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
$30.00
The best way to get a real sense of the magnificent Grand Cru vineyards of Elio Grasso is to lace up your hiking boots. It’s a million dollar view from the top of Gavarini. The medieval castle of Castiglione Falletto to the left. Conterno’s Cascina Francia to the right and the ever present Alps always in the distance. One handful of Gavarini’s chalky sand speaks volumes about the incredible tension and crackling minerality in the finished wine. Of course, we tried to make it up there in the middle of winter– that didn’t go as well.
That drive was made without a phone and with my Michelin map spread across the dashboard. That is until the serious snow started falling just outside of Mount Blanc. With my nose pressed close to windshield, my right arm frantically cleared the window of fog because amazingly, the crappy rental’s defroster actually made the visibility worse. Nine harrowing hours later, I stumbled my way to the kitchen of the Grasso household, frozen and starving, where a bowl of fresh pappardelle in a rabbit ragu was set in front of me by Gianluca’s mom and a glass of Langhe Nebbiolo was poured into oversized crystal. I’ve never eaten so well.
A quick walk through Ginestra loads your boots with the calcareous clay that imparts its infamous power & length. For the past 35 years, Elio and his son Gianluca have produced world-class Barolo from these incredible sites, culminating in this year’s releases: the 98-point Gavarini, 97 Ginestra and the now legendary, 100-Point Rüncot Riserva.
As you can imagine, Grasso is a helluva lot more famous now than when I first tasted his brilliant Langhe Nebbiolo. The Nebbiolo combines grapes from all three famous vineyards, each imparting their distinctive personalities into a bottle that is greater than the sum of its parts. The Langhe is made in tank, with warmer, shorter fermentation than the Baroli, allowing for the more Burgundian side of Nebbiolo to emerge.
The 2019 Grasso Langhe Nebbiolo is a budding classic from a warm but long and even growing season, sure to go down as one of the greats. It explodes from the glass with complex aromatics of crushed black raspberry, violets and anise. A rich mouthfeel of sweet floral and red berries flavors leads to a stony, firm finish that goes on forever.
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At J Vineyards, Nicole is nothing short of a magician, making 30 different skus or more each vintage between her Pinots, Chardonnays, and Sparkling wines. For the vineyard’s flagship Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, up to 100 individual small lots are combined to make this great wine. Somehow, the blend is effortless–a quintessential RRV Pinot that has those soaring aromatics, bright red fruits, clove, and nutmeg spice with perfect balance.
90 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Xavier Vignon’s brand spanking new CDR 100% is a thing of beauty. It’s already got a blessing from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate who described this wine as, “Full-bodied, concentrated and supple”. This is a gorgeous and intricate blend that features all of the Southern Rhone appellations. This year, the blend was 40% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, 7% Cinsault, 7% Marselan, 6% Terret Noir. Nobody can do it like the mad scientist, Xavier Vignon.
95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck – 95 Points, Lisa Perotti-Brown
The oft 100-point winemaker, Jayson Woodbridge had this to say when tasting his 2021 ‘Stargazing’ Sonoma Pinot: “The wine is vibrant and complex with subtle dark fruits and berries, grandmother’s cherry pie, minerals, and a slight touch of rain-soaked earth, intertwined with a balance and very pleasing easy-going luxury. Should have been priced higher but what the hell.” I have no doubt this clerical error will be addressed in the vintages moving forward. But for now, this is a cult Pinot for under $100/bottle.
94 Points, Tasting Panel
This is a really exciting new release in the collection of single-vineyards from the Wagner Family, and arguably the most interesting one of the bunch. This is the only Pinot Noir in the Caymus collection that has the advantage of being from a natural Pinot Noir haven in the Russian River Valley. Dairyman Vineyard’s proximity to the pacific ocean, with its morning fog and afternoon coastal breezes allows for an even and elongated growing season, with super concentrated and expressive grape clusters that help make this Dijon clone Pinot Noir one that you need.
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