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
$90.00 $75.00
This Right Bank beauty is truly hitting its stride. Jeb Dunnuck agreed a few weeks ago when he revisited the epic vintage. This was his #1 top value of the entire report. He gave it a rave 95-point review, writing “Medium to full-bodied richness, it has terrific mid-palate depth, a focused, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish.”
The 2005 vintage received 99 points right off the bat at En Primeur, making it the Right Bank’s most highly rated vintage ever. It was a game-changing vintage, but that doesn’t mean the wines are still drinking spectacularly. But judging by the wines I’ve tried from 2005, and from Dunnuck’s report from last week, THIS is the vintage you want to be drinking right now!
Dunnuck said, “Now close to 20 years after the vintage, it’s clear this is truly an exceptional, singular year of blockbuster, powerful wines. Coming from an incredibly dry growing season, the wines are dense and powerful, with compact, at times, brooding profiles.”
The 2005 Château Barde-Haut Saint-Emilion is the one you want. They totally outdid themselves in this vintage, and I’d say that even without the 95 and 94-point reviews. It’s just a gorgeous wine at an incredible price that over-delivers every step of the way.
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95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Another 2005 that’s drinking on point yet has plenty of life ahead of it, the 2005 Chateau Barde-Haut reveals a dense plum/purple hue as well as a mineral-laced bouquet of red and black fruits, dried flowers, truffly earth, and graphite. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has terrific mid-palate depth, a focused, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. I’d certainly be thrilled to have bottles in the cellar, and it will evolve gracefully for another 10-15 years, although there’s no need to delay gratification at this point.
94 Points, Vinous
The 2005 Barde-Haut is wonderfully silky and polished. Usually much more of a powerhouse, the 2005 is defined by energy, delineation and persistence. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and lavender all build with time in the glass.
90 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Xavier Vignon’s brand spanking new CDR 100% is a thing of beauty. It’s already got a blessing from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate who described this wine as, “Full-bodied, concentrated and supple”. This is a gorgeous and intricate blend that features all of the Southern Rhone appellations. This year, the blend was 40% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, 7% Cinsault, 7% Marselan, 6% Terret Noir. Nobody can do it like the mad scientist, Xavier Vignon.
It’s always nice to be in good standing with one of the most beloved wine brands in America! These won’t last long! This is an opulent, powerful dark-fruited Cabernet with tightly woven tannins, that is just raring and ready to go. Textbook, full-bodied, revved up and ready to go, this new Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet is the definition of a crowd pleaser.
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.
90 Points, Wine Spectator
Domaine Jaume Vinsobres Altitude 420 is an old-vine Grenache-Syrah blend from vineyards planted in Les Collines at some of the highest points in the Rhône. The Jaumes have farmed these dizzying elevations at their estate in Vinsobres for 100+ years. The 2020 is one of his best yet, pristine and fresh, a bowl full of berried-up fruit yet with the tension and length that belies its humble price. Incredible bang for the buck, tailor-made for anyone’s house red, and a slam dunk for any kind of meat on the bone.