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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
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
$20.00
My sense is that the winemakers of Saumur in the Loire Valley are probably still paying top dollar for the French version of the Yellow Pages because, Chenin Blanc, the native variety of Saumur, makes some of the best white wines in the world yet it flies very far under the radar of most consumers.
When I was at Jean Georges, the sommelier team needed to sell expensive white Burgs but when friends and family came in, they got special recommendations….with a wink and a nod from the chief sommelier, customers with connections to the staff were suggested special wines….wines that complemented Jean-Georges’ cuisine just as well as those Saturday night Burgundies and Bordeaux but over delivered in complexity and versatility at a Tuesday night price.
More often than not, the wines in Jean-Georges’s secret stash were Loire Valley Chenin Blancs from places like Saumur. The great ones – like this one from Villeneuve – are aromatically complex and deeply fruity with vibrant, mineral finishes. The 2018 Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc is no exception. Aromas of ripe apple and melon mingled with ginger and honeysuckle elegantly lift from the glass, leading to a concentrated core of peach and apricot flavors. The finish is forever, super crisp and mineral.
Out of stock
A ridiculously good, chalky Chenin Blanc at a price point that can’t be beat.
| Weight | 2 lbs |
|---|
Vegetable dishes or salads or a good, old-fashioned cream based dish.
Carneros is well-known as a cool-climate region, perfect for growing Chardonnay. The newly released 2021 version has a delightful energy in its youth, with a pale straw color with lime hues. The aromas are of honeysuckle, orange blossom and creme brulee with layers of vanilla and a hint of toffee. The palate is lively yet soft with flavors of lemon cream pie and merange.
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Every single year, Adam Tolmach’s Bien Nacido Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are showered with huge scores. It’s like death and taxes. The last time one of his wines failed to receive at least a 90 from The Wine Advocate was back in 2005! In Cali’s “bounce back” 2021 vintage, you know the big score trend continued. The new release has yet to be reviewed by the usual suspects (Wine Advocate, Vinous) but Jeb Dunnuck did get his hands on it and gave it a rave 94-point review where he highlighted the “supple mouthfeel, terrific balance and clean finish.”
The newly released 2021 Domaine Laroche Chablis Saint Martin has some big shoes to fill as the last three vintages have earned 92-points or higher, but the early indications are that this is line with previous vintages if not even a little bit ahead at this stage. The problem is – there’s almost none to go around with much smaller yields. Still this is beautiful and crisp, with good focus, energy and depth. I get the signature green fruits on the nose, with some Asian pear, and a hint of jasmine blossom. There’s a beautiful mineral streak that highlights this one. It’s a fantastic White Burg for the price.
Even extremely well-trained palates have difficulty differentiating Pabiot’s Sauvignon from premier cru Sancerre. But I’ll let you in on the secret. Pabiot’s soils for the Coteau des Girarmes feature some of the same clay & limestone mix as across the river contributing that familiar minerality combined with fresh citrus fruits – lemon, lime but the slight variation adds a touch of white flower to the nose. That tiny bit adds just a little something more complex and interesting then you’ll find in most Sancerre.
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