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
Since 1999, I’ve been making the pilgrimage to Domaine André Bonhomme. But it was on my last visit to the tiny hamlet of Viré that young Aurelien Palthey led Melissa and me to the cellar in which he’d grown up at his grandfather’s side.
Then we proceeded to basically time travel through almost 60 years of vintages drawn off the oldest parcel on the estate – an unassuming bottle simply labeled Vielles Vignes. What was inside the bottle was anything but simple.
After barrel tasting the latest vintages of unfinished wine, he led us back into time, a tasting that lasted three hours, finishing with his grandad’s 1961, a textbook white Burgundy was bright golden in color, perfectly fresh and vibrant, despite its 59 YEARS of bottle age!
These 80 year old Chardonnay vines, rooted in the limestone of southern Burgundy, produce profound white Burgundy. There are very few producers in Meursault and Puligny that can claim their wines can age as long as Bonhomme’s and their wines cost 3-4 times what Aurelien’s do.
The 2019 Domaine André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Vieilles Vignes, crafted by André’s grandson, Aurelien Palthey, is one for the ages.
Glistening pale yellow-green to the rim, infused with mouth-watering aromas of ripe apple, pear and quince, tinged with anise and bitter honey. Full-bodied and rich in the mid-palate, yet still wonderfully light on its feet, finishing with textbook Meursaultien cut and vibrancy. Drink now if you’re impatient, or lay down for a decade or two. Big dividends will be doled out to the patient!
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92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
This is a huge favorite of folks in the Red Bank area. It’s a bold, unapologetic Chardonnay with juicy notes of peach, lemon sorbet, baking spice and vanilla with a rich, creamy middle and plenty of natural acidity to balance it out. The lemon vanilla finish is perhaps the wine’s calling card or the sheer drinkability of it all. Either way, it’s a Chard that people adore. It’s no wonder Wine Enthusiast called this, “a big win for fans of this bold style”.
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.”
Sonoma Coast is well-known as a cool-climate region, perfect for growing Chardonnay. That’s why it’s such a big deal for Route Stock to transition over for the first time from Carnernos over to here. The newly released 2022 beams freshness and comes packed with a delightful energy in its youth. It has 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.
We’re nearing the end of what was a flawlessly crafted, high energy coastal Chardonnay release from one of California’s hottest spots. It’s still every bit as bright and refreshing as you could want and it hits with clean, pristine green apple fruits, pears and citrus notes with a hint of that limestone-influenced minerality. It’s a fantastic wine for all seasons, the perfect pair with mixed seafood, summer tomatoes, corn and freshly caught fish.
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