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
$70.00 $60.00
If you haven’t noticed, there are 2014s and 2015s still on the market. Why? Because 2016 happened. Suddenly, despite the 2015 vintage being full of great, ageworthy Brunellos, most were passed up for the 2016 vintage, points or no points.
One of my favorite Brunello producers also happens to be one of the region’s most strict. Val di Suga, who for years has remained one of Tuscany’s finest and most consistent producers usually releases their wines pretty late. For the 2015 vintage, I think that hurt them a bit because they made a fantastic and super concentrated Brunello that received big scores but quickly got overshadowed by all the 2016 vintage talk.
The Brunello di Montalcinos at Val di Suga spend 24 months in Slavonian oak barrels and 12 months in concrete tanks before spending at least 12 months in the bottle. Many times, they’ll spend even more than 12 months in bottle prior to release, meaning that by the time they hit the market, they have already aged a few years and are already hitting their stride.
In stock
94 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
This is a very well balanced Brunello with sharp and classic lines. The Val di Suga 2015 Brunello di Montalcino offers attractive energy and brightness that is transmitted through the cherry fruit and wild berry aromas at its core. That primary fruit is surrounded by light spice, grilled herb and potting soil. There is a nice purity and linearity to this wine that reminds you of the natural depth and complexity of Sangiovese when given a little time to age.
93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Brunello is lifted with aromatics of candied cherry, raspberry fruit leather, vanilla, and sweet baking spices. As one would expect with the warmth of the 2015 vintage, the palate is rounder and more generous than the racier 2016. The palate is ripe with fresh cherry, tea leaf, and pleasant orange peel bitterness. It will provide welcome enjoyment over the next 15 years. Drink 2022-2036.
Grab a few bottles– one or two to enjoy now and one or two to lay down and check back on in 5-10 years time.
The Tonelli family are royalty in this region, with four generations of grape growers leading the way and even establishing the local D.O.C. Their 2020 Ponente is 100% Sangiovese and is an absolutely incredible wine for the price. Less than $20/bottle for fleshed out, high-toned, zipped up Sangiovese? Count me in. It screams for pizza or summer salads, squash or a charcuterie plate. It’s about to be one of your new favorites.
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.
95 Points, Wine Enthusiast – 94 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate
“The Caprili 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is lovely. The wine strikes that great balance of dark fruit, rose and tar that makes Brunello unique, and it doesn’t have those rough edges or stemmy tannins that you see sometimes in this undeniably hot and dry vintage. This expression remains elegant but also generous, and that’s not an easy intersection to reach. This is a standout wine from 2017, despite the challenges and the lower yields obtained this year. “
With seemingly infinite access to some of the absolute very best vineyards in the most choice AVAs in the valley, the Wagner’s set out to make Quilt– a Cabernet blend from a patchwork of the top sites in Napa (Oakville, St Helena, Atlas Peak, Coombsville, Calistoga, and Howell Mountain.) The brand new 2019 edition is a beauty – deeply concentrated, rich and a truly show stopping Cabernet. It’s a dark, hedonistic blend that combines elegance with power and pairs the two together effortlessly.
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