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
$19.99
It’s officially summer and the time of the year for some of the best white wines throughout the world to be released. So far, we have seen Sancerre, Chablis, a lovely little Spanish white wine but not enough representation from “the boot”. But today, I’m changing all of that with Italy’s own answer to Chablis– Soave and one of the best ones you’ll ever touch at anywhere near this price.
In fact, for decades, Soave was known as Petit Chablis in Italy– as the wine’s popularity spread all over the world. The best Soave can be eerily similar to Chablis in terms of minerality and spicy cut.
But in my mind, each region has something the other desperately wants. Chablis has the tradition of Burgundy and the respect of the entire wine world. But Italy’s wine white jewel, Gargenega is magical – way more diverse and interesting than Chardonnay for my money – and has the ability to get floral and boast juicy stone fruits.
But as Soave slowly gained popularity – production grew exponentially. Things were great. Until they weren’t. Wineries began getting complacent. Too many folks moved in and exploited Soave’s good name which sent the region spiraling in what the locals refer to as the “dark ages”.
In the last decade, the original great producers in the region like Gini, Pieropan and Pra have stepped up even more dramatically. Not only by not bowing to pressure to over crop and overly expand production, by continuing throughout this period to produce extremely high quality wines that just get better year after year. Today’s wine is the undeniable proof.
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93 Points, James Suckling
Nicely balanced and very tasty white with aromas and flavors of lemon, pineapple and peach. Creamy mineral notes and a tinge of herb, too. Medium-bodied with a fresh, relaxed feel and a pleasant, lemon-cream and pineapple finish. Very refined feel. Drink now.
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2022 was an absolutely perfect vintage in this respect and unfortunately, I think it will be one of the last, if not THE last. As winegrower Jean-Marc Brocard reported to Decanter: “When we taste the wines, we feel that the balance between acidity and ripeness is very good. It’s a classic style of Chablis. In the end, even after such a heat during summertime, we stay in a cool year reference.” He also alluded to the ageability of the vintage, saying “Let’s give them time, we must let nature do its work.”
The newly released 2022 Domaine Laroche Chablis Saint Martin has some big shoes to fill as the last four vintages have earned 92-points or higher, but the early indications are that this is line with previous vintages if not even a little bit ahead at this stage. The problem is – there’s almost none to go around with much smaller yields. Still this is beautiful and crisp, with good focus, energy and depth. I get the signature green fruits on the nose, with some Asian pear, and a hint of jasmine blossom. There’s a beautiful mineral streak that highlights this one. It’s a fantastic White Burg for the price.
92 Points (Best Buy), Wine Enthusiast – 90 Points, James Suckling
The winery could never expected their Tuscan Vermentino would become as integral as it has – even 25 years later, it’s still a key piece of the puzzle for Campo Maccione. It’s an unassuming wine with great viscosity and bright, savory flavors that way overdelivers for the price. James Suckling agreed, as did Wine Enthusiast. Suckling gave it a 90 and deemed it “an interesting take on Tuscan Vermentino.” Wine Enthusiast took it up a few notches, attaching a coveted ‘Best Buy’ designate to the wine along with a 92-point review for the wine “with a sophisticated restraint.”
Gold Medal (Best in Show), 2023 Mundus Vini International Tasting
The area has also been isolated from the rest of Spain for generations, which has kept the wine prices far lower than wines of this quality would be anywhere else in the world. That’s why, despite having the Torres family name on the bottle and the consistent huge press (including the Gold Medal & Best in Show at the 2023 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards in Germany), these wines can still be scooped up for under $20/bottle. It’s like the Sancerre pricing of yesteryear.
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