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.
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WS #4 2019 Wine of the Year, 96 Points, Wine Spectator
2016 was an incredibly special year in Napa Valley. It was essentially the 5th straight vintage of near perfect-conditions and a lot of the big boys produced some of their biggest, most elegant Cabernets to date. Groth’s was still one of the standouts in any group, a deeply concentrated, weighty Cab with sappy, juicy fruit and a carefully intertwined tannic structure. Absolutely gorgeous.
With seemingly infinite access to some of the absolute very best vineyards in the most choice AVAs in the valley, the Wagner’s set out to make Quilt– a Cabernet blend from a patchwork of the top sites in Napa (Oakville, St Helena, Atlas Peak, Coombsville, Calistoga, and Howell Mountain.) The brand new 2021 edition is a beauty – deeply concentrated, rich and a truly show stopping Cabernet. It’s a dark, hedonistic blend that combines elegance with power and pairs the two together effortlessly.
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.”
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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