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
$18.00 $14.00
Ricasoli is an institution in the Italian wine scene. That’s not hyperbole – they are literally the oldest documented winery in Italy. They’re soooo old – they’re the fourth oldest family business in the world!
With a history that traces back to 1141, they have been working the soils of Tuscany for almost 900 years. It is incredibly impressive.
As the current generation of Ricasoli owners will tell you – the only way you stay relevant for all these years is to have a relentless commitment to the land, to the community and to make wines that make people truly happy.
It’s what Baron Bettino Ricasoli did in the mid 1800s after two stints as prime minister of Italy when he devoted the 30 years after he left office to experiment and document his original formula for the Chianti wine that would become the standard for the entire region.
It’s what the current crop of Ricasolis are hoping to do with their transition to planting new grapes for a SuperTuscan that flat out shines.I’m not even really sure what it’s doing at this price – but the Ricasolis are hellbent on keeping everything priced so that they’re approachable for everyone.
Out of stock
95 Points, Decanter
“Sweet oak spice, cream, vanilla, and white chocolate notes, “It’s clean but with rustic and earthy notes, charming and well poised. Soft, opulent, plummy and ripe. Full-bodied with ripe tannins, black cherry and red plums. Plush mid-palate. Beautifully harmonious wine with lovely freshness on the finish. Ideal with Spicy cuisine, and duck.”
95 Points, Decanter
On the nose, herbs and lavender dominate, as notes of meat stew swish in the background. As it continues to open up, various black fruits continue to emerge. The palate is marked by bright acids (perfect for fatty cuisine), black cherry and touch of leather. This is a perfect candidate for the cellar and will be a stellar pull over the next decade.
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.
Soon to be Rated
With Herve and Fabre Montmayou wracking up NYT features, huge scores, gold medals and lifetime achievement awards, I’m left with one choice: get in now or be left in the cold. Waiting for the scores to roll in is a luxury that we know longer have with Fabre Montmayou. Good for the winery, but not so good for us. Rest assured though, the 2020 Cabernet Franc Herve sent me is fantastic, and will surely be minted with the same kind of high-flying praise as the vintage before it. But by that time, you’ll only have a bottle or two left in the cellar.
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.
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