Joe Friday,Inama Soave,Toad Hollow,Rutini Trumpeter,Alonso Del Yerro

Greetings from all of us in New London, Because of the holiday week we are keeping it short for this installment. As Detective Joe Friday might say: "just the facts." BUT - Jim Morrison and our team at the wine store have a great selection of wine for Friday night - with a little something special that will go quickly. We hope to see you this week.

Wine Tasting Please Join Us Friday May 30 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos 1 - Inama Soave Classico 2006 $14 "Most people in the world want predictable wines. I want to make wines that are bloody different, and wines that are different year to year " - Stephano Inama. And so he does, 100% Garganega, hand harvest from vineyards of Basaltic Lava. Light yellow in color, with an elegant nose of Camomile and Elder flower. 2 - Toad Hollow Eye of the Toad Pinot Noir Rose 2007 $11 From their website: "This is our NINTH vintage of Pinot Noir Rosé and, by far, our best to date. The wine has incredible body and weight for a Rosé of Pinot Noir. The color is a beautiful pink with a hint of "Beaujolais blue". This wine has a nose of rose petals and violets. Whether in sun or shade, this is a truly dry, uncomplicated statement of Pinot Noir at its lightest and most delicate which we proudly call our ROSÉ." 3 -Rutini Trumpeter Malbec Syrah 2006 $12 Rutini Wines is one of the oldest and most celebrated wineries in Argentina. Its origins date back the late 19th century when Italian immigrant Felipe Rutini planted his first vines at what remains the site of the present-day winery in Maipú, in the province of Mendoza. The Rutini winery was founded in 1885, and has since then been consistently commended for the outstanding quality and character of its wines. Rutini Wines currently owns estates in five different areas of Mendoza, including Maipú, Rivadavia, La Consulta, Altamira and Tupungato, with a total of 255 hectares under vine. This diverse source of vineyard sites allows us to cultivate each individual grape variety in the area that offers the best suited growing conditions. Of particular value is the source of old vines in the highly coveted region of La Consulta, where many believe the best Malbec grapes in Mendoza are being grown today. Here our vines reach ages of 65 years. The concentrated yields produced by these vines, combined with the high altitude, cool air and intense sunshine in this region, create grapes with rich fruit character, deep colour and smooth, ripe tannins. 4 - Alonso Del Yerro Ribera Del Duero Cuvee Maria 2005 $60 Robert Parker has rated the 2005 vintage 94 points. And this is what he had to say: "From high elevation vines, the Alonso del Yerro Maria represents a strict selection of the winery's finest barrels. Aged sur-lie for 18 months with frequent batonnage, it is one of the finest Ribera del Dueros I have tasted over the last year. A deep purple color is followed by scents of espresso, creme de cassis, scorched earth, and pain grille. It reveals the lushness and silky texture of a great Pomerol married to a Spanish personality. Full-bodied and rich, but light on its feet, this beauty can be drunk now and over the next decade. This superb offering suggests this producer from the somewhat over-crowded Ribera del Duero appellation deserves consumers' attention. No other than the great French winemaking guru, Stephane Derenoncourt, oversees the viticulture and winemaking at this estate." This will go quickly - but if you can arrive before it is gone you will have the opportunity to try a truly exceptional wine, we hope you can join us. Please Call Us Anytime With Questions - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Thank you for your support - we apprciate it. We hope to see you this week. Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend. AAA.

T.V. Diner,Greg Lemond,Brooklyn Brewery,Torino Torrontes,Frederic Magnien,Mandolin Pinot Noir,Il Forteto Brunello,

Greetings from all of us in New London, We have a fine selection of wines for this Friday night, the list is just below our news and information. We have to thank Billy Costa and the good folks at The T.V. Diner for featuring us on their show. If you missed the segment about us take a look HERE A quick note for many of our friends at Pfizer. We have received several comments about their ability to receive the weekly email with "@pfizer" email addresses. The method we use to send the email in its new version is sometimes refused by the Pfizer email security filters. It has to do with the graphics and from the source that it is sent from. So, if you have friends at Pfizer you can let them know that we are aware of the problem and that adding us to their "address book" may help the mail to get through. If anyone happens to know the webmaster for Pfizer - we would love too work with them to fix the problem. We have a great season planned for you - please join us.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Meet Three-time Tour de France Winner & Former World Champion Cyclist Greg Lemond Thursday, May 22nd 2008, 11:00 am Ft. Trumbull State Park ALL THE DETAILS HERE ··· Hygienic Galleries - May 31 - June 28 "Moments, Matter and Cosmic Order" More Information ··· Comming Soon

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Dave's Fave Special Monday Tasting Click on the photo to order it now Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse 750ml $12 I'm pouring a beer again Monday folks - this one is so outrageously good, and in such short supply that I surely am going to regret ever letting on it's even here... our friend Garrett Oliver at Brooklyn Brewing has established a very cool connection with Schneider Brewery in Bavaria ("Schneider Weisse"), and this Weissbock (wheat beer) is the latest fruit of their efforts. This special release is brewed in Brooklyn by Oliver and Schneider Master Brewer Hans-Peter Drexler using American hops and German yeast, re-fermented in bottle. When I and several friends cracked one of these, it was all "Wow!!" and "Oh my God!" peppered with colorful expletives - we invite you to come in Monday, try it, and have an outburst of your own!

Wine Tasting Please Join Us Friday May 23 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos 1 - Michel Torino Torrontes 2006 $16 The vineyards of Michel Torino are located in The Cafayate valley, 5500 feet above sea level. The high altitude ensures dry sunny days and cool nights, creating a Torrontes of tremendous aromatics. The wine has a nose similar to Viognier, nutmeg, allspice, coriander, but the finish is light and crisp like a Sauvignon Blanc. The combination makes for a wine well suited to Thai food and seafood, cheese and jamon. 2 - Frederic Magnien Bourgogne Rose 2007 $16 Frédéric Magnien has established himself as a bona-fide star of the Cote de Nuits. Although he owns no vineyards, Frédéric is a fifth-generation Morey-St.-Denis winemaker who takes great pride and commitment in selecting the growers with whom he works and the vineyards from which he sources fruit. He works only with growers who follow his stringent guidelines about pruning, green-harvesting and deciding when to harvest, all of which leads to low-yielding, quality fruit. In some instances, Frédéric himself undertakes the vineyard work. Careful sorting of the grapes in both the vineyards and in the meticulously clean cellar further ensures the final high level of quality fruit. This is undoubtedly the only rosé in the world containing grapes from Clos Vougeot, Bonnes Mares, and Chambertin (and even a little Chambertin-Clos de Beze)! 3 - Mandolin Pinot Noir 2007 $15 Mandolin, a small winery with large ambitions, is generating considerable attention for its stylish wines. Developed by Brent Shortridge and Philip Zorn, Mandolin has the luxury of drawing on top vineyard sources in some of California's best growing regions, yielding balanced wines with bright fruit and a long finish. In fact, it is this characteristic that led to the name of the winery - the mandolin instrument, heralded for its brilliant tone and great carrying power, was the inspiration. The Mandolin winemaking style leans toward emphasizing balance and expressive fruit flavors, rather than sweetness or excessive oak, and the result is a very accessible, flavorful wine that appeals to experienced wine drinkers and neophytes alike. The broad appeal of Mandolin wines is credited to their full middle palate, which maximizes the fruit character of the wines. 4 - Il Forteto Brunello di Montalcino 2001 $45 From the New York Times "Brunello is noteworthy for being one of the few wines that by Italian law must be 100 percent sangiovese. Now, Italian newspapers are reporting that a number of leading Tuscan producers have been indicted for adding merlot, cabernet sauvignon or petit verdot to their wines. Among the producers cited are such top Tuscan names as Antinori, Frescobaldi and Argiano. Each has denied the accusations. I have no idea whether these particular producers are guilty of compromising their brunellos, but anybody who is surprised by the idea of wine fraud in Montalcino might also be shocked to learn about steroids in baseball and gambling in Casablanca" It's times like these when it's good to buy wine from your friends. We buy Forteto Brunello from a man we have known for years. He travels to Montalcino, he walks the vineyards, he knows the winemakers. He specializes in small producers looking to make and sell great wine, not big houses jockeying for market share and Parker scores. This is real Brunello, 100% Sangiovese Grosso , from a great vintage. Please Call Us Anytime With Questions - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Wow - what a week! Receptions, graduations, weddings, parties of all shapes and sizes - thank you for the tremendous show of support. We hope to see you this week. Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend. AAA.

Perfect 10, Roger Hoadley,Schonborn Silvaner Kabinett,Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc,Los Cardos,Perrin et Fils Cotes du Rhone,Haut-Surget Pomerol

Greetings from all of us in New London, We have a fine selection of wines for this Friday night, the list is just below our news and information. This is a busy week here in New London. The annual Spring Food Stroll is on Wednesday and it is Commencement weekend for Connecticut College. We want to give a special thank you to Roger Hoadley from Slocum & Sons. Many of you got to met him last Friday night. Our favorite rascal of the wine trade poured with distinction and made lots of new friends at last weeks tasting. And this week Jim Morrison returns from the vineyards of Argentina - and he should be rested, clean & sober by show time on Friday. I hope you will join us to welcome him back. And a special thank you this week to all of you. Our friends and customers have been taking the time to send comments and suggestions that are vey important to us and we appreciate it.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Braised Beef served with Spring Asparagus Salad 17.95 Brie & Bleu Dinner Special Friday & Saturday - May 16 - 17 Reservations: 8 6 0 - 4 3 7 - 2 4 7 4 Braised beef with morels & fresh peas. Served with spring asparagus salad. The Perfect Wine: Paired with Chateau Villerambert Minervois from France. Full bodied dry red wine made of syrah and grenache. Perfect for braised meats or sausage. If you like full bodied wines like Cabernet and Merlot, you'll like Minervois. $8 glass / $20 bottle ··· Food Stroll - Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 5:30-8:30 PM Spring will officially kick off in The District at New London Main Street's annual Spring Food Stroll. More Info Here ···

Dave's Fave Special Monday Tasting Click on the photo to order it now Graf v. Schonborn Silvaner Kabinett Trocken 2006 $18 This is one of those wines that everybody likes to look at, but dares not buy, probably just for the simple reason that nobody knows what it is... bottled in the traditional squat "Bocksbeutel" glass, I'm happy to report that dry, white Silvaner is delicious wine. These Silvaner grapes grow amongst Riesling plantings in Franconia, Germany, on the estate of Hallburg castle which dates back to the 13th century. A classic, ancient varietal for the region, the wine is cool, soft and aromatic with beautiful balance. Give it a try Monday after work - it's free!

Wine Tasting Please Join Us Friday May 16 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos Here is what our own "Rock Star" Dave Anderson has to say about the wine for this Friday. 1 - Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Setilles 2006 $24 This is a lovely white Burgundy, the royalty of Chardonnay, and is quite affordable considering all the fruit that goes into the wine comes from the famed villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. The wine is aged for 8 months, half in French oak, half in stainless steel, so the oak treatment is extremely restrained and delicate. All Olivier Leflaive wines are made carefully with the least amount of intrusion - their philosophy reflects a deep respect for the ancient vineyards and they approach the vinification with minimal manipulation. "Les Setilles" is a beautiful example of this classic style, great fruit and finish, made with precision and clarity. 2 - Dona Paula Los Cardos Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $10 Just try to find a better Cabernet for ten bucks! Very deep ruby red with lots of spice, minerality and smooth minty tannins. The fruit gains concentration from the locale, a high-altitude Argentinian plateau, stressed by mountain winds. Careful oak treatment brings out chocolate and vanilla tones. A great table red with a lot going on - another great example of why we look to South America for outstanding value. 3 - Perrin et Fils Cotes du Rhone Villages 2006 $14 The Perrin family have become like our French cousins who come and visit us a few times every year. We'll never forget the evening with Marc Perrin tasting Chateau de Beaucastel vintages back to 1978! Alas, I've got to wait at least 12 years before I crack my bottle, now that I know how it ages like nothing else. What to drink in the meantime? Classic, affordable Cotes-du-Rhone Villages. The "Villages" term is reserved for only for the vineyards plots deemed to be the best in the region. Half Grenache, half Syrah, a full-bodied Rhone with notes of blackberries, licorice and spice. A great table wine with an impeccable pedigree. 4 - Chateau Haut-Surget Lalande-de-Pomerol 2005 $25 A great fan of Merlot since traveling to St. Emillon and Pomerol, This is the new vintage of an affordable Bordeaux we always keep on the shelf. Situated north of the more famous (and pricey) Pomerol appellation, Lalande-de-Pomerol is known for big, earthy Merlot-dominated wines. Chateau Haut-Surget has proved to be very consistent vintage to vintage, 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The reputation of the 2005 vintage continues to grow across the board in France, we look forward to trying it ourselves with you as our guest! Please Call Us Anytime With Questions - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

Thanks very much for the input - all of the comments and suggestions are appreciated. With your continued support we are making changes and adding programs and events, fine tuning the menu and putting together a great season. The best is yet to come. We hope to see you this week. Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend. AAA.

Tenuta Vitanza Chianti, Macrostie Chardonnay, Sierra Cantabria, Cline Cashmere, Duckhorn Merlot,

ThamesRiver.com Visit Our Stores Here Thames River Greenery - Thames River Wine & Spirits - Brie & Bleu - City News - Import

Greetings from all of us in New London, Mother's Day is just around the corner on the 11th, don't forget to order early - we have lots of ways to say "I love you mom" - Mother's Day We have a beautiful line up for Friday night - including a very famous name from California. And speaking of famous names - we have a special guest in the cellar this week - Roger Hoadley will be on hand to answer your questions and regale us with stories of the wine trade. Mr. Hoadley is on loan to us from Slocum & Sons, one of Connecticut's largest distributors of fine wine. Many of you know that we have dispatched our Jim Morrison to Argentina this week. He has worked hard to earn this trip and he will be drinking wine tirelessly on our behalf. That's the kind of dedication that is hard to find now a days. So let's raise our glasses to Jim this week and imagine that he is doing the Tango in Buenos Aires - while we enjoy the wines for this week. The list is just below a few items of interest.

NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Pampered Poultry Duck Confit on wilted arrugula Brie & Bleu Dinner Special Friday & Saturday - May 9 - 10 Reservations: 8 6 0 - 4 3 7 - 2 4 7 4 Crispy Roast Duck Confit with Lyonnaise Potatoes & Wilted Arugila - $14.95 This French classic can't be beat! We have the meatiest, most succulent duck legs available from D'Artagnan. Crispy on the outside, rich in flavor & juicy on the inside. The Perfect Wine: Paired with Louis Latour Valmossine Pinot Noir. This clear, light-ruby wine from the hills of Var in Provence is a Burgundian-style red made in the style of the ancient "Vin Vermeil," Fresh with bright flavors, light-bodied but crisp red fruit and earthy notes that follow the nose. There's a wisp of tannins along with clean fruit in the finish - Just $6 a glass, $18 a bottle. ··· Thursday May 8 - Maasdam Arrives The Cruise Ship season begins with the arrival of Holland America's Maasdam. We never get tired of watching these majestic liners ease into New London's harbor. A perfect spot for watching is the deck at Brie & Bleu. Have dinner, a glass of wine and watch the departure. ··· Food Stroll - Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 5:30-8:30 PM Spring will officially kick off in The District at New London Main Street's annual Spring Food Stroll. More Info Here

Dave's Fave Special Monday Tasting Click on the label to order it now Tenuta Vitanza Chianti Colli Senesi 2005 $16 CIAO, VITANZA!!! "Charm, Love and Passion," is their motto... Let's go to Italy - Bellissima! Every day I descend our cellar steps and give a nod to the CHARM of the big mags of Vitanza Brunello de Montalcino 2001 at the top of the Italian rack, smoldering, getting more delicious every day, secure in the knowledge that every grape crushed in those bottles actually came from Montalcino! (Yeah, I went there) I'll pick up one of those big boys my next big supper! Hey, wait - there, with the pink label - Vitanza Rosso de Montalcino! I LOVE that wine and the price is quite within my stratosphere indeed! But now along comes Vitanza Chianti, as if the small family operation at Vitanza knew cheap musicians in Connecticut have a PASSION for elegant, smoky Sangiovese! Just try to find a comparable Chianti at this price, with such a noble lineage. You've got to try it!

Wine Tasting Please Join Us Friday May 9 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge Can't Make It To The Tasting? - Order it now - click on the photos 1 - Macrostie Chardonnay Carneros 2006 $24 Fruit from the high hills of Carneros go into this lovely, balanced wine - 2006 was a winemaker's dream with a very long, cool growing season. Aged in French oak, on the lees for six months. This wine is made by fanatics, if there is a better example of this type of chardonnay from Carneros - we would like to know about it. Beautiful lemony scents and a creamy custard & butter finish. This is a medium weight Chardonnay and a modern Californian benchmark. 2 - Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza 2003 $17 Classic: the Sierra Cantabria vineyards are set in an ancient village in Northern Spain, the upper reaches of Rioja. Very low yield, old vines digging deep in stony, red soil (as if on Mars): Tempranillo grapes, 14 months in oak, smoky and voluptuous - a shining, affordable pearl from Rioja! Noted wine expert Robert Parker had this to say about the 2001: "I have served friends the brilliant 2001 Crianza (98% Tempranillo and 2% Graciano) just to prove what great wine can be purchased even with a weak dollar. It is a complex, elegant, deep ruby/purple-tinged offering boasting a sweet nose of lead pencil shavings, white chocolate, blackberries, and cherries. Medium-bodied with supple tannin as well as admirable structure, definition, and ripeness, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 5-8 years." Rated 91 points. 3 - Cline Cashmere 2005 $15 Cline initially created this blend as an auction lot for the Hospice du Rhone charity that's held in Paso Robles California each year. Cashmere is a very flavorful, smooth wine offering big cherry, raspberry and chocolate notes with hints of cracked black pepper and plum. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold will be donated by Cline Cellars to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Our own Dave Anderson has this to add: "All of our friends keep requesting this wine - okay okay, you can have it!!! From Cline, out in little Oakley, California, just between Napa and the Bay Area, these hippie-freaks make big, gorgeous, velvety Rhone-varietal reds, which you, our valued wine-freak-friends know means: Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre - but mostly Mourvedre here, oddly enough! Rhone via California - big, lush and ripe - not quite like rocky old France. Cline made this wine for a cancer research benefit and couldn't stop! Proceeds continue to fund the cause." 4 - Duckhorn Merlot 2005 $56 A great fan of Merlot since traveling to St. Emillon and Pomerol, Dan Duckhorn felt that this elegant varietal was under appreciated in North America. "I liked the softness, the seductiveness, the color," says Dan, "the fact that it went with a lot of different foods; it wasn't so bold, didn't need to age so long, and it had this velvety texture to it. It seemed to me to be a wonderful wine to just enjoy. I became enchanted with Merlot." From its modest inaugural vintage of 800 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and 800 cases of Merlot in 1978, to its addition of Sauvignon Blanc in 1982, Duckhorn Vineyards has crafted a tradition of quality and excellence that continues today. Dave Anderson: "While Jim's in Argentina, we will take the time to explore the wine of a mysterious, distant land: a place called "Napa" in the State of "California" where they apparently keep making wine - red and white wine just for your pleasure! This particular treat is one of my (Dave's) favorite wines from this alien locale, actually, if my crusty memory serves, right where I used to go to dinner at the vineyard in St. Helena while we watched UNLV basketball games and Buster Douglas beat up Mike Tyson... Oh boy, one sip takes me back to the cusp of 1990! This is Merlot with a Capital Napa - one of the finest examples from the USA, one of California's best at any price, the star of our Friday night show: "THE DUCK!" Please Call Us Anytime With Questions - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3 As always, thank you for making this the best party in Connecticut - week after week. With your continued support we are making changes and adding programs and events, and putting together a great season. We are listening. We hope to see you this week. Please join us. It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend. AAA.