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
$30.00 $25.00
Recently we’ve been busy at work with Banshee in Sonoma. That winery is a leader in all of California in terms of value – make some great wines up and down Sonoma County.
But just like Chalk Hill who makes their Russian River Valley specifically for restaurants, Banshee releases a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir that is meant to be at least one step up from their regular Sonoma County Pinot Noir release. There’s a few reasons for that.
For one, the production is a fraction of what the Sonoma County production is each year. The SC is their workhorse Pinot, but the Santa Barbara PN is a more luxurious micro cuvee of which only a few barrels are made each vintage.
Then you also have to factor that the fruit for this one is almost exclusively from Santa Barbarba’s Santa Ynez Valley and Rancho Las Hermanas Vineyard – which is far better vineyard sources than the regular bottling.
Here each block is tasted meticulously to ensure optimal ripeness prior to picking, and the fruit is given the stainless steel treatment with minimal oak use to bring out the full expression. The result is quintessential Santa Barbara Pinot. Lush and balanced with a little bit of spice, this one is a crowd pleasure, no doubt about it.
Only 6 left in stock
94 Points, Tasting Panel
This is a really exciting new release in the collection of single-vineyards from the Wagner Family, and arguably the most interesting one of the bunch. This is the only Pinot Noir in the Caymus collection that has the advantage of being from a natural Pinot Noir haven in the Russian River Valley. Dairyman Vineyard’s proximity to the pacific ocean, with its morning fog and afternoon coastal breezes allows for an even and elongated growing season, with super concentrated and expressive grape clusters that help make this Dijon clone Pinot Noir one that you need.
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.
In the 2020 vintage in Gevrey-Chambertin, yields were super low and temperatures were hotter than most Burgundian winemakers are accustomed. Many picked too late when the sugars were high and the fruit really ripe, but that was not the play. Still, Ann remained as cool in those hot temps as she did so many years ago in Napa, concentrating more on acid levels than sugars and picking at just the right time. This wine is absolutely singing – it’s an age-worthy beauty that should be even better in 4-7 years.
95 Points, James Suckling – 94 Points, Wine Spectator – 93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
The new release is here from outstanding winemaking team of Michel Rolland, Charles Thomas, Andy Erickson and David Jelenik. This one always represents one of the best quality-to-price ratios in all of Napa Cab and in the stellar 2021 vintage, this really stands out as one of the best the Valley has to offer. It’s a racy mix of Coombsville fruit from Atlas Peak that absolutely roars out of the bottle. Always one of Napa’s great bargains and a must have even as the price starts to sneak up here a little bit.