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
$125.00
La Jota Vineyard Co. was founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, an immigrant from Switzerland, who established a German-language newspaper in San Francisco. Hess purchased 327 acres of a Mexican land grant—Rancho La Jota—on Howell Mountain to plant vineyards. He built a stone winery from volcanic ash rock quarried on the property (a ghost winery) and his first fermentation tanks also came from Redwoods on the estate.
A gorgeous plot of land, La Jota Vineyard lies high upon a volcanic plateau, looking east over Napa Valley about 1500 ft above sea level. Surrounded by pine, fir, oak and madrone trees, the estate stands out because of its cool, windswept climate. The estate also stands out for their incredible quality of wine– always amongst the Napa Valley’s elite, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the plot of land they have to work with.
It’s there that superstar winemaker, Chris Carptenter (previously at Cardinale) has been making some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc off the mountainous terrain. He does so with laser-like Napa Cabernets that have multiple layers, structured tannins and tremendous aging potential.
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon earned two 95 point scores from Wine Enthusiast (who also gave it a Cellar Selection) and Wine Spectator, while Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it a 95+ while all three raved about the wines aging potential. This is a collector’s item for sure. One of the premiere Napa Valley wineries in one of the best spots in one of the best places to grow Cabernet in the world. $125/btl. Only 24 btls to go around.
Reviews below.
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95+ Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Blended of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Cabernet Franc, 7.5% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of warm cassis, black berry pie and mulberries with touches of cedar, red roses and cloves plus a touch of cigar boxes. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a great core of black and blue fruit layers framed by firm, ripe tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long.
95 Points (Cellar Selection), Wine Enthusiast
Exotic herb and floral tones start off this brawny full-bodied wine. Plum and black currant flavors underscore bristling acidity and a well-built tannic structure, as secondary characteristics of sage, cedar and oak emerge. This should be put away and enjoyed 2025–2030.
95 Points, Wine Spectator
This is vivid and beautifully rendered, with a dense yet racy core of unadulterated cassis, boysenberry and blackberry puree flavors, flecked with anise, light bramble and polished ganache notes. The long finish shows a great tug of tarry earth while the fruit drives on. Best from 2021 through 2040.
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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.
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Always the one with the most personality of the bunch, this is what Wine Enthusiast had to say about the 2021 release: “This extremely ripe and bold style of Pinot Noir will please those seeking such lushness. Dark in the glass, it begins with black cherry, toasty caramel and cola milk shake aromas.” The cool, coastal days and abundance of sunshine lines up perfectly for a wine that has a good natural acidic backbone, with bold fruit-forward flavors. In an easy 2021 vintage, Joe Wagner had a field day with this single-vineyard beauty.
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.
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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