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
$125.00 $85.00
In 2000, Bibi Graetz burst onto the Super Tuscan scene almost out of nowhere. Sitting on a goldmine – now 85 year-old Sangiovese ‘gardens’ surrounding his home. He brought on (now rockstar) winemaker – Antinori Antonini.
The two set out to create the very best expression of these historic vineyards as they possibly could. The bottling would be called Testamatta and would be 100% garden Sangiovese – which was not allowed by the powers that be.
Consistently outperforming the biggest names in Tuscany at a relatively modest price point, the pundits are just starting to catch up. But Mr. Suckling went a step further and called Testamatta “one of my 12 Best Collectible Wines of Tuscany”. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate called it, “one of the most original and off-the-radar expressions of Sangiovese you will ever taste”.
The 2016 may be his best yet. James Suckling called the wine, “very beautiful”, “gorgeous” and “well-polished”… all in the same review. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate wrote nothing short of an essay in their review of the wine describing in length its “impeccable harmony, and “chiseled intensity.” Truly something special, this baby once again outpointing Tuscan greats Tignorello and Sassicaia
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98 Points, James Suckling
A very beautiful and thoughtful Testamatta with aromas of earth, terra cotta, black tea, and lavender. Full-bodied, very layered and extremely polished with superb, soft tannins. Racy and very long. Muscular and formed but very, very balanced. Gorgeous richness and depth. Shows balance and wonder.
96 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2016 Testamatta represents a blend of fruit from old vines spread across the various vineyard holdings farmed by Bibi Graetz in both the Siena and Firenze provinces of Tuscany. These holdings include plots in Vincigliata (home base to Bibi Graetz and his family just outside of Florence), Lamole, Londa, Montefili and Siena. Many of the vines used here are 80 years old or more, and each site represents a cultural and enological patrimony that was specifically selected for its individual character or uniqueness. There is an unescapable metaphor in the many primary colors that blend or bleed into each other to form a single piece of art that is depicted on the front label of this handsome bottle. Testamatta reaches impeccable harmony in similar fashion. I tasted this wine on three separate occasions and was blown away each time. There is a seductively wild side to the wine that comes forth with chiseled intensity. Dark fruit, spice, tar, licorice and toasted spice make for a beautifully elegant bouquet. The mouthfeel remains mid-weight in approach, with polished tannins and a tightly knit texture that should relax and grow in volume as the wine evolves in the bottle.
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100 Points, Decanter – 100 Points, Vinous – 99 Points, Wine Enthusiast – 99 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 99+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck – 98 Points, Wine Spectator – 98 Points, James Suckling
“The 2018 Palmer is a legend in the making…This audacious Palmer was still revving its engines 48 hours after opening. There will never be another Palmer like this, sui generis. It was a massive risk. But by throwing caution to the wind, something extraordinary was born.” -100 points, Vinous
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.
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.”
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.
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