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.
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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.
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90-92 Pts, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 91 Pts (Editors’ Choice), Wine Enthusiast – 91 Pts, Decanter
The wines get consistent high praise but 2018 is truly something special. 90-92 from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. 91 points and an Editor’s Choice designation from Wine Enthusiast. 91 more from Decanter who provides “There is so much to enjoy in the smaller appellations this year. Drinking Window 2022 – 2031” and another 90 point score from James Suckling. This is a home run value – especially for the price.
100 Pts, International Wine Report – 98 Pts, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 98 Pts, James Suckling
“The 2020 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is truly sensational. It begins with striking aromas of fresh blackberries, blueberries and dark plums that are laced with fresh spring florals, mocha, sweet exotic spices, graphite and gravel nuances all taking shape. The palate is full-bodied and displays a remarkable combination of power and elegance throughout. This is beautifully structured and extremely expressive, as it possesses outstanding depth and concentration all they way through the long, finessed finish. Year after year, the Columbia Valley Cabernet is one of the most impressive wines, and there is no exception here, as it combines all the wonderful qualities of the 2020 vintage from Quilceda Creek into one expression. This is fantastic already and readers will be in for a real treat, as this simply marvelous wine will continue to deliver the goods for years to come.”
93 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“Vignon’s 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape delivers even more than I hoped for based on a previous sample. Hints of garrigue, roses, cherries and raspberries appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, silky and long, with an intense, almost briny finish. The assemblage is 50% Grenache, 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus smaller proportions of seven other permitted varieties, while the élevage includes foudres, demi-muids, concrete and wooden tanks, plus terracotta amphorae.”
95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck – 95 Points, Lisa Perotti-Brown
The oft 100-point winemaker, Jayson Woodbridge had this to say when tasting his 2021 ‘Stargazing’ Sonoma Pinot: “The wine is vibrant and complex with subtle dark fruits and berries, grandmother’s cherry pie, minerals, and a slight touch of rain-soaked earth, intertwined with a balance and very pleasing easy-going luxury. Should have been priced higher but what the hell.” I have no doubt this clerical error will be addressed in the vintages moving forward. But for now, this is a cult Pinot for under $100/bottle.
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