix with the ripe fruit, and carries thru to a long elegant finish.