Nickel & Nickel 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Branding Iron Vineyard, Napa Valley, Oakville, Magnum

The 2015 Branding Iron Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t announce itself — it arrives as a distant ridge, defined by shadow and contour. Aromas of blackberry and dusty plum rise quietly, then give way to graphite dust, cedar bark, and a trace of leather tobacco. You feel the soil before you taste the wine.

On the palate, depth and restraint coalesce. Fruit unfolds in waves — fresh but measured — folding into tannins that feel powdered, not heavy. Subtle layers of cocoa, dried herb, and dusty earth bolster the mid-palate, leading into a finish held taut by bright acidity and enduring presence. It’s Napa power without the roar.

Branding Iron Vineyard sits high on Oakville’s western slopes, where soils thin out on gravel and volcanic overlay, and diurnal swings pull ripeness into clarity. 50% new oak for 17 months provides just enough structure to frame the fruit—and never smother it. This isn’t showmanship; it’s architecture.

2015 was a classic vintage: cool spring, balanced summer warmth, and an autumn pause that allowed fruit to develop depth with poise. Nickel & Nickel trusted the season, letting it run its course, then shaped what the vineyard asked for — not what’s resented. The result is composed, expressive, and earned, not assembled.

There’s no assertion in this Cabernet, just presence. Pour it beside grilled lamb, a salt-rimmed board, or when conversation yields to memory. It lingers — like the echo of place, more than the glass.

Nickel & Nickel 2015 Branding Iron — Hill shadow, pulled into structure; Napa carved, not broadcast.