Ground Breaking News

What A Beautiful Audience

How would you like to taste wine with Michael Mondavi himself? You will have your chance in November - and in the next few weeks we will publish a list of guests that will set a new benchmark for bringing our friends and customers directly to the makers of the greatest wines in the world.

First of their kind, ground breaking, one on one - that's what we are working on now. And it is only because of your remarkable support that we are able to make these types of events happen. Thank you for being part of the revolution. Drink Different.

This Friday - 10.16.12

1 - Cline 2011 Cashmere - $16

Let's face it: $16 wine values from the Côtes Du Rhône region of southeastern France are among the world's best red wine values. But that doesn't mean that California versions, using similar grape blends, shouldn't also share space on your wine rack. Cline Cellars has been doing Rhône for years, and one of their most recent incarnations, seductively named "Cashmere," is a treat.

Garnet/ruby color. High-toned, slightly grapey nose, with appealing brightness and notes of fresh herbs, raspberry, Kirsch, and coffee grounds. Turns more toward cherry flavors and hints of milk chocolate in its smooth, warm and balanced texture. Good acids on the finish to cut through burgers, lamb chops or a mushroom/onion tart. (A blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah)


Cline Cellars proudly supports Living Beyond Breast Cancer and over the years has contributed more than $200,000 to breast cancer foundations.

We are proud to support their efforts this Friday night - please join us.


 2 - Paso a Paso Verdejo - $12

 
This winery is located in the best terroir of La Mancha found in the eastern region of the ¨Denomination of Origin. Sandy soils with lots of chalk. Winters are very cold; summers are hot with cool nights and it is a very arid climate. The grapes for this wine come from 14 hectares ( 34 acres) of Verdejo vines planted in 1998. The yield is 4T/ha (1.60 T/acre). After very careful vineyard selections, only the best vines of Verdejo grapes are hand harvested.

Tanzer's Internation Wine Cellars::
"Green-tinged gold. Very fresh scents of quince, melon and agave. Juicy and broad in the mouth, with good depth to its pit and orchard fruit flavours. Becomes spicier with air and finishes with strong cut and a lingering citrus pith note. This offers excellent value. "


This has got to be one of the best values we have offered in a long time - this is a wine that you will want to have around for the rest of the year. Perfect for dinners, hosting a holiday get together, or just sipping with friends. It is as they say - a crowd pleaser.  Please try it on Friday night.

The Fall Season - Events

WINE WORKS LIKE MAGIC

Please Mark Your Calendars

Wednesday - 10.24.12 - The Wines Of South Africa
No Charge - Please RSVP - Limited SeatingPresented by Knauth & Visser. Paired with small plates.
Learn about the great South African Winelands and try wine that is available here for the first time.

SPECIAL - Friday - 11.16.12 - No Charge - RSVP Required

Very Limited Seating
Jim Kowalyschyn Espris Du Vin Wine &
Samantha Brennen Artisinal Cheese of
New York.
Wine and cheese pairings presented by two of the leaders in the field.

SATURDAY - 11.17.12 - 3PM
Eric Bellnier presents Essential Italian Wines for the holidays.
Special pricing on Award Winning Fontodi Wines.

ALSO -

Friday October 19
Mangetout Restaurant
We have a collaboration dinner event with Mangetout the
Organic Cafe just up the block.

An Organic Oktoberfest Dinner and wine pairing
Friday, October 19 
Just Two Seatings
6pm & 8pm.

We will be pairing wine with each course. You must contact Mangetout directly to make reservations. Seating Is Very Limited. 8 6 0 - 4 4 4 - 2 0 6 6. Do Not Wait To Call if you are interested.

THIS FRIDAY NIGHT Will will be joined by a special guest - Please Join Us. 1 - Clos des Mures a Single Vineyard Syrah - $16 Jean-Claude Mas has blazed the trail for premium winemaking in the Languedoc region of the South of France. Since taking the helm of the centuries-old Domaines in 2000, his driving mission has been to use only premium quality grapes to craft superior wines with a modern, New World flair. Intense purple violet with garnet tints. Complex nose with blackcurrants, violet, blackberries, turning to cacao and spices. Well balanced and smooth tannins, full bodied. WINEMAKER: "Grapes, some of which are cultivated on 40-year old vines, benefit from hot summer days and a cooling sea breeze. A deep garnet red wine.Complex on the nose with aromas of blackcurrants, violets and blackberries that evolve into hints of cocoa and spice. Elegant and fruit-filled on the palate, liquorice and toasted notes lead   to a long-lasting and well-balanced finish over smooth tannins.  The Syrah vines are between 26 and 46 years old, the Grenache 47 years old. The wine is aged for 10 months in French and American Seguin Moreau and François Frére oak barrels 30% new oak barrels, 35% 1 year old oak barrels, 35% 2 year old oak barrel. Intense purple violet with garnet tints. Complex nose with blackcurrants, violet, blackberries, turning to cacao and spices. Well balanced and smooth tannins, full bodied. Strong fruity characters with a long finish evolving towards liquorice and toasted notes. Elegant and refined.  Food pairing: Preferably pasta dishes, beef stews, red meat, game, pate and soft full flavor cheeses."     2 - La Forge Estate, Languedoc France - $14    Deep Bright and lovely light garnet-red colour. Nose: Very elegant with a quintessence of red berries, strawberry, cherry, and soft spices aromas with a hint of vanilla. Palate: It's a medium bodied wine, with ripe tannins and acidity which testify his capability to age. It develops very delicate aromas and a long lasting finish. Pinot Noir causes more discussion and dispute in the wine world than any other grape variety, most of which centers around the wine style which best represents the 'true' Pinot Noir. Examples from Central Otago are so different from those grown in Santenay that even an untrained palate can tell them apart. Yet both are unmistakably, unquestionably Pinot Noir. It is this strength of character which has made Pinot Noir such an internationally successful and desirable grape variety. Pairs well with grilled red meats such as lamb, veal, pork and game. Also goes well with soft cheeses such as brie or goat's cheese. 3 - Domaine Paul Mas Carignan 2010 - $14 Never heard of Carignan? Until around 1990, it was the most widely grown grape in France. The workhorse grape of France and Spain, its ancestral home (where it is called Cariñena), Carignan is traditionally used in blends and is the primary, unsung ingredient in French wines that are labeled simply "Red table wine" or "Vin de Table." That is why most people have heard of Carignan only in passing, or not at all. Located on the hillsides of the Hérault overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the Savignac vineyard is the ideal growing location for Carignan grapes. These mature vines, some over 50-years old, have reached a perfect natural balance. Even though produced in the Côteaux du Languedoc, Cru Grés de Montpellier appellation, this single varietal wine can only be designated IGP Pays de L'Hérault.   100% Carignan On the nose, spices and blackberry give way to aromas of cherry jam and cocoa over toasted oak notes. A full-bodied, rich and mellow wine, with delicious velvety tannins and complex flavors.    BUZZ - News & Events          As promised our dance card is filling up for the coming season. Please take a moment to check your calendar with our posted dates. If you see something that you like, don't wait to call because things fill up quickly. We will be adding more attractions and finalizing more special guests in the next couple of weeks Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions that we receive every week. We try to incorporate as many of your ideas as possible. AND Thank you for the support, we know there are a lot of choices you can make for shopping - but keeping your business local and supporting small business in New London is greatly appreciated. We hope to see you soon.

 ThamesRiver.com

Please Join Us On Friday Night.

It Is Fun Informal And A Great Way To Start Your Weekend.

Wine & Cheese Tasting Every Friday 5-8 PM - No Charge

WINE - The New Energy Drink.

Christophe Reboul Salze bought his Bordeaux wine vineyard Chateau Les Grands Marechaux located in the Cotes de Blaye appellation in 1997.

Les Grands Marechaux is a contender for the best value Bordeaux wine produced today.




This estate-bottled, hand-harvested Bordeaux has also been a favorite of Robert Parker who has featured it in
"The World's Best Wine
Values Under $25"
calling it "sensational" and writing that the wine is "velvety textured, sumptuous, and long...". He's called Stephane Derenoncourt (who consults at the estate) "brilliant" and the estate was classified as "excellent".

Wow - I can hardly wait for Friday night - how about you?

Chateau les Grands Marechaux  - $22
Rated 92 points in the Wine Spectator

So, just how great is the 2009 vintage?

"The finest vintage I have tasted in 32 years of covering Bordeaux!!!" - Robert M. Parker Jr.

"In France's most famous wine region, Bordeaux, some people are touting the 2009 vintage as the mother of great modern vintages. Licorice and tar on the nose. Full-bodied, with a lovely core of fruit and silky tannins. Focused and clear. Could be best ever from here." - James Suckling, Wine Spectator

Wine Advocate: Consultant Stephane Darenoncourt has fashioned a medium dark ruby-hued 2009 with seductive fruit, earth, spice, and dark berry characteristics as well as a medium to full-bodied finish.








Llicorella Priorat 2005 - $22
Louis Latour Pouilly Vinzelles - 18 

      

Already known to the Romans, Vinzelles takes its name from the latin vincella which means small vine. The distinctive feature of the village of Vinzelles is the presence of two "chateaux" separated by just a few metres: a fortified castle from the 11th century and the other from the 13th and 17th centuries.  

 

The appellation of Pouilly-Vinzelles encompasses the villages of Vinzelles and Loche. Continuing from the predominantly limestone slopes of Chaintre and Fuisse, the vineyards of Pouilly-Vinzelles are exclusively planted with Chardonnay and closely resemble those wines from its neighbor Pouilly-Fuisse.

Golden yellow in color, this Pouilly-Vinzelles is characterized by its heady aromas of Williams pear and peppered mango. Round, fat and very full in the mouth with liquorice notes. Finishes with an attractive balance.

Rated 91 Points - The Wine Spectator 

 

Wine Spectator:  Rated as Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style. "This red is light and crisp, yet has plenty of structure to power its raspberry, licorice and mountain herb flavors. Focused and lively, with a floral, spicy finish.

Wine Maker: 

"A cherry red wine, with purple reflections and an aroma of black fruits with roasted notes. Concentrated and with sweet notes that are reminiscent of cacao. Has a long, well-balanced after-taste.  From a rugged region with sharp relief, in which the grapes are grown on terraces and on the mountain sides or “costers”. The earth is the distinctive element of this region, and is stony and poor with a volcanic constitution, formed by thin layers of slate or “llicorella”, that retain little water, giving the wines produced in this region a marked mineral character. "

Named for the priory of a 12th century order of Carthasian monks, Priorat's vineyards are necessarily on terraces due to the tightly-folded mountainous terrain of the region.  Mechanism is virtually impossible because of the lay of the land, so the wines are hand-crafted.  The solid structure and lively personality of the Llicorella Priorat allow it to pair with a great variety of foods.  Lamb and meat as well as duck, game and robust fish will all do well.  Sample your first glass with a nutty Manchego cheese from Spain; it will really bring out the mountain herbs of this Priorat.  The hint of fruit in this focused red will be delicious with crisp-skinned rotisserie duck served with a sweet-tart cherry chutney.  A pan of paella made with fideo noodles instead of rice will bring out the more earthy, spicy side of this Llicorella. 
We like ours with sausage, chicken and/or duck.  If you want something simple, grill up some lamb sausages and serve them with oven-roasted garlic potatoes.  Pour another generous glass and savor it with a rich, full-flavored Spanish Zamorano cheese.  Its texture melts in your mouth and is the perfect ending to what will no doubt be a great meal.   Disfrutar!

Mon Dieu! Cheap Bordeaux!

 

 When you think about Bordeaux, what comes to mind? The British fop sipping "claret" in his drawing room? The Wall Streeter buying futures for his insta-cellar? We've been conditioned to believe that Bordeaux must be expensive to be good, which isn't surprising given how much power is concentrated in the hands of a few in the fabled region. All anyone talks about are the "classed growths"--that is, the top-ranked (and priciest) wines, which were set by brokers back in the 19th century.

Today we favor the weathered paysan who plows his vineyard with a draft horse, not the chateau owned by an insurance company.

The region of Bordeaux is huge, producing more high-quality wine than any other in France, and that kind of scale should work to our advantage. We started exploring the fringes (Bordeaux has 57 appellations) and kept finding world-class reds at numbers that we all can handle.

Been-there, done-that grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot--yes Merlot, are new again. The Cabernets have sharp angles and smoky notes, the Merlots are silken and aromatic, and both are often pointed up with a dash of peppery Cabernet Franc. By seeking out the "lesser" appellations, We findin wines that, unlike many classed growths, aren't as tailored for the critics. Less oaky, less alcoholic Cabernet can be a revelation, and these days you're more likely to find it in outer-borough appellations than in blue-chip areas.

Chateau Bellvue Bordeaux Superieur 

      

The appellation Bordeaux Superieur applies to wines from the Bordeaux district containing 1% more alcohol than the requirement for the appellation of Bordeaux. What this means is the wine will be slightly more full-bodied as a result of the increased alcohol level.   

The blend is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.

The 18 months of oak aging softens this wine and makes it a candidate for immediate consumption.  The wine is soft and round with pleasant notes of cassis and red fruits on the nose and palate.   

This is an easy drinking Bordeaux.This wine will pair well with stews and most red meat dishes, particularly a nice grilled ribeye steak.

  

On the nose, the wine is rich with buttered cherries, red flowers, and a hint of something fresh and earthy in the background - like tomato leaves in a summer garden. It's a very appealing combination. Surprisingly, the wine is not a fruit blockbuster on the palate. It's actually quite elegant, with tart cherry and savory herb playing with already-smooth tannin. Not a Bordeaux you need to age for 25 years, this one's ready now.

On a side note, the term Bordeaux Supérieur does not necessarily mean the wine is better than a plain old Bordeaux. It actually just means it has higher alcohol content. Just a little party fact for you.  

 MARGAUX - Chateau De La Coste

 

 Producing 2,500 cases a year, the Château de la Coste vineyard spreads in the northern part of the Margaux appellation.  

Margaux boasts 21 château with classified growth status and is known to produce elegant, delicate, and fragrant wines.  

This excellence is a result of the soil quality, the unique weather conditions, and natural drainage which exists in the vineyards. Many say Margaux is the most feminine appellation in all of Bordeaux.   

   

This wine is a harmonious blend of flavors and is best matched with roasted red meats such as duck, peppered beef, and lamb shank. The velvety flavors of the wine shine through when served with asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and mushroom risotto dishes. Enjoy the wine with variety of cheeses such as Montrachet and aged Monterey Jack. 

Chateau Bellevue, Entre-Deux-Mers 

 

Château Bellevue is located on 84 hectares of vineyard and produces a range of Bordeaux whites and reds. The château is located on a large hill, overlooking the vineyards, and is locally nicknamed the "Tuscany of Bordeaux". Winemaker, Daniel Sore, utilizes the art of modern wine-making to produce Bordeaux wines that are characteristic of the local terroir.

The name Entre-Deux-Mers translates as 'Between Two Seas'. The seas in question are the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, which form the area's southern and northern boundaries respectively.  

Entre-Deux-Mers occupies a substantial slice of the Bordeaux region, stretching from the edge of Bordeaux city in the west, to the farmland outside Bergerac in the east. The landscape is mostly fertile and green, rolling gently between 33 and 330ft (10-100m) above sea level.  

However, vineyards have replaced some of the green landscape, with large patches of land being rapidly devoted to viticulture. The soils of Entre-Deux-Mers are predominantly of alluvial type (sand and clay in varying proportions) - which is to be expected, given its name and location.

Please join us and try these wines on for size. 

Wine & cheese tasting every Friday from 5-8 PM No Charge.

 

Things That Are New

 

The band featured in the video is:

Clairy Browne and the Bangin' Rackettes'  from South Australia The Song: 'Love Letter'  is available on iTunes. Back In Stock    Poiron-Dabin "The Dragonfly Wine" Val de Loire, France, $15      Robert Parker - Rated 90 Points     "This is an unusual wine. Pinot gris is rarely grown in the Loire Valley. It is also the reddest of the white grapes, and this wine evidently was left on its skins longer than usual, giving it a deep amber color. It resembles pinot gris from Alsace, at a fraction of the price. I recommend decanting   the well-chilled wine 30 minutes before your Thanksgiving dinner to give the flavors a   chance to develop."    When we first introduced this wine last season it was an immediate crowd pleaser. It is not often that we find a wine that everyone enjoys. That is what makes this wine a perfect choice for dinners, parties, and the upcoming holidays. I'm not sure that it needs decanting like Mr. Parker suggests, but it won't hurt either. This is the wine that a lot of customers used our case-lay-away program for. You will want this for Thanksgiving, and just about any occasion that brings family and friends to your home.  We have very good availability right now - but it goes quickly. Please try it with a little cheese this Friday.

Domaine La Grand Ribe $17 La Grande Ribe 2009 Cotes-du-Rhone Villages "Centenaire"      Robert Parker - Rated 93 Points     "This small Domaine in the Southern Rhone grows all of its grapes organically. This wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah from their oldest vines averaging 75 years of age. Fermented slowly in large oak vats to bring out the dense, full flavors this wine shows character beyond its modest appellation. The blockbuster 2009 Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Centenaire tastes more like a Chateauneuf du Pape than a Côtes-du-Rhône. Dominated by Grenache with a small amount of Syrah included in the blend, the wine possesses great intensity, a terrific texture, full-bodied power, and wonderful purity and Provencal typicity. This sensational effort is filled with red and black fruit, roasted herb, barbecue smoke, meat juice and bouquet garni characteristics.  Don't miss it!" We like to pair this wine with some of the medium bodied cheeses that we have from Artisinal - we will show you what we mean on Friday night. And consider this as another candidate for case lay-away-program.

BUZZ - News & Events          No Charge, But -   You Must Call To Reserve A Place.    Have You Saved The Date?   WEDNESDAY September 26th - 6pm - No Charge  We are pleased to welcome once again to the main stage - Mr. Jim Kowalyschyn.  Mr. "K" will be pouring a few of his favorite Bordeaux's. 10 Chateau Bellevue Blanc (Entre Deux Mers) 10 Chateau Chantegrive Blanc (Graves)        09 Chateau Bellevue (Bordeaux Superieur)    09 Chateau Malleret (Haut Medoc)            09 Chateau La Coste (Margaux) And we will be serving caved aged cheese with each wine. A great opportunity to try the wines of Bordeaux - BUT- Mr. Kowalyschyn is  an encyclopedia of information and his informal and engaging way of sharing his experiences and knowledge make him a one of the best presenters in the business. We hope to see you on Wednesday the 26th at 6:00PM. Please reserve your place today - 860-443-6817.

 ThamesRiver.com

Please Join Us On Friday Night.

It Is Fun Informal And A Great Way To Start Your Weekend.

Wine & Cheese Tasting Every Friday 5-8 PM - No Charge

 

Toad Hollow Vineyards - Wine Tasting

Join Us This Friday Night

August 10 - 5-8 PM - No Charge

Francine Williams

The owner of

Toad Hollow Vineyards

Returns Home To New London

Under her maiden name of Francine Smith, "Frankie" graduated from New London High School in 1966 and worked at Electric Boat before moving to California.

Though she loves her work and the wine country, there are definitely things besides family and friends Frankie looks forward to in her trips back to Connecticut.
"The two things I miss the most are fried clams and pizza," she says. "In California, everyone's hot on fancy designer pizza."

We are honored once again to host an evening with one of wine's most recognizable stars.

Francine will be here to share a glass of wine, sign bottles, takes photos and recount her adventures west of the Mississippi. If you can make it to just one of our events this month - make it this one.

Wine and Cheese 5-8 PM - No Charge.

BACKGROUND:
How it All Began - The name Toad Hollow conjures nostalgic images of pastoral scenery: a winding country road and a gently flowing river with big oak trees and grasses swaying in the summer breeze. This is a place where you can relax and enjoy a sip or two of wine while gazing out on a pond hopping with Toad Hollow friends.

Toad Hollow is the collaboration of two old friends who retired, more or less, to an existence of peace and quiet in the Hollow, after a life of whirlwind world travel. Neither of these two gentlemen believed in self-denial.

Todd Williams and Rodney Strong - Dr. Toad and The Dancing Badger (as they were fondly called) were sitting on the veranda one day gazing out over Mr. Badger's beautiful hillside vineyards that ran from the banks of the Russian River clear up to the house. During their conversation they decided they wanted to find a way to repay the warmth and friendship shown them along the way. The two old friends had in common a love of good food and fine wine, so they made a decision. "We'll make fine wines!"

Toad Hollow as a boutique winery in 1993. 
Through Todd's relentlessly infectious personality and a damned fine product, the winery went from moving 300 annual cases of unoaked chardonnay to a hugely successful company with several types of wine and yearly sales of over 200,000 cases - without ever sacrificing quality or the sense of joy. 

Frankie says adherence to the founding principles is not only good business sense but perpetuates the spirit of Toad Hollow. Just the way she speaks in casual conversation is indicative of her pride and enjoyment.  "We try and produce wonderful wines at reasonable prices," she says. "We think you should be able to enjoy wonderful wines on a daily basis and not worry about the cost. If you want a $50 or $100 bottle of wine for special occasions, that's excellent." She laughs. "But you can afford to drink Toad Hollow Monday through Thursday."

Please Join Us On Friday Night.
It Is Fun Informal And A Great Way To Start Your Weekend.

Wine & Cheese Tasting Every Friday 5-8 PM - No Charge

70 State Street New London, CT 06320