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theCompass mobile application is a winery, brewery, and distillery locator for North America. |
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Nichelini Winery
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NlCHELINI WINERY is one of California's most historic wineries. It was homesteaded in 1884 by Anton Nichelini, a Swiss-ltalian immigrant. Now owned and operated by four of his grandchildren, it is the oldest "FAMILY OWNED AND PERATED" winery in the Napa Valley. The building itself is of historical interest. Showing off Anton's stone masonry, the hand-hewn stone wine cellar brings you back in time to the Ticino region of Switzerland. The old Roman press is the centerpiece of the visitor area, and is believed to be the only one still standing at a Western Hemisphere winery.
Of Anton Nichelini's twelve children, his two eldest sons, Bill and Joe F, acquired acreage in the Lower Chiles Valley in the late l92Os, and with Anton's help started the vineyards that are now farmed by Joseph C. & Michael Nichelini, Although production has exspanded over the years, there are still about twenty acres of Zinfandel that were planted by Anton in the late 1920s, and three acres of which remain wiith that planted by Bill & Joe F.in 1946.
Anton's oldest son, Bill, acquired the winery business in 1934 and passed it down to his son, Jim, in 1959. Jim brought the winery from post-prohibition to a modern-day operation and ran it with a unique flare and style until his untimely death in 1985.
Three of Jim's cousins and his sister formed a partnership and acquired the winery from Jim's estate in 1990. His sister, Marie "Toni" Nichelini-Irwin, is director of the tasting room and outside sales and marketing. Dick Wainright, who was a lifelong help to Jim in the winery,is Secretary/Treasurer and in charge of operations. The Winemakers are Greg Boeger and his son Justin who bring over thirty years of winery experience as the owner-winemakers of Boeger Winery in El Dorado County. The initial president, was Joe A. Nichelini, (Joe passed away in March 2003 ) was also the grower of most of our grapes.
Our mangement philosophy is to specialize in wine production the Chiles Valley grapes grown by Mike & Joe C. Nichelini who are heirs to thier fathers estate and partners in the winery. The first crush under the new management was the 1990 old-vine centennial zinfandel, the varietal that has been produced at Nichelini consistently since its inception in 1890. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Sirah grown by Joe along with Zinfandel will be the mainstay of our red program. In the future, as grapes become available we will expand into Italian varieties, such as the 1993 Barbera we crushed that year. All of these wines are produced and bottled on site, at the old Nichelini cellar. In the white category we produce Sauvignon Vert (Muscadelle) a unique Bordeaux white from our 1946 planting. This third and fourth generation of Nichelini's continue to carry on the 100 + year-old traditions of their historic Napa Valley winery.
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PETITE SIRAH
This wine is deep in color, rich and full bodied with lots of fruit. An excellent wine for long term aging. COMPLEMENTS: Lamb, Heavy Pasta Dishes and Wild Game.
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Primitivo
Primitivo is a fairly new Italian varietal and is somwhat simular to a high quality Zinfadel grape.The Primitivo for this wine was grown by cousin James Nichelini in his Chiles Valley Vineyard, we purchest only 2 Tons from this new vineyard to explore the quality of this young vineyard. and found it to be excelent.
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Sauvignon Vert
This is 100% Napa Valley Sauvignon Vert from the Joseph A. Nichelini Vineyard in Chiles Valley. The wine was fermented slowly and coldly in a Stainless Steel fermenter and has had no contact with oak. Alcohol is 13.2% and residual sugar is .67%. With aromas of grapefruit, coconut, pineapple, honeydew, banana and papaya, this wine is a tropical vacation in a glass! A sharp, fresh and zesty palate with great acidity and elegant finish rounds out this spunky summer wine. Sauvignon Vert is correctly known as Muscadelle and is one three white varieties that are used in making white Bordeaux. The others are Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon. Although it shares a strong grapy aroma with members of the Muscat family, Muscadelle is a distinctly Bordelais variation on the theme. About 5,000 acres are grown in Bordeaux.
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Zinfandel
This wine comes from the Nichelini Vineyard in Chiles Valley, where some of the Zinfandel vines that were planted by our grandfather in 1929 are still producing and contribute a special old vine quality to the wine.
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