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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We’re nearing the end of what was a flawlessly crafted, high energy coastal Chardonnay release from one of California’s hottest spots. It’s still every bit as bright and refreshing as you could want and it hits with clean, pristine green apple fruits, pears and citrus notes with a hint of that limestone-influenced minerality. It’s a fantastic wine for all seasons, the perfect pair with mixed seafood, summer tomatoes, corn and freshly caught fish.
Stephan Steinmetz is a star in the Mosel wine region. His old vines are rooted in Kimmeridgian limestone, the exact same vein of rock that winds its way from Sancerre through Chablis and Champagne to its final out-cropping here in the Obermosel. His Elbling is glorious — both completely unlike anything I’ve ever had and also eerily familiar. The color is almost clear, some might call it silver. A stunning nose of green apples and lemon peel gives way to fresh pear and bright citrus fruits on the palate. It’s a stunningly focused wine with a healthy dose of minerality and acid zip, not unlike great Sancerre/Chablis and bone dry.
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.”
Glistening pale yellow-green to the rim, infused with mouth-watering aromas of ripe apple, pear and quince, and crushed almonds with honey and rich creamy middle and a fantastic rush of acidity and minerality that are present throughout. A calling card of Bonhomme’s Vire-Clesse, if you closed your eyes and took a sip, it would have you convinced you were drinking Meursault at least a 3x price tag.
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