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
$55.00 $30.00
As Goethe once said – “To understand Italy, Sicily is the clue to everything.” And perhaps, no region better expresses the passion that the country brings to its wines more so than the island at the tip of Italy’s boot.
And that passion is most pronounced in the small region that is now attracting winemakers world wide to its tiny boundaries – Mt Etna. Where winegrowers literally feel the ground rumble below them and where active massive eruptions are still a distinct reality (there was one just last year).
So why are these winemakers literally taking their life in their hands just to work a few hectares of land? Because there are no vineyards like it in the world.
The soil here is mineral rich, but nutrient poor, composed of ash, decomposed lava and sand. The wines crafted off these soils are complex– deeply concentrated with dark rich fruit, featuring a silky weave of soft tannins and a great backbone for aging. As Jancis Robinson once famously opined “Is Etna the Burgundy of the Mediterranean?”
With super hot and dry summers and cool, mountainous nights along the volcano, the grapes ripen later than almost all others throughout the world, coming into its own in mid-late October when most of the rest of Italy has long since picked.
In their rave 93-point review of the wine, Vinous called it, “Lovely stuff” calling it, “Ripe and expansive but also very pure and clean on the palate.” Of the very few wines that make it stateside from this tiny volcano rim, my favorite by far is from Tenuta di Fessina. If you have time to sit and drink it– it will marvel. It takes time to unwind in the glass, constantly pealing back new layers of intricacy. Red and black currants with smooth tannins and a hint of bramble and baking spice on the finish. This is an impeccably balanced wine.
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93 Points, Vinous Media
Deep red-ruby. Flamboyant aromas of plum, chestnut and violet with high-pitched notes of spicy plum sauce. Sweet, ripe and expansive but also very pure and clean on the palate, this medium-bodied wine is tangy and penetrating today. Closes long and suave with lively acids but avoids coming off as hard. Lovely stuff.
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#24 Wine of the Year (2022), Wine Spectator
92 Points, Wine Spectator – 91 Points, James Suckling
“This supple red shows a core of cherry and plum fruit allied to olive, juniper and tobacco notes. Delivers well-integrated tannins and acidic structure, lingering nicely on the finish.”
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.
95 Points, James Suckling – 94 Points, Wine Spectator – 93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
The new release is here from outstanding winemaking team of Michel Rolland, Charles Thomas, Andy Erickson and David Jelenik. This one always represents one of the best quality-to-price ratios in all of Napa Cab and in the stellar 2021 vintage, this really stands out as one of the best the Valley has to offer. It’s a racy mix of Coombsville fruit from Atlas Peak that absolutely roars out of the bottle. Always one of Napa’s great bargains and a must have even as the price starts to sneak up here a little bit.
92 Points, Vinous – 92 Points, James Suckling – 91 Points, Wine & Spirits
“The 2021 Malbec Reserva, from Vistalba, Lujan de Cuyo, was 60% aged in barrels for 12 months. Purple in color. The nose presents notes of fresh plum and violets, white pepper, strawberry, hints of spice and aromas from the aging process. It’s initially indulgent in the mouth, with good fat, and volume and a velvety texture. The flavors are bold and full-bodied. This 2021 overdelivers at the price.” -Vinous
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