Fashion Show, Maryhill Winemakers, Santi Solane, Vistabla Corte B, Fratelli Alessandria Barolo,

Greetings from New London,

Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817
Brie & Bleu - 860-447-2474

wwww.thamesriver.com

It's a short week for many of us - if you have today off - congratulations. The wines for Friday's tasting are listed just below these items of interest.

• Last weeks experiment was very successful - if you missed it, it went a little something like this: The wines that were featured at the tasting were also featured by the glass and by the bottle at Brie & Bleu. People really enjoyed being able to try the wine in the cellar and then have a glass or two upstairs with their dinner. Great feedback from many of you - thanks. We will continue working on this.

• Thanks to everyone that attended the special Valentines Day wine dinner hosted by Joe Mascaro - a great night, lots of food and wine and fun. Remember, all you have to do is ask - and you can have your own private dinner with a customized menu and wine list - it is easy, no matter what the occasion.

• This Thursday - February 21 - 6 p.m. - Mark the calendar - A Fashion Show & Champagne Reception in the big room - Sponsored by Niza Boutique of Mystic AND Renewal Medical Day Spa. Showcasing Cupcake Fashion by Brenda Lee, and offering insight into anti-aging procedures from Renewal. Brie and Bleu will be serving it's full menu with special Fondues and wine. For more information just call -Niza at 860-536-7270. OR the wine store - 860-443-9463.

• We Are Listening - based on all of the requests and feedback from you - we are putting the final touches on our upcoming Wine Dinner Series. The menus, wine, and pricing offer a choice for everyone. The final menus, names, dates, and prices will be posted on the website and right here in the email. Here are some highlights: - "Sunny Southern Italy", "Rioja & the great foods of Spain", "Food & Wine of The Rich & Famous." - We will also be offering wine dinners with an open seating plan. So if you would prefer a cozy dinner for two with the same great menu - not a problem. Remember to reserve early.


• Dave's Fave - Monday Tasting - No Charge

Wilhelm Walch Prendo Pinot Noir 2004 $14
Dave Says: "Here's an odd bird for you. Regulars are probably familiar with Prendo Pinot Grigio, which flows like the River Thames all summer long around here. When we first tasted this Pinot Noir last year, it had such a smoky note one might think it was from South Africa or something. It's from Northern Italy of course, which immediately leaps to mind when one thinks of Pinot Noir???"

"What a pedigree: winemaking virtuosa Elena Walch renewed the vineyards of her grandfather Wilhelm in the shadow of the Dolomites to produce this small line of lovely, inexpensive wines. We tasted this wine again recently and it had changed, the woody note replaced with more recognizably Pinot-y berries and brambles. But it's still its own animal. The Walchs have let this one be itself for a reason: it's up to us to figure it out! Let's try Monday."


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

Maryhill Winemakers White 2006 $14
If you're ever in Portland Oregon, Take a ride up the I-5 to Washington. When you get to the vineyards of Camus, head East along the 14 into some of the most beautiful countryside in the world. Carved by glacial meltwater, the Columbia Gorge with it's steep cliffs and dramatic waterfalls is one of the great wine growing regions of North America. Maryhill of Goldendale Washington produces this sunny and charming wine , a blend of Chardonnay (for body),Sauvignon Blanc ( for acidity), Semillion ( for nuttiness) and Viognier ( for floral aromatics). This wine reminds me of Caymus Conundrum, although not as sweet and half the price.

Santi Solane Valpolicella Ripasso 2005 $16
The Solaneis produced using a method called "rigoverno" whereby 20% of the harvest is separated and dries on mats, as if to produce Amarone. These desiccated grapes are then added back to the wine in a secondary fermentation. The result is a true "baby Amarone" , with all the raisin, black cherry, and dried fruit flavors in a much more approachable and affordable wine. Perfect for a cold day and a hot stew or sausage lasagna.

Vistabla Corte B 2004 $26
We've gotten used to finding another great big Argentine Malbec every week. But when you get right down to it, making a big wine is not the same as making a fine wine. Little by little, as Argentina's winemaking matures, we see wines that reflect not just a hot climate, but a true vinoculture. The Corte B impressed us immediately as far more interesting than your average South American wine. A blend of Malbec , Cabernet and Bonarda (making it distinctly Argentine) the wine has an inherent complexity that is enhanced by the very balanced hand of the winemaker. Oak is used as it should be used, to organize and integrate the wine, not as a major flavor component. The words " tostado medio, de los bosquea de Allier" on the label say it all - "medium toast" - it's like music to the ears.

Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero 2003 $60
Barolo is one of the hardest wines to describe. There are so many flavors and the wine is so tightly knit, that all one can say sometimes is that it tastes like Barolo, a flavor unto itself. Alessandria is certainly one of the great producers of the region, receiving Tre Bicchieri, the highest award given from the prestigious Gambero Rosso nearly every year. This year's Monvigliero is unusual in that it delivers all the fruit we've come to expect from that vineyard, with an extra measure of structure. The combination is almost paradoxical, the smallest, finest flavors woven into a muscular powerhouse of penetrating flavor. A wine as light as Burgundy, that shames and embarrasses the greatest wines of Napa and Bordeaux.

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions, and for your support. We appreciate it.
We hope to see you this week - please join us.

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




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