Do Over!, Altano Douro, Vale Do Bomfim, Prazo de Roriz, Quinta de Roriz

Greetings from all of us in New London,
www.thamesriver.com
Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817
Brie & Bleu - 860-437-2474
IMPORT - 860-443-6817

Well because of the "Storm Of The Century" - I think that's how it was described last week - we were forced to cancel last Friday night's tasting.
According to our records that was the first time we missed a scheduled Friday tasting since we opened.
We hope that you all enjoyed a nice day off.

So this week it is a "Do Over".

The wines are great and we know you will want to try them - they are listed just below this quick update about Brie & Bleu -


This Week At Brie & Bleu -
Dinner Specials:
Friday March 23 - lemon cod with panko bread crumbs and brown butter
Saturday March 24 - orange glazed grilled rack of pork Fred the cheese of the week is Piave Vecchio and Italian cheese.

Seats Still Available for dinners on: 3/20 & 3/27 - please call for more information.

The featured cheese of the week at Brie & Blue is Piave Vecchio, which is a great Italian snacking cheese at $12/lb this week. Piave is made from the pasteurized milk of cows that graze on mountain pastures in Italy's Veneto region. It is not a farmstead cheese. It is made by a cooperative, in 15- pound wheels that are only about 2 inches tall, with the cheese's name impressed in the rind. As with many recently introduced cheeses, information on Piave's manufacture is scarce. From the dense texture and butterscotch aroma and flavor, it appears that the curd is both cooked and pressed, as for Gruyere, Gouda or Parmigiano-Reggiano. Piave may remind you of any or all of those cheeses. It has the texture of a young Parmigiano-Reggiano, not crystalline yet nor dry enough for grating, but heading in that direction. It has the toasted walnut character of Gruyere and the caramel-like sweetness of an aged Gouda. The cheese pairs well with a rich white or virtually any red wine should work.
Enjoy,
Mrs. Z


WINE TASTING PLEASE JOIN US
Friday March 23 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge


1 - Altano Douro Tinto 2004 $9
A red table wine from the Douro region of Portugal. Straight-forward, easy to drink and ideal for an improptu weeknight gathering. This wine is either at the head of its class in quality or below the curve in price. Altano Douro is a premium wine brand that Symington uses to market wines made from the traditional Port grapes from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. Altano Douro is a delicious value and an excellent table wine. It’s a medium-bodied red that emits scents of red fruit, herbs, spices, and an earthy musk. For the price, the wine shows loads of finesse - just like Jim.

2 - Vale Do Bomfim Reserva 2004 $14
This is what the reviews have to say:
“An intense bouquet of ripe fruit seasoned with spicy vanilla oak leads the charge to flavors of vivid red-berry and cassis fruit gently layered over firm tannins.” - Ben Giliberti, Washington Post
"Best Buy", 88 Points
“… bold, exuberantly flavored blend… shows good depth of fruit…” - Wine Enthusiast

3 - Prazo de Roriz 2004 $16
The Prazo de Roriz table wine is made with a blend of Douro grapes; especially Tinta Roriz, a grape that acquired its name from the Roriz estate when it was first brought to the Quinta in the 19th century from Spain where the grape is known as Tempranillo.
"Best Buy", 89 Points
“The Symington family continues to make strides in their table wine production… full-bodied, smooth-textured… brining blackberry, blueberry and spice and mineral notes to the table.”
- Wine Enthusiast

4 - Quinta de Roriz Reserva 2000 $25
"Rich and deeply flavored, with brooding dark plum, dark chocolate and heady, spicy flavors. Almost like drinking a dry Port. Plenty of tannins in this as well, with good grip on the powerfully smoky and decadent finish. The preferred Port grape, Touriga Nacional, dominates as 45 percent of the blend. "
Score: 92 points - Wine Spectator

Thanks very much for your support - we appreciate it.
And we hope to see you on Friday night - weather permitting - the deck will be open.

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


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