Six-Pack Ab's and Wine

Does Your Game Need A Little Help?
Card available at City News
Greetings From New London.
We are hoping that everyone had a great holiday weekend - wasn't it nice to have a couple of days off?

It's a short week here so the line up for the tasting is just below - lots of news coming for next week - including the new hours for Brie & Bleu, new events, dinners, trips, contest's and all of the other bits and pieces that make this the longest running party in New London.

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In case you missed the "Just In" arrival last week:



Shafer 1.5 Cabernet 2006 $75
"Deep ruby/purple to the rim, with a gorgeous nose of creme de cassis, licorice, graphite, spice, and cedar, concentrated, and beautifully seductive."

QUILCEDA CREEK
VERY LIMITED - First come, First served

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

Wine Tasting
Please Join Us
Friday May 29 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Belisario Verdicchio di Matelica 2007 $18

The wine shows a brilliant straw yellow color and nuances of straw yellow, very transparent.

The nose denotes intense, clean and pleasing aromas which start with hints of pear and hawthorn followed by aromas of pineapple, almond, apple, grapefruit and hints of mineral. In the mouth has good correspondence to the nose, a crisp attack and however balanced by alcohol, good body, intense flavors. The finish is persistent with flavors of apple and pear. This wine ages for 4 months in steel tanks.

2 - Perrin Reserve Rose 2007 $12

Traditional winemaking by saignée - the French term meaning "bled", for a wine-making technique which results in a rosé wine made by running off or "bleeding", a certain amount of free-run juice from just-crushed dark-skinned grapes after a short, prefermentation maceration.

Clearly a wine from a warm place, the color is an intense pink with bright reflections. The nose is fresh, of redcurrants and yellow raspberries. The mouth is supple with fruity roundness in the middle, and a lively finish that is quite long.

Pair with any summer foods or Mediterranean dishes. A perfect pairing would be grilled pork ribs with white peach and verbena julienne.





3 - Bierzo Mencia 2007 $16

According to the Wine Advocate:

"The 2007 Mencia was fermented in stainless steel and bottled unfiltered. Purple-colored, it has an expressive nose of mineral, earth notes, and racy blue fruits.


Sweet, ripe, and full-flavored on the palate, this well-balanced effort has the potential to evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now through 2013."











4 - Petite Grealo 2002 $20

40% Syrah, 30% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon Vinya L'Hereu is a family-owned wine producer, bottling only wines made from estate grown fruit. Presently 14.3 ha (31.46 acres) are planted with the red grapes Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Their vineyards follow the rules of organic agriculture and are registered with the Catalan Council of Organic Agriculture. The aim of working land with respect to the environment helps to obtain good wines. D.O.

Only created as a Denominacion of Origin in 1988, there have already been great changes within the region's short history. Cooperatives and independent growers have established specific subzones and planted a number of international varietals. Costers del Segre is considered one of the most interesting regions in terms of potential for quality blends between Spanish and foreign grapes.













Bombay
S A P P H I R E

We have amazing spirits on our shelves:

The History:
Bombay Sapphire is famed for its smoothness and its nuance.

They use ten different herbs and botanicals to produce Bombay Sapphire, including juniper berries, almonds, lemonpeel, liquorice, coriander, orris, cassia bark, and some peculiar stuff called "cubeb berries" and "grains of paradise."

While I haven't so sharp a tongue to taste all these things, I can tell you that this is a very tasty gin that pricks the tongue and puts the whole of it through some extraordinary calisthenics. And despite being 94 proof, it finishes smooth and clean and without a nasty alcohol burn.

In terms of dry vermouths to pair it with, stick with something dull, like Martini & Rossi's Extra Dry Vermouth. You don't want a wildly herbal vermouth that will drown out Bombay Sapphire's fireworks. And don't even bother with an olive or lemon twist- it just isn't required.

Those looking to try gin for the first time are urged to stay away from the rotgut that bars serve from the well and instead go for something smooth. Start at the top. Start with Bombay Sapphire. Have some mixed with grapefruit juice or with tonic and lime. But by all means, have some. (Rating *****)

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

CITY NEWS
Featured Cigar

CAO ITALIA

Italy has been widely heralded as the producer of some of the world's finest wines and olive oils; however, it has been largely overlooked as a source of premium cigar tobacco - UNTIL NOW!

Grown exclusively for CAO, the Italian Habano seed used for CAO ITALIA was originally brought to Italy from Cuba some 40+ years ago. The Habano seed is grown in the Benevento region of the southern portion of Italy, located between Rome and Naples.

This Italian Habano tobacco lends an incredibly unique earthy-sweetness to the robust, full-bodied flavor profile of CAO ITALIA.


We are proud to be an authorized CAO distributor. CAO cigars are available in singles or by the box.

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Thanks to everyone that stocked up with us for the long weekend - we appreciate it.

We have a great summer planned for you.
Please join us. It's fun, informal and a great way to start your weekend.

AAA.

$325 a bottle - Spring Has Sprung

It's Almost Done
Here is the bird's eye view of the Parade Project.
When it is done we will have line-of-sight views from the ferries, trains, & waterfront directly into downtown.
Greetings From New London.
We hope you had a great weekend and enjoyed Mother's Day.

It is a busy week in New London - please consider joining us for the book signing this Friday at lunch time.

And we look forward to seeing you at the weekly tasting - it is a great line-up and includes one "heavy-hitter" from France.


Spring Food Stroll
Is just around the corner!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 5:30-8:30 PM

CITY NEWS BOOK SIGNING
Friday May 15th 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Local Author Betty J. Cotter will be speaking, meeting, greeting, and signing copies of her new book Roberta's Woods at City News.
Betty Cotter was named the 2006 fiction fellow of the R.I. State Council on The Arts and is a student in the MFA program at Vermont College.
Publishers Weekly Review:
"Cotters suspenseful vision of the near future features strong character development, sensual writing and an absorbing plot."

Wine Tasting
Please Join Us
Friday May 15 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Calera Central Coast Chardonnay 2007 $18

This 2007 Central Coast Chardonnay offers generous aromas of ripe pineapple, honeysuckle, apple and succulent lime zest.

At first, the taste is reminiscent of vanilla custard and lemon chiffon, at the same time possessing a soft, fun citrus zing. It continues on with a bit of brioche, a touch of toasty oak and a full, round texture, then finishes with a silky, delicious finish.


2 - Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2007 $12

Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2004 $12 Maipo valley Chile.
Pedro Pavone Voglino in 1917 emigrated from the famous winemaking region of Piamonte, Italy, to the Maipo Valley in Chile.

Following his family's traditions Mr. Pavone planted carefully chosen european vine varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon blanc, those grapes were sold to well established Chilean wineries for over 20 years. Until he decided, along with his son Felix Pavone Arbea to create the now prestigious Viña Santa Ema. Since its begining the company has been focused on the production of high quality wines.

This wine is a delicious ruby red color. Unique and unmistakable, in this wine you will find the red fruits (plum and blackberry) mixed with chocolate and toasted coffe notes. In the mouth, the tannins are mature, with a good structure, balance and roundness. The amount of finesse that is in this bottle, for just twelve dollars, is amazing.



3 - Kaiken Cabernet 2007 $12

The Andes Mountains divide two of the most spectacular countries in the world, Chile and Argentina. Kaiken is a Mapuche Indian word for a Patagonian goose that lives on both side of the Andes.

One of Chile's most energetic and respected winemakers, Aurelio Montes has set up an operation on the other side of the Andes, in Argentina. Montes eventually plans to acquire his own vineyard land in Argentina and build his own winery there.



Look for plum, licorice, cassis, earth and coffee aromas and flavors. The bitter-chocolate finish is dynamite in terms of tannic structure and length. A flat-out bargain from an excellent Argentinean vintage.




4 - Chateau Valandraud Bordeaux
2000 $375

93 Points - Wine Advocate

"Jean-Luc Thunevin tends to be humble when he talks about his 2000, as if there were something wrong with it.

Well, it is a spectacular wine, and having tasted it three times from bottle, I am in love with it.

Dense purple-colored, with a glorious nose of espresso, cocoa, chocolate, plum, black currant, and cherry, offering a true smorgasbord of heavenly delights, this medium to full-bodied wine still shows some relatively firm tannin, but the low acidity, layered, multi-textured mouthfeel, and tremendous purity are hallmarks of the Thunevin winemaking style.

However, this might be one Valandraud that actually needs 3-5 years of cellaring prior to drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2019." -Robert Parker




We have amazing spirits on our shelves:

Tequila has been around for generations, but it wasn't until Patrón was launched in 1989 that the world was introduced to ultra-premium tequila.

Patrón (Spanish for "the good boss") is the brainchild of two entrepreneurs, John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley, whose love of tequila and desire to create the best tequila in the world led them to a factory high in the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico, producing an extraordinary spirit. A few changes later Patrón tequila was ready for market and The Patrón Spirits Company was born.

Patron is now the world's top-selling ultra-premium tequila.

Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, Patron Spirits' nine distinctive products now share the Patron label; Gran Patrón Burdeos, Gran Patron Platinum, Patron Anejo, Patron Reposado, Patron Silver, Patron XO Café, Patron Citrónge, Pyrat Cask 23, Pyrat XO Reserve. Each brand is the finest in their category. The newest, Gran Patron Platinum, is an extraordinary triple distilled pure tequila.

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

AAA.