Greetings from all of us in New London,
Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817
Brie & Bleu - 860-437-2474
IMPORT - 860-443-6817
www.ThamesRiver.com
Our Friday night line up is listed just below these items of interest and information.
Included on the list is a legendary name - Dominus.
Robert Parker rates this one 95 points - This is the 20th vintage of this powerhouse from California.
We hope to see you this Friday night.
• If you missed The Party last Friday night- it was hopping. Mild weather, spring fever, and calm seas brought the people out.
The heater on the deck was on and the tables were full - it was a beautiful night. The tasting in our cellar focused on the wines of Spain and Portugal and we saw lots of new faces. Thanks for making our weekly fete so much fun - we appreciate it.
• Remember, lots of people have discovered the best kept secret in New London: Buy wine at the wine store - then take it next door for dinner at Brie & Bleu. Dinner and a great bottle of wine that leaves you with enough money to fill your tank in the morning - oh yeah.
• Moonstruck Chocolates - http://www.moonstruckchocolate.com/Oscars2006.aspx
This is the company that has been featured on TV and supplies chocolate to the stars -
Now available at Brie & Bleu - take a peek in our display cooler - we are offering some of their favorite items.
This Week At Brie & Bleu:
Here are the dinner specials at Brie & Bleu for this week - our staff will help you pick the perfect wine
Friday 3/30/07- Crab Cakes with radish & lemon aoli and corn salsa.
Saturday 3/31/07 - Lasagna Bolognase with a fresh arugala salad.
Featured cheese: of the week at Brie & Bleu is Tallegio at $9/lb. The cheese is produced in Lombardy, Italy. The cheese is a cow's milk with a high fat content (48%) giving it a very creamy, semi-soft texture that turns runny as it ages. The rind is washed with a reddish-orange color that has mold. The taste of the cheese is extremely pungent, stinky cheese has a very creamy and mellow taste. It's initial salty impact is followed by fruity, yeasty undertones. The cheese pairs well with a young full-bodied wine such as Merlot or with a dessert Riesling and serve with fruit on a cheese board, in salads, or mixed into hot pasta or polenta since it melts well.
Give it a try,
Colleen
Wine Tasting Please Join Us -
Friday March 30 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge
1 - Zeni Pinot Grigio ramato $17
This is the first rosé tasting of the Spring - The northeastern Italian regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia were historically referred to as the "Tre Venezie"(three Venices), and represent the vast chunk of territory once associated with the great city of Venice. Today, these regions are more politically distinct, but their wines converge on the tables of Venice, where the incomparable array of seafood - cuttlefish in their ink; scampi (shrimp) dressed in olive oil and lemon juice; flaky branzini (sea bass) baked in salt crust - is perfectly complemented by the Tre Venezie¹s minerally, crisp, fragrant white wines. - This wine is a classic of the Tre Venezie: A powerful pinot grigio with a slight pink tinge due to some skin contact during fermentation.
This is the kind of wine you'll see in Venice all the time but rarely does it make it Stateside. (the term "ramato" means "coppery," in reference to the coppery color of the wine due to the skin contact). Give this one a try - you might decide to keep a case around the house all season long.
2 - Cono Sur Pinot Noir - Rapel, Chile - $12
This is an interesting, if slightly odd Pinot Noir. The open nose is quite striking, with a slightly, herbal character, along with some sweet plummy fruit. The palate is rich, fruity and appealing. Pinot Noir is generally known as a sexy wine and this is a great choice for the latest food trends. In general terms this is a wine that will make any white meat look good. Also soups, stews, and flavorful fish dishes.
3 - Luigi Baudana Barbera D'Alba "Donatella" 2004 $26
This entire estate is only 4.5 hectares. And - just one half of a hectare is devoted to Barbera. The entire production less than 2100 cases.
Since 1975 Luigi and Fiorina Baudana have been growing grapes on their tiny estate. Their wines are remarkable for their power and their finesse, their depth of flavor and their sheer drinkability. This is a fantastic wiine for the price AND it drinks with the intensity of a 1963 Marchello Mastriani.
Most people don't realize it but we are the inventors of the "Celebrity Tasting Scale" -
We have used it for years here behind the scenes.
The world is full of 100 point scales, and descriptions of all manner - "gun flint, with a touch of raspberry, on a sunny day" (C&M-take note)
But I have always felt that a better way to describe wine is our system. For example "It's bold, raw, it reminds me of a 1951 Robert Mitchum.
4 - Dominus 2003 95 points $126 - The 20th vintage
Dominus is the proprietary red wine produced in the heart of Napa Valley by Christian Moueix and his team. Since 1983, their goal has been to express the unique terroir found at the historic Napanook Vineyard.
Robert Parker says: "The 2003 Dominus has turned out even better than I thought from barrel. There are 4,800 cases of this 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot blend. A big, sweet nose of roasted coffee, Provencal herbs, black currants, cherry jam, plums, allspice, and forest floor is followed by a spicy, rich, full-bodied, fragrant, intense wine. The tannins are sweet, but noticeable in this beautifully complex, strikingly aromatic 2003. It has much more similarity to a great Bordeaux than anything from Napa Valley. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025."
We say:
This California Powerhouse drinks like a 1953 Ava Gardner - Think "Mogambo"
Thanks for all of your calls and emails this past week - we appreciate it.
It's all about sharing, having some fun and maybe discovering something or someone new - see you there.
Please join us. It is fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.
AAA
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