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
$180.00 $145.00
When it comes to good New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Still, there are a few must-haves that, in my eyes, are non-negotiable.
For one, the wine has to be crisp and refreshing with good acids and no sugar. It needs to be easy to drink on its own as well as to pair with summer cuisine like goat cheese salads and grilled watermelon. It also needs to have pristine fruit. So many of these wines are all grass clippings, lacking in what makes Sauvignon Blancs so delightful. It needs the tropical, citrus and stone fruit flavors we crave. Lastly, of course, it also has to have a stellar price. There are too many good cheap ones to overpay for NZ Sauv Blanc.
As easy as it sounds, if you add up all those requirements, you will find that very few New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs make the cut. Why? Most folks chase the increased demand with quantity and not quality. That just leaves the American consumer on their own to have to know where to look.
But luckily, I can tell you with extreme confidence that this wine checks every box.
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90 Points, James Suckling
Lots of passion fruit, guava and grapefruit on the nose. Bright, tropical and balanced, with medium body and a juicy, fruity finish. Sustainable. Drink now. Screw cap.
2022 was an absolutely perfect vintage in this respect and unfortunately, I think it will be one of the last, if not THE last. As winegrower Jean-Marc Brocard reported to Decanter: “When we taste the wines, we feel that the balance between acidity and ripeness is very good. It’s a classic style of Chablis. In the end, even after such a heat during summertime, we stay in a cool year reference.” He also alluded to the ageability of the vintage, saying “Let’s give them time, we must let nature do its work.”
The Zenato family has built up quite the reputation for delivering exceptional value with their red and whites in Veneto. Their Pinot Grigio is a particularly great value, punching way above its weight class. Delicately scented and soft on the palate, it offers classic citrus and floral notes in a balanced elegant style. It’s smooth and refreshing with a long, pleasant finish. Great with food.
Gold Medal (Best in Show), 2023 Mundus Vini International Tasting
The area has also been isolated from the rest of Spain for generations, which has kept the wine prices far lower than wines of this quality would be anywhere else in the world. That’s why, despite having the Torres family name on the bottle and the consistent huge press (including the Gold Medal & Best in Show at the 2023 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards in Germany), these wines can still be scooped up for under $20/bottle. It’s like the Sancerre pricing of yesteryear.
The 2016 vintage in Napa was nearly perfect for winemaker Kian Tavakoli (Opus One, Clos du Val). With ideal weather all throughout harvest, he crafted the Faustini Money Road Chardonnay off the famous vineyard located in the coveted Oakville AVA. The picturesque vineyard off Oakville Crossroad is platinum rated, known for its ideal combination of soil & climate and the big A list names that routinely source fruit. Kian’s Money Road Chard is still youthful despite having a few years of age, probably as a result of its 18 months of slumber in 1/4 new Oak.