Quick Notes

Some quick notes on a few wines. Last night we attended a party put on by one of Katie's co-workers. We brought along a bottle of 2001 Penfold's Bin 128 Coonwarra Shiraz. What a great wine! I used to have a bottle that I paid $22 for, I found it at the store yesterday for $17.99. It's such a bold wine but not overpowering. Then came a bevy of Syrahs. First up wasn't actually a Syrah but Bogle's Petite Sirah, a totally different animal. This wine was somewhat heavy but so smooth on the palate. Next up was a 2003 Cline California Syrah. This was nice, it was velvet like on the tongue and I especially enjoyed the mocha flavors. Finally was a R.H. Phillips Syrah EXP. I didn't pick up the vintage, but it didn't matter, I loved it. It was light bodied and easy drinking with a lovely herbal tone. In the end, it was a good night, four wines, four good reviews. Till next time..."To take wine into our mouths is to savor a droplet of the river of human history."--Clifton Fadiman

Wine Shop Review

Last night I checked out Thames River Wine and Spirits in New London, CT. I have heard many nice things about this store so with my wife and in-laws we headed over. The most pleasing part of the visit was the setting. The majority of their sales floor is on the lower level in an actual cellar. The ceilings are almost two stories high, and there is that exciting chill in the air of a wine cellar or cave. They are the first store I have visited that makes use of vintage view racks. These racks display bottle horizontally from left to right on the wall, as opposed to traditional lay down bins or stands. It adds an amazing dramatic flair to the room, not to mention the visible stone foundation. They also use traditional displays throughout the cellar. As for their selection, I was impressed, but not floored. I expected more high end French and American wines. Don't get me wrong, they had some expensive wines, like a 1996 Chateau Haut-Brion and some DRC from Burgundy. However, I can find better selection in the $100 and up range in Westerly. There selection seemed to focus on more unique wines that can be hard to find, but not necessarily extremely expensive, such as Single-Vineyard Calera Pinot Noirs, or mid-level French wines. So what did I walk out with you ask? I selected a bottle of 2001 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou. This is a second growth from St. Julien in Bordeaux, but it is sometimes referred to as a "Super-Second" because it can turn out wine as good as the first-growths. This is by far the best bottle of French wine I have been able to acquire for my cellar. Katie, my magnificent wife, selected a bottle of 2004 Two Hand's McClaren Vale Lily's Garden Shiraz. Two Hands is one of the premier wineries in Australia today. Needless to say I am ecstatic about these two new editions to my cellar. I hope to swing by Thames River on a Friday for their free wine tasting. I would recommend shopping there for a new experience, but I still think I'll be strolling into Westerly for my typical purchases. Till next time..."Wine is like music-you may not know what is good, but you know what you like!"--Justin Meyer, American Winemaker