Thames River Wine & Spirits - 860-443-9463
Thames River Greenery - 860-443-6817
Brie & Bleu - 860-437-2474
IMPORT - 860-443-6817
We are welcoming the New Year with a beautiful lineup for Friday - including a powerhouse from Washington.
We are running a bit late this week so just a couple of quick notes before the list of wines - Thanks so much for all of the emails with comments and suggestions and your remarkable support - we appreciate all of it.
• In the coming weeks we will be sharing lots of new information with you - for the New Year.
Everything we are unveiling is based upon your requests, suggestions and comments - we are listening.
• New menu items at Brie & Bleu - but don't worry, your favorites will still be available. We will be re-introducing ideas and items that you have been asking for. And we will be pairing the wines by the glass with our menus and specials for your convenience too.
• New wine dinners and classes - Also a series of food demonstrations and classes - all of this and much more as the weeks unfold.
Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday - January 11 - 6-9 p.m. - No Charge
Girl Power! - Adele Rouze
1 - Domaine Adele Rouze Quincy 2006 $20.
The is an interesting story - the wine is the creation of twenty-six-year-old Adèle Rouzé. She's the daughter of Jacques Rouzé, a well-respected vigneron who is also the president of the Quincy wine brotherhood. She is a certified agricultural appraiser and after completing additional studies in winemaking in Bordeaux, Adèle returned to her home with the idea of making her own cuvée. Jacques allowed her parts some old-vine parcels, all of which face either south or southeast. Certain parcels were planted between 1920 and 1930, and others during the 1950s. The majority of these are along the left part of the Cher River. Some of these parcels include Crèves Coeurs, Les Rimonés, Les Nouzats, La Plante, Les Victoire and Villalin. The vineyards are not organic, but worked by lutte raisonée or responsible farming, where only natural products are used in the soil and spraying is kept to a minimum.
Once the grapes are picked, the grapes are pressed. Adèle makes careful effort to eliminate the last juice of the pressing, often containing bitter and herbal flavors. All of Adèle's tiny production fits into one tank! The vineyards of Quincy are located in the center of France, in the Cher département. It is part of the large network of Loire valley vineyards, found in the eastern area not far from the vineyards of Sancerre, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fumé. The wine is delicious and has aromas of citrus fruit and freshly-cut herbs. Flavors of grapefruit and lime, with a nice medium-body and a crisp, mineral finish - this is Girl Power at it's finest. Please try it on Friday night.
2 - Cantina Sociale Cooperativa di Copertino 2000 Italy - Copertino reserva $15.
Puglia, which spans Italy’s long stiletto “heel” from northwest to southeast, rivals Sicily for being the largest producer of Italian wine. In fact, this 360 kilometer region produces almost twice as much wine as all of Australia. Bright ruby red in color, this wine is made from a blend of Negroamaro (95%) and Malvasia Nera (5%). Medium bodied, it’s nicely structured with supple tannins and good acidity. It offers flavors of spice, and tart plums. The flavors last for a while too - the wine has a long, spicy finish. Although enjoyable on its own, it was better with food. This wine would go well with Italian meatballs and sausage for example. A great price on a bottle that really works well with food.
3 - Claar Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 - Washington - $20 - www.claarcellars.com
Claar Cellars is a family owned Estate Winery. Audrienne and Russell Claar (rhymes with "fair"), developed the first farm in 1950 and planted the first grapes in 1980. Then their daughter Christa & Son-In Law Bob took an interest in the wine business. They were both Active Duty Naval Officers until 1983, when Bob retired and Christa transferred into the Naval Reserve. Since then they have developed over 300 acres into premium wine grapes, apples and asparagus. This Cabernet is well known for it's complex aromas of black olives, cedar, plums and currant. In the mouth there are intense blackberry flavors and elegant tannins. Just a touch of mocha in the finish adds an extra dimension to this rich Cabernet sauvignon. Please tryit it on Friday - Go Navy.
4 - Betz Pere de Famille $64 www.betzfamilywinery.com
This is a big gun - it has credentials a mile long - Steve Tanzer, of the International Wine Cellar newsletter, ranked it the third highest Cabernet in Washington, a point or two behind Quilceda Creek and Leonetti Reserve. Tanzer: “93(+?) Bright, deep ruby-red. Musky, minerally, spicy aromas of blackberry, blueberry, leather and tree bark. Quite penetrating on the palate, with terrific intensity and cut to the black cherry and currant flavors. Denser and larger-scaled than the Clos de Betz. This, too, finishes with excellent cut, growing sweeter and longer as it opens in the glass. There's firm tannic spine here but no impression of dryness.” This will go quickly - if you have the opportunity try not to miss this one.
Here is what Bob Betz says about his winery: Our winery is a labor of love. Our first vintage was 1997, when we produced about 150 cases total. Our goal is to craft 2000-2500 cases annually, limiting ourselves to a quantity that we can directly watch over. By working with selected, dedicated grape growers and employing methods that we believe craft superior wine, we hope to create wines of individual character, a blend of richness, balance and pleasure. Our winemaking focuses on the purity of the individual varieties and the vineyards they come from. We do those things that a small winery has the luxury of doing: we know every barrel."
We look forward to seeing you on Friday night.
Please Join Us -
It's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.
AAA.
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