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Litchfield Hills Wine Market
July 1, 2020
Have a safe & happy Fourth!
A few things to mention...
We are open 9-6 on Saturday, July 4
We currently have more than 30 different rosés in stock!
Feeling festive? Or would like to? We have more than
75 sparkling wines including 20 grower Champagnes!
The inventory list for wines now designates which wines are
organic (practicing and certified).
Some new beers include:
Old Nation Boss Tweed D-IPA $17.
99 / 9.3% ABV
Singlecut 18 Watt IPA $13.99 / 5% ABV
Frost Plush $16.99 / 8% ABV
Frost Lush $16.99 / 8% ABV
Frost Double Pony Boy $16.99 / 8% ABV
Counter Weight Workhorse Pilsner $11.99
/ 5% ABV
Artifact Wolf at the Door Cider $13.99
Check out new website!
You can view our inventory, meet the staff, and view archives of recent newsletters.
Be like Soybean - wear a mask!
Download PDFs of our Wine & Spirit and Beer Inventory
We'll continue to add new items as they become available.
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WE CURRENTLY OFFER CURBSIDE SERVICE ONLY **
We are happy to take orders over the phone and have the wine brought out to your car when you arrive. Just call 860-361-6700 to order and to let us know you're here!
* Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 11-5
* We regret we cannot make deliveries at this time due to additional demands on
our staff.
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New and Noteworthy
2019 Maresh Vineyard Pinot Gris $29.99
Produced from self-rooted vines planted in 1991 at the historic Maresh Vineyard, the 2019 Pinot gris was 100% destemmed and fermented in three 1.5 ton "macrobin" (food-grade plastic) fermentors. One pigeage (foot-treading) happened each day. About 20 days of skin contact occurred before thewine was pressed at dryness. Élevage was in a uterine-shaped concrete amphora tank andsomeneutral 228 liter Burgundy barrels from tight-grained French forests. The Maresh Pinot Gris is dry and ML-complete with a final pH of 3.4.
It has a beautiful deep pink/blue-toned fuchsia color and has far more complexity in the nose (spicy floral notes like natural carnations, strawberries, and some exotic notes I can't articulate) and mouth than ordinary white Pinot gris/Pinot grigio. It has more structure and power than the white, but drinks more like a rosé than a Pinot. It has a fine, silken texture, and a slightly spicy finish and has delicious pink energy.
Appellation: Dundee Hills A.V.A.
Picking Dates: 25 September and 1 October 2019
Élevage: after primary fermentation in three small fermentors, racked to a concrete amphora tank and to neutral French oak barrels. In this amphora tank and the barrels until bottling.
Bottling Date: 17 March 2020
Alcohol: 12.5 %
Cases Produced: 258
2019 Kelley Fox Nerthus $29.99
... in Kelley's words;
I'm very happy to offer you this lovely skin-contact white wine made of 40% old vine Early Muscat and 60% Grüner veltliner. The destemmed fruit from both vineyards was fermented in 1.5-ton open top fermenters with one pigeage a day. The Muscat was pressed at dryness (about twelve days) while the Grüner was pressed into the tank of Muscat after about six days of skin contact to complete its fermention. The Nerthus was allowed to complete malolactic fermentation. Élevage was in a stainless tank until bottling. It is bone-dry and very clean and fresh.
The Nerthus is transparent to the point of brilliance, and its color is youthful, shimmering gold. The nose is full of minerals, stone fruits (apricot/peach), and has this incredibly fresh smell that reminds me of the ozone in the air after a huge thunderstorm. Unlike the nose, the mouth is more Grüner-like than Muscat-like, but still, there are hints of tangerine and stone fruit. And like a Grüner, this wine will need a little time to take on its body and weight (though it will never become heavy or cloying). The finish is consistent with the mouth with maybe some spice. It is fresh and clean (in a good, not-at-all sterile way), and is a wine that I hope evokes an alpine white full of early spring life emerging from the snow-melt.
Appellation: Willamette Valley A.V.A.
Picking Dates: Early Muscat (vines planted in 1982 at Eola Springs Vineyard): 23 September. Grüner veltliner (Chehalem Mountain Vineyard): 1 October
Élevage: 7 months in stainless tank
Bottling Date: 28 May 2020
Alcohol: 12.5 %
Cases Produced: 290 cases
2010 Castello di Monsanto Nemo $59.99
Ruby red with purple reflections. Intense and complex with rich aromas of black fruit, csssis and vanilla. Full bodied with rich black fruit flavors lead into a supple, long finish.
Wine Advocate: 92 points
The 2010 Nemo Vigneto Il Mulino is the most masculine of Castello di Monsanto's new releases, yet it remains one of the most feminine and ethereal expression of Cabernet Sauvignon found in Tuscany. Instead of boldness and brawn, this wine delivers streamlined elegance and pointed aromas of dark fruit, spice, leather, tobacco and balsam herb. Those licorice and rosemary flavors give the wine an all-Italian personality.
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Domaines Ott Château de Selle Rosé 2019
AOC Côtes de Provence $44.99 (limited)
A subtle balance between structure and finesse, this wine is a perfect illustration of the precision required to make a rosé, the rigorous process that celebrates the flesh of the fruit and the very heart of the grape... The wine is a reflection of the complexity of its limestone hillsides and arid soil; austerity bathed in dazzling sunshine.
The Château de Selle Rosé combines various grape varieties from the Côtes de Provence appellation, including a majority of Grenache creating the delicate colour and vinous character. Cinsault adds softness, Syrah and Mourvèdre bring fruit.
This pale pink wine with golden tints releases fragrances of citrus fruit and orchard flowers enveloped in spice. On the palate, the immediate effect is elegant and open, developing subtle aromas with a lemony edge before a sweet finish of appealing length.
Domaine Mégard Pommard 2016 $59.99
Les Vignots is an "Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)" from the village of Pommard in Côte d'Or at an elevation of 300 meters. Limestone based earth with good drainage.
Very popular since the XIX century, Pommard has a rich history. It offers a deep red ruby color and a robe with purple lights."This is the fight between day and night" (Victor Hugo)
Character
Blueberry, blackcurrant and prune aromas are the most common. With maturity you will discover some leather, chocolate and spices as well. This is a wine which matures with age. Texture is round. Delicate but strong and balanced structure. Some fruits will remain in the mouth after the first taste.
Enjoy this wine with strong meats. Beef, buffalo, lamb, pheasant. Will accompany cheeses with some strong characters such as Epoisses, Comté, Reblochon. Serve at 57-60 F.
Traditional dry farmed viticulture. Practicing organic gobelet (vaso) trained vines, cultivated completely by hand. Vatan is the pure representation of the oldest clone of Tempranillo in Spain, from some of the oldest ungrafted vines in the country, located in the only Spanish D.O. that completely resisted the phylloxera plague. During the Middle Ages, Toro was Spain's most famous winemaking region. Mentioned in literature by Alfonso IX (King of León, 12th c.), Juan Ruiz the Archpriest of Hita, Quevedo, Luis de Góngora, and Miguel de Cervantes. In 14th Century Sevilla, the sale of any foreign wine was prohibited, save the wines of Toro. These wines accompanied Spanish explorers to the New World. D.O. Toro was rediscovered in the 1990's by the Numanthia project, masterminded by Jorge Ordóñez and the Eguren family.
Firm and dense, this red delivers rich flavors of blackberry, fig, cocoa, licorice and mineral, set in a thick texture, supported by well-integrated tannins and kept lively by balsamic acidity. Savory, even austere, yet harmonious and complete. Best from 2022 through 2036. Wine Spectator 93 points. (Pictured is the wood box it's packed in - yours with the case of 12)
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2017 Duckhorn Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $67.99
(or buy six with a 10% discount and keep the wood box they're packed in!)
Production Notes
Varietal Composition: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Petit Verdot
Winemaker Notes
Lush, energetic and intense, this gorgeous Cabernet begins with aromas of blackberry, huckleberry and chocolate, as well as hints of mint, cardamom, clove and graham cracker. On the palate it displays lovely brightness, with firm, resolved tannins framing flavors of boysenberry and black currant. As it evolves in the glass, subtle sweet and savory notes are revealed, carrying the wine to a long, focused finish.
Production
The 2017 growing season began with abundant winter rains, followed by a warm, dry spring that led to a perfectly timed budbreak. In addition to replenishing the water table, the early season rains produced robust canopies, which provided invaluable shade during a week-long heat event that kicked harvest into gear during the last week of August. This was followed by a much-needed cooldown that allowed the vines to recuperate, while also giving us extra hangtime for flavor development and tannin resolution. We harvested throughout September and into early October, with the grapes showing lovely ripeness and quality, yielding plush, polished and wonderfully complex wines.
Riazul Tequila
Plato $34.99
Reposado $42.99
Siempre Tequila
Plato $42.99
TWO NEW FABULOUS
TEQUILAS
FOR THE
FOURTH OF JULY!
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Canned Bubbles
Yes, the thirst for spiked seltzers has hit an all timehigh. In response, here
are a few we have. Keeping them in stock isn't easy...
There are lots of flavors and brands to choose from...
Pineapple, Black Cherry, Peach, Citrus, Mango, Grapefruit Cardamom, Pomegranate Ginger, Watermelon, Blackberry, variety packs, and more.
Check out
Truly, White Claw, Press, Two Roads, Nauti, Sup, Willie's, High Noon, Pampalone, Nantucket, Babe, Stony Creek, Polar, and even Bud Lite.
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Recipe of the Week
Grilled Chicken with Italian Salsa Verde
4-6 pieces of skin-on, bone-in chicken - thighs or breasts (or cut
up a whole chicken)
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Italian-Style Salsa Verde
1 cup Italian parsley (packed, tender stems ok) or sub part basil
2 garlic cloves
1/8 cup lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
2 Tablespoon capers
1 Tablespoon caper juice from the jar
1/3 cup olive oil plus more for cooking
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
Tuscan Tomato Salad
2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
scattering of herbs (optional)
Instructions
Preheat grill to medium-high and oven to 35oF
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
On a well-greased grill, grill chicken over medium heat until
good grill marks appear on both sides covering the grill. Place chicken in the warm oven, uncovered until
cooked through 10-15 minutes, depending on the cut. (Use a thermometer. 160F for Breasts and 170 F for
thighs.) Feel free to keep on the grill, in a cooler spot until cooked through.
While chicken is grilling, make the Italian Style Salsa Verde.
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse, repeatedly, about 15 times, until chopped and just
combined - but NOT smooth. Place in a bowl and set aside.
To make the tomato salad, slice assorted ripe, room temperature tomatoes and place on a platter. Drizzle
with good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Scatter with fresh herbs for color.
Divide chicken and tomato salad among plates, spoon a little salsa verde over top.
Enjoy!
Serve with an unforgettable rosé like Kelley Fox or Withers!
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WINES OF THE WEEK
Kelley Fox
About Kelley Fox Wines (in Kelley's words)
Kelley Fox Wines is a small winery I created in 2007 along with my father, Gerson "Gus" Stearns. Though I have lived in the Willamette Valley for over 28 years, and I find myself loving Oregon more every year. The first vintage (2007) started with just over 100 cases. The annual case production is now between 2700 and 3000 cases, all from the historic Maresh Vineyard, the Demeter-certified biodynamic Momtazi Vineyard (both since the beginning) along with Hyland (1988 Coury Clone Pinot), Freedom Hill (barrel-fermented Pinot blanc), and beginning in 2018, Weber (1983 and 1988 Pinot), and Durant Vineyard (Chardonnay). Both Weber and Durant are family owned and farmed old vine vineyards in the Dundee Hills.
I've been a full-time, year-round, on-the-floor Oregon Pinot noir winemaker since 2000. My education includes a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Biology from Texas AM University. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with dual degrees in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Oregon State University and was admitted to the PhD program in Biochemistry.
Before completing the doctorate, I changed my path to pursue winemaking. I learned winemaking not from a classroom or textbooks or from other regions, but directly from Oregon winemakers who had put in some serious time. I was deeply influenced by my dear friend and former employer, the late David Lett of The Eyrie Vineyards. David was the ultimate iconoclast who pioneered the Oregon wine industry in the 1960's.
My winemaking experience includes Torii Mor, Hamacher, and Eyrie, andten years as winemaker atScott Paul Wines (August 2005 to about mid-April 2015). I now happily work for my own winery exclusively.
"Anyone who avers that New World Pinot cannot match Burgundy for finesse and complexity has clearly never tried anything from this small, impressively consistent producer. Kelley Fox cut her winemaking teeth at Eyrie (and that influence shows very clearly in the wines she produces under her own name), followed by a 10-year stint (2005 to 2015) as winemaker at Scott Paul. She launched her own winery in 2007 and now produces around 2,000 cases a year of lithe, mineral-driven and strikingly pure Pinots from two of the Willamette Valley's most highly regarded and meticulously farmed vineyards, Maresh and Momtazi. Native yeasts are used for all of the wines, and anywhere from a third to three-quarters whole clusters have been used since the beginning, but as of the 2015 vintage Fox will be using all whole bunches. She started out by using about one-third new oak for her first three vintages, used a bit for 2010 and 2011 and now uses none at all because she wants her wines "to be as pure and unadorned as possible, and oak can get in the way." As approachable as Fox's wines are soon after release, they have the balance to age and, as a bonus, they deliver exceptional value for their quality."
-Josh Raynolds, Vinous
LHWM is proud to carry:
2019 Nerthus $29.99
2019 Pinot Gris $29.99
2018 Mirabai Pinot Noir, $39.99
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Cocktail of the Week
Campari Sangria
A perfect Independence Day quaff
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
1/2 cups Campari
1/2 cups Grand Marnier
1/4 cups fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. pure honey
1 bottle dry rosé
Sliced strawberries and oranges
Splash club soda
Directions:
In a pitcher, combine fresh orange juice, Campari, Grand Marnier, fresh lemon juice, and pure honey; stir until honey is dissolved.
Stir in dry rosé and sliced strawberries and oranges. Serve over ice with a splash of club soda.
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Terroir Spotlight
Rias Baixas
~ Home of delicious Albarino ~
Winemaking in Rías Baixas dates back thousands of years, but only during the past few decades has the region established a global reputation as a producer of top quality wines from its signature grape, Albariño.
Over 99% of all wine produced in Rías Baixas is white. Differences in microclimates, terroir and grape varieties in the five sub-zones, as well as different winemaking techniques, make for wonderful diversity. Styles range from a crisp, aromatic "melony" character in Val do Salnés, to a peachier, softer style in O Rosal, and a less fruity and earthier style in Condado do Tea.
While the different sub-zones express subtle differences, the wines all share a number of characteristics. Pale golden lemon, they are all crisp, elegant and fresh. These wines are bone-dry and aromatic, packed with flavors of white peach, apricot, melon, pineapple, mango and honeysuckle. They share good natural acidity, have mineral overtones, and are medium bodied with moderate alcohol (12%).
Grape Varieties
While twelve grape varieties are permitted in the DO, the white Albariño grape represents 96% of all plantings. Other important permitted grapes include Treixadura, traditionally blended with Albariño; and Loureiro, a high-quality local variety particularly associated with O Rosal. Caiño Blanco, Torrontes and Godello are also planted to a lesser extent throughout the region.
Viticulture
Planting Albariño at the proper height and exposure to ensure even, healthy ripening is essential to quality. Vines are traditionally widely spaced and trained on stone pergolas hewn of the same granite as the soils below. To counter the region's rainfall and humidity, most vines are trained on a wire trellis called a "parra" anchored by granite posts. Parras are up to seven feet high, allowing breezes to flow through for maximum circulation to prevent mildew and to promote even ripening. In the fall, ripened grape bunches form a ceiling-like canopy and are harvested by pickers standing on grape bins. Some vineyards are replacing the traditional parra canopy and using a European double cordon system called espaldera. Throughout the region, yields are low, ranging from three to five tons per acre.
Careful harvesting (the grapes are hand-picked in small plastic 40 pound crates) and temperature control have revolutionized winemaking in Rías Baixas. Grapes are delivered to the winery as fast as possible to avoid oxidation, and the must is fermented under meticulous temperature control in modern, stainless steel installations.
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Soybean the Sommelier
Red, White, and Rosé...
Happy Fourth of July everyone! This is my first New England Independence Day. There are fewer fireworks going off than in South Carolina, so I'm thankful for that!
This holiday, if you're having a few guests (standing 6 feet apart and drinking wine through a straw with masks on), put out a red, white, and rosé for a festive table! Kelley Fox's Oregon wines are perfect for the occasion. Or you might try a French line up (they did give us the Statue of Liberty after all). Try Mas de Gourgonnier rouge, rosé, and Font du Vent Cotes du Rhone blanc for southern French treat. Or if it's Italy you love, try Le Fraghe Bardolino, Inama Soave, Le Fraghe Rodon (Veneto).
Perfect with the ribs (my pick), salads, and grilled chicken! Be safe, have fun, and wash your paws!
- Soybean
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About Us
Litchfield Hills Wine Market opened in September, 2010.
Our wonderful staff is here to serve you seven days a week:
Monday - Saturday 9 am - 6 pm, Sunday 11 am - 5 pm.
(We'll go back to extended hours when
Covid-19 goes away.)
We carry a thousand different wines, Dozens of beers and large selection of spirits.
We're also happy to place special orders if you need something we don't have in stock!
Litchfield Hills Wine Market
8 Village Green Drive, Litchfield, Conn. 06759 860.361.6700 |
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