A TASTE OF NICHOLAS WINES 

WALK AROUND WINE TASTING

Friday, January 27th
7:00pm

$75 per person 
(tax and gratuity not included)

You’ve asked to sample our Nicholas Wines selections and we listened. This is an opportunity to taste the wines you’ve been reading about each week while sampling world class hors d’ oeuvres from our Restaurant Nicholas kitchen. Fifty dollars of the $75 fee is put towards your first wine purchase.

RESERVE: 732.345.9977

TASTING WINES

Joseph Phelps Freestone Vineyards Chardonnay 2013
The 2013 Sonoma Coast growing season proved to be another excellent year. The season began with a dry, mild winter followed by light spring rains and warm weather giving way to early bud break and veraison. Minimal morning coastal fog led to sunshine filled afternoons throughout the summer ripening months setting the stage for an early harvest. Grapes received ample time for even, full maturity with harmonious sugar and acid levels. The wines produced from the 2013 vintage are balanced and concentrated with classic fruit structure.

Dominique Crochet Sancerre Blanc 2015
The village of Bué has the highest elevation and most mineral soil within the appellation of Sancerre. It is home to the estate of Dominique Crochet, an artisan-farmer of the highest level. His family has naturally farmed Sauvignon Blanc in Bué for generations, coaxing the vibrant, green apple/quince flavors so typical to Sancerre from this village. This electric white wine is best served cool with any kind of seafood but is particularly good with rich lobster rolls!

Almondo Bricco delle Ciligie 2015
Almondo’s single vineyard Arneis is one of the most electric white wines to have ever come from Italy, it’s an established Nicholas Wines’ favorite, a sure harbinger of spring. The 2015 is fresh off the temp-controlled boat and once again, is a sensory firework show. It’s loaded with lush, peachy fruit yet balanced by a stony, mineral freshness that makes it so good with any rich food. In the restaurant, we pair it as we would with great white Burgundy but it’s a great choice for a Summer white, flat out delicious by itself as an aperitif or a terrific complement to just about anything fried or from the sea. So, whether it’s the finest dining the world can offer or a simple omelet with great NJ asparagus, Almondo Arneis is the right wine.

Corzano e Paterno Il Corzanello Bianco 2015
The landscape of the Italian white scene can be quite tricky. Loaded with sulphur, sharp and astringent or worse, sulphur-laden and then gloppy sweet, Italian white wine remains one of the more difficult categories of wine to navigate. There is an ocean of it out there but the real gems are few and far between. It’s worth the search though because when they are great, like Corzano e Paterno’s Il Corzanello Bianco, they are jump-out-of-the-glass aromatic, with peachy-juicy fruit and zippy acidity that makes them both the best of apertifs and incredibly versatile at the table. Corzano e Paterno is an organic farm in northern Chianti, making cheese from the milk of 800 Sardinian sheep on one side of the property and making mostly Chianti on the other. The white wine is a rarity, 800 cases produced. This “Chianti Bianco” in 2013 is super, an easy go-to house white.

Minchin Valencay Le Cloux Delorme 2015
Valençay is one of those off the beaten path satellite appellations near Sancerre and is a great source for finding bang per buck, everyday Sauvignon Blanc. It’s an area better known for its brilliant goat cheese but in the hands of an artisan like Bertrand, the wine can be pretty remarkable. The flint, quartz and limestone that is in the soil has a direct expression in the wine grown there… this is electric Sauvignon Blanc, filled with citrus fruits and a stony minerality. It’s the natural complement to any piece of fish or roasted poultry and certainly works with any goat cheese. 

Diego Bolognani Pinot Grigio 2015
Diego Bolognani is one of the most knowledgeable and commited winemakers of Trentino. This Alpine growing region is perfect for Pinot Grigio. Diego’s wine has a beautiful balance of white flowers, nuts, citrus, and stony notes, with an utter purity of fruit and a long, refined finish. Drink outside all summer long.

Cameron Hughes Lot 468 Oakville Meritage 2013
Lot 468 2013 Oakville Meritage is a Merlot/Cabernet blend sourced from the heart of Oakville, the center cut of the Napa Valley. Born from some of Oakville’s most acclaimed dirt just off Highway 29, the grapes that went into this wine enjoyed some of the greatest growing conditions that the area has ever seen. Bolstered by a hearty injection of Cabernet from Meteor, Stagecoach, and Heimark vineyards, the resulting blend is pure bliss, combining the plump sophistication of Merlot with the depth and complexity of serious hillside Cabernet. Compare at $50+.
Nichols Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Britt Nichols refined her hand crafting complex, vibrant Cabernet Sauvignon under the tutelage of Jordan, Peter Michael and Philippe Melka. At Nichols, Britt’s new brand, the goal was the same…crafting lush Cabernet with fine tannin that speak to its place of origin. The Stags Leap District cuveé comes from two well-drained vineyards loaded with pebbles and gravel. That gravelly loam is key here, roots dig deep in poor soil, bringing terrific minerality and freshness up to the grapes. The vineyards position on floor guarantees excellent sun exposure allowing for superb concentration. The result is a knock-out Cabernet, loaded with fresh, juicy black fruit, perfect with grilled beef or with just a hunk of cheese. 600 cases produced.

Carl Roy Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
2013 in the Napa Valley was a terrific year for Cabernet. A dry, warm spring was followed by a cool, dry summer, allowing for incredibly slow, even development of aromas and flavors, a picture-perfect vintage. Harvest began in mid-October providing grapes with unusual “hang-time”. Selected from old-vine vineyards rooted in the rocky, volcanic soil of Diamond Mountain, the wine is fabulously concentrated with a firm, mineral finish that speaks to its potential for considerable aging.

Lazy Creek Vineyards Lazy Day Pinot Noir 2014
“Lazy Day” Pinot Noir comes from Anderson Valley in Mendocino County where warm, sunny days and cool, foggy mornings and nights create the ideal microclimate for producing this wine. This sustainably-farmed Pinot Noir has attractive aromas of plum, cherry and rose petal with lush flavors of bright red cherry, mocha, a hint of cola and a nice touch of spice on the finish. This is a medium-bodied, easy-drinking wine. Pair it with braised meats, veal, salmon, lobster, prawns, and dishes with creamy sauces and spicy seasonings.

Domaine Terres des Velle Volnay – Le Ronceret 1er cru 2013

Domaine des Terres de Velle is a new, all estate domaine in Burgundy. That’s almost unheard of. Francois and Sophie Laronze worked for a larger winery in Burgundy for several years. Along the way, they met an investor who had a lot of faith in them and he agreed to create a new domaine, buying old vines in Auxey, Meursault, Puligny, Monthelie and Volnay. Then they built a brand new winery in Auxey, releasing their first vintage was 2009. They tell some great stories of being the new kids on the very old block of Auxey; the postman has just started to say hello….Francois and Sophie farm organically and craft mineral, fine Burgundy. The Volnay 1er cru Ronceret is very fine, complex and long. Drink now, 2028

Volpaia IGT Indue Super Tuscan 2012
At Volpaia, in the heart of Chianti Classico, the Sangiovese is grown at 550 meters (1,800 feet) above sea level, resulting in fresh, elegant wine. At Prelius in the Maremma, the Cabernet Sauvignon is grown a mere 3.2 kilometers (two miles) from the Mediterranean Sea and 45 meters (150 feet) above sea level, resulting in wine that is supple and juicy. The blend of these grapes, organically grown at both properties, results in a wine demonstrating dramatic complexity and balance.
Germano Barbera 2015
It’s no surprise to me that Sergio Germano has emerged as one of the best producers in Barolo. His dad, Ettore, was long recognized as a master grafter of vines. Producers all over the appellation paid Ettore by the vine to replant their vineyards. Sergio took over in ’93, marrying his formidable technical winemaking knowledge with his family’s great terroir, old vines and incredible tradition, creating a domaine that has become among the very best in Barolo. Across the board, Sergio’s wines enjoy an incredible vibrancy. They are big wines with such a streak of elegance, a quality rare in any part of the wine world and one that I hold as important as any when sourcing wine. Sergio’s 2015 Barbera was fermented and aged in tank so it is completely about the fruit, no oak influence here. It’s clean, concentrated, snappy Barbera, as good a food wine as any we have offered at Nicholas Wines. Don’t miss it

Xavier Vignon CDR 2012

"Dollar for dollar, Xavier’s Côtes du Rhône is one of the best buys in the Nicholas Wine store and the new 2012 vintage, is a superb bottle of wine. It’s a got a killer nose, loaded with aromas of anise, black berries and white pepper. Need a score? Not a problem, even Xavier’s everyday wines attract the attention of Robert Parker. The 2012 Côtes du Rhône pulled down a 90, not bad for wine you can afford to drink every day.  “The 2012 Côtes du Rhône is another beauty by this team. Licorice, roasted herbs, pepper and plenty of sweet fruit come together in this medium to full-bodied, layered, and textured effort. Made from 60% Grenache, and Mourvedre and Syrah that saw mostly concrete tank, it’s a smoking Côtes du Rhône (and a fabulous value) to drink over the coming 3-4 years.” 90 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Xavier Vignon Anonyme 2012
“The top wine from the portfolio, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvee Anonyme offers thrilling purity and focus in its lively dark fruits, roasted meats and underbrush-scented bouquet. Full-bodied, ripe and textured, with fantastic polish and sweetness to its tannin, it has a supple, forward feel, yet will easily evolve for 10-15 years……"
95 points The Wine Advocate

Chateau Sipian Medoc 2014
It’s no surprise that Château Sipian has been recognized as a great estate on the Left Bank since the 1840‘s. With its classic Garonnaise soil of porous gravel and sand and its proximity to the river Gironde, this is the classic terroir for producing great, Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux. The Mehaye family purchased the estate in 1978 and Frederick Mehaye has been at the helm since 1989. Frederick farms his 25 year old vines of Cabernet, Merlot and Petit Verdot naturally and makes the wine with just a bit of new oak so the great aromatic complexity and fruit inherent to this part of Bordeaux can shine through the wine.

Château Tournefeuille Lalande-de-Pomerol 2014

The nose is off the charts in 2014, be sure to drink this wine in a big glass. violets and blackberries just blast from the glass and continue to evolve….if you can resist, try a bottle over 3 days. Incredible. Basically, Château Tournefeuille is a blue chip Bordeaux property on the wrong side of the tracks. I went all in on this one, not only is the wine delicious tonight but I believe it will be every night for the next 20 years, minimum. Don’t miss one of the very great deals of the year.

Domaine Le Roc des Anges Segna De Cor Cotes du Roussillon 2015

When Marjorie Gallet of Roc des Anges first saw the rugged hills of slate that dominate the northern reaches of the Roussillon, in the shadow of the Pyrenees, she knew to make the best wine possible there, she needed to let that rocky soil shine through the wine. Tasting her brilliant 2015 Segna de Cor, it absolutely does. It’s big wine, crafted from organically tended old vine Grenache and Carignane but it’s completely light on its feet. She uses no wood in the winemaking, it’s crush, ferment, rack and bottle. It’s as pure of wine that we sell here, powerfully fruity but easy to drink and delicious with anything. Best with roasted lamb and lentils but just as good with salmon and mushrooms….don’t miss this wine.

The Ojai Vineyard Duvarita Vineyard Syrah 2014

“The 2014 Syrah Duvarita Vineyard is a wine for readers who enjoy peppery, savory Syrahs. Game, smoke, cracked pepper, licorice and lavender literally jump from the glass. Bold and pungent to the core, the 2014 exudes richness and pure power. The firm, incisive tannins need time to soften but this is another wine with a bright  future. Readers should expect a virile, imposing Syrah. Fasten your seatbelt, the Duvarita is another total knockout from Adam Tolmach and Ojai….”  95+ Antonio Galloni.

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Nicholas  |  160 Route 35 South  |  Red Bank NJ 07701  |  732.345.9977