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
$25.00 $19.99
Centered in the heart of the Columbia Valley and roughly 50 miles north of Red Mountain and the Yakima Valley sits the Wahluke Slope AVA, a yet to be discovered but dynamic winegrowing region that is producing some of the most exciting wines the state of Washington has to offer.
Leading the way is Luke wines, a play off the word ‘Wahluke’ meaning watering hole. It’s a nod to the indigenous folks who have been tending to the land for generations.
The 2019 Luke Merlot reveals the hallmark of great Washington merlot – dark red fruits, rounded tannins, and an opulent, smooth finish. Fresh flavors of plum, cherry, and blackberry dominate the mid palate while earthy flavors of tobacco, cedar, and clove marry the spices of vanilla and mocha to extend the wine’s long lingering finish. This baby is a true BDX blend, comprised of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec.
Out of stock
92 Points (Editors’ Choice), Wine Enthusiast
“Weinbau fruit makes up the backbone of this wine. The aromas pull you into the glass, with notes of blue plum, raspberry, vanilla, graphite and coffee. The palate is full feeling, with lush fruit flavors and sneaky structure behind them. There’s a pleasing lick of acidity that ups the interest. It’s a big mouthful of a wine that overdelivers. Decant to see it at its best.”
90 Points, James Suckling
Fresh herbs, grilled plums, blackcurrants and tar on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with silky tannins. Fresh on the palate, with a core of black fruit and pleasant mineral character. Drink now.
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!
Winemaker Pascal Sirat consistently puts out some of the best value Bordeaux in the region but he may have outdone himself in the 2018 vintage. Just south of Pomerol, the vines at Panchille borrow deep in the soil. The resulting wines are ripe but fresh, with an aromatic complexity and stony finish usually reserved for wine twice the price. Daniel Boulud tells me it’s been the hottest bottle of wine at Bar Boulud for over a month, so I figured I’d better hurry up and secure my allocation! Don’t miss it.
Now some of the best Pinot Noir in the world comes from the Yamhill-Carlton District (this small neck of the woods has earned its own AVA) and specifically from Shea Vineyards. Big name wineries clamor for fruit: Antica Terra, Beaux Freres, Bergstrom, Penner-Ash, & Sine Qua Non, to name a few. This Pinot is lights out and even given the pedigree, drinks several echelons higher. Blueberry, Blackberry, Blue Cheese (?!?), chanterelle mushrooms, lavender, mint – I could go on. It’s literally got it all, but I won’t spoil it for you.
99 Pts, Vinous – 97 Pts (Cellar Selection), Wine Enthusiast– 97 Pts, Spectator – 97 Pts, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni called it, “hands down one of the wines of the vintage.” The Wine Advocate chipped in with “a refreshing, beautifully perfumed and skillfully crafted expression of the vintage.” Here’s what I’ll say: How could you do any better than securing a few bottles of a wine with 30-40 years of life left that is already showing better than giants such as Lafite, Margaux and Le Pin. There aren’t many years in Bordeaux’s history where one of the top 3-5 wines of the vintage was a $105 bottling and not one available at four figures.
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