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
$35.00
This one is about as good as it gets.
I told you a few weeks ago when we offered the Vocoret that I was one of the stingiest Chablis critics out there. The reasons are varied but boil down to three huge factors.
First – though many wines say they come from a particular vineyard, they changed the rules so that many of the vineyards can just use the name of their more famous neighbors. Absurd, I know.
Secondly, soil and vintage matter. And when the Premiers Cru were massively expanded in the 80’s, many were expanded to now include Portlandian soil which makes a very different finished wine than the Kimmeridgian Marl that put the very top wines on the map.
Finally – many, many producers will make wine off a particular vineyard with results that vary widely. So – the moral is I have to taste each and every Chablis, each and every year – no matter what.
But when I find a homerun, you have some of the best white wine in the world – ready and willing to age for decades – at a fraction of the price Corton-Charlemagne (with which the best Chablis easily compete).
Directly across town from Grand Cru Les Clos lies one of the most interesting Premier Cru vineyards in Chablis – Les Vaillons. Yes, the soil is Kimmeridgian Marl and southeast-facing hillside bakes in the morning sun – allowing the grapes to achieve perfect ripeness despite the cool temperatures.
Many bottlings from this precious vineyard fetch between $60 and $100+ but not this stunner from Dampt. It’s a true family operation – and they actually own the land – keeping costs substantially lower than the neighbors.
Out of stock
93 Points, Decanter
Vincent trained in the Jura and at Domaine Leflaive before starting to work with his father, setting up his own domaine in 2004. Vincent is a great fan of the acidity in Vaillons and this example proves his point. A combination of green apple and pear fruits, concentration and a mineral, vibrant edge, with that acidity holding everything together. A very energetic wine with a saline character on the finish. Beautifully balanced Vaillons.
This is a spectacular new release – a flawlessly crafted, high energy coastal Chardonnay from one of California’s hottest spots. As bright and refreshing as you could want, it hits with clean, pristine green apple fruits, pears and citrus notes with a hint of that limestone-influenced minerality creeping in on the finish. It’s a fantastic wine for summer, the perfect pair with mixed seafood, summer tomatoes, corn and freshly caught fish.
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.
Simply stunning. An incredible effort in arguably the greatest Sancerre vintage since 1947, Dominique’s single vineyard ‘Les Deserts’ is considered the Grand Cru vineyard of Bue. It’s a dead ringer for Premier Cru Chablis; it’s that complex. How when it’s Sauvignon Blanc? Well, the vines of Les Deserts are rooted in Kimmeridgian rock, the same soil you find in the best vineyards of Chablis. It’s full-bodied with a chalky minerality and a beautiful, vibrant intensity. This will forever change the way you view Sancerre. It really is that good.
The newly released 2021 Brunori ‘Le Gemme’ Verdichio is everything you’re looking for in a vibrant, food-friendly white wine. About a billion times better than every-day Pinot Grigio, the Brunori is an electric, vibrant white which combines delicious fruit and vibrancy with boasts a killer nose of white peach, honeycomb and almonds. The fruit is wonderfully concentrated with a salty, stony finish that goes forever. The best part of this beauty is that it’s not just a summer wine- it’s absolutely delicious year round.
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