thamesrivergreenery

Special Election Edition - 2008 - Champagne & Pizza

2008-11-04T11:41:28Z

Greetings from all of us in New London,
Great turnout for Halloween - thank you.

And a quick note to the three girls that came as "French Maids" - we found the feather duster - but Dave wants to keep it.

The wine tasting on Friday night includes a very special forty dollar gem, the full list is just below our news.

Your comments from the survey continue to guide us. Thanks for taking the time to make suggestions, we are working to implement all of the great ideas. We hope to see you all this week.

Call 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Champagne & Pizza

This is not a typo - It is a special night. And we plan on proving a very important point: "That the only thing we have to fear...is - oops - no, that's not it. We plan on proving that the only thing you need to drink a bottle of Champagne...Is a bottle of Champagne.

It was an identical, staff only, tasting two years ago that inspired this special evening.

We will will taste through the remarkable Champagne of Marc Hebrart, Pierre Gimmonnet, Pierre Peters, Aubry Fils , Vilmart and A. Margaine, including Tete de Cuvee and Special Club Champagnes. All grower producer Champagne, Real artisanal wine, produced in tiny quantities and with exceptional quality.

Without a doubt - these are some of the finest boutique Champagnes in the world. You will not find them anywhere else in Connecticut. When the night is done - you will know the truth about Champagne.

Monday November 17 - 6 p.m. - $50
Please call early to reserve - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3.

Sarah has something special for

The Monday Tasting 11.3.08

Occassionaly employees need "personal time."
Dave mumbled something about Vegas, French Maids, and a feather duster just after the Halloween party last Friday night. That's the last we saw of him.

Fortunately the newest member of the wine store staff - the lovely Sarah - has stepped up and wants to share. (How do we find these people?)

Casaia Rosso Toscano $14
Sarah: "I'm new; a couple months into my rapid wine education. Jim texted me to come over to the store to sample some wines and I walked out with the Casaia Rosso Toscano, a lovely, plush Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon blend by Seiterre in Tuscany.

I went home to where I am still living out of boxes, and filled the only wine glass I own. The first thing to hit me was full, ripe cherries, falling off the trees. My apartment seemed bigger. I could feel hints of the salt in the dry air from the vinyard's proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea. The 50 percent Sangiovese lends to the provacative tartness of the wine.

Please join me this Monday to enjoy this warm, full bodied bottle. Tuscany, Connecticut? Why not."
Order Now

The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday November 7 - 6 - 9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Tramin Pinot Grigio 2007 $15

Made from 100% Pinot Grigio from southern Alto adige. After a gentle pressing, the must is clarified by natural sedimentation and fermented. Refined five months in stainless steel tanks, this is a very typical Italian-styled Pinot Grigio.

Bright yellow in color with coppery reflections and clear fruit aromas of pear, citrus, honeysuckle, tropical fruits and light spices. Firm, velvety and rich on the palate, with well integrated acidity.

A very round and satisfying wine. Recommended with fish antipasti, risotto with asparagus, omelettes and pasta.

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2 - Sola Fred Montsant 2005 $10

In the zone of the Montsant appellation, the soils are mainly Chalky, with some zones of clay and slate, all with high minerality and low fertility.

The region is mountainous, located at the boundary between the Mediterranean and the continental climates, with a dry summer and winter and a moist spring and fall.Montsant is also a land of old vine Grenache and Carignan planted just after phylloxera.

Vines with very low yields on which the bunches mature evenly and reach optimum concentration at the moment of harvest.
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3 - Domaine La Manarine Cotes du Rhone 2005 $15

Domaine La Manarine comprises 9.5 hectares of vineyards situated on what is known as the "Le Plan de Dieu". For generations, this specific terroir has been recognized as unique.

Recent research has identified the particular character of the underlying soil: a deep layer consisting of more than 60% hard limestone "galets" (large smooth pebbles).

The climate is typically Mediterranean: relatively hot and dry with an average rainfall of between 600 and 800 mm per year. The rains usually come in the form of thunderstorms in late August which provide the vines with the water necessary to finish the maturation process (which tends to shut down under stressful drought conditions).

Grenache Noir is the main grape variety of the region. It performs particularly well on this type of soil and gives wines with more elegance and aroma than is otherwise common, creating in this case one of the finest Cotes du Rhone we have ever seen.
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4 - Kathryn Kennedy Lateral 2005 $40

"This Lateral is inspired by the famous wines of the St. Emilion district of Bordeaux. The blending of Cabernet Franc and Merlot is the cornerstone of this model. Another key to Lateral's consistent quality is the use of multiple vineyards from more than one region.

Select growers from the cooler coastal valleys are chosen with primary consideration for the flavor their grapes can add. Winemakers Marty Mathis and Chris Condos have been carefully assembling the Lateral blend for over 10 vintages.

Soft and juicy entry, gentle and lively texture. Mild tannins supported by ideal acid balance. gorgous flavors of bright red fruits lead to echos of licorace, tree bark and earthy tar notes. Not at all a monster wine, nor a high in alcohol style, this 2005 Lateral get very high marks for it's dead on "right bank" character.

A killer value for a true top flight Bordeaux blend that has become known for it's friendly easy to like personality.
Order Now

Thanks very much for your support and all of the comments and suggestions.
We appreciate it.

This Thursday is the last Cruise Ship arrival for the season. If you have been waiting to see one of these ships glide into port - this is it. It would be hard to find a better place to watch than the deck at Brie & Bleu - come on down.

Also, thanks again for all of the comments about City News. We will be posting a schedule of special guests and events as early as next week. We hope to make it a regular stop for literary, lifestyle & cultural interests. And, as always, all suggestions are welcome.

Remember, all comments are completely anonymous and you can add them HERE
We look forward to hearing from you.

Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.

AAA.

CITY NEWS - Meet America's Expert on The Arctic & Global Warming

2008-10-29T21:02:40Z

CITY NEWS PRESENTS:
The big announcement for this week is our first guest at City News. We hope to have a regular schedule of presentations and special guests for you to enjoy.

Our first guest happens to be a New London resident. He also happens to be America's Expert on The Arctic & It's Environment. Dr. Scott Borgerson.

He is featured in the current issue of Atlantic Magazine

and just last week was a featured speaker at BioMarine the first World Forum to bring together business, science, government, civil society and media to advance ocean sustainability. It took place from 20 to 24 October, 2008 in Toulon and Marseille, France.

New London is just LOADED with interesting people - isn't it?

So please join us and Meet America's Expert on The Arctic & Environment

A City News Special Event
Monday November 3 - 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.

Located next to Thames River Greenery, just one block from the train station at 70 State Street. 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

Wine Tasting - 8.22.08 - No Charge - Join Us

2008-08-18T15:50:55Z

Greetings from all of us in New London,

The list of wines for the Friday tasting is just below

these items of interest.

The crazy summer continues here in New London. This week we saw wine dinners, parties, sing-a-long's and free-for-all's. By the way, our apologies to Mario Batali, we had no idea that the Lasagne Bolognese would turn into a "problem" - we will make it up to you. (If you are looking for the extra pair of orange crocks, they are in the cellar - right where you left them.)

Hey - The new issue of Nutmeg Magazine is out and the guest columnist for wine this month is our very own Jim Morrison. The complimentary magazine is available everywhere including all of our stores - grab a copy the next time you are in the store.

Take a look at the handsome visage on this wine professional.
Would you buy a nice chardonnay from this man?

And remember, New London is happening, live music, art galleries, plays, restaurants, movies, and much more. Start your evening with us, and then rediscover New London.

Most people think of us as a fine wine shop, and we like to think of ourselves the same way. But here is a surprising fact - We Stock 35 Single Malts, 26 Brands of Vodka, 23 Bourbon and Ryes, and 18 Rums.

Sure, you know we stock Dujac, Barthod, Arnoux, Paolo Bea, Chateau D'Yquem, Gaja, Shafer Hillside Select, Chateau Valandraud, and Domaine Ott - in Magnums, but don't forget we have an incredible selection of spirits too. Take a peek the next time you stop by.

* * *

City News Is Coming Soon
Just one block from the train station - right next door to Thames River Greenery

* * *

Brie & Bleu News:

The new summer menu at Brie & Bleu has just what you need to rekindle a great night out.

We have added things like Short Ribs and Roasted Chicken to our regular bistro style menu.

Add to that our signature potato and cheese dishes and a great wine and beer list - and even the biggest appetite will be satisfied.

Rediscover a great night out - right here in New London.

Dave's Fave
The Monday Tasting

Click on the photo to order it now

Berkshire Brewing Co. Oktoberfest Lager 2008 $4 Bomber

In October we will have carried Berkshire Brewing beers for one year, but we're calling it "close enough" because their Oktoberfest brew just came out!

All Berkshire products are made by dedicated dudes who actually have forgone the idea of "going big" because they are committed to the quality and control that being a smallish company affords.

BBC is actually Massachusetts' largest microbrew (jumbo shrimp?), and as President Chris Lalli says, "We're just one step away from being the smallest 'regular' brewer." Things are looking up! We've even started pouring BBC beers exclusively at our eatery Brie & Bleu.

Please join me Monday to have a sip of their spicy new seasonal! DA

Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday August 22 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

Can't Make It To The Tasting? - click on the photos

1 - Naia Verdejo 2007 $14

The grapes for this wine come from 98.8 acres of vineyards, of which 94 acres are 26 years old and 4.8 acres are ungrafted 90-year-old Verdejo vines. All the vineyards are located in the town of La Seca, which is considered by the locals to be the "grand cru" village of Rueda.

Since the Middle Ages Verdejo has been the traditional varietal on the left bank of the Duero River. This is the fourth release of this stainless-steel fermented wine.

With Bright grapefruit citrus and pronounced herbaceousness the wine is reminiscent of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc only much less expensive and to my way of thinking, much better.

2 - Chateau Villerambert Julien Minervois Rose 2007 $14

The vineyard of Chateau Villerambert-Julien, created in 1852 by the Julien family, extends over 59 hectares of hills, all classified as AOC Minervois, between Carcassonne and Narbonne, on the edge of precipitous garrigues.

Its completely unique terroir, composed of veins of schist and crushed pink marble, and is fully exposed to the south.

The greatest care is given to cultivation methods, high density of planting, severe pruning, conscientious training of vines, and the use of organic fertilizer all contribute to the quality of the wine.

The rose comes from a subtle fermentation of the exsanguinated juice from the most aromatic casks of Syrah, Mouverde, Carignan and Granache. The red has been one of our favorites for years, we are very excited to offer the rose while it and the summer are here. Check out their very cool website HERE

3 & 4 - Several years ago there was a movie about one guy getting married and one guy getting divorced and their road trip through wine country. With the utterance of one line, "If they order Merlot I'm leaving" the entire varietal was relegated to the decidedly unhip list.

While I appreciate the character's passion, I always felt it was a little unfair, and worse unwise to dismiss an entire varietal. The horrors of over-produced wine-dreck notwithstanding, we are after all talking about the grape that brought us Ch. Petrus and runs through the great wines of Bolgerhi.
So this week we offer a small reminder that it is ok to drink Merlot.

3- Matanzas Creek Winery 2004 Merlot $27

Tasting notes: A potpourri of fresh herbs, including thyme and sage, marry with dark boysenberries and velvety cherries in the nose.

Distinctly spicy, the palate begins with clove and quince, followed by a long, smooth finish of blackberry and earth notes.

4 - Milbrandt Vineyards 2005 Merlot $24

Tasting notes: The 2005 Merlot is a smorgasbord of ripe blackberry, spice, tobacco, plum, cherry, and coffee. It is dense, lush and voluptuous.

With a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in the blend for additional structure, color and weight.

The wine finishes with a dash of oak, a hint of cassis and a dollop of cedar.

Please Call Us Anytime With Questions
8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

We have a great team working with us, we consider ourselves very lucky. All of the folks that make it possible at the winestore, Brie & Bleu, Thames River Greenery and Beanery, and the soon to open City News, try their best to make it all work as planned. But we take our guidence from you. Your comments and suggestions, and your fantastic support are greatly appreciated - Thank You.

Please join us.
It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.

AAA.

Our Special Network - Wine Tasting - Please Join Us

2008-07-20T17:15:40Z

Greetings from all of us in New London,
The list of wines for the Friday tasting is just below these words of interest.

We Have A Special Network Too.

***

We have a reliable network too - It's made up of you - our customers. All of you that continue to contribute suggestions and comments and support all of the ideas and special events that come from them during the year. Thank you.

***

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Movies In The Park - The Hygienic Art Park - Across From Our Store
This Wednesday night - July 23 @ 8 p.m. - NO CHARGE

1964 My Fair Lady - Starring Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison

Have dinner at Brie & Bleu or order up a beautiful picnic basket, and then stroll across the street to the park and watch the movie.

Or just grab your favorite blanket and a bottle of wine from our cellar for a great summer night.

NEW MOVIE EVERY WEDNESDAY.
Order your basket now.
860.437.2474

Coming up: July 30: 'Rebel Without A Cause' (1955).

···

Dave's Fave
The Monday Tasting

Click on the photo to order it now

Jean Manciat

Jean Manciat Macon Charnay 2006 $18

My sister Krista just sent me the menu from her friend Randy Goodman's new cafe, "Bar Avignon" in Portland Oregon. What a terrific wine list! Randy has been a high-profile sommelier in Portland for over a decade and it's inspiring to see the many places where our choices intersect: grower Champagne, wines from the Loire, Rioja, Barbaresco, Bourgogne...

Here's one wine featured at Bar Avignon which we've been enjoying all summer, a charming white Burgundy from Macon Charnay, bright Chardonnay with a long finish (and organic and biodynamic like all Jo Dressner imports). Cheers and success to Randy and Nancy at Bar Avignon - if you find yourself in Portland, stop in and say hi! Bar Avignon
DA.

Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday July 25 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos

Jim Morrison works especially hard each and every week to make the Friday night line up interesting - here are his selections and comments for this week.

This Just In -
After a flurry of phone calls and e mails we were able to snag a few cases of Trapiche Tributo this week.

Rated 95 points by Robert Parker,
I'm going to take it one step further, it's the best Malbec ever produced in Argentina, the quintessential expression of old, high altitude Malbec vines.

Trapiche made this wine only once, as a homage to the man who worked the vineyard for so many years, Felipe Villafane. $50

1 - Chateau La Rame Bordeaux blanc 2007 $16

Situated 40 kilometers southeast of the city of Bordeaux, Chateau La Rame is among the oldest and most renowned properties in the Sainte Croix du Mont appellation.

The estate was purchased by Claude Armand, the father of the current owner Yves Armand. The 20 hectares of La Rame are set on a clay-limestone soil blessed with the exceptional substratum of a fossilized oyster bed dating from the Tertiary period.

The hillside vineyards face south and slope down toward the Garonne river. This cuvee is a dry Sauvignon blanc, aromatic and focused, well suited to accompany a plate of oysters, and thus complete the cycle of life.

2 - Torre Dei Beati Cerasuolo Rose $20
3 - Vigneto Cocciapazza Montepulciano $35

We opened a bottle of the Torre Dei Beati at last week's tasting after we sold out of the Belle Pente Rose
( if you didn't get a chance to try the Belle Pente rose, there are two more cases coming this week, a riot of Rhubarb, Black Pepper and Strawberries, yum!).

The wine was a surprise and a pleasure, vigorous and layered with pronounced fruit and structure. So we decided to open it again, with it's father the Cocciapazza Montepulciano.

The vineyard yields for these wines are kept extremely low and the selection process at harvest time is nothing short of rigorous: the 2000 vintage (their first) was completed after six passes through the vineyard, in order to only harvest the most perfectly ripened grapes. The grapes are then subjected to the sorting table, tended to by four people, two preside, and who pick out any berries that look anything less than perfect.

During the winemaking process the production is further limited in the interest of quality. A drawing off of some of the must during maceration occurs to increase the red wine's concentration. The drawn off juice or exsanguination is not wasted, but used to make one of the most attractive rosés you've ever tasted.

4 - Cascina Ballarin Tre Ciabot Barolo 2000. $35

Cascina Ballarin was founded in1928 and is a small but prestigous producer with a total anual production of about 30,000 bottles.

The winery has holdings in the communes of La Morra, Monforte d'Alba and Novello, blending wine from all three to create Tre Ciabot.

The 2000 vintage in Barolo was exceptional, and this shows the character of that great vintage and the results of several years of bottle maturation.

The wine has ideal Barolo flavors of roasted red cherries, and blackberry fruit beneath a bouquet of lavender, violets and licorice.

An ideal pairing for our Slow roasted short ribs or Duck Breast salad at Brie and Bleu.

Please Call Us Anytime With Questions -

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Thanks so much for all of your support and the regular stream of comments and suggestions - We could not do it with out you.

Please Join us in New London.
It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.

AAA.

Wine Tasting - Please Join us - No Charge

2008-07-14T14:27:50Z

Greetings from all of us in New London,
The list of wines for the Friday tasting is just below these words of interest.

** New London In The News**
***

If you missed it - the Boston Globe mentioned us in their recent story about New London. There are additional photos of our stores in the photo gallery that goes with the story. Check It Out HERE: Boston Globe

The Big City papers are discovering what we have known all along - New London is the place to be.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Movies In The Park - The Hygienic Art Park - Across From Our Store
This Wednesday night - July 16 @ 8 p.m. - NO CHARGE

Wednesday night - July 16 @ 8 p.m - 1962 The Manchurian Candidate - Starring Frank Sinatra, Janet Leigh, Lawrence Harvey.

Have dinner at Brie & Bleu or order up a beautiful picnic basket, and then stroll across the street to the park and watch the movie.

Or just grab your favorite blanket and a bottle of wine from our cellar for a great summer night.

NEW MOVIE EVERY WEDNESDAY.
Order your basket now.
860.437.2474

···

Dave's Fave
The Monday Tasting

Click on the photo to order it now

The movie on Wednesday 8pm Hygienic Art Park is
"The Manchurian Candidate" 1962 with Frank Sinatra.

The perfect movie companion:
Berkshire Brewing 22oz Bombers $4

Sailfest is over, the streets are strewn with the ash of a quarter-million dollars of fireworks, the flotsam of one million fried-doughs, and the skewers of one billion kabobs - Whooey!

Let's get back to basics and kick it with some great local product - I've poured Berkshire Brewing beers before, and the stuff has just caught on here in New London.

Chris and Gary's fresh, unfiltered, unpasteurized brews from Deerfield, Massachusetts now occupy a whole quadrant of our 1957 Peerless fridge. So I'm very proud to announce that Berkshire Brewing is now the number one selling beer brand in our store!!!

To celebrate I'm pouring a Berkshire spectrum on Monday: original Berkshire Ale, Steel Rail Pale Ale, summery Heffeweizen, Shabadoo Black & Tan, and Coffeehouse Porter. Please stop in after work!

Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday July 18 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos

This Just In -
Valdicava Brunello 1999 $145, Very hard to come by and only a few bottles in stock. This is what Robert Parker's wine Advocate had to say on the subject

"The 1999 Brunello di Montalcino is the best regular bottling the house has yet released, a full, blackish ruby-garnet with a lovely tarry, mineral, plummy nose endowed with intriguing notes of leather, solid, dense, and long on the palate with complex flavors of plums, tobacco, and underbrush on its sweet, voluptuous finish. Drink: 2005-2016. Score: 93

1 - Esperance Vin de pays des Landes 2007 $12

This little number from Gascony is 100% Colombard, which is fairly unusual, but true to wines of this region it is fresh and light, with floral notes and low alcohol, making it another perfect summer wine for a picnic at Harkness or Lobster rolls at Captain Scott's.

The wine received a Gold Medal at the Concours General Agricole in Paris this year. As I was reminded by Importer Fred Seggerman , "Not everyone gets a Gold Medal in Paris, You Know! "

2 - Belle Pente Cuvee Contraire rose 2006 $23.

Belle Pente (bell-pont) means beautiful slope, describing the hillside vineyards in Willamette Valley Oregon where this wine is produced.

The Cuvee Contraire is a proprietary blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir that are fermented separately and blended just prior to bottling. Only 109 cases produced, that's like 5 barrels.

3 -Barahonda HC Heradad Candela Monastrell 2006 $26

Barahonda vineyards are composed of limestone and chalk topsoil with clay and gravel subsoil, containing only 1/2% of organic matter. They are deep and well drained and the beneficial water retaining clay subsoil is essential for the health of vine in such an arid climate.

Due to poor fertility, yields are naturally low - 4lbs. (2 kg) per vine, producing smaller berries with higher skin to juice ratio. Both limestone and chalk have a high pH content, decreasing acidity mitigated by these older vine root systems that penetrate deeply into the lower pH subsoil hence the wines have a balanced acidity.

These are some of the oldest Monastrell vines in all of Spain. The winery produced only 1500 cases of this wine in 2006, all with estate fruit, making this a great example of artisanal old vine Monastrell at a very reasonable price.

4 - Trapiche Vina Fausto Orellana Malbec 2005 $50

From the great Trapiche Single Vineyard Malbec Project. Each year Trapiche makes dozens of single vineyard wines, each representing a specific vineyard and expressing a specific terroir. After what must be round after round of brutal tasting and hairsplitting, they choose and release the three finest Malbecs in the world.

The goal of Trapiche and Daniel Pi the wine maker, is to take Malbec to it's logical extreme of quality and varietal expression. The wine more closely resembles Classified Bordeaux (after all Malbec is a Bordeaux Grape), than it does your average Malbec. All the grapes for this wine were harvested from a single vineyard, tended by, you guessed it Fausto Orellano. His vineyard sit at 990 meters in the flats just below the Andes. Constant sun, tempered by cool mountain winds have created a wine of opaque color, massive fruit, and firm tannins.

Please Call Us Anytime With Questions - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

SailFest Weekend - Please Join Us

2008-07-07T15:01:34Z

Greetings from all of us in New London,

** SailFest Weekend**

***

Last Saturday night was a good one. New London's Art Attack was a big success and everyone was strolling the streets, browsing the galleries and store fronts, and people watching at every stop. We have a great down town - please visit us.

This is the big SailFest weekend folks. Friday - Sunday. Fun for the entire family and of course the amazing Grucci Fireworks on Saturday night.
Learn more about it HERE

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Movies In The Park - The Hygienic Art Park - Across From Our Store
Beginning this Wednesday night - July 9 @ 8 p.m. - NO CHARGE

Wednesday night - July 9 @ 8 p.m - The Blob - Starring Steve McQueen.
Have dinner at Brie & Bleu then stroll across the street to the park and watch the movie. Or just grab your favorite blanket and a bottle of wine from our cellar and picnic in the park - NEW MOVIE EVERY WEDNESDAY.

Don't Take Our Word For It
We say it all of the time - "We drink our red wine too warm and our white wine too cold." If you missed it - The New York Times validates us: The Chiling Truth - HERE

···

BRIE & BLEU WILL CLOSE AT 5 P.M. ON SATURDAY JULY 12.
We close the deck every year for fireworks night.

···

Dave's Fave
The Monday Tasting

Click on the photo to order it now

La-Vis Dipinti Pinot Noir 2006 - $14

Important Update from the Pinot Noirs Under-20-Buck Newsdesk:
La-Vis Pinot Noir is here, and strutting around the store - it's delicious! From Trentino in Northern Italy, La-Vis is grown on the high slopes of the Valle dell'Adige. This is a particularly delicate Pinot, owing to the mountain soil and cool breezes of the valley. Quite light, with the characteristic berry flavors, plus a bit of wild pine spiciness like... I dunno, a Tyrolean mountain forest?
Come on in Monday and try a drop of this elegant newbie!

** SailFest Weekend**
Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday July 11 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos

Just In Stock - The Dominus 2005 has arrived and winemakerf Christian Moueix feels that it's their best effort since 2001. Wine critic Robert Parker agrees and gave the wine 96pts. While supplies last.

1 - Weingut Groiss 2007 Gruner Veltliner $12

In an effort to replace the sold out big green bottles of Hofer Gruner Veltliner, we stumbled upon another wine in a big green bottle we like even better. Groiss is a young and modern winery situated in the wine district of Wagram in Austria.

They practice "intergrated production and natural management" and judging from the photos the place is run by fashion models.

With sunny south facing slopes of Loess soil, the vineyards are perfect for producing lush and lively Gruner Veltliner. Another great affordable summer wine.

2 - Jonathan Edwards Connecticut Chardonnay 2007 $23

Located nine miles from the coast, the vineyard site provides the vines with the moderate coastal climate of the Long Island Sound, which extends the fall season for optimal grape maturation. Being perched on the South side of a hill allows for full sun exposure for the grapes and excellent airflow to dry off the vines after summertime showers.
Additionally, an extensive drainage system known as "tiling" has been installed throughout the vineyards. Every vineyard row now has a drainage tile to allow excess water to drain down and out of the vineyard, allowing warmer soils in the spring, increased aeration in the soil, and prevention of excess moisture in the winter. With their estate releases Jonathan Edwards winery is defining Connecticut wine and terroir. Very limited.

3 - Columna Rose 2007 $11

From the province of Salamanca, near the Portuguese boarder.

The wine is made from 100% Juan Garcia, a native Spanish grape that enjoys the high altitude and dry climate of this region.

Like most Spanish roses, the wine is full bodied and spicy.
And like most Spanish roses, it's very affordable and food flexible.

Juan Garcia (no relation to the grape)

4 - Las Rocas Vinas Viejas Garnacha 2005 $18

The talented Jean-Marc Lafage (of Domaine Lafage in France's Roussillon) is responsible for the majority of the bottlings imported by European Cellars including the Las Rocas cuvees.

Working in concert with Eric Solomon, Jean-Marc has helped to convince the directors of the coop to bottle some of the extremely old-vine material separately and has helped enormously with attaining proper maturity levels, extraction, and balance.

The wine hails from Calatayud, which benefits from a continental climate with vast temperature differences between night and day. Harvests are much later than in other parts of Aragon (the region in which Calatayud lies) and the acidity/maturity/alcohol ratios tend to be more balanced.

As most of the vineyards lie on what was (thousands of years ago) an old river basin, the soil is comprised of brown limestone and loam over slate and gypsum.

Please Call Us Anytime With Questions -

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Thank you one and all for the comments and suggestions and of course for your wonderful support - it's a great summer.

Please Join us in New London.
It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.

AAA.

Summer Favorites, New London 2.0, Wine Tasting

2008-06-23T11:23:08Z

Greetings from all of us in New London,
We have a choice selection of wines for this Friday night - including something special from California. The list is just below our news and information.

It was a great week here in The District - Boat shows, bike races, submarine launches - There are all kinds of things happening in New London.

New London 2.0 - it's time to rediscover The Whaling City.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Brie & Bleu
Something Special Every Week
Best Wine List in Connecticut

Reservations: 8 6 0 - 4 3 7 - 2 4 7 4

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July 4:
The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas Cruise Ship
Come see the largest cruise ship ever to visit New London! 'Meet and greet' tourists from around the world.

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July 5: ART ATTACK!
Seven Galleries, Ten Storefronts, and Hundreds of Artists team-up for ART ATTACK! with food, music, exhibitions, circus performers, the Mystic Paper Beasts, street art and more, 6:00 - 10:00 pm, Including Hygienic Art, MUSE, Golden Street Gallery, Studio 33, ALVA Gallery, Yah-Ta-Hey, 140 Below and the TSETSE Gallery with music by the Cosmic Jibaros at the Hygienic Art Park. FREE! Info: 860-437-6293

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July 6: Vintage Baseball
The Thames Base Ball Club, New London's Vintage team, plays Waterbury Connors under the 1861 rules of the National Association of Base-Ball Players. Vintage Attire optional, 1:00 pm, Fort Trumbull State Park. More Info Here

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July 12: Sailfest
The biggest, baddest show of the year! 10,000 calories, fireworks, and much more at New London's 31st annual Sailfest with spectacular spectaculars and much, much more! LEARN MORE HERE

July 12: Hygienic Art Gallery's Bizarre/Bizarre
Annual outdoor Art Festival returns as part of New London's Sailfest, Hygienic Art Park, Bank Street, Info: 860-443-8001 - MORE INFORMATION

Dave's Fave
Special Monday Tasting

Click on the photo to order it now

Dashwood Pinot Noir 2006 $15

We're always keeping an eye out for good Pinots under $20, which, it turns out, can be few and far between... We're picky about them, being big Burgundy snobs and whatnot, but when we find them you'll actually get wines which display Pinot Noir's elegant wildberry tones. At the moment we've got three - Mandolin from California, Latour's Valmoissine from France, and now this little number from the Marlborough growing region in New Zealand.

Bright acidity and great brambly raspberry notes make it a little zingier than the other two at this price. I liked it, I picked it, now Jim says it's my job to sell it. I'll open a bottle Monday afternoon and let it sell itself, please stop in after work!

Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday June 27 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos

A couple quick notes on stock. Summer is the time for light, crisp, inexpensive white wine. Whether it's a barbeque in the back yard or a Lobster roll at Captain Scott's, there's nothing better than a cold, refreshing glass of white wine on a hot summer day.

Unfortunately, It seems that every year we sell out of our favorite whites long before the summer is over, and this year will be no exception. Two of our favorite white wines are running low and I thought it best to let you know before the staff drinks it all themselves. We received the last four cases of the Hofer Gruner Veltliner for this vintage.

The Hofer is the White wine in the big 1 liter bottle with the crown or soda bottle cap. We also received the last three cases of the Clos du Tue-Boeuf Cheverny, also known as the Flying Cow Wine because the wine inexplicably has an image of a winged cow on it. If you have had these wines, you know how wonderful and affordable they are, $12 and $16 respectively.

If you were hoping to be drinking them under an August sun, now is the time to stock up, they will not last long on our shelves.

1 - Domaine du Tariquet Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne 2006 $9

Made from the same grapes used to produced Cognac, Ugni Balnc and Colombard.

Superbly intense for a dry fruity white, its bouquet reveals floral and citrus aromas with nice touches of tropical fruit. Light and well-balanced, this wine is a thirst-quenching pleasure. Always have a bottle in the fridge door, just in case.

2 - Zeni Pinot Grigio Ramato 2005 $12

A Pinot Grigio Rose?! How is possible?
Pinot Grigio may most often be white wine, but the grapes used to produce it are actually copper colored.

The juice for this wine sees a brief period of skin contact, maceration, after the crush. That contact allows the juice to extract a small amount of color, tannins and phynols.

The result is a Pinot Grigio with much more character than your average P.G.. The bouquet in particular is enriched with floral notes like orange flower blossom. Like great Pinot grigio, only more so.

3 - Catherine & Pierre Breton Bourgueil
"Les Galichets" (The Gravel) 2004 $21

Cabernet Franc from the village of Bourgueil where the local term for Cab Franc is Breton, coincidence? I think not. The Breton's practice Biodynamic farming, and the vines from the Galichet vineyard are 50 years old and sit on native rootstock.

Remarkably juicy, textured, versatile with food, and immensely age worthy, the Cabernet Franc wines of Bourgueil, Chinon, Saumur and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil are both a traditional staple and a rediscovered rage on the Paris bistro/wine bar scene.

4 - XY Zinfandel 2005 $32

Only 394 cases of this wine were produced for the 2005 vintage, from vines that are at least 50 years old in the Alexander valley in sunny California.

The wine is elegant and plush, with ripe Raspberry, Boysenberry and Bing Cherry flavors. Aged in French oak barrels to create a creamy texture, with vanilla, creme-brulee notes.

Not just another Fat Zinfandel, a Zinfandel of opulent and bright fruit, illustrating the best that California has to offer.

Please Call Us Anytime With Questions -

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

As always we appreciate your support. It's been a great week - lots of parties, and laughs, familiar faces and lots of new visitors, thank you for making it so much fun.

Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend. We hope to see you this week.

AAA.

Wine Tasting 6.20.08 - No Charge

2008-06-16T11:58:15Z

Greetings from all of us in New London,
We have a sweet selection of wines for this Friday night - including something special from South Africa. The list is just below our news and information.

Hey - for those of you that still think that nothing goes on in New London - take a look at all of the upcoming events and openings. Some of them are Big Deal national events.

New London, it's not just for sailors anymore.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Brie & Bleu
Something Special Every Week

Reservations: 8 6 0 - 4 3 7 - 2 4 7 4

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NATIONAL EVENT:
The Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series
Saturday June 21st - New London City Pier
Big Kick-Off Party & Boat Show & Music Friday June 20 5-9 p.m.

New London City Pier in New London, Conn., June 21 for an $85,000 catch-and-release striped bass tournament that will award the winning team as much as $30,000. Join the excitement, see the action - Learn More Here

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Whaling City Cyclone Bike Race - Sunday, June 22nd 2008, from 8am to 4pm
500 licensed competitive cyclists with friends & families will come to the area for a day of racing on a closed circuit of roads on Fort Trumbull. $7,000 in Prizes.

The Whaling City Cyclone races will take place on a 1 km course closed to traffic on Fort Trumbull in New London. The circuit will include 6 turns per lap and great viewing with the waterfront and Bank Street as a back drop. The race distances will range from 10 miles to 50 miles. See The Course HERE

Bill Humphreys, BikeGuy LLC. 5 Devitt Loop Old Lyme, CT 06371. Bikeguys@sbcglobal.net www.bikeguy.biz 860 227-8280

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Grand Opening of The TSETSE Gallery
located at the historical Crocker House,190 State St., New London CT
Saturday, June 21th 2008 Starting at 3PM. Ribbon Cutting at 4:30 pm.

Although new to Connecticut ,The TSETSE Gallery with headquarters in RI has been in operation since 1995. 'Building Community Through Art' is at the pinnacle of their goals and serves as the mission of The TSETSE Gallery.

If you would like to know more about the Gallery or how you can be involved before the opening, feel free to call Founder and President, Therese M. Lavallee at their corporate office: 401.453.3337

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Dave's Fave
Special Monday Tasting

Click on the photo to order it now

Berkshire Brewing Hefeweizen Ale 22oz Bomber $4

Last week's Chiaretto Rose was so lovely and surprising and yummy I felt like the cleverest guy in the world bringing $12 pink wine to a dinner party of enthusiasts... so I just wanted to re-trumpet the glories of last week's find!

But it's a new week of Tropical heat in Conecticut. Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the beer! Let's open the citrusy, very German-inspired wheat seasonal offering from our favorite cool cats in Deerfield, Mass. -- Berkshire Brewing. Tried and true, come on down and have a sip after work!

Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday June 20 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos

1 - Bedell First Crush white 2007 $15
From the North Forth of Long Island. This is the debut vintage of the First Crush White. It is produced of 82% Chardonnay and 18% Viognier, entirely in stainless steel-free from oak aging. The nose is primary and full of bright, green apple-y aromas. as well as a floral, lightly spicy, and fresh citrus notes. The wine tastes of fresh citrus and melon fruit, white peach, lychee and orchid flowers.

2 - Rose des Tourelles Bordeaux Rose 2007 $21

From the vineyard of Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, a second growth classified estate in Pauillac. The wine is the exsanguination, or bleeding off of juice during the production of their estate wine. Comprised of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This is Second Growth Rose.

3 - Michel Torino Tannat 2005 $17

Tannat is the new Black. All of the Michel Torino wines are hand-harvested in the estate's own vineyards. Additionally, Andrés Höy, Torino's production manager, practices sustainable, environmentally- friendly farming by minimizing the use of fertilizers and chemicals in the vineyard.

The unique Cafayete climate manifests itself in the elegant, focused profile of Michel Torino's wines. These are wines with an indelible sense of place, wines which complement food rather than overpower, wines which are true to their origin. The wine has intense aromas of minerals, cloves and white chocolate, with vanilla notes. On the palate, there is a full fruit with Italian "amaro" chocolate flavors with a long finish.

4 - Rust en Vrede Estate 2003 $45
Specializing in the production of red wine only, Rust en Vrede has established itself as one of South Africa 's premium red wine estates. Full-bodied and complex, Rust en Vrede wines reflect the uniqueness of the Stellenbosch terroir.

Rust en Vrede is proud to be part of a remarkable three hundred years old wine tradition and continues to persue the excellence synonymous with wines produced by Stellenbosch's private estates. Acclaimed as one of the top 100 wines of the world four years in a row.

Please Call Us Anytime With Questions -

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

It has been a great week - even a suprise visit from the owner of Toad Hollow Vineyards.

There has been a lot of feedback about the dinner specials at Brie & Bleu - thank you so much for your support - we have much more planned for you.

We love to hear from you, and we appreciate all of your comments.

Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend. We hope to see you this week.

AAA.