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
$35.00 $29.99
I met “Crazy” Richard Luftig in the fall of 1999 just as I was leaving the city and opening Restaurant Nicholas. He was the Wine Director of Felida at the time; he gave me a dizzying dissertation on the subtleties of the Chianti sub zones while I ate lunch at the bar.
To be fair, I never call him Crazy Richard; that credit goes to some of my friends on the distribution side of the business because Richard drives them absolutely crazy. There are very few people in this business as uncompromising and passionate as Richard when it comes to choosing wine for any of the great wine programs that he as run over the last 20 years. Considering his discriminating palate and the impossibly high standard he has always set for wine, I was understandably excited when he first told me about his idea of actually making wine himself. His project, Pied à Terre, is the realization of his dream and the culmination of his considerable experience as a professional wine buyer in New York City.
Like you’ve heard me say in these pages over and over again, it’s nearly impossible to find affordable, high quality Cabernet from California. While there were, and still are, a lot of inexpensive wines from California on the market, we’ve both found it incredibly difficult to find high-quality, soulful and truly balanced ones. Thanks to Rich, we can now add Pied à Terre to our very short list of affordable California Cabs because great wines doesn’t have to cost $500 per bottle. Not a crazy idea…
We ran the Pied à Terre 2015 last year with great success and with a long list of reorder requests that we can finally honor, reach out to Melissa if you want to reload. But today I am happy to be one of the first to talk about a new expression of Cabernet that is sure to be just as popular as the original. This is a very refined, clean Cabernet but also a richer, more opulent expression. It’s the perfect natural homage to the genius of David Bowie, a personal favorite of Richard’s. In his words, it’s a glam-rock Cabernet!
2019 was an absolutely stellar vintage in the Napa Valley as it was throughout all of the west coast. Cooler temperatures and moderate weather led to a long growing season, allowing grapes to ripen smoothly. This long growing season produced wines with great structure and concentration without being overripe. Both quality and quantity match classic vintages like 2007, ’10 and ’13, and the much lauded predecessor, the 2018 vintage.
Out of stock
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.
This is a very, very special library offer from our friends at Val di Suga and is also a very limited one. There are only a few of these amazing six-pack collector’s boxes for sale. Two bottles each from Val di Suga’s three single vineyard sites. Val di Suga is the only Brunello producer that controls three separate estate vineyards located in three specific climate zones in the appellation. Each vineyard site has its own unique exposure and geo-climatic features which expresses itself in every bottle. Not to be missed. *Original wooden boxes come included.*
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast – 90 Points, Decanter
Arguably their best quality to price wine is the Chianti Classico. It’s a bold and incredibly expressive Sangiovese that blends together a number of different parcels from around the estate. It’s got a beautiful silky smooth center with bright red fruits and even a tad of rusticity. A wine like this was just made to be enjoyed at the dinner table. With already a 90-point review from both Decanter and Wine Enthusiast, I’m assuming Antonio Galloni and company will come in with similar high praise, but I couldn’t wait around.
97 Points (Best in Show), 2022 Decanter Wine Awards
Once again, last month Decanter held the biggest international wine awards show. There are bronze medals, silver, gold and then platinum. Lastly, the true creme de la creme are awarded Best in Show, and that is where you’ll find the stellar 2019 Trefethen Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet from the beloved Oak Knoll district. The wine is an absolute show stopper– dark and brooding with aromas of violets, black fruits and figs with notes of black cherry, raspberry, plum and chocolate mousse on the palate. At today’s price, it’s one of the best deals in all of Napa.
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