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
$38.00 $19.00
For many years, Clos Julien has been my go-to wine for that first-sip wow factor. The CJ team has an incredible knack of finding some of the most amazing vineyard sources – many just off the critical radar – allowing me to provide customers with immense value (for a while, until everyone else catches up).
This year, they snuck into the blazingly hot San Luis Obispo Coast AVA – a few weeks ahead of the Department of Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) declaring it the newest official appellation.
The new region is being called out from the surrounding region as being a Burgundian grape-growing paradise. The main influence is the proximity to the Pacific, which according to weather data has this clocking in as the coolest AVA in the state. The enormous diurnal temperature swings and Pacific wind create the perfect conditions for the highest quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
So for this vintage only – we have our favorite Chardonnay from the SLO-Coast (locals call it the ‘Slow Coast’ labeled with the much larger Edna Valley AVA, and for our trouble, we’ve got it at half the price of what they wine will sell for when released under the new official AVA!
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Delicious by itself as an aperitif but a fantastic foil to the cuisine of summer, scallops, grilled poultry, and summer corn.
Gold Medal (Best in Show), 2023 Mundus Vini International Tasting
The area has also been isolated from the rest of Spain for generations, which has kept the wine prices far lower than wines of this quality would be anywhere else in the world. That’s why, despite having the Torres family name on the bottle and the consistent huge press (including the Gold Medal & Best in Show at the 2023 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards in Germany), these wines can still be scooped up for under $20/bottle. It’s like the Sancerre pricing of yesteryear.
2022 was an absolutely perfect vintage in this respect and unfortunately, I think it will be one of the last, if not THE last. As winegrower Jean-Marc Brocard reported to Decanter: “When we taste the wines, we feel that the balance between acidity and ripeness is very good. It’s a classic style of Chablis. In the end, even after such a heat during summertime, we stay in a cool year reference.” He also alluded to the ageability of the vintage, saying “Let’s give them time, we must let nature do its work.”
The 2016 vintage in Napa was nearly perfect for winemaker Kian Tavakoli (Opus One, Clos du Val). With ideal weather all throughout harvest, he crafted the Faustini Money Road Chardonnay off the famous vineyard located in the coveted Oakville AVA. The picturesque vineyard off Oakville Crossroad is platinum rated, known for its ideal combination of soil & climate and the big A list names that routinely source fruit. Kian’s Money Road Chard is still youthful despite having a few years of age, probably as a result of its 18 months of slumber in 1/4 new Oak.
Glistening pale yellow-green to the rim, infused with mouth-watering aromas of ripe apple, pear and quince, and crushed almonds with honey and rich creamy middle and a fantastic rush of acidity and minerality that are present throughout. A calling card of Bonhomme’s Vire-Clesse, if you closed your eyes and took a sip, it would have you convinced you were drinking Meursault at least a 3x price tag.
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