Le Corte Solyss: ONLY 6 Cases to Distribute and Then It's GONE.

One time shot, friends!

For those of you who have tasted it, you already know... don't be sorry in March, wishing you had some...

2005 Le Corte Solyss Negroamaro Puglia, Italy
Regularly $19.99

February Selection Price $15.99

10% off on case of 12, no haggling

First Come, First Served

The first sold out before February even started, and this last batch will not last until the end of the month.
We will reserve orders with payment first, and reservation promises will have to cross their fingers and hope. This is business and nothing personal.
It's a share share, that's fair... thing.

Friendly Reminder

Valentine's Day is coming up soon...
Be Prepared

Blue Eyed Boy Seeks Good Home

Call for details...

2007 MollyDooker Shiraz Blue Eyed Boy McLaren Vale, Southeastern Australia

Special Wine Alert! Limited Availability!!

Once these gems appear on our pages, they will sell out like wildfire. We reccomend calling ahead and reserving a bottle or two before they are all gone.
When we come across treasures like these, it is usually a very small amount, so it is first come, first served!

Today's Gems:

Flowers Vineyard and Winery Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

(pricing available upon request)

Winemaker Notes: "Showing balanced depth and complexity, light straw to golden color, aromas unfold with layers of lemon, pear, apricot and wet stone minerality. This vintage shows crispness on the palate, with a lush and balanced citrus finish. Showing very well now and will continue to gain complexity for 1 - 3 years." (Who are you kidding, Ross, this is one of the finest Chards EVER MADE in California!!)

Krupp Brother's Estates Black Bart's Bride Stagecoach Vineyards Napa valley
(pricing available upon request)

Winemaker Notes: "49% Marsanne, 38% Viognier, 13% Chardonnay winemaker notes: Pale straw gold; Aromas of white peaches, dried apricots, almonds, and fresh tangerines, transition smoothly into ripe gooseberries, honeycomb and lemon peel and distinctive minerality; Complex, yet soft tannins and a full mid-palate lead into a seductive finish that stretches on. Enjoy with seared ahi, quail, scallops, the list goes on!"

Taste Rum at Tradewinds!

Saturday, January 24th, 2009
4 to 7pm
Featuring:
Leblon Cachaca, Brazil (White Rum from Brazil)

Kilo Kai Curacao Spiced Rum, Dutch Antilles



Positive Identification Required... No Excuses, B.S., or Whining About It

Your Boat is in the Water but It’s Still Not Wet Enough...

We can help you with this problem. Guests come and go and drink up all your stocks, leaving you and yours with nary a drop to drink. A simple phone call or an email will resolve any issues. Prevent this tragedy and be prepared. Ask about our delivery schedule. Tradewinds@live.com

Bookmark our page... it's Blackberry friendly!

February Selections

2005 Le Corte “Solyss” Negroamaro Novoli, Apulia, Italia 100% Negroamaro grapes from the “heel of the boot”, Italy’s region of Puglia. This inky– black number possesses so much richness and finesse that we couldn’t believe it was aged for 6 months in stainless steel rather than expensive oak barrels! Made with the help of Austrailian hotshot Chris Ringland, this wine has amazing extract with deep dark berry, tea, and cherry aromas and flavors. An unexpected treat for the palate especially when paired with BBQ or other grilled items!
$19.99/ btl $15.99/ club

2007 Omaka Springs Estates Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand
Another NZ SB? You betcha! 11% Semillon grapes from the Omaka valley in the heart of Marlborogh, NZ are added to the blend, rounding out this crisp and refreshing white. Delicious pear, white peach, guava, and key lime aromas and flavors make this selection an ideal pairing for the local seafood as well as by itself. Perfect with tropical fare like coconut prawns, mango salsas, and green curries. Try this with the Bay Rhum Pork recipe on page three, and you will be greatly rewarded.
$17.99/ btl $15.99/ club

2008 Montes Winery Rose of Syrah Colchagua valley, Chile
Yeah it’s pink, but it’s DRY, and delicious, and versatile. Think about this: it’s a red wine for white drinkers, and a white wine for red drinkers. It’s right in the middle of the spectrum of light and dark and will pair beautifully with anything from grilled spice rubbed rib eyes to oysters and lobster. 100% Syrah grapes are crushed and allowed to rest on their skins for one night, extracting just enough color and tannin to give structure, and allowing the crisp acidity to remain fresh and clean. Don’t be pink-o-phobic, give this tasty treat a go!
$15.59/ btl $13.99/ club

Get all three for the Special Wine of the Month Price: $45.97

Reserve your wines, sign up!

Must Have California Cab

2005 Groth Vineyards and Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa Valley, California
Lest you forget, Groth was the first California winery to garner the ultra coveted 100 points from Robert parker’s Wine Advocate for their Reserve Cab some vintages ago. A little more experience and a few years later, we have their delicious and approachable 2005 Cabernet from the Oakville District in Napa. Chock full o’ cassis, with subtle blackberry and spice undertones, this cab is built to please. Heaps of silky, mouthfilling tannin make this the ideal candidate for juicy steaks and chops on the grill. Ageworthy, but why wait?
$59.99/ btl, 10% off a case

Pair O' Pinots

First off, the 2006 Patz and Hall Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, California $41.99/btl has everything a great Pinot Noir from California should, and nothing it shouldn’t. Ripe fruit, balanced acidity, and conservative use of new and older oak barrels make this undeniably New World without forsaking the elegance and subtlety of it’s French counterparts.

Next, but not second by any means, the 2005 Domaine Vincent Girardin Pommard Les Vignots $50.99/ btl from Pinot Noir’s birthplace of Burgundy, France shows off equal amounts of class and structure. The purity of fruit is matched only by it’s inherent exotic spice characteristic which can only be coaxed out by the deftest of winemaking hands like Vincent Girardin's.

Whether opting for New World fruit or Old World charm, you can’t miss with either of these prime examples of the most difficult grape to grow and vinify called Pinot Noir…

Warning: These Pinots will spoil your palate, and from the first taste, nothing else will ever be good enough!

Best Value White Wine on the Planet?

Bodega Catena Zapata Alamos Viognier Mendoza, Argentina
No oak, no malolactic fermentation, no B.S. No tutti fruity syrupy dreck. No chills, spills, or bellyaches in this beautiful example of one of earth’s most difficult white grapes to vinify. Viognier was the darling of France’s Northern Rhone valley for centuries, but now it is a little more abundant and easier to grow elsewhere, as in Argentina. Succulent, crisp, mouthwatering citrus, peach, apricot, and light floral spice character shines with a unique freshness. Awesome.

This is the perfect white wine for boat and beach, spicy dishes like curries and thai, incredible with lobster and other seafood, salads, shrimp, ANYTHING…

Chill. Enjoy. Repeat.

Plata? Si, Por favor!

Gold tequila has officially worn out it’s welcome. It has it’s place, sure, but silver tequila has so much more finesse and elegance despite it’s second class reputation. In truth it is tequila’s purest form, never spending more than a few months in oak barrels, ensuring the inherent fresh, clean quality and unadorned appearance. If there is a greater choice for drinking straight in the warm weather, I haven’t found it yet… especially if it is the Sauza Tres Generaciones Tequila Plata. Elegance and restraint exemplify the tradition of fine tequila production at Sauza. Only 100% Blue Agave is used and it lends a pure flavor with hints of lime, herbs, and faint whiffs of fresh cut grass. Silky smooth with a welcome crispness , this silver beauty doesn’t need any color or adjuncts to make it delicious.
$42.99/ btl

Bay Rhum Pork

Put a little behind your ear when grilling… and keep plenty of rum in the glasses and your belly.
The trick here is brining first, then marinating...
In a shallow container:
Pork tenderloin or thick center cut chops
1/4 cup kosher salt per pound pork
1/2 cup dark or spiced rum, and water to cover, let brine for a few hours, remove and pat dry
marinate the pork overnight in:
2 cups good dark or spiced rum (See Kilo Kai below...)
1/4 cup light brown sugar per pound pork
1/2 cup HOT water, in which you have steeped 6 bay leaves per pound of pork
2 limes, juice and zest
1/4 cup fresh cracked peppercorns
Remove from the marinade, set liquid aside for later, and pat dry again, set pork aside and prep the grill, then have a dark n stormy, a mojito or whatever with the rum you are using.
(if you can, soak your favorite wood smoking chips in a mix of 1/2 rum and 1/2 water, it will make the meal, trust me)
Strain remaining marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add sugar if you need it sweetened. Grill pork and serve with the reduction drizzled over the meat, and garnish with lime slices or mint leaves. Have more rum drinks and enjoy...

Extremely Limited - Special Order Only

I pity the fool who poo poos Riesling as Grandma’s wine, or “too sweet”. Perhaps they have tried every Riesling on the planet and can assume that they are Riesling experts all of a sudden? Dry, say it with me, DRY Rieslings are all over the place, but a lot of folks are too chicken to try ‘em. Well, dry Rieslings go great with chicken… and fish, lobster, Thai food, oysters, pork, ham, sausage, cured meats, cheese, lots of stuff. The Lengs and Cooter Riesling Watervale Clare Valley, South Australia is PHENOMENAL. What an awesome example of the greatness that is Riesling. Kaffir and Key lime, Meyer lemon, Gravenstein apple, Bartlett pear, and numerous other aromas that justify proper adjectives are evident in this wine. Unreal brightness and clarity match the equally sublime zesty acidity, enhancing the flavors of Blenheim kiwi, subtle Georgia peach, and Indian River grapefruit. I can’t say enough good things about this delicious white wine. It has the clean zip I love, the aromatics I crave, the length on the palate that makes me smile, and the complexity that keeps me coming back for more. To really get to know Riesling, is to LOVE it. Don’t be chicken, try it! Inquiry Only

Silly Pirate! Captain Morgan is for Kids!

When you think of spiced rum, you should be picturing Kilo Kai’s label and not some cartoon character. Genuine spiced rum with authentic flavors and aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, honey, caramel and allspice that comes from the Netherlands Antilles island of Curacao isn’t a candy flavored concoction to be spilled on you by drunk college buffoons, but to be enjoyed and savored. Not to say that it isn’t easy enough to consume mass pirate quantities of the stuff, but it is a whole lot more serious than our drawn out friend depicts spiced rum to be. Quickly becoming the exotic rum of choice. If it’s good enough for the Reverend Horton Heat, it’s good enough for us!

Got Rum?

Ahhh, January… the nip in the air of 65 degree evenings! After a long warm day near or on the water, it’s nice to cool down and chill out with a warming sip of rum.

Bermuda may be a ways away, but the rum we get from there is so close to our hearts. Goslings Black Seal is just the thing to sip during the cooler evenings of our tropical “winter” here in the Keys.

Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum neat or with a cube and a coupla crushed mint leaves beats all. Cold toes in the still warm sand, or hanging off the rail of a boat, palm trees in the breeze, and rum in the glass are the things that make nights quintessentially tropical. Begin and/ or end a meal with this, and it’s ALL GOOD.

Add some ginger beer and some fresh lime and the term Dark N Stormy takes on a sunnier, new meaning! Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and ginger beer and a day off may be the other perfect equation for a day in paradise…

Le Corte “Solyss” Negroamaro Novoli, Apulia, Italia

100% Negroamaro grapes from the “heel of the boot”, Italy’s region of Puglia. This inky– black number possesses so much richness and finesse that we couldn’t believe it was aged for 6 months in stainless steel rather than expensive oak barrels! Made with the help of Austrailian hotshot Chris Ringland, this wine has amazing extract with deep dark berry, tea, and cherry aromas and flavors. An unexpected treat for the palate especially when paired with BBQ. Forget about finding it's equal, this is some of the best from southern Italy...

2007 Marquis Phillips Grenache Southeastern Australia
Xmas in a glass! They’ve mastered Syrah, but with winemaker Chris Ringland on board Grenache is King. There is something about Ringland and his deft hand with this red grape that hails from Chateauneuf du Pape and eastern Spain. The deep dark cherry core is indicative of the Grenache varietal, but with careful selection in the vineyard and a gentle touch in the winery, Ringland nails down the gingerbread, cinnamon, clove, allspice, and truffle aromas that can be coaxed out of this complex grape. Throw in the Southeastern Australian climate and one juicy, yet graceful behemoth is born. Catch it if you can!

Sonoma Coast

Ahhhhhh...
Really good Syrah is hard to beat. Fresh and deep aromas of blackberry pie, exotic spices giving warm depth and complexity, and brilliant acidity that makes the mouth water. This is a wine that does more than please the senses, it evokes great memories. Wines that encourage introspection and reflection do more than simply taste good, they transcend. Sounds a bit corny? Perhaps, but you know it's true. I'd be willing to bet you can remember exactly where you were and who you were with when you last tasted a favorite wine.
Sonoma Coast Vineyards' Syrah Hummingbird Hill Vineyard Sonoma Coast, California does that for me. Just thinking of it reminds me of the rolling hills outside of Occidental, California, when the warm sun releases the scents of the wild rosemary, fennel, and lavender that grows like shrubs around almost every corner. (This wine brings me back to that time when all that mattered was "what to put on the grill tonight?")
Only 293 cases of this beautiful artwork were made, giving it that nostalgic, bittersweet characteristic that can't be tasted, but savored in a finish that lasts a lifetime...

a.ferguson

Chard No Way?

Weary of the same aromas and flavors that have made Chardonnay seem so… common? It can get very tiresome with the usual routine. That’s why we agree with those rascally winemakers at Vinum Cellars. Their tongue in cheek titles for their wines reflect the playful attitude they keep. Chenin Blanc grapes appear to be the medium for them to create some of California’s most unique and delicious white wine. The fun and delicious Vinum Cellars Chenin Blanc “CNW” Cuvee Clarksburg, California is a shining example of just how new, different, and fun wines other than Chard can be. Crisp and clean, fresh apple and light floral aromas make this Chenin Blanc immensely easy to enjoy. Traditionally a grape from the Loire Valley in France, Chenin grows extremely well in California, especially in Clarksburg with it’s hot days and cool nights.
Skip the Chard and go with Chenin.CNW! Chard– NO– Way

Fresh and Clean

Culley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand
Lemon zest, sweet pea blossom, mineral, and lime aromas with a wee hint of tropical fruit like guava and kiwi. Fantastic balance and a springlike freshness give this wine immediate appeal. The grapes come from the Yarrum Vineyard, in Brancott Valley. Picked in the cool morning to preserve the crispness that is so desirable in Sauvignon Blancs from the Northern end of the South Island of New Zealand. All stainless steel fermentation and bottled a quick three months after harvest. Snappy!

IT’S TATERS!

Colcannon (Cal Ceannan)

3 pounds o’ potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
2 pounds o’ leeks, white parts, rinsed, chopped
2 sticks o’ butter
2 big bunches o’ kale, washed
1 1/2 cups milk, warm
1tsp fresh nutmeg (IMPORTANT)
Fresh pepper and sea salt to taste
OPTION: sauté the leeks with added diced bacon in step two...


Boil the taters and mash ‘em with a stick o’ butter, add 1/2 the nutmeg. Keep warm...
In a large saucepan, sauté the leeks in 2 tbsp butter and start adding the kale, a handful at a time, it will cook down to fit. Grind a lot of fresh black pepper in when you feel like it.
Relax, have a Guinness.
Combine everything you have now cooked together, stirring in milk and remaining butter. Don’t beat the mixture to death or it will turn into glue. Go easy and it should remain nice and light.
Another Guinness.
Add the rest of the nutmeg at the very end and you will realize why it makes the dish that much better.
Relax and have another Guinness.
Serve as a side instead of plain potatoes with a spice rubbed rib eye steak, DA's Perfect roast Chicken, or Lamb Loin Chops With Garlic, Cilantro, and Saffron.
Just relax...

Lamb Loin Chops With Garlic, Cilantro, and Saffron

Pick out some rosy, well marbled lamb loin chops and season them with sea salt and pepper. In a large zip top bag, smash and peel as many cloves of garlic as you can handle. Add a teaspoon of good saffron*, a handful of roughly chopped cilantro, and a half cup or so of good olive oil. Let marinate at room temp for two hours, or all day, turning to coat chops often. Remove chops and sear in a hot skillet or grill about a minute or two per side. Serve on a bed of mixed greens with a side of mashed potatoes. A delicious meal to share on one plate, just use your fingers to eat the chops, way more romantic and fun when you share.

*check out http://www.saffron.com/, a WHOLE OUNCE of the finest saffron runs only $69, it’s the best deal and will last almost a year.

Pretty Wine

Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
They say, “It’s Will-AM-ette, dammit!” in Oregon, and dammit this Pinot Gris is soooooooooo good. This wine has been so consistently refreshing and wonderful year in and year out, it deserves a place in everyone’s refrigerator. Not a wimpy, thin, tart, grapefruity pinot grigio. Although the same grape, it shares little with some of it’s Italian counterpart’s… um… boring– ness. Pinot Gris from the Northwest US is serious white wine, and extremely easy to drink at the same time. It won’t confuse and befuddle the standard Pinot Grigio drinker, and won’t disappoint anyone else either. This one brings crispy, citrusy, floral richness with a tiny hint of gentle spice to the party. Chill, serve, and repeat...

a.ferguson

Inama Soave Classico, Veneto Italy
Crisp Gravenstein apple, white tea, and light citrus zest aromas pair with cool, polished, mouthwatering acidity. We love this wine with crustaceans, grilled fish and poultry. Simply grilled veggies and bruschetta are another good match. Lip-smacking good, clean and crisp, not the austere style of Soave that flooded the markets in the late 1970’s and 80’s. One of the best white wines... ever, at any price, for our money.

DA's Perfect roast Chicken

The chicken needs flavor before roasting so:
Place chicken in a large bowl and add 3 bay leaves, 1/4 cup cracked black pepper, 1/2 cup salt (don't worry),1 cup white wine, and 2 tbsp honey, cover with warm water to dizzolve salt. Set aside for 2– 3 hours or refrigerate overnight.

Remove chicken and stuff with lots of fresh whole rosemary, 3 lemon halves, and a whole head of garlic.
Don’t preheat the oven! Put the chicken in at about 375º and pour yourself some Pinot.

Then make a sauce.

When the skin is a crispy deep golden brown and the internal temp is about 150º, take the bird out and let her rest for 10 or 15 min.
Drizzle with olive or truffle oil, a squeeze of lemon, and grind some fresh pepper on it. Carve the bird and spoon the warm sauce over each serving.
Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, crusty bread, and a hearty green like calo nero or broccoli rabe.
Have more Pinot and enjoy!

a.ferguson

Roasted Corn Sauce with Rosemary for Chicken and Fish

Roasted Corn Sauce with Rosemary for Chicken and Fish
This is quick, simple, and delicious.
Saute 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil with half a package of frozen corn, and 1/4 cup minced shallots until corn turns a light golden brown. Then add 1/4 cup of white wine, fresh rosemary leaves, salt and pepper to taste, the rest of the package of corn, and another tsp butter. Let thicken slightly and serve over Roast chicken, or fish like salmon or halibut.
Drizzle with olive or truffle oil if you have it.

Fresh corn kernels work best, especially with sauteed, golden brown wild mushrooms, sliced...
This is hard to mess up, so adapt it to your needs.

a.ferguson

Missing Mollydooker?

2006 Marquis Phillips Shiraz Southeastern Australia
Chris Ringland took over as winemaker from Sarah and Sparky Marquis without messing with the EXTREMELY high quality of fruit, now sourced entirely from Mclaren Vale. 92 parker points and 100% full on delicious Shiraz. We think that this brooding, black raspberry, almost chambourd– like scented, spice inflected, juice injected, vinous projectile, is utterly gratuitously fruity and fun to drink! Never fear, there’s plenty of silky tannin, and balanced acidity here to carry all the thrill packed into this Aussie gem! Another underpriced, killer value.

a.ferguson

White Wine for Sipping and Grilling

Dutch Bill Creek Chardonnay Sonoma County, California
Another stunning wine from one of the best growing regions for Chardonnay, Sonoma County. The Heintz family grows some of the most sought after, and therefore expensive, Chardonnay fruit in California. How this delicious wine came to the shelf at under $40, we might never understand, but who are we to argue. Crisp apple, chamomile, ginger, lemon zest, this has everything one could ever want in a chardonnay, without too much. Utterly delectable and balanced, crisp and lively.

a.ferguson

Sea Scallop Recipe

Served on a light bed of chopped spring greens.
1 lb package Bomster’s Scallops, thawed, rinsed and cleaned, and patted dry with paper towel
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 sticks of butter (NO CREAM!!!)
1 vanilla bean, pod and all, split and scraped OR 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp saffron threads
Sea salt to taste


Saute shallots in a saucepan in 1 tbl olive oil, until translucent. Add wine and reduce until thickened, adding saffron towards the end to infuse color and aroma, and finally the vanilla.
Add all but 1 tsp butter and whisk lightly until smooth and creamy, DON’T cook it, melt it on low lest it separate. Remove garlic clove and vanilla bean pod if used.
While reducing, heat a sauté pan with 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp olive oil and when hot add scallops face down. Cook over medium high heat until a golden brown crust is formed on the bottoms, and they are easily removed from the pan, and just cooked through.
Scatter chopped spring greens lightly over a white plate and arrange 3 or 5 scallops per. Make sure your sauce is thick and warm and DRIZZLE over and around the scallops sparingly. (Use a spoon for control.) Don’t be afraid to garnish with a few saffron threads. A few drops of white truffle oil wouldn’t hurt, either.

Bomster’s
Stonington Seafood Harvesters
Town Dock, Stonington Borough
Stonington, CT 06378
(888)-486-8404

a.ferguson

Pinot Envy

Everyone is jealous about everyone else’s Pinot. Some like it Noir, some Blanc, some Gris. Some like it thicker, some thin. Often people will argue about size, others will say it’s about style. I say everyone’s right about Pinot, because it’s all about which Pinot fits a person best, with whom one shares the Pinot, and what’s on the menu for the evening.
Pinot Noir, food friendly Pinot Blanc, and that little tart Pinot Grigio all have their seductive sides. One Pinot Noir in my little black book comes from California, way, way out and up the Sonoma Coast. It not a big wine, but styled and crafted in an elegant and voluptuous frame. It’s come hither aromas of Bing cherry jam, warm Asian spices, subtle jasmine or Earl Grey tea, and seductively subtle hints of French oak marry well with balanced acidity and perfect body to produce a mouthfeel as smooth as silk. Did I mention that I love this wine?
It’s the Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, Fort Ross Vineyard and it is so beautifully delicious that you’ll fall in love with it too. Snuggle up with a glass of this Pinot with your sweet one. Pairs well with fireplaces, thick rugs, and roast chicken with rosemary and roasted corn sauce.

a.ferguson

Wine Suggestions

I may have tasted thousands and thousands of wines in my time, but there is no way I can guess what tastes good to another person. Wine is suggestive. I have to get to know all of your individual tastes to focus on what you like to drink. I might like wines that others don’t, and that’s fine, it doesn’t make anyone “wrong”.
Having tasted so much stuff, it’s easier for me to zero in on wines that you MIGHT like. Sometimes I get it the first time, sometimes it takes a few tries.
It’s up to you to express your vinous likes and dislikes to me, not the other way around. I already know what I like, it’s up to you to tell me what you are looking for. I am here to facilitate not dictate. My wine preferences and tastes are guides, not gospel, for not everyone agrees.
Wine publications and critics may give their opinion in the form of ratings and/ or reviews. My opinion comes in the form of recommendations based on what I might know about the buyer and what they tell me regarding their wine wants and needs.
I do enjoy having people try different wines that they might not usually pick for themselves.
I think there is a place for every wine that celebrates the different tastes of every person. If one wine was truly better than another, there would be only one wine, and that would bore me to tears.
Come and share your preferences with me, I will try and learn what YOU like and suggest wines accordingly.
Remember if it tastes good, it IS good. Only you know what tastes good to you... I can only guess.

a.ferguson