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
$30.00
The amount of mediocre Cabs I taste in this price range is mind-boggling. With the rising costs of everything these days, most wineries don’t even produce a Cabernet in this price range anymore. Then if they do, they either make them too thin, clumsy and/or disjointed or just don’t deliver in the ‘wow’ factor department.
But the Armé Cabernet is the exception and pretty much in a league of its own– a fantastic selection from Marietta in the winery’s family series and a wine that consistently delivers an insane value. Under $30 Cabs usually just can’t boast this kind of aromatic flair combined with a wonderfully vibrant and rich mid-palate that finishes with such depth and structure.
For the time being, Marietta’s wines continue to be some of the best values across the board in California. Antonio Galloni really let the cat out of the bag last year when he announced that he was “completely blown away by the Marietta wines” even declaring, Marietta’s “Scot Bilbro has the magic touch when it comes to crafting wines that deliver superb quality for the money across the various tiers in this range”.
Of course, the big man himself, Robert Parker, Jr. had already beaten young Antonito to the punch, proclaiming, “One of California’s finest value wineries, Marietta Cellars has been receiving favorable reviews in this publication for many years… The production has soared since then but the consistency in quality has remained remarkably high. These are terrific offerings from this value-priced winery.”
Out of stock
94 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2018 Armé Cabernet Sauvignon is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 7% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. Medium ruby-purple, it has pure, classic aromas of cassis, graphite, violets, loamy earth and tobacco. The intensely flavored palate is light on its feet with loads of juicy lift and a soft tannic frame, and it finishes long and floral. It’s an incredibly elegant style, particularly at this price point!
93 Points, James Suckling
Round-textured and fruity with balance and softness, yet freshness at the same time. Medium-bodied. Attractive berry, currant and sweet green-tobacco undertones. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot and 4% malbec and 4% petit verdot. Drink now.
92 Points, Vinous
The 2018 Armé, Marietta’s Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend, is terrific. Blue/black fruit, leather, smoke, spice, tobacco, dried herbs and sage give the 2018 its strong aromatic presence. There’s quite a bit of tannin, though, so a few years in bottle are advisable. Armé packs a serious punch. And it’s a steal, too.
Jenny Wagner, the youngest daughter of Chuck Wagner (Caymus) took over the reins in 2011 and absolutely ran with it, making Emmolo a name of its own. In the enormous and beloved 2018 vintage in Napa Jenny was able to deliver a stunning ode to the Right Bank with a super powerful, dark-fruited Merlot. But even though it’s early for this new release, I’m thinking she might’ve outdone herself with the 2019. It’s just so smooth and well-balanced with intricate flavors of black cherries, blueberries, mocha and and violet. It’s still early, I think I’d wait a year or two, but it’s hard to resist this wine now as it’s so youthful and energetic.
Across the board, Sergio’s wines enjoy an incredible vibrancy. They are big wines with such a streak of elegance, a quality rare in any part of the wine world. One wine which is perfect for the current weather, is his 2020 Barbera d’Alba — a juicy, food-friendly number, that was fermented and aged in a steel tank so it is completely about the fruit. Without any oak, this one comes out zipped up, with clean, concentrated fruit – a medley of blackberry and black cherry fruit with floral notes and even some black licorice on the finish.
The Adaptation Cabernet allows superstar winemaker Jeff Owens to make a Cabernet with other Bordeaux varietals from a collection of the top vineyards from across the valley. This is PlumpJack’s “Quilt” so to speak. It features Cabernet along the Silverado Trail in Stag’s Leap from their own Odette Vineyards as well as Heitz’s Trailside Vineyard, to go with fruit from St. Helena, Chaix’s vineyard in Rutherford, Merlot form mountainous terrain of Howell Mountain, along with fruit from Oak Knoll, and Carneros. Together, this blend comes together effortlessly Owens, who has woven a particularly juicy, dark-fruited Cab that will knock peoples’ socks off.
The second year of this elegant, silky smooth Willamette Valley Pinot Noir crafted by Bertrand de Villane of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti fame. Again it comes from the gorgeous Winter’s Hill Estate about 700 feet above sea level in the Dundee Hills. All indications are that the 2019 is going to be one of the best for Pinot Noir since 1991. A flawless summer that benefited from very little rain mixed with cool, breezy summer nights. With a round, supple mouthfeel and a sturdy backbone this will age gracefully for a decade plus. Bertrand’s wines just have a signature stamp that is unmistakably his. This is phenomenal.
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