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
$18.00 $13.99
One of my favorite discoveries over the past twelve months has been the wines of Donnachiara and superstar Italian winemaking consultant, Riccardo Cotarella. If you’re not familiar with Cotarella– he is the Italian equivalent of Luc Morlet or Michel Rolland — just as famous and well-respected in the wine industry and an absolute icon in his home country.
Robert Parker Jr. once famously called Cotarella “one of the most influential personalities in the world of wine in the last 20 years.” You can easily see why. Every. Single. Wine. that I’ve tasted from Donnachiara is under $20 and a complete knockout.
I think Cotarella’s work at Donnachiara is particularly impressive. If you’ve had his Aglianco or the Greco di Tufo (small quantities available today) you can attest. Firstly, he has access to a brand new, state-of-the-art winemaking facility paid for by a very wealthy family that will likely never see their return on investment during this generation.
Secondly, Cotarella gets to work with fifth generation winegrowers that are extremely passionate about their work on the estate. And finally, Cotarella gets to place his stamp on the most distinctive indigenous varieties in the country – not tainted by international trends in style. Aglianico, Greco di Tufo and today’s varietal… Falanghina.
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93 Points, James Suckling
Exotic-fruit aromas of mango and white peach with some stone. Full-bodied with layers of fruit and bright acidity. Stone and licorice undertones. Lovely finish. Really well done.
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95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2018 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard marks the beginning of winemaker Joe Nielsen’s tenure at the winery. Pouring a medium yellow with a light golden hue, it’s most reserved of the flight aromatically at the moment, with yellow chamomile flowers, ripe peach, beeswax, and white flowers. Full-bodied, it retains excellent tension and focus on the palate, with apricot, orange zest, and a savory finish with a bit of spice. I suspect this will come around and open with time. Drink 2024-2030.” -Jeb Dunnuck
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.”
93 Points, Decanter
Of course, the Trefethens’ Chardonnay history is well documented. It dates back to the Judgement of Paris and the 1979 Wine World Olympics hosted by the French publication Gault & Millau, where their Chardonnay finished first overall. That pursuit of excellence is still just as strong as ever, as evidenced by the family’s most recent Chardonnay bottling. It’s a 93-point beauty that absolutely dazzles, especially at its incredibly modest price tag.
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.
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