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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It’s always nice to be in good standing with one of the most beloved wine brands in America! These won’t last long! This is an opulent, powerful dark-fruited Cabernet with tightly woven tannins, that is just raring and ready to go. Textbook, full-bodied, revved up and ready to go, this new Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet is the definition of a crowd pleaser.
The secret to Philippe’s tightly wound, complex Pinot Noir is a combo of ancient vines, natural farming techniques, and low yields. The wines are built to age, with incredible tension and length. And the secret to me securing his other-wordly 2017 old-vine Gevry-Chambertin can be chalked up to a great relationship and over a decade supporting superior Burgundian winemaking. The wine is scary good. The nose is wild, filled with spiced dark raspberries, red flowers, and baking spices. The palate is elegant and racy, with a dynamic tension that runs right through its minute-long finish. This is a high-toned, wound-up Pinot, that is starting to hit its prime and is really turning out to be a ‘must-have’ for true Burgundy lovers.
95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck – 95 Points, Lisa Perotti-Brown
The oft 100-point winemaker, Jayson Woodbridge had this to say when tasting his 2021 ‘Stargazing’ Sonoma Pinot: “The wine is vibrant and complex with subtle dark fruits and berries, grandmother’s cherry pie, minerals, and a slight touch of rain-soaked earth, intertwined with a balance and very pleasing easy-going luxury. Should have been priced higher but what the hell.” I have no doubt this clerical error will be addressed in the vintages moving forward. But for now, this is a cult Pinot for under $100/bottle.
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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