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
$19.50
Sometimes referred to as “The Barolo of the South”, Aglianico was called the third of “three great Italian grapes along with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo by Vinous’ Ian D’Agata. Last year, I gave you what is undoubtedly the absolute best baseline Aglianico made anywhere. But this year’s offer isn’t for the baby brother anymore– it’s for the big boy, the Irpinia IGT. Still Aglianico, still Cotarella, but a much bigger production in a more sacred area.
The Irpinia zone is a much higher elevation than its baby bro and with a different soil composition. The region was first made famous by Antonio Mastroberardino who discovered this was the perfect spot for indeginous varietals in Southern Italy with ideal vine-growing environment and consequent high-quality grapes. Thanks to a perfect combination of high altitude slopes, volcanic and lime/clay soils, long growing seasons and diurnal temperature variations, Mastroberardino discovered the winemaking mecca.
Last year’s Aglianico was one of a few from Cotarella that ended up on James Suckling’s “$15 wines that Taste like $50” list. But if that was a $15/wine that tastes like $50, today’s is a $20 wine that tastes like $100 bucks.
The 2018 Donnachiara Aglianico is a beauty. A more serious, complex Aglianico than the baseline, the Irpinia sees 6 months of oak, mainly new– giving it a deeper, more sophisticated feel. It’s the Irpinia bottling that has previously cracked Wine Spectator’s ‘Top 100 Wines of the Year’ and whose current vintage comes wrapped in a juicy 93-point score from James Suckling. Suckling called it “decadent, rich, layered and velvety” before capping his review with a “so delicious now”.
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93 Points, James Suckling
A red with blackberry, meat, black pepper, clove, blueberry and ash. Oyster shell, too. It’s full-bodied with lots of round tannins and a juicy, velvety finish. Decadent and rich. So delicious now. Layered. Soft and rich. Drink now.
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93 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“Vignon’s 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape delivers even more than I hoped for based on a previous sample. Hints of garrigue, roses, cherries and raspberries appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, silky and long, with an intense, almost briny finish. The assemblage is 50% Grenache, 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus smaller proportions of seven other permitted varieties, while the élevage includes foudres, demi-muids, concrete and wooden tanks, plus terracotta amphorae.”
It’s always nice to be in good standing with one of the most beloved wine brands in America! These won’t last long! This is an opulent, powerful dark-fruited Cabernet with tightly woven tannins, that is just raring and ready to go. Textbook, full-bodied, revved up and ready to go, this new Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet is the definition of a crowd pleaser.
100 Pts, International Wine Report – 98 Pts, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 98 Pts, James Suckling
“The 2020 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is truly sensational. It begins with striking aromas of fresh blackberries, blueberries and dark plums that are laced with fresh spring florals, mocha, sweet exotic spices, graphite and gravel nuances all taking shape. The palate is full-bodied and displays a remarkable combination of power and elegance throughout. This is beautifully structured and extremely expressive, as it possesses outstanding depth and concentration all they way through the long, finessed finish. Year after year, the Columbia Valley Cabernet is one of the most impressive wines, and there is no exception here, as it combines all the wonderful qualities of the 2020 vintage from Quilceda Creek into one expression. This is fantastic already and readers will be in for a real treat, as this simply marvelous wine will continue to deliver the goods for years to come.”
#24 Wine of the Year (2022), Wine Spectator
92 Points, Wine Spectator – 91 Points, James Suckling
“This supple red shows a core of cherry and plum fruit allied to olive, juniper and tobacco notes. Delivers well-integrated tannins and acidic structure, lingering nicely on the finish.”
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