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
$45.00 $33.00
Today’s wine is a discovery wine, but it’s also becoming something of a cult wine for those in the know. If you don’t know Vilafonte or winemaker Chris de Vries, you’re certainly excused. Before a few weeks ago, I wasn’t familiar with him either. But now that his wines are firmly on my radar, I’m telling you they need to be on yours too. Today’s wine is a great place to start.
The Cape Town born de Vries is a star in the making. This year, with him at the helm, the small private Stellenbosch winery earned the two top awards at the annual International Wine and Spirits Competition, securing both the 2021 Red Wine Producer of the Year award as well as the 2021 Outstanding Wine Producer of the Year. Their star is officially rising at a meteoric rate.
Though their “Series” wines are the big ticket, high priced skus, Master of Wine and Decanter Wine Awards Judge, Greg Sherwood says it’s the Seriously Old Dirt series that is responsible for Vilafonte’s newfound cult status. “The success and popularity of the Seriously Old Dirt label by Vilafonte has undoubtedly been one of the most significant success stories within the South African wine industry over the past 5 years.” He would take his praise one step further though calling it an “incredibly exciting brand that has been crafted with expertise and vision and constructed around the basic principles of accessible structure, youthful intensity and an underlying feel and character of uncompromising quality from premium Stellenbosch and Paarl terroirs”.
Using mainly clippings from their big brothers the Series M and Series C, the Seriously Old Dirt Cabernet blend is 86% Cabernet, and rounded out with plump, juicy Bordeaux varietals that add a lot of richness, depth and a whole lot of flare.
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94 Points (Wines of the Year) Decanter World Wine Awards, 2021
Exciting flavours of sweet mulberry, black plum, cinnamon and cedar. Super fresh and elegant, concentrated yet light on its feet.
93 Points, James Suckling
Aromas of redcurrants and dark earth follow through to a full body with plenty of dark-cherry and berry flavors and a long, flavorful finish. Creamy and round tannins, yet tight and focused. Bark and berry aftertaste. Drink or hold.
92+ Points, Greg Sherwood, MW
This wine casts an attractive plummy purple-black colour and offers up vibrant notes of candied Parma violets, crème de cassis, sun raisined black cherries and hints of blueberry confit with an overlay of graphite and cedar spice. There is a lovely youthful maritime salinity and black liquorice nuance that melts into notes of iodine and Chinese five spice. The palate is medium bodied, fresh and supple but slowly unfurls to reveal a solid frame of creamy mineral tannins, ample Cabernet Sauvignon extract and a long, pleasingly drying grippy structure that is bolstered by salty cassis, taut black orchard fruits, stewed black cherries and hints of complexing bay leaf herbal spice. The 2019 vintage yielded wines with freshness, structural classicism, mineral tension and harmony and this superb new release from Vilafonte speaks honestly of the vintage and continues to fly the flag for premium second wines that offer exceptional quality, value for money and age-ability. Drink this on release with some lovely slow roasted lamb or age for 2 to 3+ years to allow it to open its shoulders further. A great wine for the savvy fine wine drinker.
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Winemaker Kian Tavakoli (Opus One, Clos du Val) continues to excel even while others struggle. In 2017, he still managed to deliver a beautiful and opulent Napa Valley Cabernet that’s both dark and juicy. The wine hails from both Coombsville and Rutherford, giving it distinct characteristics and a lot of drive. Deep ruby to the rim with excellent concentration, notes of Bing cherries, raspberry pie and hints of vanilla. On the palate, big wonderfully jammy fruit with young but impressive tannins and great length. The finish leaves notes of black cherry, and baked blueberry pie. Fantastic Napa value.
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.”
100 Points, Decanter – 100 Points, Vinous – 99 Points, Wine Enthusiast – 99 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 99+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck – 98 Points, Wine Spectator – 98 Points, James Suckling
“The 2018 Palmer is a legend in the making…This audacious Palmer was still revving its engines 48 hours after opening. There will never be another Palmer like this, sui generis. It was a massive risk. But by throwing caution to the wind, something extraordinary was born.” -100 points, Vinous
In the 2020 vintage in Gevrey-Chambertin, yields were super low and temperatures were hotter than most Burgundian winemakers are accustomed. Many picked too late when the sugars were high and the fruit really ripe, but that was not the play. Still, Ann remained as cool in those hot temps as she did so many years ago in Napa, concentrating more on acid levels than sugars and picking at just the right time. This wine is absolutely singing – it’s an age-worthy beauty that should be even better in 4-7 years.
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