Orders are available for pick-up at Restaurant Nicholas at 160 Route 35 South Red Bank, NJ 07701 during the following times:
Monday: 9:30-3:30; Tuesday – Friday: 9:15am – 9:00pm; Saturday: 11:00am – 9:00pm; Sunday: Closed
$28.00 $24.99
Abbazia di Novacella is a winery that sits atop the monastery of Neustift on the southern side of the Alps. It’s the northern most winegrowing region which falls under the Alto Adige AVA, and the wines here are absolutely electric. The cool climate and mineral rich soils plus the extreme elevation makes for some of the most intense and deeply concentrated flavors.
As you can imagine, the ripening period here is long and drawn out, extending well into late October while most of their southern neighbors are long done picking. Here, white wines such as Sylvaner, Kerner, Gewürztraminer and Veltliner are king, and these guys make some of the very best juice around.
I managed a few bottles of Wine Spectator’s #70 Wine of the Year for 2023. It’s the only Italian white that I could even find on the list – a crying shame, but a testament to just how special this one is.
Only 4 left in stock
91 Points, James Suckling
Fresh lemons, green apples, white grapefruit and lime blossom on the nose. Hints of herbs. So fresh, with a medium body, bright acidity and super clean, crisp finish. Drink now.
#70 Wine of the Year (2023), Wine Spectator
This light-on-its-feet white is dry, tangy and orangey, with blood orange granita, orange blossoms and juicy tangerine acidity accented by hints of fresh tarragon and salty mineral. Drink now.
Stephan Steinmetz is a star in the Mosel wine region. His old vines are rooted in Kimmeridgian limestone, the exact same vein of rock that winds its way from Sancerre through Chablis and Champagne to its final out-cropping here in the Obermosel. His Elbling is glorious — both completely unlike anything I’ve ever had and also eerily familiar. The color is almost clear, some might call it silver. A stunning nose of green apples and lemon peel gives way to fresh pear and bright citrus fruits on the palate. It’s a stunningly focused wine with a healthy dose of minerality and acid zip, not unlike great Sancerre/Chablis and bone dry.
94 Points, James Suckling – 93 Points, Decanter
“Soaring lemon cream aromatics accented by notes of sea spray, lemongrass and beeswax mark this coastal Chardonnay from Flowers on the Sonoma Coast. The palate is fresh and linear. Oyster shell salinity, bee pollen and grilled lemon make for a savoury balance with delicate crushed chalk minerality.”
The 2016 vintage in Napa was nearly perfect for winemaker Kian Tavakoli (Opus One, Clos du Val). With ideal weather all throughout harvest, he crafted the Faustini Money Road Chardonnay off the famous vineyard located in the coveted Oakville AVA. The picturesque vineyard off Oakville Crossroad is platinum rated, known for its ideal combination of soil & climate and the big A list names that routinely source fruit. Kian’s Money Road Chard is still youthful despite having a few years of age, probably as a result of its 18 months of slumber in 1/4 new Oak.
From just west of Sancerre, Vincent’s vines are tended organically in flint-laden, calcareous soil which lends a great brightness to the wine. The wine is crisp and aromatic Sauvignon, and is a superb choice for a “cocktail” wine, as an aperitif or to accompany just about anything from sea.