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
$22.00 $19.00
Rico Nuevo is a relatively new player in the Spanish wine scene, but they’re already making plenty of waves. The winery is right near Leon in the heralded Gredos Region. I’d call them ‘under the radar’ but all eight wines they submitted to Parker’s Wine Advocate got at least a 90-point score. That’ll help spread the word pretty quickly.
The key to success here is the region of Gredos itself as well as the 77-year old Garnacha vines that the winery taps into. The region is known for making a more savory, higher toned expression of Garnacha, but Rico Nuevo really epitomizes that elegance.
They divide their own property with 40 micro parcels, all along the highest elevations of the north side of the Gredos Mountains. Here everything is organic and biodynamic and they’re very hands off in the vineyard, letting the gnarly old-vines do all the talking. It works so well.
We have their baseline ‘Garnacha’ today, a grenache made from granitic parcels in the Alberche Valley. It’s a big wine with lots of primary fruit but also a minerality from the rocky, granite soil and some floral notes that are unique to this regio
Only 2 left in stock
92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Their regional Garnacha 2021 Rico-Nuevo was produced with grapes on granite soils from different vineyards in the villages of Burgohondo and El Barraco. This is subtle and pure, defined and clean, with moderate alcohol and ripeness, vibrant and fresh, with the fine granularity of the granite soils. They had to sort and select the grapes because it was a wet harvest, then fermented with some full clusters (less than in 2020) and kept the wine in stainless steel until bottled. There is a big jump in quality in this cuvée. And it’s a bargain.
90 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Xavier Vignon’s brand spanking new CDR 100% is a thing of beauty. It’s already got a blessing from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate who described this wine as, “Full-bodied, concentrated and supple”. This is a gorgeous and intricate blend that features all of the Southern Rhone appellations. This year, the blend was 40% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, 7% Cinsault, 7% Marselan, 6% Terret Noir. Nobody can do it like the mad scientist, Xavier Vignon.
93 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“Vignon’s 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape delivers even more than I hoped for based on a previous sample. Hints of garrigue, roses, cherries and raspberries appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, silky and long, with an intense, almost briny finish. The assemblage is 50% Grenache, 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus smaller proportions of seven other permitted varieties, while the élevage includes foudres, demi-muids, concrete and wooden tanks, plus terracotta amphorae.”
This is a sensational single-vineyard Merlot made from incredibly tiny clusters, full of some of the most elegant, intensely structured fruit from high atop Sonoma Mountain. Beautiful weight and balance with aromas of blueberries, black currants, sage and a hint of cocoa. It’s got a full, plush mouthfeel, pristine and vibrant fruit and a wonderful smooth finish. Thanks to Chad’s big bet on himself, he was able to make a knockout Sonoma Mountain beauty, without the need for any middleman, helping us to enjoy one of his best creations at an outstanding price.
100 Pts, International Wine Report – 98 Pts, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 98 Pts, James Suckling
“The 2020 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is truly sensational. It begins with striking aromas of fresh blackberries, blueberries and dark plums that are laced with fresh spring florals, mocha, sweet exotic spices, graphite and gravel nuances all taking shape. The palate is full-bodied and displays a remarkable combination of power and elegance throughout. This is beautifully structured and extremely expressive, as it possesses outstanding depth and concentration all they way through the long, finessed finish. Year after year, the Columbia Valley Cabernet is one of the most impressive wines, and there is no exception here, as it combines all the wonderful qualities of the 2020 vintage from Quilceda Creek into one expression. This is fantastic already and readers will be in for a real treat, as this simply marvelous wine will continue to deliver the goods for years to come.”