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
$30.00 $24.99
One of my favorite memories is running up the rugged hills of the Stolpman estate in Santa Barbara County. It’s a wild place, with jackrabbits the size of coyotes and a fun rope swing that drops you into a swimming hole where if you don’t scramble out fast enough, you are likely to get a bite or 2 from angry carp. Running through the estate is where you really get a sense for the limestone there, an utter rarity in CA and is absolutely one of the secrets to Pete Stolpman’s aromatically complex, vibrant wines.
His latest release, La Cuadrilla, is much more than a stylish, elegant blend of Syrah and Grenache. Each year, the Stolpman’s designate one block of the vineyard for the full time farm workers at the estate to manage entirely on their own. Staying within the general principles of the Stolpman farming philosophy, la cuadrilla or “the crew” make all the farming decisions, from pruning to harvest.
In return, the Stolpmans give 100% of the profits back to the workers. Pete says it’s the best motivational tool they could have ever put into place; this piece of ownership breeds loyalty and immense pride in their work.
Out of stock
92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The 2019 La Cuadrilla is a blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Grenache and 15% Sangiovese. Medium ruby-purple, it opens with perfumed red and blue berry fruits with nuances of licorice and flowers. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with juicy fruits in a grainy frame, and it finishes long with loads of floral nuances.
96 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 96 Points, Vinous – 96 Points,
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is sublime. Bright and savory, with tons of energy, the 2019 captures all the personality of this tiny vineyard on Diamond Mountain. Dried rose petal, lavender, red plum, graphite and crushed rocks add layers of nuance to this mid-weight, classically built Cabernet from Dyer. In a word; superb.”
The next great Big Red in the long line from the Wagner family of Caymus fame. Like the previous Quilt offerings, this represents Joe Wagner’s pick of the litter of available vineyard sources that puts his inimitable blending abilities into play. In a vintage as easy and as heralded as 2021, the only difficulty the Wagners had was finding things they didn’t like. So explosive and juicy on the palate with a lush mouthfeel and silky smooth tannins. A winner for Napa and Big Red fans alike.
96+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“Another brilliant wine from this team is the 2019 Hermitage, which spent 26 months in 50% new French oak and 50% in once-used barrels. Its dense purple color is followed by a massive array of ripe blackberry and cassis fruits interwoven with notes of scorched earth, subtle smoke, beef blood, and crushed rock. It’s big, full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent, yet it has ultra-fine tannins and impeccable balance as well. It’s going to take a decade to shed its baby fat (it offers ample pleasure today) but should have 20-30 years of overall longevity.”
99 Points, James Suckling – 96 Points (Cellar Selection), Wine Enthusiast
“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is a more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all hitting 13.7% alcohol. As usual, it was aged in new American oak. It shows the higher Cabernet component and is deep purple-hued and tight and closed, with a primordial vibe to its dark blue and black fruit, smoked tobacco, vanilla bean, graphite, and cedarwood aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific overall balance, building, ripe tannins, a good sense of freshness, and outstanding length. It reminds me slightly of the 2018 with its more elegant, streamlined profile, but I expect this to build with bottle age, and it should have 2-3 decades of overall longevity.” – Jeb Dunnuck
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