The Devil's Work Is Never Done

We Have Great Mother's Day Cards
Stop In And Take A Look.
8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

Think of us as Wine - "With Benefits."

Thanks to everyone that turned out for the weekly tasting last Friday night. If you missed it - you can imagine that the hundred dollar Beaucastel was popular - but also intoxicating. It was SO good that we opened a second bottle just to calm everyone down - I mean the stuff is like magic.

We want to let you know that we appreciate your generous support - and it is because of your continued grass roots evangelizing of our store and events to your friends and colleges - that we are able to open and share wines like the Beaucastel with you. We have a great season planned for you.

The list for the weekly tasting is just below a few items of interest.

First
Many thanks to our friends at The O'Neill for gathering at City News on Friday night. A good time was had by all.


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Our Gift Baskets Make A Lasting Impression.
Keep them in mind for Mother's Day.

Our gift baskets can be a combination of all the wonderful goodies that we have. A recent example was a box of Davidoff cigars, a bottle of Scotch, and an assortment of cheese and crackers - for a 50th birthday.

Others might include desert wine, baked goods, flowers and chocolate - you get the idea - anything goes.

Please visit our expanding cheese & gourmet department - We have an amazing selection and we love to sample them all. Please stop in and have a taste.

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In 1993, a simple but remarkable concept took root in Portland, Oregon. That concept was to handcraft superior chocolates - chocolates that would not only taste exquisite, but that would look exceptional, as well. The result would be a chocolate indulgence for all the senses. We are proud to be an authorized retailer of Moonstruck Chocolates.

Do You Know A Chocoholic?

Decadent chocolate truffles with fresh flavors found in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Our case is full - but it goes quickly. A Great Gift For Mother's Day.

Friday April 30 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge Please Join Us

Domaine de Ballade Sauvignon Blanc $10

Remember this one? You may not as it never made it to the tasting party. Let's go back in time to March, long, long ago: "Another little treasure from Gascony on France's northern Atlantic coast.

Has the price of Sancerre and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc gotten to you too?

Here's is a lovely substitute - white flowers and lemon with a marvelous round finish. Crisp, clear and exquisitely made, a wonderful match for seafood and salads. This weekend cook up some fresh cod with an arugula salad - Add a couple bottles of Ballade = dinner party!" - Why, that menu sounds better suited for May 1st!

Varaschin Prosecco Cuvee Rose $15

Another in our "don't fear the rose, the sun's coming out" series, this is an old favorite that you may be familiar with. Dry sparkling Prosecco, colored with a helping of Moscato Rose, so much fruit, it's like taking a nap on a cloud of raspberries on a sunny afternoon. Still the same price, we're loading back up on the Varaschin (Brut as well), so come by and hoist a glass of our finest Italian bubbly!



Santa Ema Merlot Reserve $12

Have any of our regulars noticed how these prices haven't changed in years?
It's remarkable. We call this a brown-bag special, because we dare you to take it to a party in a brown bag and put it up against all comers. From the Maipo Valley, this concentrated Merlot was created by Italian immigrants, the Voglino family, who have been making wine in Chile for 80 years. A concentrated deep red with exquisite oak treatment - 10 months in French barrel.
If your friends are bragging about their favorite new California wallet-buster, bring this.
We'll wipe the price off.






"Costozza" di Longare Cabernet 2004 $16


Continuing our walk down memory lane, let's not forget this gorgeous Cabernet/Cab Franc from Veneto in Northern Italy.

Do you remember when this wine was $26?

Well the new vintage has come in and it's still on deep sale. May we remind fanatics 2004 (along with 2001) is considered a prize year in Italian reds? Leaner and more elegant than the '03, still the unmistakable old-world qualities of direct acidity, earthy fruit and persistent finish. Incredible with seared red meats if you're already breaking out the charcoal grill...


Please join us. Its fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.
AAA

Why Limit Happty To An Hour?

We Have Great Cards
Stop In And Take A Look.

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

Think of us as Wine - "with benefits."

A fantastic list of wine this week for the tasting - including a hundred dollar blockbuster.

The list for the weekly tasting is just below a few items of interest.

First

Beer, Burgers, Baked Potatoes, and even Merlot.
A good cheddar makes the world go round.

If you still have not seen our expanding cheese & gourmet department - what are you waiting for?We have an amazing selection of cheese and we love to sample them all. Please stop in and have a taste.


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This Wednesday - April 21st - is Administrative Professionals Day.



We have thoughtfully put together a number of options that will help you to say Thank You.


Flowers, chocolate, gourmet, wine, and combination's to grab and go.


Your team works hard making you look good all year - remember to order early for timely deliveries.








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In 1993, a simple but remarkable concept took root in Portland, Oregon. That concept was to handcraft superior chocolates - chocolates that would not only taste exquisite, but that would look exceptional, as well. The result would be a chocolate indulgence for all the senses.
We are proud to be an authorized retailer of Moonstruck Chocolates.

Do You Know A Chocoholic?
Our assortments from Moonstruck make for an experience without compare. Handcrafted, using the finest ingredients. Decadent chocolate with fresh flavors found in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Our case is full - but it goes quickly.

A Great Gift For Mother's Day.

Friday April 23 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge Please Join Us

Diehl Halbtrocken Riesling $12

This is a refreshing, bright, "half-dry" Riesling from the high-altitude vineyards of Pfalz, Germany. Light and citrusy, with a bit of a sizzle on the tongue - would pair beautifully with salads, cheese and fruit. Comes in a convenient one liter bottle!

Santo Cristo "Za-Za" Rose $12

Yes, it is time to roll out the pink wine, but never fear - we're fans of the old-school dry varieties, not mass market sugar pills. This rose of Grenache is from Campo de Borja Spain, grown in the chalky and clay soils on the slopes of Moncayo. Tremendous raspberry and strawberry fruit combine with cinnamon and a creamy finish. A lovely addition to a warm spring afternoon.

Chateau Soucherie Anjou $20

Great Loire Valley reds seem to be harder to find, but well worth it - this one is a stunner. Cabernet Franc from northern France, light alcohol and rich roasted beet flavors combine with hints of smoke and leather. A very pretty red, not overpowering, but with enough muscle to combine with hearty beef or lamb dishes. Orsini sausage with spinach and white beans? Or wood-grilled chicken thighs and mushrooms!

Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2006 $100

We have a good stash of these simmering in the cellar, and figured we should just reaquaint ourselves. From the Perrin family comes this benchmark, gorgeous Chateauneuf from the heart of France's Rhone Valley.

This may be Our Favorite Wine of all time.
A bottle for the ages - winemaker Marc Perrin might call drinking these too young "infanticide," it is true they will develop the most extraordinary flavors at around the dozen-year mark, and continue to smolder well into their twenties. But we need some reference point, non?

Please come and get a sip - we will only open ONE, so arrive early. (We also have half bottles at $55)

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

AAA.

The Tax Time Cure

We Have Great Cards For Mother's Day
Stop In And Take A Look.

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7
The wine list for Friday is just below these few items of interest - we always pour a little heavy at tax time - we hope to see you this week.

Think of us as Wine - "with benefits."

This past Wednesday New London's own Murray "The Eye" Renshaw - brought his TV camera to City News for an interview with Tomas Lochem, Master Cigar Maker. If you are a fan of the show - you know that no ones does an interview like Murray. So watch for the show Thursday nights at 8 p.m. on your local channel 26.

Consider This:
It may be time to rediscover the original Dry Martini.
No other cocktail can sooth the angry blow of the Taxman like this one can. It is a timeless classic - and even though the hipster's have "Tini-Ized" just about everything, it is this magic potion that will always endure. We have an exceptionally fine selection of Gin on our shelves stop in and have a look.

A London dry gin can stand up to a lot more vermouth than you might suspect.
The original 1910s-era formula for this iconic drink demonstrates that fact elegantly:

1.5 ounces London dry or Plymouth gin
1.5 ounces of French white dry vermouth
2 dashes of orange bitters and a strip of orange peel.

In a large glass, combine gin, vermouth, bitters, and 2 cups ice. Stir for 15 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist a strip of orange peel over the top and drop it in. Honestly - there is something perfect about this, give it a try.

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April 21 is Administrative Professionals Day.


We have thoughtfully put together a number of options that will help you to say Thank You without straining the new budgets that are in place at most businesses.

Your team works hard making you look good all year - remember to order early for timely deliveries.














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We have a ton of easy ways to make a gathering at home really shine. We can deliver it right to your front door too. All you have to do is take credit for being a fabulous host.

Tax Time Tasting
Friday April 16 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge Please Join Us

No-shows, pinch-hitters and old standbys...
A common feature of our wine tastings is substitution.
Great wines sell out, are forgotten, ruined, even jacked by mysterious forces in some Jersey shipyard - really, it could happen.

We proudly avoid the mass-produced corporate marketing exercises that pass for wine.
We don't really have anything against them - its just not our jam- that's all. And besides, you can find them anywhere.

But it's still a bummer when we can't deliver the goods.
So this Friday we will celebrate bottles which have been tardy, unreliable, or got in the game in times of crisis - in order to toast YOU, our patient, understanding customers! *All selections subject to availability.

La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon Blanc $9

Last month we had planned to pour a little Sauvignon from Gascony, a wine which fell into a wormhole, perhaps to be rediscovered in the future on Star Trek.

So this little white Rhone from "The Old Chicken Farm" was the unannounced white feature at the tasting.


What a lovely surprise! Gorgeous, multi-layered and glossy (Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc and Roussanne).
A pearl in under-$15 whites, at significantly less...









Louis Max Pinot Noir $18


"Remember me? You were supposed to try me LAST Friday, and hopefully I will have made it into Southeastern Connecticut by the time you read this!" That was the wine talking. You may even remember our bold proclamation: "This is the best Pinot under 20 bucks we have ever carried!"
So yeah, see for yourself - if we can get our hands on it. From the Cote d'Or in the heart of Burgundy, France, etc. It's awesome. We still want to pour it and make it a regular on the shelf!


Gran Familia Rioja $14

We kept searching for old-school Riojas while our favorites ran out or stopped being imported.

Luckily this trend seems to be cycling back - we are not alone in craving the classic delicate style (conversely, if you want a BIG Spanish wine there are plenty to choose from).

This pretty wine at this price makes so much sense.

Our only regret is that we haven't always had it on hand for you - please retry on Friday.








Fratelli Allesandri Barbera d'Alba $27


This bottle with the pink capsule used to linger patiently on the shelf then got caught up in the whirlwind of celebrity.

Stunningly crafted Barbera from one of the greatest producers we carry. This hasn't been around because when we can get it, it's already out the door.

A certain somebody buys every case.We snagged an extra case this time, hope there's still some here on Friday, but if not...well that's the whole point of this exercise anyway!










Thanks again for a great week, we appreciate your support.

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

AAA.

Spring Fever Tasting

We Have Great Cards - Lots of Them.
Stop In And Take A Look.

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

The wine list for Friday is just below these few items of interest.

Think of us as Wine - "with benefits."


Many thanks to Mark Peele for tickling the ivories this past Friday - he made a great night even better.

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International Dogs Debut This Week at The Beanery

Care for a little Fiery Kimchi on your "Korean Dog?"
or maybe some shaved Dubliner cheese on your Irish Cheddar Dog. This Wednesday we push the concept of the hot dog to a new level.
We will feature the world famous Mucke's hot dog with it's all natural casing. Then add perfect buttery rolls from the grill and an assortment of international flavors. Please join us for something different this Wednesday at The Beanery. 70 State Street in New London.

Spring Fever Tasting
Friday April 9 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge Please Join Us

Louis Max Beaucharme Chardonnay $16

It's been a long time since I woke up actually excited because a couple cases of wine were coming in...Friday was one of those days! From Louis Max comes what we believe are two of the best values to be found in two favorite varietals. Let's start with the Chardonnay: from Burgundy, France (where else?), mellow, aromatic, cool and pleasant. Pale gold, with fresh pear, butter and white flowers. (Arugula salad with spring asparagus and toasted pine nut?)

Louis Max Beaucharme Pinot Noir $18

Next up, their Pinot Noir - I'm going to go out on a vine here and announce: "This is the best Pinot under 20 bucks we have ever carried!" Again - from The Source: Cote d'Or, in Burgundy, France, Pinot's hometown. Brilliant red, with cherry, kirsch and notions of lime and mint. (They also make a Monopole, in the Mercurey vineyard - stay tuned)

Fratelli Corsi Michelangelo Chianti $10

Here's a nice little find for bargain hunters, genuine Sangiovese-based Chianti with a light, peppery dried-flower bouquet. Soft-textured with dark berry undertones, a Chianti that won't pickle your tongue. Ideal for pasta and pizza, or next to a big Caesar salad!

Carlo Giacosa Dolcetto d'Alba "Cuchet" $18

•••

This small-production gem comes from the heart of Tuscany. Deep violet tones and bright red plummy fruit, giving way to an earthy, morel mushroom and smoked wood character. Round, full-bodied and velvety. This shows brilliantly with food - say, Orsini fennel sausage in red sauce over pan-seared polenta with shaved romano and wilted spinach? Just an idea...

Thanks for all of the reservations and party plans for the coming weeks. Brie & Bleu and City News are great venues for a private get together. Graduation & wedding season is upon us and we have options to suit rehearsal dinners, birthdays, and client meetings too. Please give us a call to discuss your plans.

Thanks also for all of the kind words about our new staff members and the very enthusiastic input on the new menu ideas we have been trying out. We can hardly wait for Brie & Bleu to open for the season*.

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

AAA.

*Brie & Bleu will be back to regular dinner service at the end of May.

Wine With Benefits

We Have Great Cards - Lots of Them.
Stop In And Take A Look.

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

The wine list for Friday is just below these few items of interest.

Think of us as Wine - with "benefits."

Lots of news to share this week:

The New York Times confirms what we have been saying all along - take a look HERE
No Attitude Wine Stores - are the new black.
But we have been saying the same thing for years.

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Live Music This Friday At The Weekly Tasting

Mark Peele Performs at The Weekly Tasting

SAVE THE DATE:
Live Piano Jazz - Friday April 2 - 6-9 p.m.
If this isn't the best place to start your weekend - I don't know what to tell you. Enjoy the weekly tasting and live jazz too. No Charge - please join us this week.

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No. 209 Kosher-for-Passover Gin



Distillery No. 209 has created a Jewish masterpiece with the only Kosher-for-Passover Gin available in the marketplace or for that matter, in the world.

After some careful changes of botanical make-up and using a Kosher-for Passover certified Sugar Cane spirit from South Africa as the foundation, this offering represents the same style of artisanal Gin we've come to enjoy of No. 209.

Distillery 209 Gin

One of the leaders of the "New Gin Movement" and probably the best. This five-times distilled gin makes classic gin cocktails better and has helped lead a new cocktail revolution. Made on Pier 50 in San Francisco in a beautiful copper still, this is a must-have for any serious home bar.

Be Groovy - Join Us
Friday April 2 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge

This Week Live Piano Jazz
with Mark Peele
Please Join Us

Naia Verdejo 2008 $14

This lovely Spanish white comes from the left bank of the Duero River in the growing region of Rueda, where Verdejo has been grown since the Middle Ages.

Bright fruit flavors of grapefruit, lime and kiwi accented by a"pronounced herbaceousness."

We are so happy to have it back - as wine fanatic Jerry Hall says, "just for the halibut!" Let's pan-sear some with a pile of asparagus!






Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir 2007 $26

This pearl of a vineyard blend may be our favorite ever to be produced in America. Actually pretty big for a Pinot, blended carefully by The Man - Josh Jensen.

After studying in Burgundy at Domaine Romanee Conti (!) Josh bought a limestone outcropping in California in the 70's which he thought would be perfectly suited for fussy Pinot plantings.

This was back when Mondavi was making California famous for Cabernet - NOBODY was growing Pinot.
So Mr. Jensen bought these plots of land around Hollister, only problem - there were no ROADS to get to them.

He started his vineyard with long hikes and helicopter drops! 40 years later everybody loves Pinot Noir from California and Josh's wines are still The Gold Standard (we also have single-vineyard Mills '05, Selleck '05 and Jensen '06 for you fanatics).





Les Deux Rives Corbieres Rouge 2008 $10

Every once in a while we rediscover an amazing little wine right under our nose - this full French red has been the same price for 4 years now!

Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan - you're right, those are the ultimate varietals of the Rhone, but now we're takin' it down to the hotter Mediterranean Languedoc coast.

Rich, full and packed with ripe berry flavors, "serve slightly cool with grilled meats, poultry or cheeses."
Read: Perfect with charcoal-seared hangar steak from Carlo and Son in East Lyme, roasted chicken thighs with fennel or just put your feet up with rosemary crackers and paper-thin slices of Shropshire Blue cheese from Brie & Bleu.











Venta La Ossa Crianza 2007 $18

"Fozzie Bear Wine" is back! Who can resist the orange dog/bear creature licking grapes featured on the label?

We joke about critter wines, cats and kangaroos are actually the ultimate marketing beasts, but we think Fozzie is the cutest.

Luckily the charm doesn't end with the label - in the bottle is a gorgeous Tempranillo blend from La Mancha, Spain, with touches of Petit Verdot and Merlot.

Creamy cocoa, roasted beet and dark plum with cinnamon - a peppery heavy-hitter, more wine than the little bear would suggest.







Thanks for all of the comments and for your amazing support over the past few weeks.

We have also seen a lot of new faces over at The Greenery - people have been stopping in for lunch, trying the featured cheese, sampling chocolates - people are really getting the hang of it - Lots of people trying "Shropshire Cheese" from last weeks email for the first time, for example.

We are especially happy to welcome a good friend and talented musician to our weekly tasting this Friday. Mark Peele will be performing for all of us during the tasting.

Folks - this is a great night out - please tell your friends and start your Friday night with us.
Enjoy a little wine, some music, then head out for a nice dinner* or maybe over to a friends house for a visit.
Its all good.

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

AAA.

We Have Great Cards - Lots of Them.
Stop In And Take A Look.

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

The wine list for Friday is just below these items of interest:

Reserve your favorite seat!
Warm Weather Is Just Around The Corner

Tell Your Friends.

"You Are Getting Thirsty..."
Please Join Us
Friday March 26 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge

The Magical Way To Start Your Weekend.

Forstreiter "Grooner" Gruner Veltliner $12

What a hoot! Straight out of Austria, our friends Monika and Toni brought us this awesome little Gruner.
Just came to Connecticut after flying off the shelves in Manhattan. We love any wine from Niederosterreich, in fact, any screwcap with an Austrian flag gets our attention! A perfect substitue for Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, ready to go with chicken, salads, seafood and spicy cuisines.

La Vielle Ferme Cotes du Ventoux $9

We adore this French table red - from the southern Rhone right near Mount Ventoux.
Seemed like a wonderful addition to the Perrin Brothers' table wines - it ends up, the Perrins make this wine as well! They loved it too and bought the estate.
Grenache-based table red, light cherry and spice, pairs beautifully with sliced beef, roasted vegetables and tomato-based soups.










Mas de Daumas Gassac "Guilhem" $12

Another in the "so nice we poured it twice" category. We can't rave about this enough - a newly imported gem from France's Languedoc.

Winemaker Aime Guilbert is famous for chasing a famous billion-dollar wine conglomerate out of his backyard (name starting with "Mon" and ending with "davi").

One angry sales rep stopped by, took one look at his wines and blurted out "That #$%&-ing peasant!" Turns out, we love #$%&-ing peasant wine. Keep at it! Silky and fine, enjoy with a quality burger and potato gratin.

Lagone Toscana$18

This is our newfound "Baby Gaja" - a "SuperTuscan" endowed with Cabernet and Merlot superpowers from the heart of Tuscany.

Who would dare make a Bordeaux blend in the heart of Italy's most famous growing region? Angelo Gaja would, and turns out Brian Larky at Aia Vecchia would too.
We adore this and might buy it all ourselves.
(P.S. Lagone is a third of the price of the Gaja)

CHEESE
CHEESE
CHEESE
Shropshire Blue

Shropshire Blue is the bright festive cousin of Stilton. It's essentially produced the same way as Stilton, except that annatto is added to the recipe making the interior orange. Shropshire Blue is even more luscious and creamy than Stilton.

The story of this cheese dates back to Scotland during the 1920s. Dennis Biggins, who actually made his living grading Cheshire cheese, created the first wheels of Shropshire Blue. Today, the cheese is produced in Nottinghamshire, England by Richard Rowlett and Billy Kevan at Colston Bassett Dairy. The cheese is aged for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks.

Shropshire Blue pairs excellently with sliced pears, apples, and quince paste. If you're going to snack on this cheese with crackers, I suggest whole wheat crackers to balance out the striking pungency of the cheese. Similar to Stilton, it tastes exquisite with a glass of port.

PLEASE VISIT OUR EXPANDING GOURMET DEPARTMENT AT
Thames River Greenery
8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

70 State Street
New London
Open 7 Days

New This Week:



Cain F

The Cain F which stands for Fuerte is a special edition in the Cain series. These sticks are 82% ligero compared to the 77% ligero in the maduro line.

These cigars are not for the squeamish.
BUT
Despite being strong the cigar is smooth and refined due to the triple fermentation process.

First Come, First Served.

Relax
Indulge
Enjoy

Please stop in and enjoy
our one-of-a-kind
cigar lounge.


Hey - thanks so much for all of the comments and emails this week - we appreciate it. And also for your support - we couldn't do it without you.

We hope to see you at this weeks tasting.
Please Join Us - it's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.

AAA.