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.”
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.
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.
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.
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