Drink Different This Friday Night

It is cooling off - the nighttime air is inviting an extra layer or two. And the best wines for the season have started to arrive.

THIS FRIDAY NIGHT

We are running so very late this week that there is almost no time at all to list the goodies we have for this week's tasting.  

Let me just say that in addition to some very tasty fall selections - This Friday is a good night to sample something different. When is the last time that you tried White Port? This is a very traditional European thing - chilled white port is just right before dinner and just after that drive home from work.

  

White Port is made the same way as other Port wine but is made from white--rather than red--grapes, and little juice-to-skin contact is allowed. This produces a bright, clear wine. 

White Port is a polarizing style of port produced by every major house on the Douro river. The style, often derided by traditionalists, has become increasingly popular as a chilled aperitif and mixing agent in cocktails. Typically inexpensive, white port is almost universally produced to a medium (or higher) sweetness level.    

Wine Club members may add a bottle of Santa Eufémia White Port to their next delivery for just $10.

Cellar Club Members may choose one bottle of Santa Eufémia red or white port at no additional charge. 

Please join us every Friday 

5:00-8:00 PM - No Charge 

BUZZ      

We are booking the coming months with many special events and guests - some informal, some a little more formal. But all of them entertaining.

Thank you all for the continued support - it has made a lot of things possible for us. We sincerely appreciate all of the interest and comments.

   

Tastings:

* Friday October 25 - Bob Neville 

* Friday November 1 - John Orfice

* Friday November 8 - Roger Hoadley

* Friday November 22 - Eric Bellnier

* Friday December 6 - Martin Scott 

In the coming weeks we plan on reintroducing you to "Grower Producer" Champagnes. There will be special tastings, pricing, and displays in the store. You need to know the truth about Champagne.  

Secret Valentine Edition

The Old Girl Is Frisky Again - Happy Valentine's Day
Card available at City News
Valentine's Day is still one of the single busiest days of the year when it comes to gift giving. Traditional gifts include flowers, champagne, chocolates, or a cozy dinner with someone special. We have made an effort to select items in every category that will go easy on the pocket - but still deliver big where it counts - the heart strings.

If you haven't heard by now we have to mention that we have the greatest selection of Champagne & sparkling wine in the world.

Boutique Grower Champagne that is made in limited amounts and sparkling wine and Italian Prosecco that start around $12.

We will combine a bottle of bubbly with hand made chocolate from Moonstruck
dress them up in a basket and deliver it to the one you love with enough left over to make you giddy.






Flowers are a specialty for us - and even though roses are the traditional choice consider this - We have many options to choose from that make a big statement without breaking the bank.

We can add wine & chocolates to an order for about the same price as a dozen roses - give a call to The Greenery and we can help with options you may not have thought about.

8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

Or poke around the website for Inspiration - Here


Every Valentine's Day we get an amazing collection of treats from You Take The Cake. Valentine's goodies that bring a smile to anyone that sees them. All of these hand made wonders go quickly, and many of you have asked for a "heads up" on when they will be available. They arrive on Monday morning 2.9.09.

Think about an assortment of hand made Petit Fours, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, or Valentine cookies delivered in a basket to someone you love. You may reserve them by phone - or arrange for delivery -
Call 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7

Made With Love

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Events & Reminders:

Dinner at Brie & Bleu and
a Movie on the Big Screen

The Garde Arts Center
presents
Winter Film Festival
Starts Wednesday February 11th 7:30 p.m.
FILM FESTIVAL

Oscar Time In New London

Every year the Garde Arts Center brings us Oscar nominated films on the Big Screen. Check out the schedule - save me a seat in the first row of the loge! Starts Wednesday February 11th 7:30 p.m.

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coming soon:

2/25 German Wine Tasting with
Konrad Hahn proprietor of Von Schlenintz

3/2 Austrian Wine Dinner with Markus Huber of
Huber Vineyards

5/15 Sake Dinner with Chad Beverlin of
Vine Connections

The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday February 13 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - San Sole Pinot Grigio 2007 $11













Our biggest selling wine of all time. With it's plain yellow label, this is a wine that under promises but over delivers. Wonderfully expressive of classic Pinot Grigio flavors, citrus, tropical fruit and lemongrass. Affordable delicious wine for daily drinking, it's what we are all about.. Order Now


2 - Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel 2007 $26

This wine was #10 on last years Wine Spectators top 100. We have a little bit left over from the holidays, so lets crack one of these bad boys and see if it's all that.

From The Wine Spectator: "The Seghesio family has been making wine for a century in northern Sonoma County and farms more than 400 acres of Zinfandel in Alexander and Dry Creek valleys. They make a range of vineyard-designated Zinfandels, such as Home Ranch and Cortina, and a bottling from the oldest vines. But for this Sonoma County 2007, winemaker Ted Seghesio tapped his diverse grape sources for a more widely available, well-priced wine. Aged 11 months in 75 percent American oak, it's complex, with a supple texture and a spicy finish.". Order Now


3 - Trapiche Vina Fausto Orellana Malbec 2005 $50

The Fausto Orellana's vineyard is located in La Consulta, San Carlos, in the southern Valle de Uco, an area with a shorter growing season than other traditional areas due to late frost in the spring and early frost in the fall, with an average day/night temperature swing between 15°C and 18°C during the season. This is one of the coolest grape growing areas in Mendoza. These characters favor the development of superior polyphenolic compounds and this optimal ripening and maturation results in wines of balance, depth and concentration.

Here, the vineyards are afforded spectacular views of the Andes. Don Fausto is 67, and his firm tone of voice indicates a patient, methodical approach in the vineyards. He left Bolivia in 1981 looking for a better future in Argentina, and after he came upon the Valle de Uco, he fell in love with the place and bought two estates. Over 25 years later, he rides through his vineyards by bicycle, and he takes enormous pride in his considerable accomplishments. Though he has faced many hardships, including hailstorms, Don Fausto is philosophical: "You have to face it and move forward in life, giving back to the land what it gave us," he says. Don Fausto's story is one of viticulture as a triumph of great effort.

Don Fausto's 57 year-old vineyard has alluvial, well-drained soils with a sandy-loam texture, rocky subsoils and a small percentage of silt. The roots extend down to a depth of one meter. The soil's texture has very good permeability. The trellis system is low espalier, and the vines are simple and double Guyot pruned. The vines are planted in relatively high density, i.e. 5,000 plants per hectare, to encourage competition among the vines and vertical root penetration, and yields are kept low to 2,600 kilogram per hectare. Furrow irrigation is utilized and the vines are planted on their own rootstock.Order Now


4 - Chateau Duhart-Milon Pauillac Grand Cru Classe 2005 $105

94 points Robert Parker:

"The finest Duhart-Milon ever made? This structured, tannic, dense ruby/purple-tinged Pauillac offers up hints of cassis, licorice, chocolate, and earth. Medium to full-bodied with good purity, strong tannins, and undeniable elegance, it reveals a character not dissimilar from its renowned sibling, Lafite-Rothschild. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot, it is unquestionably outstanding, but to my taste, slightly less opulent than the estate's ethereal 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030."

Order Now



Happy Valentine's Day to each and every one of you.

Thank you for supporting all of our venues and making us number one in New London.

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

AAA.

Special New Year's Edition 2009

Are You Ready For The Big Night?
All Stores Will Be Open - Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday.
From olives, crackers & dips - to a perfect centerpiece.
We can delivery the party right to your front door.

Greetings from New London,
We hope that you all have had as much fun as we did during the last year. Many of you have shared the moments with us - thank you one and all.

We have a very special Friday night planned for you, but first we have to remind everyone that we have the Finest Collection of Champagne in the State of Connecticut, right here in little old New London.
And you don't have to drop fifty to a hundred dollars a bottle to find great stuff!

Every year, we encourage our friends and customers to try new sparkling wines. In addition to the Cavas from Spain and Proseccos from Italy, there are many tremendous Champagnes to explore that aren't Clicquot, Moet, Taittinger, etc. We offer the finest Grower Champagne. This is estate wine produced by hand in very small quantities and bottled by real wine makers and their families. It is not made in a factory by people holding clipboards and checking the gauges on batch numbers that have six-digits.

But that's not all we also carry Cava $10, Prosecco $15, Gruet Blancs de Noir $17 and other delicious and affordable options for dancing on table tops and christening ships. Think about it - aren't you over due to be dancing on a table?
We can help - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3

The Monday Tasting 12.29.08

Chateau Saint-Sulpice Bordeaux 2005 $14

Cold indoor weather calls for a mellow full-bodied red wine. For the last Monday tasting of 2008
I'd like to pour one of our favorite go-to staples - this rich, earthy Merlot-based Bordeaux from just south of St. Emilion.

This bulletproof bottle sits patiently on the shelf, its price still unchanged where it seems all others have inched upwards.

Wine maker Pierre Duberge oversees the small 100-acre vineyard and the classic winemaking process - he declared the 2005 vintage to be "The best wine we have made in 20 years." Drop by Monday afternoon and see what he's talking about!
Order Now

New Year's Edition 2009
The Friday Tasting - Please Join Us
Friday January 2nd - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Salomon Gruner Veltliner 2007 $18


The Gruner Veltliner has became the darling of hot shot sommeliers in NYC, and while wine trends usually get me headed the other way, Gruner Veltliner has an enduring quality that is hard to ignore. It works with ALL KINDS OF FOOD. All of those hard to pair dishes become child's play with Gruner Veltliner. Artichokes? No problem. Asparagus, curry, thai peppers, orange chutney, No Problem. From Importer Terry Theise:
"This 2007 is extraordinarily aromatic, with generous fruit, snappy structure, beany and lentilly, forthright and generous. The best vintage yet." Order Now

2 - Les Deux Rives Corbieres 2007 $9


Sometimes it's easy to overlook the little things in life, like $9 Corbieres. Dave poured this wine recently at a Dave's Fave, and the first guy to taste it bought all that we had. This got my attention, so I bought one for myself and I'll be damned, this is great wine!

The wine is a blend of 40% Granache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourverde and 10% Carignan which is fairly typical for Corbieres, if more complicated than you would expect for $9.

Despite it's humble origins, the wine reminds me of some of our finer offerings form the Rhone. If you like meat, especially lamb, or if you just want to spend your evening as I do, sitting on the couch drinking and watching Dancing with the Stars, this is the wine for you.
Order Now








3 - Ego Bolgheri Rosso 2005 $18

Bolgheri is home to some of the biggest names in Italian wine, Sassacaia, Tignanello and Ornellaia being the most famous. The vineyards of Le Grascete are so close to Sassacaia and Ornellaia that they are literally an empty wine bottle's throw away.

Made from hand harvested estate fruit the wine is surprisingly structured and intense for $18.

This is a wine that will definitely benefit from decanting and a little patience, but once you're there, you're all the way there. Order Now




4 - Willunga Creek Black Duck Merlot 2005 $30

Made Another wine from our new buddy Chris at 2fly wines. Willunga Creek is a family owned winery in Mc Laren Vale Australia.
McLaren Vale is one of Australia's premiere wine producing regions, and the Black Duck conveys this unique climate and style. The wine is VERY rich, with well integrated tannins, copious fruit and a hint and Cinnamon. Lots of stuffing here, Rubenesque. A tremendous value for those in pursuit of the ultimate wave.

Order Now

Thanks very much for your support over the past year - we sincerely appreciate it.

And from all of us we wish you all a safe, happy, and healthy New Year for you and your family.

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


AAA.

Terry Theise on Grower Champagne and his all new advice on winning at LOVE.

Click To Play


The Man, the Myth, the Legend! If it is true that the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom, Terry Theise has been there and back. A brief perusal of his writing makes it quickly apparent that the man has no reservations about conveying his thoughts and feelings on wine, life, sex, philosophy and general cosmology. In Terry's world, it's all inter-related. So, without further ado, we encourage you to jump headlong into the wonderful world of Terry Theise German, Austrian and Champagne Estate Selections. Prepare yourself for a psychotropic experience.

Terry Theise, Simon Bize Bourgeone Blanc , Marquis Phillips Sarah's Blend, Klinker Brick Zin, Terra Rouge Tete,

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

A great line up of wine for Friday - listed just below these items of interest.

• Thanks for so many of the emails and phone calls about our announcement concerning Parade News in New London. We love all of the suggestions and can hardly wait to put some of them to use. Please spread the word - it's going to be a lot of fun.

The name will change - but the tradition will continue. We will be adding a link to a new website on our gateway at www.thamesriver.com
Look there for the latest news. And we will keep you posted as we move along.

• Now onto another special note of interest.
Many of you know that we have just about become the largest provider when it comes to "Grower" Champagne. And we do not mean in New London - we mean in the North East. It is a bold statement - but its true.
Grower Champagne is made by very small producers, in tiny batches and with love - not in a big factory by technicians standing in front of a control panel - like a few of the big brand names you are familiar with.

The man responsible for the Grower Champagne movement - The man that Food & Wine Magazine has named Man of The Year - The same man that practically leaps tall buildings in a single bound - Mr. Terry Theise - will be in our store on Monday afternoon. Please drop by and give him a warm New London welcome - about 4 p.m. - and, just to kick it up a notch - we will open a bottle or two to taste. Please stop by - I know you will enjoy meeting him.

If you want to learn more take a look at the WineRadio episode that we shot with Terry, on location at the Union League in New Haven. It is located at the bottom of our calendar of events page in the WineRadio section - here is the link: http://thamesriver.com/wine/calendar.html

Terry devotes the entire second half of the show to Grower Champagne -
This is something you need to know about.

• Next - by popular demand, we have added a few additional seats for the
Meet The Winemaker Dinner with Etienne Hugel.
If you or a loved one is a wine lover - this is a night you should make room for on the calendar. Monday October 29 - 6 p.m.
Amazing wine from Hugel, paired to a menu carefully created by our own Anne Haviland - AND you will be sitting elbow to elbow with the man who made the wine. The 12th generation winemaker from one of the most famous names in Alsace France.
Please reserve now - 8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 9 4 6 3.
$75 plus tax and service - wine with each course and a surprise or two.
Check out the calendar page for more details and to see Etienne on WineRadio.

Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday, October 26 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge

1 - Simon Bize Bourgeone Blanc $15
Domaine Simon Bize is one of the highly respected Burgundian addresses, a classic, or as the French are fond of saying, an ‘incontournable’ – ‘an absolute must’. This is a wine you will want to be greedy with - but at this price you may share the wealth if you so choose. It is amazing with food - in fact, French chefs are known to hang out in the cellars of Bize. One of the previous owners of the Château once fought for mules to be used in Burgundian vineyards stating that horses were too heavy and would compact the soil unnecessarily. His idea was considered to be undignified. Savigny has always been home to interesting folks. The wine is light, elegant and aromatic. Loads of flavor and long finish - you must try this on Friday night.


2 - Terra Rouge Tete - California - $ 16
We have had this wine in the store for a little while now and it has found a devoted following. This wine drinks better than most Côtes-du-Rhône Villages bottlings: sappy, spicy, fabulous flavor, and great texture. It is an eminently enjoyable everyday bottle. It has deep boysenberry fruit notes, smoky, complex flavor components that emphasize it's California terroir, and a lengthy finish. This is an affordable pleasure. Please give it a try this Friday.

3 - Marquis Phillips Sarah's Blend $18
This is what Robert Parker had to say about "Sarah's Blend":
"The dense ruby/purple-hued Sarah’s Blend is composed of 62% Shiraz and the rest equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It offers abundant black cherry and cassis fruit in its smoky, earthy bouquet along with hints of licorice, dried herbs, and chocolate. Full-bodied, opulent, fruity, and long with surprising complexity as well as depth. Score: 91"

Marquis Philips is an American-Australian collaboration. This is a beautiful integration of the three varieties. It’s a joy to experience and taste the earthy spicy Merlot characters, the leafy berry fruits and firm structure from the Cabernet, and the chocolate and plum Shiraz flavors to finish. This harmony gives you a wine that is balanced, complex and has lots of fruit. It is hard to believe it is only eighteen dollars a bottle.

4 - Klinker Brick Zinfandel - California - $20
Steve and Lori Felten, fifth generation grape growers in the Lodi region, continue the tradition of cultivating “Old Vine” Zinfandel vineyards that their ancestors planted in the early 1900’s. Full of juicy flavors - cherries and plums mixed with the perfect balance of oak and spice. There is just a hint of mint and clove on the nose and a lingering, elegant finish. This wine was aged in American oak for 15 months. If you are a "Zin" fan, don't miss this one.


Thanks again for all of the comments and suggestions, we appreciate them. And thank you all for the tremendous support that you show each and every week. It is precisely that reason that people like Terry Theise visit our store - time and time again our suppliers and celebrity guests comment on the quality of our customers and the level of interest and support that you show. Thank you for making us stand out - and for making it so much fun.


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


AAA.