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
$130.00 $75.00
Even the most recent vintage I inquired about, the 2017 Austin Hope Cabernet had been snatched up in its entirety within weeks of its release date. It had been rated a 95 by Wine Enthusiast and named their #10 Best Wine of the Year. Great, I thought. We’ll never see a bottle.
But what the winery didn’t know was that as soon as Covid hit, their agreement to sell the entirety of their Austin Hope Magnums to ‘The Palm’ Steakhouses throughout the country went up in smoke.
So last week I got the call I thought would never come, but with one ‘gotcha’. “Was I still interested in the 2017 Austin Hope Cabernet?” You bet. “Only problem is … they’re magnums. Would people like them?” I replied – “We’ve never offered Magnums. Ever.” Silence. “What if they were half price to make up for it?”
I laughed to myself. Would people want a two-for-one sized bottle of the #10 Wine of the Year for $75/magnum? It’s a no-brainer.
The 2017 Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute treat, the perfect Cabernet to enjoy with outdoor dining. It’s powerful in its youth, bursting with dark fruits and cherry cola and attacking tastebuds with gripping tannins and a sturdy acid backbone (and the big bottle) for the wine to continue to improve for many, many years to come.
95 points from Wine Enthusiast. In the interest of spreading this one around to as many as possible, we ask that you limit your Big Bottle purchases to six bottles or less.
Out of stock
95 Points (#10 Wine of the Year, 2019) Wine Enthusiast
This bottling remains as impressive and delicious as it did upon debut two vintages ago. Aromas of black cherry, hickory smoke and vanilla cookie lead into a palate of brown sugar, sea salt, caramel and black-cherry foam, all framed by polished tannins and just enough acidity.
Winemaker Pascal Sirat consistently puts out some of the best value Bordeaux in the region but he may have outdone himself in the 2018 vintage. Just south of Pomerol, the vines at Panchille borrow deep in the soil. The resulting wines are ripe but fresh, with an aromatic complexity and stony finish usually reserved for wine twice the price. Daniel Boulud tells me it’s been the hottest bottle of wine at Bar Boulud for over a month, so I figured I’d better hurry up and secure my allocation! Don’t miss it.
91-93pts, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2015 Edmond de Rothschild “Chateau des Laurets” St. Emilion is something special and even after a barrage of fabulous Bordeaux offers this year, I’m still calling it the Bordeaux of the year. It absolutely dazzles, displaying all the silky, elegant tannins and harmonious nature characteristic of the vintage. Lay some down in a dark cellar for the long haul but don’t be afraid to enjoy some right now.
The 2019 North Coast vintage in Napa and Sonoma for Cabernet Sauvignon is outrageously good. The big three wine critics have already come in calling it one of the best of the last few decades. Of course, Chad Alexander finds himself in the right place at the right time. If there’s someone who can churn out full-bodied, well-structured Cabernet Sauvignon that can compete with the big boys at a fraction of the price, it’s Chad. Cherry cola, blackberries, fig jam and a hint of sage on the palate with plenty of depth and complexity. This has a solid, juicy core and a smooth, lingering finish. This baby should drink well for two decades at least.
98 Points, James Suckling #36 Top US Wine of the Year – 97 Points, Decanter
In 2015, the last of four consecutive drought years and one of Napa’s great vintages over the past few decades, it’sno surprise that one of Napa’s all-time great wineries turned in a flawless bottling from the legendary Martha’s Vineyard. Decanter absolutely gushed, giving it 97 points and declaring, “no Cabernet has the aromatic profile of Martha’s. They would even go so far to say, “There isn’t a more definitive Cabernet Sauvignon in the world, at any price.” James Suckling would go a step further in the points department giving the wine a 98, but if Wine Enthusiast had got their hands on it, this would be a 100-point wine yet again. Just 30 bottles of Napa winemaking history up for grabs today.
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