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 $37.50
A special blend from the master tinkerer who refuses to settle for status quo and continues to push the boundaries in southern France. This, all from the 2016 vintage, is a blend of five unique sites in the Rhone that Xavier perfectly balances together. There is so much going on, it’s easy to get lost in this intricate blend, but it’s a true classic in the making and well worth the big hype. I just wish I could’ve gotten more than a tiny 10-case allocation!
“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,” Xavier Vignon said. “The best autumn I’ve ever seen.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Out of stock
94+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Sourced from parcels in Lirac, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Rasteau, and higher elevation sites in Beaumes de Venise, the 2016 Côtes du Rhône Arcane Vi Les Amoureux (mostly Grenache) offers an awesome bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, pepper, garrigue, and olives. Beautifully textured, balanced, and layered, with fabulous purity, it’s a rocking wine that has loads of fruit, yet has the purity and elegance that makes this vintage so special. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.
94 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
A blend of lots from five different Southern Rhône crus (and hence declassified to Côtes du Rhône), the 2016 Cotes du Rhone Arcane VI Les Amourcaux is a stunning effort, showcasing raspberry and strawberry fruit, a silky-creamy texture and lush, mouthwatering flavors. No, it doesn’t speak of the individual terroirs (Beaumes de Venise, Gigondas, Lirac, Rasteau, Vacqueyras), but it delivers sheer deliciousness.
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.
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
This is a historic estate that is one of the best and oldest in the region and arguably the first to bottle their own estate CDP. Their newly released 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is a total gem – a seamless blend of mainly Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah with a little Cinsault blended in. Wine Spectator called the wine, “silky” and elegant and Jeb Dunnuck took it up a step further when he declared the wine, “a big winner, with the vintage’s purity and elegance front and center” in his rave 94-point review.
100 Pts, Lisa Perotti-Brown (Wine Independent) – 98 Pts, James Suckling – 98 Pts, Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose slowly unfurls to unveil beguiling floral notes of candied violets and rose oil over a core of creme de cassis, blackberry pie, and plum preserves, giving way to notions of licorice, Indian spices, iron ore, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular black fruit layers, intertwined with gorgeous floral and exotic spice accents, and framed by firm, finely grained tannins with seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced. Tightly coiled with so much latent energy waiting to explode, this is a spectacular expression of the vintage and Napanook vineyard. Still tightly coiled, give it a good 6-7 years in the cellar before broaching, and allow it a few hours in a decanter if consumed before 2032.”
For the first time, we have the 2021 Abbona Dolcetto Langhe in house. This is a fantastic and fun bottle to enjoy on it’s own, but it is also a showstopper with pizza. Made for those who love their wines with inky dark fruit, this boasts a jet black color with aromas of black cherry, blackberries and baked cake spice. The Langhe Dolcetto is the product of extremely low-yielding but highly concentrated juice that comes from the younger vines of her Estate. Incredibly fun to drink and to smell — it’s also what some would argue is the best compliment to a good pizza pie with some meat on it!
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.