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
$68.00 $60.00
Our friend Xavier Vignon constantly fiddles with each step of his winemaking process. He’s never content with his work from the previous vintage, however great it may have been. It is that ‘mad scientist’ approach and attention to detail that has helped Xavier earn consistent and overwhelming praise from the most notable wine publication in the world, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
Formerly a perennial Nicholas Wines favorite, we haven’t seen Xavier Vignon’s flagship wine, the Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Anonyme, for a few years now. It’s an incredible bottling that has NEVER earned the talented winemaker less than a 94-point score from Parker’s Wine Advocate and fittingly is always the toughest allocation for us to secure. Some of that is demand. Some of that is because in truly great vintages like 2016, Xavier always holds back a few barrels, looking to tinker a bit more and blend a few vintages together for his non-vintage specialty ‘La Reserve.’
But seeing as it has been so long since I’ve been able to bring Xavier’s flagship wine back, I asked if he had anything special. I remembered his quote from a few years back when he told The Wine Advocate that “2016 was just like a dream. The best autumn I’ve ever seen.” So I figured, what the hey, and asked the master himself if he had 2016s that he was willing to part with. Xavier paused for a few moments before relenting. Okay, I could give you a few cases of the Cuvee Anonyme.
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95+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Anonyme is the flagship and is mostly Grenache that was sourced from numerous terroirs throughout Châteauneuf-du-Pape and brought up in a mix of tank and barrels (some new). It offers a rocking bouquet of black raspberries, blueberries, lavender, Asian spices, and graphite. Like all of Xavier’s 2016s, it has purity, freshness, and richness, yet still packs ample richness and depth. Give this full-bodied, elegant red another few years, and it will keep for a decade.
95 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
The striking 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Anonyme is 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre and the rest minor varieties (there’s no Syrah). Aged in a mix of foudres, demi-muids, barriques and concrete tanks, it shows hints of mocha and toast on the nose, but the blackberry and red plum fruit is mouthwatering and fresh, richly concentrated and spicy. Full-bodied, it manages to be ripe, silky and concentrated, while remaining crisp on the lengthy finish. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
A perennial favorite, this wine constantly garners the accolades it deserves. It’s a terrific wine– one of the best to come from Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Weight | 2 lbs |
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Great with red meat, poultry or even some carpaccio or tuna tartare.
#3 Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2021
96 Points, Parker’s Wine Advocate – 95 Points, Wine Spectator
We are one of the very few folks who have Wine Spectator’s #3 Wine of the Year. This is definitely not one to miss. The 2016 vintage showcases this prized vineyard in all its glory; notes of wild black fruit, thyme, mint, eucalyptus, and bay are lifted and enjoyed with the polished tannin and mouthwatering freshness of this wine. Regarded as one of the best vintages in the last few decades, the 2016 Martha’s Vineyard has been aged to perfection for immediate enjoyment at release and will continue to reward for the next 20+ years.
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
In the 2020 vintage in Gevrey-Chambertin, yields were super low and temperatures were hotter than most Burgundian winemakers are accustomed. Many picked too late when the sugars were high and the fruit really ripe, but that was not the play. Still, Ann remained as cool in those hot temps as she did so many years ago in Napa, concentrating more on acid levels than sugars and picking at just the right time. This wine is absolutely singing – it’s an age-worthy beauty that should be even better in 4-7 years.
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