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
$49.99
If you’ve ever been out to the Napa Valley, Frank Family Winery is a must stop. It’s right off of Larkmead Lane in Calistoga along the Napa River, with an elevated tasting room overlooking rolling acres of planted vineyards. Unlike some of the other over-the-top Napa stops, Frank Family chooses to focus on their wines rather than all the bells and whistles. Most of the people who work there have been there for ages.
One of those people is winemaker, Todd Graff, who for the last 18 years has run the wine program at Frank Family. Unlike most, Todd has been on both the winemaking and the vineyard management side– giving him a decisive advantage over most of his Napa neighbors. Todd joined FF after stints at Joseph Phelps, Schramsberg, Artesa and Stag’s Leap Cellars. It’s as impressive of a resume as a winemaker can have. But even with all his knowledge, he still treats every vintage like its his first– carefully surveying the land and following Mother Nature’s lead. His wines are consistently fantastic.
If you haven’t made it out there yet and are unlikely to do so anytime soon, you can still enjoy the fruits of Todd’s labor today at Nicholas Wines. With restaurants temporarily closed down nationwide, the opportunity presented itself for me to get my hands on five cases of the 2016 Frank Family Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
If you’re a big red drinker, this Cab has your name written all over it. It’s deep, dark (almost black) in color with bold, rich chocolatey notes, black cherry and vanilla all smoothly integrated together with a touch of oak on the finish. It’s no wonder steakhouses across the country jump on this wine without thinking twice– it’s the ideal partner for any piece of red meat, poultry or lamb chop.
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“Displays expressive notions of baked plums, warm cassis and licorice with hints of bay leaves and scorched earth. Medium-bodied, it fills the mouth with juicy black fruit and earthy sparks, finishing chewy.”
WINE ADVOCATE
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In the 2020 vintage in Gevrey-Chambertin, yields were super low and temperatures were hotter than most Burgundian winemakers are accustomed. Many picked too late when the sugars were high and the fruit really ripe, but that was not the play. Still, Ann remained as cool in those hot temps as she did so many years ago in Napa, concentrating more on acid levels than sugars and picking at just the right time. This wine is absolutely singing – it’s an age-worthy beauty that should be even better in 4-7 years.
92 Points, James Suckling
Since the late 1990’s Penner-Ash has been viewed as one of Oregon’s top wineries making gorgeous wines in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. In the 2021 vintage considered to be one of Oregon’s all-time great years, the 2021 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir that Lynn crafted is gorgeous, a silky tightly woven number that mixes red and black fruits with some sage and baking spices and a savory finish. It’s got some nice weight to it and structure which suggests it’ll age well for the next 10-15 years though it’s already drinking beautifully in its youth.
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.
#3 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2021
96 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 95 Points, Wine Spectator
We are one of the very few folks who have Wine Spectator’s #3 Wine of the Year. This is definitely not one to miss. The 2016 vintage showcases this prized vineyard in all its glory; notes of wild black fruit, thyme, mint, eucalyptus, and bay are lifted and enjoyed with the polished tannin and mouthwatering freshness of this wine. Regarded as one of the best vintages in the last few decades, the 2016 Martha’s Vineyard has been aged to perfection for immediate enjoyment at release and will continue to reward for the next 20+ years.
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