Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817
Brie & Bleu - 860-437-2474
www.thamesriver.com
This week is full of news from the New London Art World - our list of wines for Friday is just below these items of interest.
• New London is the home to an exciting and ever expanding art culture, and along with that we are surrounded by some of the most interesting and creative people you can imagine. So, as we were flipping through the latest edition of Vogue Magazine, this item caught our eye and you should know about it. “The Vogue 25” cultural highlights of 2008.
The list includes the works of Barkley Hendricks - well known local artist and professor of art at Connecticut College. “Barkley L. Hendricks: Birth of the Cool,” the first career retrospective of the American artist’s paintings, will be on view at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University from Feb. 7 through July 13, 2008.
Take a minute to read more about Barkley and this show HERE: http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2008/01/birth_cool.html
Congratulations Barkley - we dig you man.
• The Garde Arts Center is putting the finishing touches on their Winter Film Festival -February 14 - 19. This is a highlight of the New London winter scene and if you expect to get your favorite seats - Then I suggest you get your tickets early - for more details GO HERE: http://tickets.gardearts.org/show.asp
• And of course if it's January, it is time for the Annual Hygienic Art Show. Open to all artists - beginner and experts alike. Who's to say that the little pad next to your telephone, the one that might be tossed into the kitchen drawer with the loose batteries, forgotten keys, and the lint-roller that is down to it's last couple of clean sheets - who's to say that little pad with the doodles and numbers - is not art? Well, why not enter it this year and find out?
This is a great event - it always has a big turnout - get all of the details HERE: http://www.hygienic.org/default.asp
HYGIENIC ART XXIX
January 26 - February 10, 2008
• Save The Date - Fashion Show and Wine Tasting February 21st. Produced in cooperation with Niza - the Women's Boutique of Mystic. A great night of fashion, music, wine, and FUN. Lots more details coming here in the email and of course on our Calendar of Events page HERE: http://thamesriver.com/wine/calendar.html
• And finally - A quick note about our Private Dinner with Italy's Winemaker of The Year - Cosimiro Maule, from Nino Negri Vineyards. We will be serving eight of his wines, two per course. There are just four seats left as we go to press. If you have a lover of Italian culture, food and wine in your life - this is a gift that will make them giddy. Truly a night to remember. You will be sitting down to dinner with a wine industry legend. Our own Anne Haviland is working with Signore Maule on the menu which will be posted on the calendar when it is finished. Please join us for our first winemaker dinner of 2008 - Monday January 28 - 6 p.m. - $85 plus tax & service. - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3.
• Dave's Fave - Monday Tasting - January 21 - No Charge
Dave Says:
"First off, allow me to rant about beer for a moment: As you may know, we don't stock tons of beer. For the most part, only what our 1957 Peerless fridge (formerly of Patsy's on Bank Street) will hold. You kids already know where to get your 30-packs-o-suds and it ain't here! We're keeping cold a pile of uber-brew including local favorites Cottrell, Trinity and Harpoon... Berkshire Brewing, fresh and delicious, in bombers and now in 64oz growlers! Samuel Smith 4-packs, Castle Lager, Pilsner Urquell (the original Pilsner from Pilzn), Belgian Chimay bombers, and one of my favorites, Moosehead - straight outta Halifax. We always keep Lindemann's fruit-infused Lambics in the cellar, cold Grolsch swing-tops upstairs (oh they still make them), and for bands-on-a-budget, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Narragansett bottles! Do you really need something more? If you do, just ask...
As for "Dave's Fave" on Monday hmmm... well let's have some beer! Come on down and sample our three current varieties from Deerfield Mass's own Berkshire Brewing: Steel Rail Pale Ale, Lost Sailor IPA, and Coffeehouse Porter ($3.50 a bomber)
Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday January 25 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge
1 - Chalone vineyards Monterey county Chardonnay 2006 $12 - www.chalonevineyard.com
As one of the first wineries to recognize Monterey County’s potential for exceptional Chardonnay, Chalone Vineyard began making wines high up on the Gavilan mountain range in 1966. Today, there are more acres of Chardonnay grapes planted in Monterey than any other county in California. The reason why is: Chardonnay develops its finest flavors when grown in cool, marine-influenced climates. This is how winemaker Robert Cook describes this wine: "Elegant and fruit-focused, Chalone 2006 Monterey County Chardonnay captures the bright pear, apple, citrus and stone fruit character of grapes grown in Monterey County along California’s Central Coast. Hints of floral and spice highlight the aromas and echo on the palate. The wine’s vibrant fruit expression reflects the cool marine fog and winds that caress these foothill and benchland vineyards. The perfectly balanced flavors mingle crisp, natural acidity with a rich, creamy texture from sur lie aging. Enjoy our Chardonnay with flavors from the ocean, such as crab cakes, grilled fish, prawns sautéed in butter and garlic, or scallops and angel hair pasta tossed with a cream sauce. Or pour with grilled chicken or pork, creamy chowders and mushroom risotto." - I just love those California fly-boys, don't you?
For those of you that are convinced that Chardonnay is not for them - you might be surprised by this one - especially at this price - this may be your new favorite "Chard."
2 - Cefalicchio Canosa Rosso D.O.C. 2003 $11 - Bio-Dynamic - www.vignetidipuglia.it
Amazing History - This wine comes from the Apulian settlement of Canusium, near the Ofanto river. The city is ideally situated to control this major waterway, and was built on a hill, on the same site as the modern town. Founded by Diomedes, or so the legend goes, it became a Roman town in 318 AC and took in the survivors of the Roman army defeated in the battle of Canne. First a municipium and then a colonia during the Imperial Age, it was famous for its wool industry and pottery production. A diocese since the 4th century, it was devastated by barbarian raids and only regained its prosperity under the Longobards. In 840-70 it was destroyed by the Saracens. A prosperous town under Norman rule (11th-12th centuries), damaged by dynastic wars during the Angevin period (14th-15th centuries), in 1502 it heroically stood by the Spaniards against the French, who only managed to occupy it after a long siege. In 1530 it was given to Charles V by Philibert of Orange. It was plagued by bandits and earthquakes for a long time.
And what is the best medicine for battling bandits and earthquakes? Thats right, wine.
This wine is produced with strict Bio-dynamic principles and, manual harvesting; the carefully selected and harvested clusters are crushed and softly pressed; the must ferments at length along with the skins at a controlled temperature; refinement takes place in stainless steel. A deep ruby red color is the result. This is a full bodied wine with great aromas and it pairs well with full flavored dishes like red meats and aged cheeses. It would be very difficult to find this much history in a bottle for this price - please try it on Friday night.
3 - Ch Saint-Sulpice Bordeaux 2005 $12
This wine came in mislabeled 2004, We think somebody, somewhere made a mistake, with the great 2005 vintage and the recent unpleasentness with the Euro, this is underpriced for what is in the bottle. The Chateau Saint Sulpice is a 100-acre estate situated in a village of the same name in the northern section of Entre-Deux-Mers, just south of St. Emilion and 14 miles northeast of Bordeaux. The property is planted mainly with Merlot and is very carefully tended by owner-winemaker Pierre Duberge and his son Christophe. Pierre says: "The 2005 vintage produced excellent, fruit and the wines are characterized by extremely ripe, powerful, and extracted wines with structured tannins." Pierre has said unequivocally the 2005 vintage is "the best wine we have made in 20 years." The wine shows lots of red-fruit aromas. It is concentrated, full and dense in the mouth, with silky tannins and a supple finish. If you are a Bordeaux wine fan - this is the opportunity to grab a case or two at a great price. It will go quickly, please try it on Friday night.
4 - Heredad de Aduna Rioja $28 - 1997.
This is a house favorite - we have offered it from the beginning. In a world that is full of unpleasent surprises it is always nice to know what to expect from a wine like this - Athenticity. Heredad de Aduna, with a long family tradition, still make their wines in the traditional manner, thanks to the knowledge and good work of their elders, especially their father and maestro, Jose Martinez Aduna. Bodegas Heredad de Aduna specialize in a large variety of young red wines, Vintages, Reservas and Grandes Reservas that reach a widely-spread market that knows how to appreciate the quality of the end product, proof of which are the number of prizes they have received since they started out as harvesters. This wine wins gold medal awards all over Europe in blind tastings - you must try this if you appreciate Rioja - still a great value at this price - just a dollar more than the last time we featured it back in 2005. Please try it.
Thanks very much for your support, we appreciate your confidence and commitment to us. It is precisely why we are able to get the guests and offer special items, that you will not find anywhere else. Lots of excitement in the coming months, stay tuned.
Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend - we hope to see you this week.
AAA.
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