Dominick Symington, Henri Bourgeois, E. Guigal, Ch. Bertineau, Dominus 2002

Greetings from New London,
Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463 - 84 Bank Street
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817 - 70 State Street
Brie & Bleu - 860-437-2474 - 84 Bank Street

The information is late this week - so we will keep it short -

We have a huge tasting for Friday night - I hope that you can make it.

Quick reminders -
If you are interested in the Chateau Ychem tasting - (that is not a typo) - now is the time to call.
Very limited seating. But you must call - 860-443-9463 and speak to Jim Morrison - only Jim can assign seating.

And if you have interest in the big dinner at the Thames Club - wine dinner, vintage single malt's and Davidoff cigars -
Please contact Jim Morrison - this is the time to reserve seats.

But first I have to mention that we had a visit from one of the most prestigious names in the wine business stopped by to sat hello.
Mr. Dominick Symington - Dominick and his family own or control most of the great Port Houses in the world.
He was able to enjoy lunch, a visit to our cellar, and gave us an invitation to visit the next time we make it to his neighborhood.
Take a look: http://www.symington.com/

Don't forget to make your St. Patrick's Day party a wee bit special with our featured Irish Cheese -

Cashel Irish Blue - $15 lb.
Cashel Blue is a semi-soft blue cows’ milk cheese. It is unique, as it is Ireland’s first farmhouse blue cheese. It is all made on the dairy farm of Jane and Louis Grubb near Cashel in Co. Tipperary Ireland. While some milk is purchased, the majority of the milk comes from the pedigree Friesian dairy herd on the farm. The cheese is made from pasteurised whole milk. It is sold in speciality outlets in the U.K., United States and Ireland, as well as being listed by most of the British Multiples. Much of the cheese is sold young, while it is firm and crumbly, but for a fuller flavour it is best eaten at about three months of age, when it has a softer texture and more mature flavor.

Dubliner Irish Cheddar - $10 lb.
Dubliner Irish Cheese is a unique new cheese type with a distinctive rounded flavour, achieved by combining a secret recipe and the skills of the Master cheese maker. The cheese is typically matured over 12 months during which time it is checked by experienced cheese graders to ensure that it has a consistently high flavor profile. Dubliner is a versatile cheese, suitable for vegetarians, that can be used on a cheese board, in sandwiches and in a range of recipes. Dubliner is particularly delicious as an apéritif cheese served cut into cubes or sliced

BEER TASTING - Thursday Night - NO CHARGE - 5-8 p.m.
We will be joined in the Cellar by Sara Karlavage from the importer of fine wine & beer - Merchard . du. vin
sara will be happy to answer your questions.

Two from Germany

Pinkus Organic Münster Alt -
Alt is the German word for "old" or "ale" and this style is certainly among the earliest. Today, it is a specialty of Westphalia, in Northern Germany. Pale, golden color with excellent, herbaceous aroma, delicate fruit-acid palate, and long dry finish. Cured ham, sweetbreads, lasagna, as an aperitif with a dash of flavored syrup (raspberry, lime or cherry), light breads, croissants, pizza, corn tortillas. Serve in thin, delicate, straight glasses garnished with fresh fruit.

Pinkus Organic Ur Pils -
Bitter, golden pils was developed in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. Like the original, Ur Pils is brewed with organic malt and hops. Pale golden in color; light to medium in body; dry and well-balanced; clean hop and malt character. Trout amandine, fresh salmon, hors d'oeuvres, Quiche Lorraine, Cobb salad, gazpacho, tabouli, garlic and shallot sauces, thick potato chips, fresh strawberries or cherries. Serve in delicate, straight-sided tumblers at 45 degrees.

Two from England

Melbourn Bros. Strawberry
Melbourn Bros. fruit beers are spontaneously fermented. The beers are subtle with a refined flavor and character. The malt and strawberry are beautifully balanced, making this beer a perfect beverage for barbecues and patio dining. The clean, fresh flavor of ripe strawberries shines through. It is delicious after a meal with fruit, cheese, or dessert. Serve chilled

Melbourn Bros. Apricot
Some say that beer was introduced to the British Isles by the Vikings around the year 1000. It would be another 550 years before hops were used as a beer seasoning and another 100 years before their use was widespread. Melbourn Bros. has reintroduced really old-fashioned all-malt beers with their spontaneously fermented Apricot. Simply delicious, fresh, satisfying and beautifully balanced. The dryness of this beer complements a meal, yet its fruitiness makes it a great warm weather refresher. Serve chilled.

Wine Tasting Friday March 17th - 6-9 p.m. - NO CHARGE

1 - Henri Bourgeois - La Demoiselle De Bourgeois - Pouilly-Fumé 2002 - $24
The last of this great vintage - first come, first served. The most amazing Sauvignon Blanc we have.
This wine has extraordinary depth of character and fruit, resulting from the low yields and old vines.
This is made in France by Henri Bourgeois a tenth generation wine maker The Pouilly-Fume has been made for many years and has special followers all over the world. Made from a strict selection of the best Sauvignon grapes, La Demoiselle is harvested on the Kimmeridgian marls of Saint Laurent l'Abbaye, where the first vines of this AOC were planted.

2 - E. Guigal - Cotes Du Rhone Rosé - $12
What a fabulous way to celebrate the arrival of SPRING.
"The 2003 Cotes du Rhone rose is a serious, dry, medium-bodied rose offering a copper hue along with plenty of framboise, cherry, pepper, and spice box notes." - Robert Parker, Jr. - 88 points.

3 - Chateau Bertineau St-Vincent Lalande-de-Pomerol - 1998 - $24
Has that opulent Pomerol character. Ripe confit fruit, rich texture, grip on the finish.
Delicious - and so much more than the price. Please try it.

4 - Dominus 2002 - rated 96 points by Robert Parker "collector classic" - $102
"...The deep, saturated purple-colored 2002 boasts an extraordinary perfume of roasted coffee intermixed with black currants, cherries, cocoa, cedar, cigar smoke, and leather. A classic, full-bodied palate possesses great structure, tremendous depth, loads of tannin, and a multilayered, concentrated yet elegant finish. It is difficult to predict when this beauty will plateau in terms of maturity"...RP.
First come, first served.

Thanks for your support - we appreciate it.

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


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