Secret Valentine Edition

The Old Girl Is Frisky Again - Happy Valentine's Day
Card available at City News
Valentine's Day is still one of the single busiest days of the year when it comes to gift giving. Traditional gifts include flowers, champagne, chocolates, or a cozy dinner with someone special. We have made an effort to select items in every category that will go easy on the pocket - but still deliver big where it counts - the heart strings.

If you haven't heard by now we have to mention that we have the greatest selection of Champagne & sparkling wine in the world.

Boutique Grower Champagne that is made in limited amounts and sparkling wine and Italian Prosecco that start around $12.

We will combine a bottle of bubbly with hand made chocolate from Moonstruck
dress them up in a basket and deliver it to the one you love with enough left over to make you giddy.






Flowers are a specialty for us - and even though roses are the traditional choice consider this - We have many options to choose from that make a big statement without breaking the bank.

We can add wine & chocolates to an order for about the same price as a dozen roses - give a call to The Greenery and we can help with options you may not have thought about.

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Or poke around the website for Inspiration - Here


Every Valentine's Day we get an amazing collection of treats from You Take The Cake. Valentine's goodies that bring a smile to anyone that sees them. All of these hand made wonders go quickly, and many of you have asked for a "heads up" on when they will be available. They arrive on Monday morning 2.9.09.

Think about an assortment of hand made Petit Fours, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, or Valentine cookies delivered in a basket to someone you love. You may reserve them by phone - or arrange for delivery -
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Made With Love

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Events & Reminders:

Dinner at Brie & Bleu and
a Movie on the Big Screen

The Garde Arts Center
presents
Winter Film Festival
Starts Wednesday February 11th 7:30 p.m.
FILM FESTIVAL

Oscar Time In New London

Every year the Garde Arts Center brings us Oscar nominated films on the Big Screen. Check out the schedule - save me a seat in the first row of the loge! Starts Wednesday February 11th 7:30 p.m.

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coming soon:

2/25 German Wine Tasting with
Konrad Hahn proprietor of Von Schlenintz

3/2 Austrian Wine Dinner with Markus Huber of
Huber Vineyards

5/15 Sake Dinner with Chad Beverlin of
Vine Connections

The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday February 13 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - San Sole Pinot Grigio 2007 $11













Our biggest selling wine of all time. With it's plain yellow label, this is a wine that under promises but over delivers. Wonderfully expressive of classic Pinot Grigio flavors, citrus, tropical fruit and lemongrass. Affordable delicious wine for daily drinking, it's what we are all about.. Order Now


2 - Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2007 $26

This wine was #10 on last years Wine Spectators top 100. We have a little bit left over from the holidays, so lets crack one of these bad boys and see if it's all that.

From The Wine Spectator: "The Seghesio family has been making wine for a century in northern Sonoma County and farms more than 400 acres of Zinfandel in Alexander and Dry Creek valleys. They make a range of vineyard-designated Zinfandels, such as Home Ranch and Cortina, and a bottling from the oldest vines. But for this Sonoma County 2007, winemaker Ted Seghesio tapped his diverse grape sources for a more widely available, well-priced wine. Aged 11 months in 75 percent American oak, it's complex, with a supple texture and a spicy finish.". Order Now


3 - Trapiche Vina Fausto Orellana Malbec 2005 $50

The Fausto Orellana's vineyard is located in La Consulta, San Carlos, in the southern Valle de Uco, an area with a shorter growing season than other traditional areas due to late frost in the spring and early frost in the fall, with an average day/night temperature swing between 15°C and 18°C during the season. This is one of the coolest grape growing areas in Mendoza. These characters favor the development of superior polyphenolic compounds and this optimal ripening and maturation results in wines of balance, depth and concentration.

Here, the vineyards are afforded spectacular views of the Andes. Don Fausto is 67, and his firm tone of voice indicates a patient, methodical approach in the vineyards. He left Bolivia in 1981 looking for a better future in Argentina, and after he came upon the Valle de Uco, he fell in love with the place and bought two estates. Over 25 years later, he rides through his vineyards by bicycle, and he takes enormous pride in his considerable accomplishments. Though he has faced many hardships, including hailstorms, Don Fausto is philosophical: "You have to face it and move forward in life, giving back to the land what it gave us," he says. Don Fausto's story is one of viticulture as a triumph of great effort.

Don Fausto's 57 year-old vineyard has alluvial, well-drained soils with a sandy-loam texture, rocky subsoils and a small percentage of silt. The roots extend down to a depth of one meter. The soil's texture has very good permeability. The trellis system is low espalier, and the vines are simple and double Guyot pruned. The vines are planted in relatively high density, i.e. 5,000 plants per hectare, to encourage competition among the vines and vertical root penetration, and yields are kept low to 2,600 kilogram per hectare. Furrow irrigation is utilized and the vines are planted on their own rootstock.Order Now


4 - Chateau Duhart-Milon Pauillac Grand Cru Classe 2005 $105

94 points Robert Parker:

"The finest Duhart-Milon ever made? This structured, tannic, dense ruby/purple-tinged Pauillac offers up hints of cassis, licorice, chocolate, and earth. Medium to full-bodied with good purity, strong tannins, and undeniable elegance, it reveals a character not dissimilar from its renowned sibling, Lafite-Rothschild. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot, it is unquestionably outstanding, but to my taste, slightly less opulent than the estate's ethereal 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030."

Order Now



Happy Valentine's Day to each and every one of you.

Thank you for supporting all of our venues and making us number one in New London.

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

AAA.

Wine Loves Everyone - Love It Back.

Card Available At Thames River Greenery

Greetings from New London,
The Flock Theater was in fine form at City News over the weekend. Part of The Holly and The Ivy living history play taking place throughout New London until December 14. Witness 200 years of NL history come alive. It's just one more reason to visit downtown during the holidays. Details Here

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Monday - 12.8.08 - 2nd and Final Presentation for 2008
Round two of our annual Champagne & Pizza extravaganza starts at 6 p.m. -
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Fine Cigars and Spirits -
Made by hand and individually numbered the Padron Anniversary Series cigars are impossibly hard to find. We have them in stock with many other famous brands for the holiday season. Combine cigars with one of the amazing Single Malt Whiskies we have on our shelves and you've got a gift that will bring hours of enjoyment to the connoisseur in your life. Of course we will gift wrap your choices at no extra charge.

Singles & Gift Box Samplers Ready To Go.
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Our Friends and Neighbors

Read The Story HERE

New London & The New York Times

New London and it's residents seem to be featured in The Paper of Record a lot lately. You may have seen the article that featured our very own Miss Charlotte just a couple of weeks ago. Well it has happened again. Local artist Barkley Hendricks was the subject of a beautiful review this past Friday in the Arts Section. If we have said it once, we have said it a thousand times - New London is loaded with interesting people - come on down to the Big City.

Guilt Free
Dave's Fave

The Monday Tasting 12.8.08

Les Deux Rives Corbieres Rouge 2007 $9
We've had so many great Granache-based goodies recently I'm going to continue the theme with this gem from the Mediterranean coast of France.
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan, with all the sunshine and ripe spicy fruit of southern France.

So once you've bought the flatscreen, the emerald pendant, and the Lexus convertible with the red bow, you can enjoy the guilt-free relaxation of a bargain French red and a hunk of cheese! Enjoy! Order Now

Wine Loves Everyone -
Love it back.
The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday December 12 - 6 - 9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Pares Balta Blanc de Pacs 2006 $11


Ever since Patricio Brongo from Pares Balta stopped by the store and tried us on this wine, we've been selling it like beer in the Fenway bleacher seats.

It's so omnipresent, own nickname for it is "Pares Hilton." But this tasty white can still be confusing, like, what is it? "Why, it's a blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello of course." What does that mean?


That means it's actually still Cava. Cava without the bubbles. Simpler still, it's YUMMY. produced From estate fruit, organically farmed.

Order Now













2 - Cune Rioja Crianza 2005 $14




This Crianza of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha is medium ruby color and displays aromas of black cherry fruit with a touch of leather and roasted meat.

Fermented in stainless steel and aged in American oak, it offers a soft attach of lush red and black fruit that is nicely integrated with oak, round tannins and a long finish.

Exhibits modern winemaking techniques, especially managing oxygenation.

Order Now












3 - Costozza Cabernet 2002 $24

From year to year, Italy and France trade the title of world's leading wine producer. But Italians point out it was the ancient Romans who introduced wine making to France.


In fact, Italians were cultivating grapes some 2,500 years ago, before the rise of the Roman Empire.

The Veneto produces more premium wines than any other part of Italy. In the heart of the region, an hour's drive west of Venice, fields of grapes surround charming hill towns. The village of Costozza lies at the base of Monte Brosimo. This 1,312-foot hill is part of the Colli Berici, a mountain range of volcanic origin. Both the soil and mild climate are ideal for growing grapes.

Costozza has been documented as a winemaking center since at least 1250, but archaeological excavations indicate it's possible that wine was being made in the Berici Hills thousands of years earlier. The village of 2,000 has a delightful old restaurant, Taverna Aeolia. Astronomer Galileo Galilei mentioned in his memoirs that he was a guest there 400 years ago. Order Now



4 - The Chocolate Block 2007 $36

We Love This Wine.
In fact - we love it so much we went all the way to South Africa to visit the vineyards and hang out with the people that make it.
Here are three links to choose from:
1 - Our Photos
2 - Our Interview With The Wine Maker
3 - The Official Website

WINEMAKERS COMMENTS:
The 2007 Chocolate Block is a blend of Syrah (55%); Grenache noir (20%); Cabernet Sauvignon (16%); Cinsault (5%) and Viognier (4%). Although the varieties have remained the same for this wine since the initial 2002 vintage, the percentages of grapes in the blend may vary. An increase in Cabernet Sauvignon meant less Cinsault made the final assemblage for the 2007 vintage. 2007 was a bumper vintage for us. We believe this to be the best Chocolate Block to date. For the 2007 vintage no Viognier was blended as white wine to lift the perfume profile of the wine but only the skins and some stalks of the Viognier were used and fermented in partnership with a few selected batches of Syrah. The making of the Chocolate Block has been a yearly learning curve for us in our winemaking approach and in hindsight we believe that better integration of the Viognier can only be achieved with co-fermenting the Syrah and Viognier.

TASTING NOTES:
Fresh berry flavours and a fine white pepperiness add a spicy profile to the nose. This is a wine of elegance and linearity. The palate seems almost seamless with the soft approachable tannins rounding off the mouthfeel. Maximum ageing potential of 8 years.

Order Now

Thanks very much for your support over the holiday season - we appreciate it.
Please join us. It's fun, informal and a great way to start your weekend.


AAA.

Happy New Year 2008, Davidoff Select Merchant, Martin Sancho Verdejo, Apaltagua Envero, Chocolate Block, Heitz Cellars

Greetings from all of us in New London,

Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463 - http://thamesriver.com/wine/calendar.html
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817 - http://www.thamesriver.com/trg/gourmet.html
Brie & Bleu - 860-437-2474 - http://brieandbleu.com/
IMPORT - 860-443-6817 - http://thamesriver.com/trg/featured.html


Happy New Year! And best wishes to all of our readers and customers -
Thank You for a great 2007.

We start the New Year off with a great lineup on Friday night.
Since this is a vacation week for some of us just a couple items of interest before the wines for Friday.

• We are happy to announce that we are now officially a Davidoff Select Merchant.
The first boxes of the finest cigars being hand crafted in the world today have made their way into gift baskets with wine & fine spirits over the Christmas holidays. If you know someone that enjoys fine cigars - consider adding them to your next gift order. There will be much more information to share with you in the weeks ahead. Ask us about the special pricing and selection the next time you visit or call.

• We have two dozen grower champagnes, plus Cava, prosecco, and other sparkling wines from North America, Italy , and France. Of particular interest, is the Pierre Peters Cuvee Speciale 1999, LeMesnil-Sur-Oger Grand Cru, perhaps the best Champagne we've ever had , $175 a MAGNUM. Head and shoulders better and above both, Cristal & Dom Perignon and less than HALF the price. High prices and orange labels are for Hedge Fund managers, desperate aging hipsters and snooty big-shots - Grower Champagne - This is wine for people in the know.

Wine Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday January 4, 2008 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Martin Sancho Verdejo 2006 $16 - Spain
This wine comes from ancient, 150-year-old vines in the Rueda wine region, just about half way between Madrid and Bilbao. The vines are grown in alluvial soils, which are smooth, white rock with very little sediment for several feet. The owner, Angel Rodriquez, takes great pride in his 25-acre vineyard, which has been passed down for many generations. This is a beautiful white wine full of green fruits, spice, a slight smokiness, bitter almond, and melon. From free-run juice, the new wine is racked into centuries-old subterranean oak bocoyes prior to clarification and bottling. 2006 was an unusually early harvest that has resulted in a bold classic Verdejo character, with deep minerality complementing abundant ripe fruit and texture in a long, weighty finish.


2 - Apaltagua Envero 2004 $16 - Chile (rated 89 points by Stephen Tanzer)
The Apaltagua Winery is located in the prestigious Apalta region in Chile's Colchagua Valley. They specialize in one distinguished, but lesser known, grape varietal - Carmenère. Carmenère is considered the "lost Bordeaux" variety, as it was originally planted in Bordeaux, but was abandoned there because it was too late ripening for the Bordeaux climate.
Tanzer: "Deep ruby. Explosively fruity, with strong raspberry, cherry jam and redcurrant scents, with a complicating note of cinnamon. Lush and silky on the palate, with a pure raspberry quality that's extremely easy to like. Pliant, suave and elegant, with a long, sweet red berry tone to the finish and very soft tannins. This is an excellent value and is drinking well right now." - For me, this is a perfect wine for a nice steak or grilled chops. Keep that in the back of your mind when you try it on Friday night.


3 - Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 2006 $36 - South Africa
This is a house favorite - The Chocolate Block - always draws attention and devoted fans whenever we are able to share it.
Boekenhoutskloof, founded in 1776, is far up the "Valley" in the Franschhoek foothills. Situated 40 minutes drive from Cape Town, South Africa, it falls within the Cape's abundant winelands. It is a dramatic and enchanting place and should you ever have the opportunity to visit, as we did last year, you must make the trip.
This is a new vintage from an old friend - please try it on Friday night.

Watch as we taste with the winemaker HERE: http://blip.tv/file/206160

See our photos HERE: http://thamesriver.com/wine/photos.html

Visit their great website HERE: http://www.boekenhoutskloof.co.za/


4 - Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Napa California $50 - http://www.heitzcellar.com/
Joe and Alice Heitz established Heitz Wine Cellars in 1961! They were originally from Illinois and South Dakota respectively, but met in California in the mid 1940's. When Heitz Cellars opened in 1961, the Napa Valley had fewer than twenty wineries. Today there are more than two hundred. The original winery on St. Helena Highway is still open to the public as a sales and tasting room for visitors and is a glimpse into the origins of Heitz Cellars. The 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the richest in years. The gorgeous varietal fruit flavors on the palate are just exquisite and impeccably balanced with complex tannins. It is a fabulous wine illuminating the purity and radiance of the cabernet grapes and showcasing the talents of the winemaker --- a joy to drink now and into the future. This will go quickly - try it on Friday night and see for yourself why these wines are sought after - everywhere.



Thanks for your support - we have a great year lined up - full of surprises and excitement.

We hope to see you on Friday night.

Please Join Us - It Is Fun, Informal and a Great Way To Start Your Weekend.


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