Formaggio Kitchen, Etienne Hugel, Museum Real, Baron de ley, Jaime Echevaria

Greetings From New London -

Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463 - 84 Bank Street
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817 - 70 State Street
Brie & Bleu - 860-437-2474 - 84 Bank Street
Now Open: Import - 60 State Street

www.thamesriver.com

We have a great list of wines for Friday - they are listed below.
But first a few items of interest.

• Thanks to everyone that stopped in to say hello during the New London Jazz and Blues Festival on Friday & Saturday night.
Special thanks to André Danford & Friends and Mr. Chris Leigh for providing the entertainment.

• We have some BIG cheese news - JOIN US - Tuesday September 26 - 5:30 -7:00 p.m. LIMITED SEATING please reserve early.

I cannot begin to tell you how many people ask ask about cheese classes and learning about cheese and wine and other cheese related issues.

Trust me - there are a lot of cheese related issues.

The good news is we have gone straight to the experts and have a great way to help.

Formaggio Kitchen has been an institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts for over 20 years – a gourmand’s paradise doubling as a neighborhood grocer. After a little arm twisting we convinced them to offer an evening of their wildly successful cheese and wine classes - right here at Brie & Bleu. Formaggio Kitchen's Leslie Mann will lead the evening and she will introduce us to amazing wine and cheese parings - and at the same time explain why it all works. This evening will be a lot of fun and will fill quickly - tell your favorite cheesehead and reserve now.
Eight artisan cheeses paired four with different wines will be served.
In addition, in case your wondering "will I be hungry at six o'clock?", we will have enough to nosh on to keep everyone very happy.
Seating is limited. Cost is $35 - 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Please reserve early - 860-443-9463

• Tuesday night September 12th - we welcome one of the worlds great winemakers to New London. Mr. Etienne Hugel - A 12th generation winemaker from Alsace with be with us for dinner. The dinner is sold out - but you can listen to our WineRadio interview with Etienne by visiting our calendar of events page and scrolling down to his picture. We have his wine in stock and the opportunity to have bottles signed on Tuesday will be available.

• Thursday 14th - 6 p.m. - Our Own Kristin Webers Presents - A Beer Dinner in Three Acts
More information and details can be found on the calendar of events page. Or Call Kristin - 860-443-9463

• The excitment at the store continues right through to Friday at our regular tasting from 6-9 p.m. We will feature the wines of Museum Real & Baron de Ley - Visiting with us will be Mr. Jaime Echevaria - Jaime was also a recent guest on our WineRadio show and you can listen to that interview also - by visiting the Calendar of events page. http://thamesriver.com/wine/calendar.html
Then scroll down to the WineRadio logo - you can't miss it.


THIS WEEK AT BRIE AND BLEU

Colleen's Pick - Featured This Week

Shropshire Blue is $14/lb this week at Brie & Bleu. Shropshire Blue has a flavour somewhere between Blue Cheshire and Blue Stilton, a creamy orange coloured paste with blue-green veining; annatto produces the orange colour and Penicillium roquefortii produces the veining. The cheese is essentially an orange coloured Stilton style cheese. It is made from pasteurised cows' milk and using rennet suitable for vegetarians. The cheese is matured for 12 weeks but it can be matured for a further 12 weeks to produce a creamier fuller flavoured cheese. Shropshire Blue is excellent throughout the year. It is excellent on the cheese-board and is also very versatile in the kitchen; it makes fabulous soups and sauces. It is best accompanied by good English brown ale and as with Stilton, by rich fortified wines such as burgandy like Nuits Saint Georges.
You can purchase this cheese for an additional 10% off with the purchase of this wine at Thames River Wine and Spirits.
Cheers,
Colleen


WINE TASTING PLEASE JOIN US
SPECIAL EVENT - MEET JAIME ECHEVARIA

Friday September 15 - 6 - 9 p.m. - NO CHARGE

1 - MUSEUM REAL CRIANZA $14
2 - MUSEUM REAL RESERVA $25 - http://www.barondeley.com/
The Museum winery is located in Cigales, a D.O. in Northern Spain, in Castilla-Leon.
Though Cigales is better known for rosé wines, it is quite capable of breeding robust reds, as evidenced by this forward-thinking winery.
"Nowhere is the revolution that has swept through the world of Spanish winemaking in the last 20 years on better display than at the vineyards and winery of Museum, in the region of Cigales." - Forbes Magazine. Deep lively cherry color with great intensity and starting to show the first orange tonalities from the fine ageing of the wine - Deep and complex nose, with a predomination of red berries, balsamic traces and clove. Give this great wine a try and get to ask a principle of the winery all about it too.

3 - BARON DE LEY RESERVA $20
4 - BARON DE LEY FINCA MONESTARIO $44
Baron de Ley is a dream come true. It was conceived in 1982, when a small group of wine lovers decided to create a single estate winery in Rioja -- a rarity in this part of the wine world. Baron de Ley is unique in Rioja on several points: the bodega relies almost exclusively on fruit from its own estate; high quality Reserva and Gran Reserva are the focus of production; and extensive maturation is used. The result is a soft yet generous style of wine, at a very high level of quality. Intensely colored with ruby tones. Forward, wide open nose of ripe fruit and spice: red and black berries, mulled spice aromas. Bright, ripe fruit upfront on the palate, soft tannins, mild acidity. Spicy fruit lingers in the finish.
This is a greaqt wine for the holidays - Serve with: roasts, lamb, grilled meats, beef.

This Friday will be a great opportunity to try some of the best wines in Spain - and at the same time you will have the opportunity to meet and talk to a principle of the company. Jaime Echevaria is articulate, knowledgeable and especially passionate about these wines and the wines of Spain.
We are very lucky to have him and we hope that you will join us on Friday night to help welcome him to New London.

Thanks for all of your support we really do appreciate it - and for all of the calls, emails, and notes - we are listening - In fact, that's our secret weapon. The best is yet to come.

Please Join Us - It's fun, informal and a great way to start your weekend.




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