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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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.
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.
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.
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.
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