Pre Thanksgiving Specials

The Pre-Thanksgiving Tasting Friday 5-8 PM - No Charge Please Join Us

Drink Different. We say it all of the time. And this Friday night we have a very interesting selection for you to sample. A particular favorite is the story of Monsieur Marcel Deiss. A true character - that makes exceptional wine. Domaine Marcel Deiss is a mid-size estate (27 hectares) located in Bergheim near Ribeauvillé in Alsace. It is a deeply-rooted family estate as the Deiss ancestors can be traced in the village back in 1744. Under the guidance of Jean-Michel Deiss, the vineyards have been gradually turned organic, then farmed along the biodynamic method since 2003. The wines of Marcel Deiss are acclaimed for their terroir differentiation more than their variety characteristics, and Jean-Michel Deiss' passion for this terroir expression led him to reconsider the single variety system which is considered as the rule in Alsace. All of the wines featured this Friday night have genuinely fascinating stories behind them. We hope you can start your weekend with us here in New London. Meet your friends here, try a little wine and cheese, and then head off to dinner at one of the new restaurants that have opened downtown. New London is buzzing. Please Join Us This Friday Presented By Tom Belcher Martin Scott Wines

Marcel Deiss     Alsace is a unique landscape sculpted by both rivers and volcanic events, but bearing the unmistakable and essential traces of a more ancient geological past as the bottom of a wide ocean. It is no wonder that the wines of this region are like nowhere else on earth, and it is no wonder that the winemakers of this region are some of the most unique characters in the world of wine.    Jean-Michel Deiss is one of those characters. Deiss, along with his partner Marie-Hélène Cristofaro, run Domaine Marcel Deiss, started by Jean-Michel's father in 1947. The domaine's namesake, Marcel Deiss, was the direct descendant of a family of winegrowers who settled in the Alsace town of Bergheim in 1744 when it was part of France (arriving before it was part of Germany, and then part of France, and then part of Germany, and then part of France again -- over the next 300 years).   Deiss is quite possibly at once both the "essential" Alsatian winemaker -- for his tireless advocacy of the region's potential and the incredible quality of his wines -- and yet also the black sheep of the region who never quite does things the way anyone else does or thinks they should be done. He's just sort of troublemaker I enjoy and is a magnet for criticism over any number of different things. Deiss' wines defy description in many ways. Their flavors transcend categories and grape varieties, and end up being astonishingly unique expressions of a place and vintage. They are as idiosyncratic as they are delicious, and remain some of my favorite wines in the world. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Please try them this Friday.

Le Bec Fin       Domaine Tardieu-Laurent was established in 1994. It is a partnership between Dominique Laurent, a former pattisier (and with the girth to go with it) and one of the hottest names in Burgundy, and Michel Tardieu, a dynamic young winemaker. Tardieu-Laurent is an extremely unusual operation in that they are a négociant only, buying young wines from growers all over the Rhône, which they mature and blend before bottling. They own no vineyards and don't buy grapes, only wine.   Tardieu-Laurent is very much an "artisan" producer, making between half a dozen and 20 or so barrels of each wine. The majority of the wines are from the southern Rhône although superb cuvees of Cote Rôtie and Hermitage are also produced. The wines are all aged in small oak casks (often 100% new) and bottled with no fining nor filtration. Michel Tardieu proclaims himself as a confirmed terroirist, insisting that his aim with each appellation is to express powerfully the fruit and sense of place, never masking these factors with wood.  "An outstanding Côtes du Rhône, the 2009 Les Becs Fins is a tank aged blend of mainly Grenache, yet with smaller components of Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. Very fresh and pure, with excellent aromas of raspberry, candied violets, licorice, and mineral, the wine hits the palate with a medium-bodied, silky texture, great acidity, and plenty of length and polish on the finish.

Barco Reale di Carmignano  Barco Reale di Carmignano is a red-wine DOC of Tuscany, Italy's most famous wine region. The title was granted in 1994. Barco Reale means 'the Royal Park' and is a reference to the Barco Reale Mediceo, a 4000-acre game reserve established by the de' Medici family in the 17th century. The park was surrounded by a high wall which stretched for almost 31 miles around its periphery. The relationship between the wine and the park is not entirely clear, however.   The wine's origins can be traced back as far as the 14th Century, when, in 1369, a document was drawn up demonstrating that Carmignano was four times as expensive as any other wine of the time. In the early 1700s the Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici established the area of Carmignano as a nursery for grape varieties, which included the planting of internationally renowned Cabernet Sauvignon imported from France. He also issued a decree controlling the wine's production standards and sales, enforced by the Congregazione di Vigilanza. Take a sip of Italian history this Friday night.

Stuff We Love:

Costiolo - A Quintessential Quaffer    This is one of those wines that make you forget about the concept of the 100 point wine.  for those of us wine lovers that are serious about wine it is nice to find a wine that brings us back to what we first enjoyed about this magical elixir, wine aka- fermented grape juice. A very light and refreshing wine that is slightly sweet and slightly frizzante, aromas of cherry and raspberry fruit with highlights of fresh rose petal, floral aromas.  This wine has a nice freshness on the tongue with an abundance of sweet berry fruit and a nice touch of spritz to leave the tongue refreshed and ready for the next sip.  Serve this wine slightly chilled and watch the bottle disappear.

Roundhouse Spirits - Pumpkin King Cordial    Pumpkin King Cordial is an all-natural artisan liqueur made with fresh roasted Munson Farms pie pumpkins, award-winning Roundhouse Gin, and traditional spices.  Only 5 miles from the fields to the distillery ... that's as local as it gets! The balance between pumpkin flavor, sweetness, and spices is a delicate dance that distiller Ted Palmer successfully achieves with his twenty years of experience.  Ted experimented for three years before perfecting this recipe.  Pumpkin King Cordial is made at 60 proof with enough explosive pumpkin flavor to accommodate non-alcoholic mixers in beautiful cocktails. SILVER MEDAL, 2014 Denver International Spirits Festival

Rain City Spirits - DRIP "Drip" Coffee Liqueur Seattle Coffee + Rain City Spirits = Drip. This unique coffee liqueur redefines what you know as coffee liqueur. "Drip begins with a unique blend of coffee roasted by Seattle's top artisan roasters. We then use a proprietary brew method to extract as much flavor as possible from the coffee while leaving behind the bitterness and acidity. The coffee is then finished with our Rain City Spirits and just a touch of pure cane sugar...that's it. Think of an iced Americano with a kick. At Rain City Spirits we believe in challenging the status quo, we believe it is time for spirits to get back to their roots. We do this by throwing out the traditional "rules" of  Liqueur production, and focusing strictly on quality and keeping to a sense of place." Each step in the creation of Rain City Spirits  is carefully thought out with the end goal of simply producing the best products possible. This philosophy combined with the amazing natural resources Washington provides allows them to create the most unique and amazing Coffee Liqueur you will ever taste."

Gluhwein - Drink this all season long    Glühwein is the German version of what the English call "mulled wine." It's basically a spiced red wine served warm (usually spiced with ingredients such as cinnamon, sugar, cloves, vanilla, and lemon peel). This type of wine seems to be popular throughout Europe and is known by a different name in every country! This is really just the perfect drink for this season as it helps to keep you nice and toasty on the inside and rosy on the outside. Imagine yourself in southern Germany walking through a beautiful Christmas market (Weihnachtsmarkts), holding a steaming cup of this wine in your hands as you peruse the market's wares. It comes in a large, 1-liter bottle, and it's best served warm. Honestly, a warm glass of this on a blustery winter day will melt all your troubles away!  What does it taste like? You can definitely taste the citrus in this as well as that generous splash of cinnamon. It's also nice and sweet, it is definitely a drink to sip slowly and enjoy. Enjoy with friends after a night out in the cold or just save it for yourself to drink over several days.

Flowers Perennial - In Stock For The Holidays    "For over 20 years, Flowers has been devoted to and inspired by Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast with a strong commitment to purity and terroir.  Since all of our Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are 100% varietal wines we do not normally have the opportunity to blend varieties.  However, Perennial is a unique and captivating blend that was first introduced with the 1997 vintage and has been consistently crafted with the same dedication as our varietal wines.  It is intended to challenge style and intrigue the mind.  As with our inaugural vintage, in 2010 we have searched out eclectic vineyard sites closest to the California coastline to find the varieties that contribute to our targeted blend style. Perennial is a red blend that is intended to drink a lot like a Pinot Noir with a broader fruit profile but the same balanced acidity, fresh flavors, and soft round tannins.  With Pinot Noir and Syrah at its core, Perennial combines elegance and finesse with spicy depth and complexity.    Pinot Meunier  and Dolcetto, can contribute to the blend as well as Chardonnay which marries flavors, provides a lift to the fruit and extends the finish.   Each plays a supporting role bringing the blend together representing a "Flowers style" for the given vintage - every year unique.    We hope you enjoy and experience the subtle differences from vintage to vintage as the blend will always be a discovery and exploration of flavor." This is a wine that is perfect for a gift or on the holiday table. You can present this to your guest's or host with complete confidence.

The Ultimate Whiskey Cocktails in a Bottle We all love a good cocktail, but sometimes you just aren't in the position to make a cocktail at the drop of a hat. Sure, cocktails have been bottled before, but they haven't ever really been comparable to what your favorite bartender whips up for you. Until now. Fluid Dynamics has released cocktails aged in barrels, and they are pretty spectacular, maybe even more spectacular than the drinks that your favorite bartender makes for you (ingredients have a chance to merge and become a richer whole because of the aging process). With options including The Saratoga, The St. Nick, the Brandy Manhattan, and the 1850 Cocktail there are plenty of options to keep even the biggest cocktail aficionado satisfied too. They come in "cocktail sized" bottles too - super convenient. Ask for a sample this Friday.

Lavender Fromage Blank We just got in a limited run of Nettle Meadow's Honey-Lavender Fromage Blank unsalted goat cheese from Warrensburg, NY. It's a delicious and perfect blend of honey and just a touch of lavender that absolutely melts on your tongue. You have got to try this on Friday night. Epoisses cheese needs five to eight weeks to mature and during this period requires attentive and regular manual attention. It is as Spring finishes that it is especially tasty as it has been made with milk produced when the cows were first turned out to grass, or at the beginning of Winter because it has been made with rich and aromatic milk, produced by cows pasturing on the new growth of autumn... The nose is strong, with a good bouquet and aromas of the undergrowth. In the mouth, its body is supple, creamy, and never too strong. Its taste is straightforward, subtle and balanced, with light notes of dry fruits. When the Epoisses is properly matured and slightly runny, you will really enjoy this inimitable cheese, in the full bloom of maturity. Traditional Chevrot Aperfectly ripe Chevrot could make a convert out of the most reluctant goat cheese eater. Creamy, even molten under the rind, yet firm and velvety smooth at the heart, a Chevrot in its prime is a peak experience. Many people find goat cheese too tart, too chalky or too downright goaty, but Chevrot is none of the above. Made by a century-old cooperative in the Poitou region of western France, just south of Brittany, Chevrot reflects expert cheesemaking.

 

  BUZzzz



CALENDAR 

Friday November 7th
Tom Belcher - Martin Scott Wines

Friday November 21st
Eric Bellnier - M. Touton Selections

Wednesday November 26 - mid day tasting before Thanksgiving 

Ryan Connolly - Michael Skurnik Wines

Friday December 12
John Orfice - Allan S. Goodman Selections