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
$27.50
When you talk about modern American wine pioneers, Josh Jensen’s name belongs near the top of the list. Perhaps no single person did more to elevate an entire region, than Jensen’s work in the Central Coast. His purchase of the Calera in 1975 was first met with confusion when he chose such a high spot in the remote Gavilan Mountains. “Would the grapes even ripen?”
But the vineyard he planted, Mt. Harlan would go on to have its own AVA, become the reference point for cool-climate Pinot Noir In the U.S. and would forever change the minds of foreign consumers who previously were convinced Americans could only make Cabs and oaky Chardonnay.
But Jensen was always playing with an ace up his sleeve. Having worked harvests at both DRC and Dujac – he believed he knew the secret for making the world’s best cool climate Pinot – precious limestone soils. His 324 acre purchase at 1800ft elevation in San Benito for just $18,000 was like striking gold, only it wasn’t gold he struck, it was limestone.
The remote location certainly came with a handful of operations headaches (running power and water through a neighbors property as the only access point for one), but for a determined man who knew what he was sitting on, nothing was going to stop Jensen from recreating DRC in California.
The gamble has obviously paid off. In addition to all the amazing wines that have come off the property over the last 40 years, Calera has also received some of the highest praise in the industry. San Francisco Chronicle’s Winemaker of the year. Cover of Wine Spectator. Four times named to Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries in the World & perhaps the highest praise of all for Josh – Robert Parker calling Calera “California’s Romanée-Conti.”
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93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
This blend from sites across the Central Coast carries all the expert hallmarks of the brand, from ripe fruit to earthy spice. Tightly wound aromas of pomegranate, berry, soil and star anise lead into a crisp yet savory palate of raspberry and deep cherry. Pinches of dried sage and thyme linger on the finish.
93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Pinot Noir Central Coast comes from multiple vineyards throughout the Central Coast and has a touch of the elegance and purity found in the top cuvées. Impressive black raspberry fruits, white flowers, spice, and a subtle salty minerality all emerge from the glass, and it’s beautifully textured, balanced, and just a joy to drink. It’s well worth its going rate and should be snatched up by readers.
92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Aged 10 months in 10% new French oak, the 2017 Pinot Noir Central Coast has a pale to medium ruby color and open, inviting aromas of wild blackberries, oolong tea leaves, dried cranberries and cherries with touches of underbrush, charcuterie, dried flowers and earth. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a firm, finely grained frame and earth-laced fruits, finishing with lovely freshness and spice.
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Anne Sery describes her Trousse Chemise Cabernets as an ode to the Left Bank and her winemaking roots. It’s a beautiful and fresh Cabernet with aromas that leap from the glass with of black raspberry, violets, and creme de liquor notes. The mouth gives generous amounts of juicy black fruits at the core with hints of baking spice and a smooth, savory finish. This is a terrific partner for just about anything from hard cheese, to poultry, summer salads, you name it!
The secret to Philippe’s tightly wound, complex Pinot Noir is a combo of ancient vines, natural farming techniques, and low yields. The wines are built to age, with incredible tension and length. And the secret to me securing his other-wordly 2017 old-vine Gevry-Chambertin can be chalked up to a great relationship and over a decade supporting superior Burgundian winemaking. The wine is scary good. The nose is wild, filled with spiced dark raspberries, red flowers, and baking spices. The palate is elegant and racy, with a dynamic tension that runs right through its minute-long finish. This is a high-toned, wound-up Pinot, that is starting to hit its prime and is really turning out to be a ‘must-have’ for true Burgundy lovers.
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.
100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“Needing plenty of air to show at its best, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is a sensational, gorgeous Napa Valley Cabernet that delivers the goods like only this region can. Pure Cabernet magic on the nose, with deep blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, lead pencil, and a kiss of spring flowers as well as a beautiful Pessac-Leognan-like scorched earth character, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It’s one of those wines that builds incrementally on the palate and it’s only after the second or third sip that you realize how special this wine is. It also offers that rare mix of power and elegance that’s the hallmark of all great wines. It needs a couple of hours in the decanter if drinking any time soon. Hats off to Paul Hobbs for an incredible Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.“
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