FALL WALK AROUND WINE TASTING
Friday, October 18th
7:00pm- 8:30pm
$75 per person
(tax and gratuity not included)
Join us at Restaurant Nicholas for a walk around wine tasting that features 16 wines from around the world…. perfect for drinking on crisp, Autumn nights. These wines pair beautifully with Fall flavors: roasted meats, hearty soups and harvest vegetables. Fifty dollars of the $75 fee goes towards your first wine purchase.
Lightly passed hors d’ oeuvres will be served.
RESERVE: 732.345.9977 (phone reservations only)
Tasting Wines
Balestri Valda Soave Classico 2018
Guido, Laura and Luca Rizzotto organically farm old vines of Garganega and Trebbiano in the rolling hills of Soave, creating high-toned, delicious white wines. Their Soave Classico 2018 is wonderfully aromatic, redolent of white nuts and jasmine. It’s concentrated and juicy, with a long, electric finish. This is a house white, perfect by itself, or pair with just about anything The cost is crazy. There is no Italian white (especially any Pinot Grigio!) that is farmed organically, sourced from old vines on mineral soil, is made in tiny quantities and only costs $17!
Domaine de Loye Menetou-Salon 2017
Current winemaker and proprietor of Domaine de Loye, Valentin Moindrot’s dad founded the estate in 1970 with vines his grandfather planted in the ‘50s. These old vines are rooted in deep limestone, and dry, limestone-infused clay. This mineral soil adds great vibrancy to their Sauvignon, loaded with aromas and flavors of white flowers, lime-blossom and citrus fruit. His 2017 Menetou-Salon juicy enough to be delicious on its own poolside and but with a nervy, high-toned backbone that makes it perfect at any table.
Juliana Layla Chardonnay San Luis Obispo 2018
The foggy mornings and chilly evenings of San Luis Obispo makes for slow and even development of aromas and flavors in Chardonnay grapes. Far away from the Disney-like atmosphere of Napa and Sonoma where very often, the marketing budgets for wineries are much greater than their investment in the vineyards, here, it’s all about the farming. San Luis Obispo is right on edge of where grapes get ripe but in the right hands, home to some of the most exciting examples of Chardonnay that I ever tasted. Juliana Layla Chardonnay is a lively, cool-climate wine, loaded with crisp green apple and pear fruit, kissed with just a touch new wood. The rich fruit is balanced by a firm, mineral acidity that leaves a long finish. It won’t be around long, don’t miss it.
Klaus-Peter Keller Weissburgunder Rheinhessen 2018
The limestone hills of the Rheinhessen produce incredibly mineral, aromatic wines with a crystalline-like purity of fruit. Klaus-Peter Keller organically farms several Grand Cru sites throughout the Rheinhessen. The limestone is a terrific base for varieties like Weissburgunder, better known as Pinot Blanc, a naturally fruity variety but grown on the limestone, it gains complexity, focus and length generally reserved for wines twice its price. Drink with any kind of seafood or sausage off the grill.
Domaine des Chambris Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge 2018
Up in the hills of Hautes Côtes, just west of Nuits St Georges, winemaker and proprietor, Pierre Laurent tends Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines rooted in the classic clay/limestone of Burgundy. Warm vintages like 2018 are great in the Hautes Côtes where high elevations allow for cooler nights and a more even, longer growing season. The resulting wine is juicy, berried up Pinot but with a freshness and vibrancy that will make this wine brilliant at any table this fall. Great wine for roasted turkey at your next holiday celebration!
Domaine Philippe Rossignol Côtes-de-Nuits 2016
Philippe Rossignol’s wines are decidedly old school Burgundies. The secret to Philippe’s tightly wound, complex Pinot Noir is a combo of really old vines, natural farming techniques and low yields. Philippe is strong believer of whole cluster fermentation; a traditional practice only possible with the ripest of bunches. Stem inclusion helps create wines that are more expressive, with jump-out-of-the-glass aromatics, with more depth, complexity, and longevity. The wines are built to age, with an incredible level of tension and length. The ’16’s dark red fruit is fantastic from beginning to end, with the firm, signature Rossignol finish to remind you this is a wine with a load of potential. The nose is wild, filled with spiced dark raspberries, red flowers and baking spices. This tense, wound-up Pinot Noir that drinks like wine twice its price.
Ojai Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 2017
The combination of old vines, the sand and shale soils of Santa Barbara County, and a long cool growing season provide for intense, complex aromatic display in Adam Tolmach 2017 SBC Pinot. The wine’s concentrated fruit is balanced by a fresh minerality often found in Adam’s wines. The 17 is bright and vibrant, delicious but with the acidity and structure to age gracefully in a proper cellar.
Ronchi Barbaresco 2016
The Ronchi estate is based in the village of Barbaresco proper, with the family house nestled within the ‘cru’ vineyard of the same name (Ronchi). The Rocca family has been in this spot for four generations and winemaker Giancarlo organically farms around 16 acres. He bottles his wines unfined and unfiltered, leaving nothing but the purity and vibrancy of artisanal Nebbiolo. The ’16 is the product of a classic vintage, showing off deep concentration of fruit tightly wound by firm, refined tannins. We pair it in the dining room as we do red Burgundy. It’s a Barbaresco of finesse and elegance, loaded with flavors of dried black cherry, rose petals and sandalwood. Use your biggest Burgundy glasses when you serve and feel free to decant for 30 minutes or so. It’s got a lot to offer, take your time.
Poggio al Sole Chianti Classico 2016
Poggio al Sole is fnestled in the northwest corner of Chianti Classico, right next door to the vineyard that the original Super Tuscan, Tignanello , was sourced from. These high elevation vineyards bring out the Burgundy-side of Chianti Classico, producing, elegant, pure wines with just a touch of earthy rusticity. Kathrin and Giovanni Davaz farm their small estate organically, no chemicals for over 20 years. It’s an absolute oasis in the rolling hills of Chianti, a must visit if you go to Tuscany. The 2016 is a stunner, fresh and long on the palate, it’s a delicious bottle of wine. Drink with anything.
Elio Grasso Barbera d’Alba Vigne Martina 2016
"The Barbera grape can often act like Nebbiolo showing its best results in the later vintages that end on a cool note. Those conditions are what define the beautiful 2016 Barbera d’Alba Vigna Martina. The wine sees 20 days of maceration with submerged cap, and the bouquet is flowing, polished and impactful as a result. Blackberry, summer cherry and plum rise from the glass. Some 18 months of oak aging adds delicate touches of spice, leather and cedar." -93 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Combier Crozes Hermitage 2017
In a time when oenology and ‘lab’ work frequently dictate the style of an estate’s wines, Laurent Combier manages his estate with the greatest emphasis on the vineyard and the impeccable quality of his Syrah fruit. Domaine Combier is made up of about 32 acres of Syrah and Marsanne (in white), all of which is farmed organically. Combier’s vineyards are frequently visited by other producers looking to improve the health of the vines and the concentration of their grapes. His estate Crozes Hermitage ais the epitome of the appellation — terrifically concentrated Syrahs with wild red fruit flavors and great balance. Pair with roasted lamb.
Three Mataro Old Vines Contra Costa 2016
Dedicated to bringing historical California vineyards and varietals to the forefront of winemaking, Three specializes in handcrafted vintages of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Mataro (Mourvèdre). Winemaker Matt Cline yields to his California heritage, pulling from multiple varietals and appellations in his quest for the perfect wine. The 2016 Contra Costa Mataro has a deep purple color with aromas of dark red fruit and eucalyptus. Ripe, sweet fruit coats the palate. The finish is long with the perfect hint of spice. Drink now for its primary fruit or hold for up to three years.
Twenty Bench Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2017 Twenty Bench Cabernet Sauvignon has a ripe black cherry core, twining with blackberry syrup, a subtle minerality, with the smokiness of charred French oak on the nose. The mouth is creamy and dense, with layered of juicy berries, the darkest of dark chocolates, rich espresso and black pepper. The wine is well-balanced and drinking well in its youth. You can enjoy this singular wine on its own or with grilled meats–especially burgers.
Fiancetto Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Gravelly Loam 2017
Ry Richards refined his hand crafting complex, vibrant Cabernet Sauvignon under the tutelage of Phil Titus at Chappellet Vineyards. At Fiancetto, Ry’s new brand, the goal was the same…crafting lush Cabernet with fine tannin that speak to its place of origin. The Gravelly Loam cuveé comes from two well-drained vineyards on the Valley floor, 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 Napa Cabernet, loaded with fresh, juicy red fruit, perfect with grilled beef or with just a hunk of cheese. 250 cases produced.
Ca La Bionda Amarone Ravazzol 2013
Alessandro Castellini’s Amarone is an intense, complex and rich blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara from the Valpolicella wine district of northern Italy. Once the ripest grapes are picked late into the harvest seasons, they are placed in wood crates and left there for four months. The dried-out berries are slowly and carefully vinified in small wood barrels to produce a wine that offers intense aromas of black cherry, licorice and spice, complex flavors in the palate and a long, lingering finish. Pair with aged cheeses and roasted meats.
Additional Features
XAVIER ANONYME CDP
A Nicholas Wines Bestseller. This Robert Parker 95 pointer / Jeb Dunnuck 95+ is the latest masterpiece from the brush of Xavier Vignon.
CHEF’S TABLE
Your own private table in the heart of the kitchen- this incredible experience seats four guests and is culinary theatre at it’s best. Phone Reservations only- 732.345.9977.
EVENTS
Autumn Squash Tasting Menu, September 24th-28th. $85 per person. If you love the best of Fall Harvest ingredients, you do not want to miss this incredible tasting menu.
Nicholas Wines & Restaurant Nicholas
160 Route 35 South
Red Bank, NJ 07701
United States