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
$20.00 $17.00
In 1989, Bordeaux was in the midst of a hot streak. The 1988-1990 vintages were superb on Bordeaux’s Left and Right Banks, and many considered scooping up undervalued small chateaux, expecting to cash in on the trifecta. But as his colleagues searched out value in the Medoc, Herve Fabre had a different idea. He and his wife booked a flight from Paris to Buenos Aires. Then another, from the capital to Mendoza. It wouldn’t be long before Herve pulled the trigger on one of the more savviest land grabs in Argentine wine country.
Mendoza was warm and crystal clear. The Andes were still snow-capped, the sun was strong and pure. On day three, Fabre toured vineyards sites in and around Lujan de Cujo, and discovered an opportunity that all but a few had ignored. Most of the vineyards in Lujan de Cujo were new plantings, but there were still sizable plots filled with old vines, some over 50 years of age. While these vineyards offered far smaller yields than the newly planted sites, the clusters were tight, berries were small.
Something didn’t add up. In the Medoc, old vines were coveted, not only for richness and concentration, but for the round tannins of the finished wines. But here in Mendoza, everything seemed to be about quantity, not quality. As old vines make for low yields, they were of little value.
Before Herve and Diane returned to Bordeaux, Herve had snatched up every old vine plot he could find.
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92 Points, James Suckling
Aromas of blackcurrant, pine cone, dried herb and tobacco. It’s full-bodied with firm, sleek tannins and a concentrated, tarry and warm finish. Big wine and very polished.
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#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.”
The 2021 Napa Valley East side Cuvee is an instant classic. From the first whiff to the moment it hits the lips, its clear that this is a fabulously concentrated, serious wine: black in color, and featuring aromas of cassis, cedar and chocolate-tinged purple fruit. The mouthfeel is plush and voluptuous with a firm, solid finish that speaks to its potential for considerable aging.
The secret to Philippe’s tightly wound, complex Pinot Noir is a combo of ancient vines, natural farming techniques, and low yields. The wines are built to age, with incredible tension and length. And the secret to me securing his other-wordly 2017 old-vine Gevry-Chambertin can be chalked up to a great relationship and over a decade supporting superior Burgundian winemaking. The wine is scary good. The nose is wild, filled with spiced dark raspberries, red flowers, and baking spices. The palate is elegant and racy, with a dynamic tension that runs right through its minute-long finish. This is a high-toned, wound-up Pinot, that is starting to hit its prime and is really turning out to be a ‘must-have’ for true Burgundy lovers.
Winemaker Pascal Sirat consistently puts out some of the best value Bordeaux in the region but he may have outdone himself in what was a stellar 2019 vintage throughout the region. Just south of Pomerol, the vines at Panchille borrow deep in the soil. The resulting wines are ripe but fresh, with an aromatic complexity and stony finish usually reserved for wine twice the price. Daniel Boulud tells me it’s been the hottest bottle of wine at Bar Boulud for over a month, so I figured I’d better hurry up and secure my allocation! Don’t miss it.
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