Thanksgiving Edition 2008

This year think of TRW&S for your holiday gifting.
Use our expert staff to make a quality selection.
Then let us do the shipping.

Here are just a few examples of how affordable it can be.

Here are just a few examples of how
affordable it can be.

Miami ___Packaging ____FedEx
1 bottle ___4.20 _________6.30
2 bottle ___5.25 _________7.20
3 bottle ___7.35 _________7.85
6 bottle ___ 11.15 ________11.89

Chicago
1 bottle ____ 4.20 _______ 5.87
2 bottle ____5.25 ________6.74
3 bottle ____7.35 ________7.33
6 bottle ____11.15 ________9.41

San Diego
1 bottle ____4.20 ________7.04
2 bottle ____5.25 ________8.22
3 bottle ____7.35 ________9.74
6 bottle ____11.15 _______16.20

A few holiday scheduling notes need to be mentioned right up front.

First Brie & Bleu will be open Monday Tuesday & Wednesday to serve all of your cheese and gourmet needs. All of our stores will be closed on Thursday and will then be open Friday & Saturday as usual.

A great addition to any holiday table is Fine Chocolate.

We offer Handmade Chocolate from MoonStruck. These are the same chocolates that have been featured on Oprah and have choosen by the Academy Awards for their celebrity gift baskets.

The Angry Mob Speaks To Dave

Dave's Fave
The Monday Tasting 11.24.08

Terres Dorees Beaujolais l'Ancien 2007 $14
Thursday on Bank Street, the contagious cry went out: "Le Beaujolais est arrivee!!" Young and old joined hands and formed a dancing chain which encircled the town, filling the sunny autumn skies with song. No really, it was totally awesome.

That is, until some salty dog bellowed: "Sacre Bleu! Vintage 2007? What trickery is this? J'Accuse!!"
I climbed the massive stack of wine crates being loaded onto the pier and tried to calm the angry mob, now dangerously fueled on flagons of delicious Gamay.

"Good people of New London - fear not, the Beaujoulais Nouveau HAS arrived! And it's got a really cool orange label this year!" "Huzzah!" they roared back. "But THIS," I explained, "is Beaujolais Ancien, from very old vines, les vieilles vignes, painstakingly crafted by the winemaking genius Jean-Paul Brun, fermented with indigenous yeast, so that the glorious
Gamay grape, married to the terroir of the Beaujolais region, can truly express itself!"

The crowd, having been to our wine tastings, seemed to follow this argument agreeably and there was much rejoicing. Order Now

Thanksgiving Edition
The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday November 28 - 6 - 9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Tenuta San Leone 'Le Ancienne'
Pinot Grigio 2006 $20

From the Della Venezie region of Italy, where they practically invented Pinot Grigio.

Hand harvested and soft pressed to create a wine of elegant character and flavor.

The wine is lush yet delicate with nuances of citrus, lemongrass and dry pear.




A big and bold Pinot Grigio, great with dinner, or as a
i-just-want-to-stand-around-and-eat-cheese wine.
Order Now

2 - Ramirez de la Piscina Rioja Reserva 2001 $21

Since the XI century, the name Ramirez is linked with descendants of Navarra Kings who fought in the first Crusade, and included amongst their ancestors is the famous Cid Campeador.

Their wine reflects this noble Spanish heritage. Aged in casks for 15 months, followed by a further 21 months in the bottle.

This is a lovely, rich, complex wine, showing maturity and a deep ruby-red color and a brickish rim. Powerful, with beautiful oaky fruity aromas intermingling with the Tempranillo.

Silky, with a good balance between oak, tannins and acidity, hints of vanilla and spices. Order Now

3 - Tres Picos Garnacha 2007 $18

For a limited time only.

Deep and sweet, Tres Picos Borsao is cherry red in colorwith a hint of purple tones. In the nose, there is a boundless bouquet of mature red fruits with traces of flowers that are typical of the best Granachas.

In the mouth, it is rich and well structured simultaneously conveying flavours of blackberries, strawberries, and tones of leather, vanilla, and plums. Perfectly combined with a sweet and pleasant tannin. Tres Picos Borsao leaves us with a long, silky and balanced finished.

The grapes come from vineyards that are between 35 and 40 years old. Located on uneven terrain at an altitude of 600 to 700 meters. These vineyards yield under four and a half tons per acre.
Order Now








4 - Cuvelier Los andes Grand Malbec 2005 $50

From the Cuvelier family, of Leoville-Poyferre fame, and ubiquitous winemaker and consultant Michel Roland.
This is Roland's first foursquare look at Malbec. Will it rank as one of the great expressions of Malbec and join the ranks of Trapiche and Tikal?
From the winemakers notes:
Appearance and nose:
very deep, dark purple-red colour. Excellent aromatic complexity, with red and black fruits predominating. We can distinguish pleasant notes of ripe prunes and spices.

Palate: a soft entry as expected of a Malbec, then it opens out to become full and smooth with well-textured tannins and a very pleasant and generous finish.

Order Now

Thanks very much for your support. Keeping your business local and supporting local merchants and events is especially important this season - We appreciate it.

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday with family and friends this week. And if time allows please join us on Friday. Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.


Your suggestions and comments are also very important to us. Please take a minute and add them HERE

We look forward to hearing from you.

AAA.

Drink Now - Pay Later - Belle Pente,Domaine de la cadette Bourgogne Vezelay,Castillo de Fuendejalon,Jean-Marc Pillot,Frankland Estate Olmo's Reward

Greeting Card Available at CITY NEWS

Greetings from all of us in New London,

We hope that you enjoyed the large format bottle tasting last week as much as we did - The "Never Drink More Than You Can Lift" T-shirts are in. The rest of the swag - hoodies, ball caps, and matched luggage will be here by Friday for pick up, if you ordered the Fanny Pack's you might have to wait for awhile.

The wine list for this week is just below a few items of interest.

· First - The demand for the Champagne & Pizza event is so strong that we have added a second show. Monday December 8 - 6 p.m. confirm your seats now:
8 6 0 - 4 4 3- 9 4 6 3 (see details below).


· Our friends at the Hygienic Art Galleries are presenting their annual Art = Gift Show. The Opening Reception will this Saturday November 22, 2008, 7-10 pm MORE DETAILS HERE

The hottest place to shop this holiday season. Paintings, sculpture, prints, jewelry, fashion, metal, glass and more.

· · ·

The inventory of fine cigars at City News continues to grow. Hard to find names like Padron, Arturo Fuente, Avo, La Gloria Cubana and Montecristo are arriving daily and are a perfect addition to holiday gift giving.

••••

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.
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.
SECOND SHOW ADDED
DUE TO OVERWHELMING DEMAND
MONDAY DECEMBER 8 - 6 p.m.
Call Now To Reserve
8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Dave's Fave

The Monday Tasting 11.17.08

Belle Pente Cuvee Contraire 2006 $23
I used to work in an office where we'd have Thanksgiving recipe swaps. The resulting volume inevitably consisted of such classic gourmet fare as "Marshmallow Yam Clouds," "Thousand Layer Dip" and "Chocolate War Crimes."

Short on ideas, I asked my sister for a recipe that was impossible to mess up. She sent: "Cranberry Sauce: Put bag of cranberries in pan. Cover with fresh orange juice. Bring to simmer until berries burst. Grind in plenty of black pepper." Simple genius!

For some reason that reminds me of this wine - vibrant, spicy, fun and unexpected. Cool Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir rose from one of our favorite producers in Oregon. A refreshing companion for The Bird or smoky autumn fare. Order Now

The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday November 21 - 6 - 9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Domaine de la cadette Bourgogne Vezelay
2004 $16

"I know what your thinking Dave, real Cotes D'Or character for the price of a simple Maconnais! " Dave swallowed hard and smiled. So began our love affair with this wine.

From Their web site:

" Our intention is to make honest and authentic wines which reflect the distinctive character of our region and the climate of a particular year. We do not resort to so-called "modern" artificial means in our wine making process in order to achieve this goal. "

Very Dry and Very French and Very Good!
and it's Organic! Real Burgundy for $16. Order Now


2 - Castillo de Fuendejalon Crianza 2005 $9

A blend of 75% Granache and 25% Tempranillo from the Campo de Borja region of Spain.

Light and spicy, this is what we refer to as a drinkin' wine, a casual wine for casual drinking.

Yet it still has undeniable Spanish character, the taste of the old world.

Great with jamon, mushrooms, hamburgers and pizza. Just a good little wine.

Order Now







3 - Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet
"Mes Vieilles Vignes" 2005 $46

Jean-Marc is an adroit winemaker with a recognized gift for using new oak "juste comme il faut", that is to say, "just enough".

The pinot noir is completely destemmed before being sent into open top tanks where they undergo a "maceration à froid" (cold maceration) of 5 days at less than 10 C.

Jean-Marc uses both a gentle "remontage" and a "pigeage" three times a day for his reds. He is an advocate of "finale à chaud" and warms the must at the end of fermentation.

According to Jean-Marc, this fixes the color in the wine. Both the reds and the whites are aged 12 -18 months in barrel.


The wines are manipulated as little as possible and are bottled unfiltered to preserve their purity. Order Now


4 - Frankland Estate Olmo's Reward 2002 $37

Named after Dr. Harold Olmo who first identified the vinicultural potential of the isolated Frankland River region in Western Australia.

The wine is an unconventional Bordeaux blend of 49% Cabernet Franc, 53% Merlot, 8% Petite Verdot, 6% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon all estate fruit from the Isolation Ridge vineyard.
Order Now




Thanks very much for your support. Keeping your business local and supporting local merchants and events is especially important this season - We appreciate it.

We have a lot of things planned for the upcoming holidays. Special events, guests, and values are all just around the corner.

Your suggestions and comments are also very important to us. Please take a minute and 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.

$105 a bottle - try it for free, NYTimes, Ferrari, Domaine Ott, Calera Ryan, Berger,Caymus Cabernet

Vintage Post Card Available at CITY NEWS

Greetings from all of us in New London,

A Busy News Week For Us

A couple of thank you notes have to be mentioned right up front. First Thanks to Dr. Scott Borgerson for taking the time to join us and to present some of the important issues about the Arctic. Where else would you be able to share a cup of coffee with America's Expert on The Arctic?

Next, The Day paper and Kathleen Edgecomb had some very kind words for us and the CITY NEWS project. Thank you Kathleen, we appreciate it -see the story HERE

And The New York Times had a story in Sunday's business section about New London that mentioned us too. If you missed it Read All About It HERE

This week's tasting is BIG - Super-Sized Fun. We are pulling out the stops and pulling the corks on a few of our LARGE FORMAT marvels - please join us. The list is just below a few items of interest.

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

NEW JUST ARRIVED
This just in, Domaine Ferret Pouilly-Fuisse "Les sceles" 2006 $32. Colette Ferret was the Queen of Pouilly-Fuisse, arguably the finest producer in the Region. She died in December of 2006, shortly after the harvest, leaving no heir and no will.

The estate has been winding it's way through the French courts ever since. Finally, Colette's last vintage arrived this week, and it is spectacular.

It heartens us to be able to share this last memory that Colette has left of herself.

First Come, First Served.

S O L D O U T - WAIT LIST AVAILABLE
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.
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.

Dave's Fave

The Monday Tasting 11.10.08

Gysler Riesling Kabinett 2007 $18
Hello folks, great to be back. What have I learned? That it's always a pleasure to return home to New London, that what happens in Las Vegas may or may not stay there, and that a Ferrari 365 GTB Daytona is a surprisingly reliable car.

Not that you would have to convince racing legend Dan Gurney of that. Did you know he won the actual "Cannonball Run" thrashing a Ferrari Daytona from Manhattan to Los Angeles on public roads in less than 36 hours? Upon winning the trophy (a gumball dispenser), Mr. Gurney announced, "At no time did we exceed 175 mph." This has become my personal mantra.

But I digress.... Ready to settle back in to my position as assistant wine guy I'm pouring something undeniably terrific. One of our friends from Craft Steak restaurant required this wine last week.

Charming, brilliant German Riesling from another young winemaker farming biodynamically, imported by our friend Terry Theise. If you're thinking ahead to turkey dinner with sweet yams, you should check it out. Please stop by Monday afternoon for a sip! Order Now

BIG FUN WITH
MAGNUMS
The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday November 14 - 6 - 9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Domaine Ott Cotes de Provence Rose 2007 $105

In the Giant I Dream of Genie bottle, Magnum 1.5 liter bottle.
Château de Selle, the 18th-century home of the Counts of Provence, is located in the Côtes de Provence appellation perched on chalky hills enjoying generous amounts of sunshine. The arid soil is comprised of 40-50% stone, and despite the presence of highly fertile quantities of clay, produces small and concentrated yields.

The winery is located on 345 acres of which 160 acres are cultivated. Each year additional acres are prepared for planting, a process in which the earth is mechanically tilled and the stone is crushed to maintain the correct balance in the soil.

Wine Enthusiast - Joe Czerwinski - July 01, 2008 Rating: 90 points "There's no denying the high quality of this wine. Almost smoky, mineral-like complexity emerges on the nose, followed by hints of cherry fruit underscored by dramatic freshness on the lengthy finish.
Order Now





2 - Calera Ryan Pinot Noir 2005
In Magnum 1.5 liter bottle. $95

Josh Jensen's winemaker mentors in Burgundy were adamant that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay must be grown in limestone-rich soils, as present in the Côtes d'Or, to make great wines.

Upon his return from France in 1971 he spent two years searching throughout California to find limestone before finally purchasing, in early 1974, a high-elevation parcel with a limestone deposit of several million tons. Located 90 miles south of San Francisco and about 25 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, it is near Mt. Harlan in San Benito County. Its elevation is 2,200 feet above sea level, making it one of the highest and coldest vineyard properties in California.

The 2005 Ryan is a wine of Plum, black cherry, spice and cedar aromas. West facing aspect and higher elevation give this vineyard unique character, yet it already possesses that classic Mt. Harlan minerality, focus and structure. Bright, youthful and vibrant, this charmer offers berry, cola, plum and Asian spice with a fleshy, persistent finish.

Josh, if you read this, it is YOU who have taught ME how to love again, thanks for the great wine.

Order Now


3 - Berger Blauer Zweigelt 1 liter bottle only $14

From the same people who brought you big green bottles of Gruner Veltliner with soda cap tops, comes big green bottles of Zweigelt with soda cap tops.

Hyper-fragrant and varietally true; it's what Dolcetto used to be until it got "ideas". This is a slimmer straight line of spicy fruit than the opulent '06 showed but it's full of character and imprinted with cherry. Perfect wine for turkey and for when you just want to keep drinking. Order Now


4 - Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $75



Coveted by collectors, revered by the wine press. Sometimes I wonder, how good is it?

Come Friday night and try one of the most famous California Cabernets.

92 points Wine Spectator Insider: "Full-blown, ripe and rich, with intense and sharply focused dried currant, wild berry and blackberry fruit that's still fairly tannic at this stage.

Ends with a long, persistent finish. Best from 2010 through 2015." (10/29/08)
Order Now



Thanks very much for your support and for making this so much fun - we do not take it for granted.

You are always encouraged to send comments. 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.

Election Edition 2008

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.

Order Now


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.
Order Now








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.
Order Now


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.