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
$35.00
Xavier Vignon is easily one of the top winemakers in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and arguably the takes the top spot (especially if the full list of wines he ‘consults’ on ever came to light). He’s certainly the Southern Rhone’s most innovative winemaker. The Wine Advocate’s Jeb Dunnuck described Xavier as “one of the leading oenologists in the Southern Rhone – and you only need to taste his own wines to understand why.”
Well, we have. If you’ve had Xavier’s 100% then you know how much bang for the buck the master can pack into an unassuming bottle. If you’ve been lucky enough to land a bottle or two of his high-flying, high-scoring Anonyme – then you know what he’s capable of producing in the Saturday night market.
But Xavier’s best wines are the ones that completely buck convention in their pursuit of perfection – one hundred year old French wine laws be damned. Xavier’s non-vintage blends, when he holds back some of his favorite barrels from each vintage to make something special like his ‘La Reserve’ which picked the most astonishing recent vintages in CDP and blended them all together into a single masterpiece that famously drew a 100pt review in barrel from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
Today’s wine shows that the Southern Rhone’s preeminent winemaker will accept no bounds on his creativity – especially when it comes to attempting to craft perfection. The Arcane l’Etoile is a blend of three consecutive outstanding vintages (2015, 2016, 2017) from exceptional vineyards perched quite high in elevation (600 meters) on the edge of the Grand Montmirail.
Xavier’s l’Etoile is a traditional Chateauneuf-styled blend dominated by Grenache with 30% provided by Syrah and Mourvedre but with Xavier’s his signature dash of Viognier (ala Cote Rotie) that provides an extra lift and expression of character to an already super expressive wine.
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95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the higher elevation sites, the NV Beaumes de Venise Arcane Etoile is another elegant, finesse-oriented wine from Xavier that has both richness and freshness. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre as well as a small amount of Viognier from 2015, 2016, and 2017, it has something profound in its texture and balance. Notes of black raspberries, currants, dried flowers, lavender, and pepper are followed by a beautiful, full-bodied, elegant wine that might just be one of the greatest red wines to come from Beaumes de Venise.
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Anne Sery describes her Trousse Chemise Cabernets as an ode to the Left Bank and her winemaking roots. It’s a beautiful and fresh Cabernet with aromas that leap from the glass with of black raspberry, violets, and creme de liquor notes. The mouth gives generous amounts of juicy black fruits at the core with hints of baking spice and a smooth, savory finish. This is a terrific partner for just about anything from hard cheese, to poultry, summer salads, you name it!
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.”
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 2021 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.
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.
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