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
$23.00
In the heart of the Southern Willamette Valley, Iris Vineyards has been making a splash with their award winning Pinot Noir grown on their own estate vineyard in the foothills of the Oregon Coast. Like many winegrowers, they are blessed by a cool-climate set up that allows their grapes to mature slowly while maintaining all the pure fruit and natural acidic balance.
But Iris has a few advantages over the neighbors. For one, they’re positioned much further south than most of the Willamette Valley wineries. Away from the cluster, they have a sprawling estate that they got to plant, however they’d like. Their vines are all planted between 800-1100 in elevation, giving them especially cool-climate conditions at night, perfect for retaining acidity in Pinot grapes.
The majority of the vineyard is also planted on Jory soil (100 acres), a very deep, well-drained soil that formed in colluvium derived from basic igneous rock. The sacred red soil is Oregon’s ‘secret weapon’ across all agriculture – the driving force between wine, hazelnuts, christmas trees and so much more in the state.
With the perfect location and team in place to make great wines, Iris has been delivering exceptional wines at tremendous value since the mid-1990’s. If there’s one down side to Iris, it is that this ideal location happens to be a bit out of the way comparatively– tucked away near Eugene and over an hour away from the largest group of wineries.
For that reason, I think they’ve flown a little under the radar. No problem for us, it’s probably also why one of the better Estate Pinot Noirs I’ve had in a while can be had at a crazy under $25/bottle price tag
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91 Points, James Suckling
Aromas of wild red berries, dried herbs and fresh coffee. Medium-bodied with juicy, soft tannins. Bright berries and a citrus undertone. Drink now.
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#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.
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.
93 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“Vignon’s 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape delivers even more than I hoped for based on a previous sample. Hints of garrigue, roses, cherries and raspberries appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, silky and long, with an intense, almost briny finish. The assemblage is 50% Grenache, 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus smaller proportions of seven other permitted varieties, while the élevage includes foudres, demi-muids, concrete and wooden tanks, plus terracotta amphorae.”
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.
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