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
$24.00 $18.50
The master tinkerer Xavier Vignon was challenged a bit in the 2017 vintage by early bad weather, but a string of good luck weather wise when it mattered and a pivot in winemaking strategies proved pivotal and he ended up turning out some of the best wines in his already illustrious career.
2017 was Xavier’s highest ever rated CDR 100% from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. It was described as, “Rich, velvety and long”. All three adjectives accurately describe what Xavier Vignon believes might be his greatest vintage of winemaking yet. The new, fresh off the boat 100% Cotes du Rhone probably offers the best value in his impressive arsenal, with big, juicy flavors that just flood out of this one. Jammy raspberries and blueberries, wild earth and sage. This is the ideal wine to enjoy with most anything at the table or by itself so it can truly shine.
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90-92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Rich, velvety and long, the 2017 Cotes du Rhone 100% looks like another winning example of this cuvée. It’s full-bodied, bursting with grape, boysenberry and blueberry fruit, yet it remains fresh and mouthwatering on the finish.”
I visited Xavier Vignon at his aging-bottling cellar in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just beside Château des Fines Roches. He does most of the vinifications at another facility in Beaumes de Venise. Vignon, who started out as a winemaking consultant, sources grapes from many clients and former clients throughout the Southern Rhône for his own various labels. Fascinated by blending and tinkering, tasting with him is something like meeting with a benevolent mad scientist—there are so many different experiments to try, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with what is what. Many of his wines are released quite late onto the market, as he prefers to age wines up to three winters before bottling and two winters after bottling. On the other hand, many of his 2016s are already in bottle. “2016 was just like a dream,” he said. “The best autumn I’ve ever seen.” In 2017, Vignon cut way back on extraction, basically relying on infusion once past the midpoint of fermentation, to avoid extracting any hard tannins.”
The ‘16s are big wines, loaded with complex fruit but remain fresh, with low ph, making them great at any dinner table this week and every week for the next decade
A roasted leg of lamb is a perfect match!
97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship from Xavier is the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Anonyme, and in 2019 it’s 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and the balance a mix of permitted varieties. Partially destemmed and brought up in a mix of demi-muids and tank, it offers a beautifully pure, vibrant bouquet of black raspberries, white and black pepper, candied orange, and violets. Complex, layered, and nuanced, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a seamless texture, and a great finish. It has both elegance and richness, and will keep for 15+ years.
Fresh off its feature as one of Wine Spectator’s ‘Exciting California Values Under $25’, winemaker Matt Cline looks to stay hot with his release of the 2019 Contra Costa Zinfandel. This one is a beauty crafted off old-vines that are now between 110-140 years in age. There’s a ton of darker fruits that drive this one with a dusting of baking spice. The fruit is pure, fresh and long making it both delicious on its own or terrific with a burger, BBQ ribs, or grilled leg of lamb. Crazy cheap for what is in the bottle, load up!
93 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 93 Points, Wine Spectator
“Another sensational appellation release is the 2014 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands. Coming from an early vintage that was over two weeks ahead of average, it has tons of spice, black raspberry, currants and blackberry characteristics, medium to full-bodied richness, a great texture and no shortage of depth or length. Already impossible to resist, drink it anytime over the coming 7-8 years.” -The Wine Advocate
90 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Xavier Vignon’s brand spanking new CDR 100% is a thing of beauty. It’s already got a blessing from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate who described this wine as, “Full-bodied, concentrated and supple”. This is a gorgeous and intricate blend that features all of the Southern Rhone appellations. This year, the blend was 40% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, 7% Cinsault, 7% Marselan, 6% Terret Noir. Nobody can do it like the mad scientist, Xavier Vignon.
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