Dinner Is Served!

National Press for Thames River Greenery

We are proud to announce that for the third year in a row we have been voted by the readers of The Knot Magazine a "Best Pick" for Connecticut Weddings.
As we often hear - its an honor just to be nominated - BUT winning is pretty cool too. Thank you to all of the voters out there that made it possible.

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Brie & Bleu
Dinner Is Served

Previously at TRG...
In our last episode we promised all of the details for the coming Valentine's Weekend Menu at Brie & Bleu.

Here We Go - Chef Anne Haviland has prepared a menu that won't leave a dry eye in the house!

You will be greeted with a flute of sparkling wine as you take your seat. Just a little something to take the edge off - and get you settled in.

The first course will be Asian inspired Crab Cakes.
The next course will be our Valentine's version of Surf & Turf - Beef Tenderloin & Pan Seared Scallops.
Finally Anne's dessert will be very chocolaty.
Wine will be served with each course - of course.
$50. per person plus tax & service.
Seats For Friday Night Are Still Available.
Saturday Night - Wait List Only
Reservations Required -
Click Here To Make Reservations - Please Use "RESERVATION" in the subject line.

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Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday January 29 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge

A Great Way To Start Your Weekend.

1 - Domaine Chandon Brut Classic $22

Our own Dave Anderson says, "This little sparkler has a place close to my heart - as a young idiot taking a year off from college, I fled to the Napa Valley and got a job as a runner in the Domaine Chandon dining room. My boss, Daniel Shanks, was intense, cold and utterly professional. The waitstaff was a bunch of complete nutcases, to the point where I, a 21-year-old walking hazard, was relatively sane by comparison. New Year's Eve, Daniel caught me with a paper coffee cup half filled with Champagne - "Throw it out!" he barked as he stormed away. Where is Mr. Shanks now?

Oh, he runs a little place called The White House,
hired under President Clinton and still making sure everything is perfect for our nation's guests. And I'm in Connecticut's best wine store, pouring Domaine Chandon Brut! Ain't life grand?"

Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir 2007 $32

One of our guests at last week's wine tasting declared that she was ready for some Oregon Pinot Noir, so we promised we'd pour one this week - DONE. This is an elegant little number from the Eola Hills in Carlton, carefully made in small batches, seeing some new French oak, deftly created to highlight the fresh, brambly Pinot fruit while expressing the unique loamy, volcanic soils of Oregon's river-carved hills. Please come by and try a sip! This may be the star of the show...





Grasceti Ego Toscana $15

This has turned into a cult favorite around here - from Western Tuscany on the Mediterranean, a blend of Sangiovese (star of Chianti) and Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. A tiny artisinal grower-producer, all grapes are hand-picked and wines are slowly fermented in an ancient style. If you like elegant, earthy Italian reds, this is a wine for you at a great price. Another winner directly imported to us by Classic Wines of Danbury!


Mas de Gourgonnier Reserve du Mas 2007 $24

Many of you are familiar with the "normal" Mas de Gourgonnier, the gem from Provence in the squat jug bottle - this is their RESERVE version, albeit in a rather normal looking bottle. Perhaps that's why it has been overlooked? Organic and biodynamic, from their small olive-oil and wine farm in Southern France, this is a lovely product of Syrah and Grenache, mellow yet spicy, detailed and not too high in alcohol.

The reds this week are treasures - betcha you won't find them anywhere else. Please stop in so we can share our finds with you!



Scotch & Cigar Night
Wednesday
January 27 - 6 p.m.
$30 Includes:
3 Single Malts
2 cigars
Limited Seating
ONLY THREE SEATS REMAINING
First Come, First Served.
Click Here to Reserve
Please Use "Cigar Night"
In the subject line.

Relax
Indulge
Enjoy

Please stop in and enjoy
our one-of-a-kind
cigar lounge.

It has been a great week - thank you for all of the comments and support.

We are excited about the dinners at Brie & Bleu - and based on the response last week - it will be a full house.

If you are interested in joining us - please reserve early - with just a few seats left for Friday it will not take very long to fill up.

We hope to see you at this weeks tasting.
Please Join Us - it's fun, informal, and a great way to start your weekend.

AAA.

You Asked For It - You Got It!

We have a great line up of wine for the Friday tasting, all of the details are just below a few items of interest.

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New London is in the national press again.
The Sunday New York Times featured a great story about our music scene and the people behind it.

If you missed it take a look right HERE.

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Brie & Bleu News:

The number one question about our favorite bistro:
"When Will You Be Serving Dinner At Brie & Bleu?"

Get out your calendars - we have decided that Saturday February 13 - Valentine's Day weekend - is the perfect time to kick things off.

For all you "Love Bugs" out there - we will feature a menu presided over by Anne Haviland. We will include a special selection of wines by the glass, and there will be other surprises as well. We will announce the menu, provide all of the details, and begin taking reservations next week.

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How To Taste Wine.
Last week we talked about "The Nose" or bouquet of aromas and smells that wines have. This week, in our final installment - let us taste the wine.

It Is All About Balance:
Take a good sip and maneuver the wine around your mouth. Open your mouth slightly and draw in a little air. This aerates the wine and sends the appropriate signals to your brain, as in "wow" and "whoa!" The length and aftertaste, or finish, of the wine are key indications of the quality of the wine. The longer and more pleasant, the finer the wine.

Acidity, which is higher in cooler growing climates, gives wines freshness and crispness, especially white wines. But the wines will taste tart if the acid is not balanced by fruit and alcohol. Balance is key.

Acid is important for red wines, too, but far more important, especially in reds intended to be kept, is tannin, the mouth-coating substance also present in brewed tea. Nowadays, wines worldwide are being made from riper grapes with riper tannins, which make them fruitier and more approachable at a younger age.

Another potential source of imbalance is the taste of oak. Although you'll pick up oak aromas when you smell wine, you become more aware of it when you taste. When carefully used, the right kind of oak - new or nearly new barrels, French, and the finest American - gives complexity of flavor and a richer texture to both red and white wines. But oak has its own seductive vanilla and toast flavors and can, in the hands of an inexperienced winemaker, easily overpower the wine.

Finally, swallow.
If the sensation fades within a few seconds, you are tasting a simple, everyday wine. But if it lingers in the mouth or the imagination, or both, for something approaching 30 seconds you probably have something special in your glass.

Congratulations - you are on your way to being an expert! BUT - like many things in life - you must practice! And as often as possible. We will see you on Friday night.

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Wine Tasting Please Join Us
Friday January 22 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge

A Great Way To Start Your Weekend.


1 - Domaine Ott "Les Domaniers" $18

The little sibling of the famed bowling-pin shaped Domaine Ott, Les Domaniers is a lovely dry rose table wine from Provence.

Crafted from Syrah, Cinsault and Grenache, "brilliant and crystalline, fruity fresh accentuated with peach and apricot, hints of white blossoms and spice."

A perfect pairing for shrimp bisque or tomato and crabmeat over pasta...






2 - Oreades Tempranillo $10

A bright Tempranillo from Navarra, Spain: "Youthful scents of cherry, plum and tangy rhubarb. Taut and focused, with bright red fruit flavors sharpened by fresh acidity. A light (12.5% alcohol), refreshing wine, best served with a light chill." We enjoy it with hard Spanish cheeses, olives and dried peppery sausage!

3 - K1 Cabernet-Tempranillo $21

An interesting blend from winemaker Geoff Hardy in the Adelaide hills of Australia - he picked the location of his 80-acre vineyard for its cool climate and ancient gravelly soil. Hand made in small batches, this is the opposite of factory produced Aussie wine. Hearty and satisfying, built with detail and elegance.

4 - Dashe Zinfandel $24

Late-harvest Zin from Sonoma, made from old-vine fruit in rocky soil, aged in old French oak barrels. Very limited production (under 1,000 cases) - "Extremely aromatic with spicy black pepper, cassis, and black raspberry flavors." A great pairing for hearty beef or lamb dishes with roasted root vegetables.

This Week Our
Featured Favorite:
Marcona Almonds

Marcona Almonds
The "Queen of Almonds," are imported from Spain. They are shorter, rounder, softer, and sweeter than the California variety.

These marcona almonds are roasted in Sunflower oil and then sprinkled with sea salt.

It is important to warn you that once you begin eating these things - it is almost impossible to stop.

PERFECT with beer, wine or cocktails and an absolute must have for any dinner party.

We do our best to keep them in stock - but they do go quickly. Stop in and try a few.



Scotch & Cigar Night
Wednesday
January 27 - 6 p.m.
$30 Includes:
3 Single Malts
1 Arturo Fuente
Cuban Corona &
1 Lochem Belicoso cigars
Limited Seating
First Come, First Served.
Click Here to Reserve
Please Use "Cigar Night"
In the subject line.

Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions - we appreciate all of them. And they truly help us to make everything we offer better for our friends and customers.
This is your Club House.

AAA.

The All Cheese Diet - New for 2010

We are back from vacation - rested, tan, and ready for the rest of 2010

Our line up for Friday is just below a few items of interest.

Is it cold enough for ya?
This kind of weather calls for special measures - and we want to remind you
that we have a "wicked" selection of bourbon on our shelves.

Truly fine bourbon is a glass of refinement that calms the soul. It speaks directly to the artist and dreamer in all of us - you know who you are. Take home a bottle and reconnect with your inner Kandinsky.

Fine bourbon is a perfect match with a Griffins Maduro Cigar - featured this week at City News. See more information below in the sidebar to the right.

Many of the emails we receive have questions about wine education. We thought we would answer some of those questions by offering a few simple guidelines for you to use. Give them a try at our weekly tastings.

How To Taste Wine.
Last week we touched on the appearance in the glass, and how to taste wine without a lot of the pretensions that some people insist on.

This week its all about The Nose.

Let's Smell The Wine.
Grapes share many of the same chemical compounds with all kinds of fruits, berries, vegetables and spices. So wines really can have aromas of almond, vanilla, raspberry, pepper, citrus and banana, for example. Whatever you do when puzzling over a wine, have faith in what your senses are telling you. It doesn't come easily to some of us, but a little practice (not a bad thing - it is wine) and a few tips can have you identifying aromas with the best of them. The idea is not to chatter on about this or that aroma, but to learn what you like, and why, and what else you might like.

Let's break all wine down into three primary aromas - two are found particularly in young wines, one in older wines. The first, primary aromas come from the grapes themselves: fruity, floral, mineral or vegetal. These are pretty easy to pick up and are characteristics of the variety.

The secondary aromas are those derived from the wine-making processes. Smells of butter, or cream, for example, are found particularly in white wines that have undergone a malolactic fermentation. This process softens acidity and gives, to white wines especially, a buttery taste.

Another secondary aroma involves smells of vanilla, wood shavings and toast. These are from the use of new oak in the course of fermentation or aging.

The third group of aromas is more complex and harder to pin down, but for real wine lovers they are the most interesting because they evolve as a high-quality wine matures in its bottle.

In white wines, the most obvious bottle-age smells include honey, toast (even in unoaked wines such as champagne), grilled nuts and petrol (yes, especially German riesling). In red wines, often leathery, gamey or dried fruit aromas evolve as the wine matures. At this point, professional wine tasters speak of the wine's bouquet. Give it a try - in short order you will be able to use your nose with the best of them.

Next Week - Balance Is The Key To Happiness

*****

This Week Our
Featured Favorites
from
Cypress Grove




1 - Midnight Moon
Aged six months or more, this pale, ivory cheese is firm, dense and smooth with the slight graininess of a long-aged cheese. The flavor is nutty and brown-buttery, with prominent caramel notes. The wheel is finished in a beautiful black wax. Made in Europe exclusively for Cypress Grove Chevre.



2 - Humbolt Fog
Humboldt Fog is an elegant, soft, surface ripened cheese. The texture is creamy and luscious with a subtle tangy flavor. Each handcrafted wheel features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash along its center and a coating of ash under its exterior to give it a distinctive, cake-like appearance. An American Original!

SAMPLE ALL OF OUR CHEESE IN OUR EXPANDING GOURMET DEPARTMENT AT
Thames River Greenery
8 6 0 - 4 4 3 - 6 8 1 7




Please Join Us
Friday January 15 - 6-9 p.m.
No Charge
A Great Way To Start Your Weekend.


Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc $30

Perhaps this bottle put New Zealand on the winemaking map - the benchmark of New World Sauvignon Blanc, all grassy and lime oil with tropical fruit. A thrown gauntlet (and shout-out) to the classic wines of Sancerre France, staking a claim to this incredible tiny grape. Cloudy Bay used to be impossible to get, but now is available to even us humble New Londoners. Let's crack a bottle while the cellar is cold we shall toast our noble winemaking friends "down-under" as they enjoy their clear summer!

Gran Familia Rioja $15

We've been down this road before, but for those of you that wanted to buy this Spanish gem by the case - the cases are here! Light, old-school Rioja. Perfect tannic balance, low alcohol, brilliantly made, as long as you can get it to room temperature (we've been having trouble in that department). I would put this next to zucchini simmered in tomato, roasted garlic potato and a pork chop.

Cantina Parroco Barbera d'Alba $16

Let us turn our gaze to this oft-overlooked yellow label from the hallowed town of Alba - True Barbera, rich and satisfying aged in small oak barrel. Perfect for sipping with friends and cheese or even beef stew? Braised short ribs? Eggplant Parmesan? Spaghetti and meatballs? Dorm room veggie stir-fry with brown rice?! Holla!

McLaren Vale Shiraz Descendant $30


"UP THERE! WHAT CAN IT BE?!? IT'S SON OF SQUID INK!" Yes, from the same extraordinary weirdos in Australia who brought you Squid Ink Shiraz comes this dastardly mutant "Descendant."


So full! So massive! Yet so poised - this is everything that the big-name Aussie labels promise but fail to deliver.
Think pan-roasted sirloin, lamb chops with mushrooms or even wild rice, seared sesame tofu and red pepper!










We are working the the new Wine By The Glass list for Brie & Bleu. When we return to regular service in the coming weeks we will be offering a better selection with the same "aggressive" pricing that so many of you have complimented us on.

In addition to that we will be adding more appetizer style selections to go with the wine. It won't be long before we can all take a seat in our cozy little bistro, sip on a glorious glass of wine and nibble wonderful treats.

We have a lot of things planned for the New Year. Special guests, dinners, & a lot more - so please stayed tuned.

And as always, thanks for your support and comments, it makes it all possible.

AAA.