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
$60.00 $48.00
A few winters ago, back when people traveled from one country to another, I received an incredible one on one education on the differences of the terroirs of Sancerre from the master himself, Dominique Roger. (I also was lucky enough to have his wife cook us a traditional dinner with about 20 different vintages of Sancerre white and red but that’s a different story).
I’m not gonna lie, I generally thought of Sancerre as a pretty simple, crisp white that offers incredible value, food friendliness and consistency. But I have changed my tune after walking through the vineyards with Dominique, freezing my butt off for over 4 hours.
Each site offered incredibly different soil and exposure just like in Burgundy. We walked through one vineyard that was so filled with chalk rock that the ground looked like the desert floor. You want to know why your wine tastes like minerals? This couldn’t have been more clear here!
Dominique said that he bottled this vineyard separately and naturally calls it Les Deserts. When I asked him why I’ve never tasted it, his answer was simple. “We don’t send it to America”. Naturally.
Once we were back in the cellar, I asked him if I could taste Les Deserts from the tank. Wow! Dead ringer for Premier Cru Chablis. It was that complex. How could I confuse Sauvignon Blanc with Chardonnay?? Well, it makes sense as the vines of Les Deserts are rooted in Kimmeridgian rock, the same soil you find in the best vineyards of Chablis.
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From just west of Sancerre, Vincent’s vines are tended organically in flint-laden, calcareous soil which lends a great brightness to the wine. The wine is crisp and aromatic Sauvignon, and is a superb choice for a “cocktail” wine, as an aperitif or to accompany just about anything from sea.
92 Points (Best Buy), Wine Enthusiast – 90 Points, James Suckling
The winery could never expected their Tuscan Vermentino would become as integral as it has – even 25 years later, it’s still a key piece of the puzzle for Campo Maccione. It’s an unassuming wine with great viscosity and bright, savory flavors that way overdelivers for the price. James Suckling agreed, as did Wine Enthusiast. Suckling gave it a 90 and deemed it “an interesting take on Tuscan Vermentino.” Wine Enthusiast took it up a few notches, attaching a coveted ‘Best Buy’ designate to the wine along with a 92-point review for the wine “with a sophisticated restraint.”
Stephan Steinmetz is a star in the Mosel wine region. His old vines are rooted in Kimmeridgian limestone, the exact same vein of rock that winds its way from Sancerre through Chablis and Champagne to its final out-cropping here in the Obermosel. His Elbling is glorious — both completely unlike anything I’ve ever had and also eerily familiar. The color is almost clear, some might call it silver. A stunning nose of green apples and lemon peel gives way to fresh pear and bright citrus fruits on the palate. It’s a stunningly focused wine with a healthy dose of minerality and acid zip, not unlike great Sancerre/Chablis and bone dry.
It’s hard to beat a great value white wine and this one is a at least a cut above the rest. One prominant industry insider called the 2022 edition, “the best white wine by any within $20/cs of this price.” It’s super crisp with a great mineral streak, and was carefully picked by hand when the temperature is coolest and is kept cool all the way into the press. From there, the effect of the mineral soil takes over, providing great finesse and freshness in every bottle. This white blend has great backbone and a lot of juicy fruit coming through behind aromas of flowers and stone fruits. At this price, it’s a no brainer.
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