Vina Robles, Humboldt Fog, Rediscover a Great Night Out

Greetings from all of us in New London,
www.thamesriver.com


This Friday night we are featuring the wines of Vina Robles. The lineup is listed just below these items of interest and information.


• Thanks to everyone that attended the South African Wine Dinner, it was a lot of fun. Who knew that Wild Boar would taste so good?
Lots of new faces, lots of shared stories about Africa - Maps, photos, and the spices and flavors of a remarkable place - a great night.

• We have been reminded recently that many people do not know about our BLOG - http://newlondonwine.blogspot.com/
There is also a direct link from our website.

We call it - Wine Fever. The blog is essentially the same information that you get right here - BUT - it features photos, some of the video interviews with winemakers, color, and occasionally additional postings of information that is not included here in the weekly newsletter.

The reason we do not offer all of that here in the newsletter is because many of our readers receive email in places that do not allow attachments of any kind. So we keep this version stripped down to the bare essentials and we add a bit of pizazz on the blog.

You are also able to search on the blog - for example - you tried a wine a few weeks ago at the Friday night tasting - you loved it but cannot remember the entire name - but you think it had the word "whiskers" in it, and maybe it had a blue label.

On our blog you may type in the word "whiskers" and search to see what you get.
All of our newsletters are archived on the blog - everyone of them since 1953, when this show first went on the air, so take a look - you might enjoy it.

• We received a lot of email about our "Celebrity Wine Rating Scale." This is the system that we have been using behind the scenes here for quite a while. For example - Robert Parker might say this about a wine: "This is a mature wine that is bold and assertive on the palate."
We might say: "This one drinks like a 1966 Richard Burton - think "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf." It's fun, give it a whirl, and let us know what you come up with. Maybe we will list a few on the website.

• There are some interesting additions to our shop-on-line page. If you have a minute take a peek - http://thamesriver.com/wine/instock.html

This Week At Brie & Bleu
Remember, there is no need to reinvent a great night out. You can rediscover one right here at Brie & Bleu.
Dinner for two and a great bottle of wine - selected from our cellar - and just the right match for the food.
Restaurant prices for wine can push the limits - not here. You can save enough to take a 2nd bottle home.

Dinner Specials:
Friday: Corn Meal Crusted Flounder
Saturday: Fire Grilled Chicken

Featured Cheese of the week is Humboldt Fog at $20/lb. As Americans have developed a deeper appreciation for great cheese, a change in American cheese making has occurred. Across the country, small-scale dairy farmers and cheese makers are making wonderful cheeses to rival those of Europe. One of these cheeses is Humboldt Fog. With a central layer and outer covering of ash, this goat’s milk tome ripens with a soft, white interior. When cut, it is reminiscent of the early morning fog. Humboldt Fog is made by Cypress Grove Chevre, which is owned and operated by mother and daughter team, Mary Keehn and Malorie McCurdy, in Humboldt County, California, among the towering redwood trees. American farmstead cheeses often command a hefty price due to their limited production, but one bite will convince you that the luxury is worth the cost.
Pairs well with a light white wine like Sauvignon Blanc purchased at Thames River Wine and Spirits for an additional 10% off the cheese.
Enjoy,
Colleen


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

This Friday we will be featuring the wine of a single producer. This, as many of you know, is not typical.
But we had the opportunity to visit with our good friend Mark Laderriere - he was visiting from the West Coast and made time to talk with us on a typical Wednesday afternoon in New London. One of California's best producers Vina Robles sets the bar rather high.
Take a look at the video we shot on Wednesday - meet Mark and learn a bit about this famous vineyard.

The video is in two easy places - on the Calendar of Events page (scroll down to WineRadio) : http://thamesriver.com/wine/calendar.html
Or on the Blog: http://newlondonwine.blogspot.com/

The Wine of Vina Robles is the realization of a long-held dream. It is the collaboration of international talents and recognition of an area of exceptional viticultural promise. It began as the world-wide search by Hans Nef, a Swiss restaurateur and developer, for the perfect place to grow Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.

With the help of California-based friend and business partner, Hans Michel, Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast was selected, as it was rapidly becoming known for the production of wines of noteworthy quality. Paso Robles is located approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the northern part of San Luis Obispo County. Thirty miles inland, its warm climate is due to the Santa Lucia Mountains that block out most of the cooling Pacific Ocean influence during the day. The Templeton Gap is a saddle in the range that channels the moderating late afternoon breezes and cool air at night across the region.

The appellation of Paso Robles is geographically diverse. Numerous soil types and elevation changes, together with diverse valleys and canyons, account for varied climates and sites that yield high quality production of a diversity of varietals, notably reds.

We think that you will enjoy trying these wines side by side. Here are the wines and the winemakers notes.


1 - Vina Robles Chardonnay $18
Medium, golden straw in color with aromas of fresh ripe fruits, primarily pineapple and apples, with hints of honeyed citrus, and minerals combined with subtle notes of jasmine and toasty oak. Lush and rounded on the palate with flavors of baked apples, baking spices and hints of tropical fruits; a crisp, clean and lengthy finish.

2 - Vina Robles Cabernet $18
Deep garnet. Intense aromas of plums, blackberry and cherry with a hint of spice, cedar and vanilla. Ripe, rich, dense fruit with full body and great concentration; juicy plum, black cherry and red current flavors with hints of tobacco and baking spices. A long finish with ripe tannins and good structure.

3 - Vina Robles Red $16
Deep purple-black with intense aromas of dark berry fruits including notes of blueberry and plum as well as chocolate powder are complimented by vanilla and toasty oak. This full-bodied wine is juicy and concentrated on the palate with ripe, firm tannins; blackberry, plum and blueberry fruit with a touch of bittersweet chocolate; long pleasant finish.

4 - Vina Robles Signature $27
Deep, saturated inky purple, almost opaque with intense aromas of dark berry fruits including notes of blueberry and plum, violets and allspice as well as earth are complimented by vanilla and toasty oak. This full-bodied wine is juicy and concentrated on the palate with ripe, firm tannins; blackberry, plum and blueberry fruit; pie crust, graham cracker with a touch of spice; long pleasant finish.



It has been a great week - lots of excitement and also a week of new discoveries.
Thank you for your support and for spreading the word.
We have been invited to participate in special events - because you have made an impression on the professionals that visit our store. We constantly hear comments about the quality and interest of our customers. We appreciate it. And the best is yet to come.

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


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