AJ McClellan
2007 Nickel & Nickel Searby – Honeysuckle blossoms and honeyed pears with white flowers and a slight lemon zest. Classic Russian River chardonnay with lively acidity and a long lasting finish.
2007 Nickel & Nickel Far Niente – Crisp and clean with Asian pear and green apple up front. Slight stemmy quality and slate like minerality adding complexity to the wine.
2006 Nickel & Nickel Branding Iron – Deep purple in the glass with purple flowers and granite. The palate gives me the impression of a grassy knoll with juicy black cherry, plums, and boysenberry finishing with a crushed rock minerality.
2006 Nickel & Nickel Sullenger – Roasted strawberries with jammy blue fruits and cooked plums up front. Bigger tannin structure than the Branding Iron but still very smooth on the palate. Slight stemmy quality coming from the whole berry fermentation.
2006 Nickel & Nickel Vogt – Biggest of the lineup with tar, leather, black berries, and a slight barnyard note on the very back. Very complex on the palate with layers of black liquorish, damp dirt, and black fruits.
2007 Nickel & Nickel Far Niente – Violet purple in the glass with sweet red cherries, raspberries, plums, and red roses on the nose. Surprisingly supple mouth feel with velvety tannins blanketing my palate with a plethora of fruit and rocking them to sleep with a rocky minerality backed by chocolate, red currant, and liquorish.