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
$99.00 $85.00
Many wineries claim to be “on the coast” but disappointingly, for some, that means a short 20 or 30 minute drive down to the coast. Very few have the type of relationship with the coast as the legendary wine pioneers Walt & Joan Flowers and their immaculate estate.
For almost 30 years, Flowers Vineyards and Winery has grown some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the rugged coastal ridges of the extreme Sonoma Coast. Joan and Walt Flowers had a simple goal, to make exceptional wine that captures the wild beauty of the land and the spirit of the Sonoma Coast. They’ve been able to do that and a whole lot else crafting distinctive wines that capture the spirit of the Sonoma Coast and benefit from its elevated, rocky terrain.
Perched on top of soaring coastal ridges that border the nearby Pacific Ocean, the two estate vineyards are Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View Ridge with elevations from 1,150 to 1,875 feet. Flowers resides in the Fort Ross-Seaview American Viticulture Area (AVA), which was established in 2012 and located on the extreme western edge of the Sonoma Coast Appellation.
Today’s beauty comes from the 2019 vintage, which may very well turn out to be historic. It’s the highest rated vintage from the always stingy Wine Spectator since they started giving separate ratings for Pinot Noir. They described it as:
A benchmark vintage for California Pinot, with wines showing power, finesse and the structure for cellaring; moderate temperatures and an even-keeled season led to a leisurely harvest, while crop size was on the lower side.
Out of stock
95 Points (Editors’ Choice), Wine Enthusiast
From an extreme coastal site at 1,875-feet elevation, this wine offers substantial underlying power within a context of elegance and refinement. Tension and grip persist in its youth, allowing nuanced layers of ash, mountain berry and earthy forest tones to build over time.
95 Points, James Suckling
A layered nose of plums, nutmeg, and violets. Full-bodied with soft, velvety tannins. Refreshing and bright, but with excellent depth and steady intensity. Cloves and rose petals. Lovely. Drink now or hold.
Winemaker Kian Tavakoli (Opus One, Clos du Val) continues to excel even while others struggle. In 2017, he still managed to deliver a beautiful and opulent Napa Valley Cabernet that’s both dark and juicy. The wine hails from both Coombsville and Rutherford, giving it distinct characteristics and a lot of drive. Deep ruby to the rim with excellent concentration, notes of Bing cherries, raspberry pie and hints of vanilla. On the palate, big wonderfully jammy fruit with young but impressive tannins and great length. The finish leaves notes of black cherry, and baked blueberry pie. Fantastic Napa value.
For the first time, we have the 2021 Abbona Dolcetto Langhe in house. This is a fantastic and fun bottle to enjoy on it’s own, but it is also a showstopper with pizza. Made for those who love their wines with inky dark fruit, this boasts a jet black color with aromas of black cherry, blackberries and baked cake spice. The Langhe Dolcetto is the product of extremely low-yielding but highly concentrated juice that comes from the younger vines of her Estate. Incredibly fun to drink and to smell — it’s also what some would argue is the best compliment to a good pizza pie with some meat on it!
95 Points, James Suckling – 93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
From the creative mind and winemaking prowess of Screaming Eagle’s own Andy Erickson, comes a passion project unlike any other. The goal at Leviathan is to make only one wine a year– the biggest red in the U.S. Sourced from some of the best vineyards up and down the coast (you can thank Andy and Screaming Eagle for that), this Bordeaux blend features ample Cabernet rounded out with Petit Verdot and Merlot. It’s a big, intense wine that will only get better with age, though its great right now and amazingly under $40/btl for an Andy Erickson wine. That should be more than enough any day!
Fresh off its feature as one of Wine Spectator’s ‘Exciting California Values Under $25’, winemaker Matt Cline looks to stay hot with his release of the 2019 Contra Costa Zinfandel. This one is a beauty crafted off old-vines that are now between 110-140 years in age. There’s a ton of darker fruits that drive this one with a dusting of baking spice. The fruit is pure, fresh and long making it both delicious on its own or terrific with a burger, BBQ ribs, or grilled leg of lamb. Crazy cheap for what is in the bottle, load up!
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