SailFest 2009 -

Greetings from New London,

SailFest 2009 is here.

We have a great tasting planned for Friday night.
The list is just below a couple of items of interest.

In response to one of the most asked questions from our listeners -

This year we will be keeping Brie & Bleu and the deck open - so those of you planning dinner at Brie and Bleu will have an opportunity to view the Fireworks on Saturday night from "The Front Row." There is not a better seat anywhere in The City.

Take a look at the side bar to the right for Chef Daryl's menu planned for this weekend.

*****

SUMMER MOVIES

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

Hygienic Art Park (79 Bank Street Across From The Wine Store): Summer Flickers, Wednesday nights June 24 - September 9 at 8pm.

Join us for screenings all summer long at the beautiful Art Park. Movies start just after 8 at sundown. Some consessions provided. Bring a blanket, chair, picnic, libations, family and friends!

July 8: The Girl Can't Help It (1956)
July 15: Drum (2004, directed by Jason Filardi)
July 22: To Have and Have Not (1944)
July 29: Do the Right Thing (1989)
August 5: Blazing Saddles (1974)
August 12: The Muppet Movie (1979)
August 19: Coffee & Cigarettes (2003)
August 26: Faire Harbour Film Fest
September 2: Double Indemnity (1944)
September 9: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

For more info, visit hygienic.org

****
Do you know anyone
That Loves The Game Of Golf?

Our friends at the Thames Clubare extending an invitation for a special evening to meet Globe Trotting Golf Author Brian McCallen.


This is a great opportunity to see the Thames Club and to meet America's Expert on the
Greatest Golf Destinations in The World.

Please call the Thames Club to make your reservation. The cost is just $20 per person and includes a reception and the evening with Brian McCallen. Just let them know you are our guest when making your reservation.

Thames Club: 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 5 5 0 4

290 State Street
(across from the Garde Theater)

Thames Club

********

Wine Tasting
Please Join Us
Friday July 10 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Les Deux Tours Sauvignon Blanc 2006 $17

The Loire Valley did not invent Sauvignon Blanc, but men like Baron de Ladoucette have come to define it with wines from Sancerre and Pouilly Fume.

This is a humble little number with a Touraine appellation that nonetheless shares the same soil and meticulous wine making of the standard bearers of the La Doucette family.

Stainless steel fermentation on fine lees creates a wine of body and richness, while preserving the racy acidity and floral notes that define Loire Sauvignon Blanc.

This wine is a natural pair for goat cheese, the Loire's other great contribution to human society.


2 - Chateau Saint-Sulpice Bordeaux 2006 $14

This bulletproof bottle sits patiently on the shelf, its price still unchanged where it seems all others have inched upwards.

Wine maker Pierre Duberge oversees the small 100-acre vineyard and the classic winemaking process.

Bordeaux, it's what's for dinner.











3 - Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2007 $15

This has intense, deep red-violet color, and ruby hues, showing the concentration of the grapes.

The wine shows aromas of black fruit jam and liqueur, with notes of vanilla, chocolate and smoke.

On the palate, it is ample and rich, with a long finish and soft tannins.

4 - Paolo Bea Rosso Montefalco 2004 $68

Paolo Bea Rosso Montefalco 2004 $68 References in the archives of Montefalco, the beautiful hill town in Umbria, document the presence of the Bea family in this locality as early as 1500.

This tiny estate is the classic Italian fattoria, producing wine, raising farm animals for trade and home consumption and working the land to produce olives, fruits and vegetables. To this day, the Bea family raises and produces much of what they consume on a daily basis. Paolo Bea, the senior member of the family at 72 years of age, is the guiding force behind the production of this series of intense and idiosyncratic wines. He is assisted by his two sons, Giuseppe, who farms the vineyards, and Giampiero, who assists in the vinification and is responsible for all commercial aspects of the winery.

The entire property encompasses 15 hectares: 5 of which are dedicated to the vineyards, 2 to olives, and the remainder to the fruits, vegetables and grains that are grown. Sagrantino is the predominant grape, covering 60% of the vineyard surface.

The remaining 40% is planted to Sangiovese and Montepulciano, with a small parcel planted to several white varieties. The vineyards are cultivated virtually organic.

****

The sun is out and our decks are ready - come on down.

Thanks for all of the support, comments and suggestions - we appreciate all of it.

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


AAA.

**Special Announcement** July 4 Holiday Weekend

Greetings from all of us in New London, ** Special Announcement** - "The Man" is trying to keep us down. This Friday is the Fourth of July. The State of Connecticut mandates that Thames River Wine and Spirits be closed for the holiday. N O T T O W O R R Y Not to be deterred, we are moving our weekly wine tasting to Thursday night, and will feature one of those "Really expensive, famous wines with really high scores that you only get to drink once a year" , but more about that later. Brie and Bleu WILL BE OPEN FRIDAY - And doing a little wine tasting of their own. They will be featuring their new Moulard Duck Breast Salad - AND As a special pairing to the Duck Breast Salad they will be pouring and serving by the glass Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir. Josh Jensen of Calera has been farming a high altitude outcropping of Limestone in the Mount Harlen A.V.A. since 1975. He farms to extremely low yields, often below one ton per acre. His struggle to produce the finest Pinot Noir in America was the subject of Marq de Villers book, The Heartbreak Grape. We have several copies of the book that Josh signed on his last visit if anyone is interested. So come by Brie and Bleu Friday night eat a duck and try some truly beautiful Pinot Noir. *** If you happened to be in The District this past weekend you know that the streets were hopping. The galleries were open, the air was full of music, and the tables at Brie & Bleu were full. We saw friends from Old Lyme, from Noank, Fishers Island, and the beaches in Waterford. From near and far people are rediscovering New London - Please join the fun.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Let us show you the world in style. Our wine tastings & dinners take you globe trotting, sampling the food and wine of the world, each delicious course paired with the perfect wine. Our special guests and meet the winemaker series offer a one-of-a-kind experience. Join the fun - make your reservations early. ··· Garde Arts Center - Tuesday July 1 2008 - 5:30PM Expo, Stage Presentation, Refreshments. Hear New London's exciting plans for the upcoming year; meet & network with New London organizations & businesses; participate in shaping the future of New London & the region. 5:30 PM a the Garde Arts Center. More info: NLMS, 860-444-2489. More Info Here Friday July 4: The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas Cruise Ship. Our Deck is the perfect place to see the ship - reserve a table now. Come see the largest cruise ship ever to visit New London! 'Meet and greet' tourists from around the world. Port Of New London Here ··· July 5: ART ATTACK! Seven Galleries, Ten Storefronts, and Hundreds of Artists team-up for ART ATTACK! with food, music, exhibitions, circus performers, the Mystic Paper Beasts, street art and more, 6:00 - 10:00 pm, Including Hygienic Art, MUSE, Golden Street Gallery, Studio 33, ALVA Gallery, Yah-Ta-Hey, 140 Below and the TSETSE Gallery with music by the Cosmic Jibaros at the Hygienic Art Park. FREE! Info: 860-437-6293 ··· July 12: Sailfest The biggest, baddest show of the year! 10,000 calories, fireworks, and much more at New London's 31st annual Sailfest with spectacular spectaculars and much, much more! LEARN MORE HERE

Dave's Fave The Monday Tasting Click on the photo to order it now Bodegas Carrau Tannat de Reserva 2004 $12 We're always keeping an eye out for good Pinots under $20, which, it turns out, can be few and far between... We're picky about them, being big Burgundy snobs and whatnot, but when we find them you'll actually get wines which display Pinot Noir's elegant wildberry tones. At the moment we've got three - Mandolin from California, Latour's Valmoissine from France, and now this little number from the Marlborough growing region in New Zealand. Bright acidity and great brambly raspberry notes make it a little zingier than the other two at this price. I liked it, I picked it, now Jim says it's my job to sell it. I'll open a bottle Monday afternoon and let it sell itself, please stop in after work!

** SPECIAL THURSDAY TASTING** Wine Tasting Please Join Us Thursday July 3 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos The State of Connecticut mandates that Thames River Wine and Spirits be closed for the holiday. Not to be deterred, we are Moving the wine tasting to Thursday night, and will feature one of those "Really expensive, famous wines with really high scores that you only get to drink once a year" If you were hoping to be drinking them under an August sun, now is the time to stock up, they will not last long on our shelves. 1 - Babcock Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills 2005 $22 One of California's brightest stars in the field of winemaking is Bryan Babcock. Not only was Bryan selected by the Los Angeles Times as one of the "Ten Best Winemakers of the Year", he was also named by this influential daily as "Most Courageous Winemaker of the Year" for his daring style. Since 1984 Bryan has been producing wines of exceptional quality from his family owned winery located on the far western edge of the Santa Ynez Valley in northern Santa Barbara County. The prestigious James Beard Foundation chose Bryan as one of the "Top Ten Small Production Winemakers in the World," the only American chosen for this oenological dream team. In choosing Bryan for this award, David Moore wrote, "Bryan Babcock best exemplifies the traits I look for in a great winemaker. The quality of Bryan's wines speak for themselves, yet it is his personal commitment to excellence that stands out so much. His relentless experimentation, his willingness to explore the possibilities with so many grape varieties, and his aesthetic are a world apart from the usual American approach to winemaking." 2 - Crios Rose of Malbec 2007 $12 A beautiful, deep, vibrant rosé color. Has a surprising amount of glycerin and body for a rosé wine, and beautiful aromas of fresh, ripe wild strawberries. Produced using the traditional "saignee" method of bleeding off lightly colored juice during the fermentation, in this case of old-vine Malbec. On the palate, the flavors of strawberries and cherries come rushing in, accompanied by some spice notes and a clean, dry finish. This is the wine to serve with warm-weather meals when there is a mix of traditional white & red wine foods. Keep one in the fridge at all times and you'll always have a delicious wine to enjoy with light snacks and cheeses. 3 - Fattoria dei Barbi Morellino di Scansano 2005 $18 The Colombini family has had properties in Montalcino since 1352 and has owned the Fattoria dei Barbi since 1790. The vineyards cover an area of 100 hectares, approximately 35% of the whole estate. The exposure is east, south-east and the soil type is composed prevalently of Galestro (stony) with small components of mud and clay, only a minor part of it has a relevant presence of eocenic sands. This 100% Sangiovese red wine comes from the southern part of Tuscany. It is a full-bodied wine, with a good tannic structure balanced by a lively freshness. The making of Morellino goes back centuries but today its approach is very modern and pleasurable. Has a brilliant and intense ruby red color with an ample and persistent bouquet of plum and red berry tones. The taste is full and pleasant with velvety tannin and a long finish. 4 - Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2004 $68 Wine Spectator 93pts, Robert Parker. 91pts, Steven Tanzer 92pts (2005 also in stock, $75, W.S. 96 pts.) Currently considered the face of Chilean wine, not simply for it's mind bending quality, but also for it's distinctive use of Carmenere. Carmenere, as you may remember from our previous e-mails, is the lost grape of Bordeaux, that is now grown almost exclusively in Chile. By using over 80% Carmenere, Clos Apalta has broken with the tradition of making Bordeaux style wines in Chile, and instead made a wine that is distinctly Chilean and could have come from no where else. In the process they have defined the wine of an entire country. The wine is described by the winery as " Deep Ruby with Purple Shadows and an Intense Purity of Fruit" Yum ! Lets thumb our noses at The Man - Join Us Thursday Night - and kick off the holiday weekend in style. We hope to see you then. Please Call Us Anytime With Questions - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend. We hope to see you this Thursday for a special tasting and a great kick off to the Holiday Weekend. AAA.