Rosé of the day - Wednesday July 31, 2013

Domaine de Paris Rosé 2012 $11.99

Tasting notes: This wine is of a bright pink in color. It possesses a delicate pleasant nose, very fruity, and dominated by raspberry and wild strawberry flavors. Its taste is fresh, delicious, and well balanced.

Varietals: 40% Grenache 30% Syrah 20% Cinsault and 10% Carignan

Region:  Cotes De Provence, France

Tuesday's answer:
For the first time my bold prediction was right!
Yesterday I was able to look into the future and accurately divine the way our picture would be received by the players. Well most of you anyway!
This was a very difficult one and its visual clues had to be studied in order to figure it out. Like on Friday, it's internet search capabilities were slight so we were really looking at something that needed someone who was intimately familiar.

Lets see what people did guess yesterday...
Tracey McMillan Rosato was first and put up "Horseshoe?", Tracey has had the answer to the days puzzle in the past but this time her guess was a bit off track. Lets see if you can bounce back today Tracey.

Our second and final player was Mark (Eagle eye) Beyerly who looked very closely at the picture and was able to figure out Renzo's very difficult visual clues and pointed everyone in the right direction when he posted "Hmm. Tough one. Looks like either an antiques shop or consignment shop. Which one is the question?" 
His answer made me a bit nervous as I had seen this approach by him before... He has seemingly figured it out, or at least he has the scent and then later in the day he comes back and finishes the job. We sat back and waited, Does he know this one? Will he be back to stomp on my prediction about how hard this would be? Will someone else step in and finish the job?
It was not meant to be and sometime after dinner last night we went back to it with a clue to see if someone would finally nail it down but no one was able to figure it out. 
Yesterdays answer? Well, as Mark correctly guessed, it was an antique shop, the only question is which one? 
It is a little shop on the Post road almost into Blackrock called "Our Place 99 Antiques" or "Our Place Antiques", both work and are each used interchangably. Tough one but what a great picture as evidenced by all of the "likes" the picture got.

Our game will finally end on Labor Day weekend and we still have too many places to get to. Our phone has rung many times with suggestions and requests which we will do our best to get to but I am sad to say that this town and its diversity will not allow us to get to everyone so if you don't see yours we apologize. 

Lets see who has the fastest fingers today. I think this one will get solved resaonably quickly today.

Rosé of the day - Tuesday July 23, 2013

Hint:
First, lets get everyone in the right area.
This picture shows its location. There are a few visual clues in it although the quality is low.

Not your shop, not mine, lets do this together and call it --- ----- --------. Oh yeah... Try to keep it under a hundred.

Couly-Dutheil Rosé 2012 $18.99

Tasting notes: Lovely pale rosé colour.Fresh & Fruity nose with subtle floral notes. A fruity palate with persistent and refreshing flavours. Well balanced, easy to drink & elegant.

Varietals: Cabernet Franc

Region: Loire Valley, France

Monday's answer:

I'm not going to lie... I think this might be one of, if not the hardest one we have put up to date! I have strong suspicions that a clue will be needed later but you folks have surprised me at every turn so time will tell. This is one that Renzo came up with weeks ago and we thought about it a few times but never used it until now. I love the picture itself but if you haven't been in this shop it will be very difficult to divine the answer. Good luck!

Yesterday Alexander Dacey took the first shot at it and gave us "Penfield Beach?!" which is a fair enough guess but I am sorry to say it wasn't the right answer. A beach yes, Penfield? No, not this time Alexander. Lets see what you come up with today.

Chefmichaelatyourservice was the next player to answer and he broke it down pretty quick... "Obviously "the beach", but which one ?? Yes, Sasco Beach." and there you have it! Nice job Chef.

Mark (This town is in my blood) Beyerly waited for awhile before he popped in and confirmed what the good chef had to say and put up "Looks like Sasco Beach to me". Well done Mr. Beyerly, well done.

Good Luck today...

Rosé of the day - Monday July 29, 2013

Château d'Esclans Garrus 2012 $99.99

Tasting notes: White fruit and berry flavors intermingle on the palate along with a round body. The finish is gentle yet long lasting, and every sip makes you come back for more. For such a rare style of wine, it is delicious and should be on the life list of every serious wine lover. Not a lot of this wine is made--between 2-3,000 bottles per year.

Varietals: Grenache, Vermentino

Grenache and Vermentino

Grenache and Vermentino

Region: Côtes de Provence, France

Friday's answer:

Well leave it to me to guess wrong again. I t really never entered my mind that there would not be a correct guess for Friday's picture. Even when it looked like we needed a clue, I thought that since we had the whole weekend, surely someone would come up with it. It was not meant to be this time.

Our first of two responding players was Mark (My mind is still on vacation) Beyerly who put up " Officially stumped today!" and then faded into the weekend to enjoy what was left of his vacation. 

Chefmichaelatyourservice was our second and final answer and said "Vintage photo of Greenfield "Hill" Congragational Church ???" but alas, his answer was another swing and a miss. As much as the photo looked like it was vintage, that was only Renzo's use of Instagrams editting features. 

Nope, this one was the one that made everyone say "Hmmm". We tried a few google friendly clues but this church doesn't have a very big internet presence and it wasn't going to be easy if you didn't get in a car and search it out. Friday was one for the home team and this time we got you. 

So, what was the answer? The First Baptist Church on Church Hill rd. and it is off of Stratfield rd. Fairfield Patch had the best google-ablility and that is where we divined our clues base on one or two sentences that might help. They said:
This charming "church on the hill" dates back to 1813. Today, The First Baptist Church of Fairfield is an independent evangelical church with a small community. 

Ok back to work everyone. Monday starts a new week and we've got a good one to get things going.

Who is going to be our fastest to the keyboard today?

Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4PM, Jul 27

Your Host will be Christopher Pomposello of Visco Wine Imports.

 

Terre di Trinci Montefalco Sagrantino 2006     $17.99

Robust wine with dark red-berry fruit flavors, it features a substantial robe of tannins that can turn seductively velvety over time.  It is a deep-flavored, fleshy Sagrantino lush with the tastes of blackberry and earth.

Terre Domini Prosecco N.V.                               $12.99

Pale yellow in color with greenish reflections.  The flavor is pleasant and soft with a fine and lingering perlage.  Rich with live aromatic notes, fresh perfume, and delicately fruity.

Dragani Montepulciano 2011                                      $4.99

A medium-bodied red with concentrated ripe flavors of raspberry, strawberry, and earth.  It is dry and well-balanced with tasty, lingering fruit flavors.

Villa Visco Chianti 2011                                      $9.99/1.5 liter

Bright and ruby-red in color. The bouquet is of ripe plums spiced with pepper and wood nuances. The flavors are of cherry, blackberry, and spice followed by a dry vivid finish.

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, July 26

Your host is Alex of Harry's.
Alex is a huge fan of the newest batch of Sea Hag and says that it is the best they've ever produced. He is manning the table until 7pm so stop in for a taste and see if you agree.

The Beers of New England Brewing Company

Sea Hag IPA                 $9.59/6pc

This one's a beauty; a rich and full bodied India Pale Ale with complex malt character blended with cascade and noble hops. The end result is a beer that satisfies the "hop head" out there and won't chase away the newcomer. Drink it. It's good.

Elm City  Pilsner          $8.99/6pc

Named after New Haven’s nickname: the Elm City (but not to be confused with Elm City Connecticut Ale!) It is a true German Pilsner: crisp, refreshing, pronounced. Perfectly balanced pilsner malt made with all German ingredients and Hallertaur hops. It is a perfect compliment to a hot summer’s day! It’s definitely not your grandfather’s beer, but it’s what your grandfather’s beer was trying to be. A must have!!

668 Neighbor of the Beast     $9.99/4pc

The can reads:    

"“Good fences make good neighbors . . . unless you live next door to Satan. Then you may need something more than a fence to accept that your neighbor is the Prince of Darkness; like our “668.” This HELLaciously delicious Belgian Ale is brewed with pilsner malts, candi sugar and blended with American and German hops. It will help you accept that cloven-hooved guy next door.””

Rosé of the day - Friday July 26, 2013

Chateau Guiot Rosé 2012 $10.99

Tasting notes: The Chateau Guiot Rosé has an electric pink color, deeper than most Rosés. This wine displays an intense nose of rose petal, bing cherries and ripe strawberries. Supple and harmonious, this refreshing wine is perfect for summer drinking. Enjoy it in any outdoor setting, whether as an aperitif next to the pool or with friends and family during a barbecue.
Varietals: Grenache and Syrah, Cinsault

Region:Costières de Nîmes, France

Thursday's answer:

Joe Worthington was very quick yesterday and he put up "Lake Mohegan". Joe has been pretty prolific with the outdoors stuff and yesterday was no exception, his guess was correct again.

If you don't believe me just ask Marlene Goldbronn Kimberly, she was thie first to point out his speed and accuracy when she followed right behind him with "Damn u r fast Joe W & correct too". That in turn makes you correct Marlene.

Joe got plenty of pats on the back yesterday and Chefmichaelatyourservice was in a short time later to cooberate his answer and applaud his answer "Lake Mohegan.... congrats Joe". That wasn't all that Chef had for us though. He actually went to Blinn's from the day before and did some browsing for that bike we saw and came back with this "Footnote: I stopped by Blinn's yesterday. That metal tricycle retails for $ 120.00".

Finally, Mark (has anyone seen the SPF15) Beyerly chimed in with "Great shot! Perched on the BBQ overlooking the lovely, man-made Lake Mohegan." Hmmm, Man-made, I didn't know that. You see, this is why we're happy to have Mark around. He always has some more information that adds information to the game.

Just for fun I thought I would look at the analytics from Facebook and Blogspot after the article came out yesterday and we definitely saw some new traffic yesterday due to the story in the Minuteman about our Rosé of the day campaign. It has been fun and we are happy to see that more and more people are joining in. We do have our "regulars" and we're glad to have them but please feel free to jump in and post your answers, No one gets chastized for being wrong. Err, except for Mark that is... But it's ok, Sandy says that he deserves it. I'm not sure why really, he's a nice guy, I guess it has become something of a tradition.

Rosé of the day - Thursday July 25, 2013

Fort Ross Pinot Noir Rosé 2012 $27.99

Tasting notes: A brilliant hue with vivid aromatics of watermelon layered with guava, carnations and a hint of cardomon spice. This bright, full flavored, dry Rosé has a crisp red fruit palate with hints of citrus that are balanced by the signature minerality and refreshing acidity. Chilled Rosé perfectly complements summertime cooking and is an excellent aperitif.

Region: Sonoma Coast, California

Wednesday's answer: First in yesterday was Lynne D'Eramo as she put up a quick "Blinn's?" and her answer was of course right. Nicely done Lynne! Next time with conviction please, you know this town as well as anyone.

Mark (Please don't play on the tricycle sir) Beyerly says "It's fun to shop at Blinn's!" Err, yes it is Mark but you really shouldn't ride the toys while you're there. "Finest toy store in town. Emma loves it there." Uh, yea, Emma... (wink,wink)

Finally, Chefmichaelatyourservice put up his guess and explained his thinking "Don't think this is Blinn's. This tricycle looks like metal, not plastic. I think they stopped making metal trykes in 1965. LOL "Consignment" shop is calling me. (with the streamers & bell). I will say "Twice as Nice" on Post Rd. in Southourt." Very well thought out Chef but sad to say that even though you spent the time analyzing and constructing your argument, your conclusion was off the mark. It really was a simple as Blinn's!

 Blinn's gave us some pause because of the subject matter and our conversations about whether it was ok took some time, when all was said and done we decided that it would be more difficult to show our town as completely as we wanted to without showing Blinn's. These guys represent a lot of what this whole promotion has been about. They are one of many types of stores that our town of Fairfield supports while other towns around us and across this country get dominated by Big box stores that offer inferior products and service. Locally owned, Service oriented, and solid selection. It is nice to see that our local consumer puts such an emphasis on making sure that this type of store stays in business.

Finally, Kendra Guilfoile, freelance writer for a couple of publications (The Minuteman in this case) was in our store a few weeks back and she and I got to talking about this promotion and she, like many people, really liked the idea and the "feel" of its local connection. Last week she and I sat down and had a nice conversation where we talked about it a bit and in todays paper she has written a story around it. It is on page 9 and includes our picture that is todays clue (in black & white). The story is also online here in full color. A big thanks to Kendra for taking some time!

Seven Beers of Summer

Seven Beers of Summer



Renzo said it best: The heat came strong and fearless this year and we all need

something refreshing in our cups and koozies. Beer it is… but not too bitter,

certainly not too sweet. Perhaps something sour could satisfy our soif. Voilà, the

seven hottest beers to keep you cool during the dreaded dog days.

7. BROOKLYN SUMMER ALE ~ This wellbalanced

English Pale Ale is even cooler than Williamsburg itself. Using English pale malts and both German and American hops, Brooklyn Summer is a thirst quenching quaff coming in cans for those beach and backyard gatherings… Go Vibes!

6. TWO ROADS OL' FACTORY ~ On the subject of

backyards, there's a new brewery just in ours. Take the

road less traveled by taking Exit 31 Honeyspot Road

and take a tour of Two Roads. A favorite of ours at

Harry's in Fairfield, this reliable Pilsner is dry-hopped,

again using a variety of German and American hops.

Thanks Phil, for retuning this traditional German

classic!

5. HARVISTOUN SCHIEHALLION ~ Perhaps a wee

lighter than we might expect from Scotland, let alone from the producer of Ola Dubh, this is perhaps the most well balanced beer on the list. Using lager yeast, at warmer than typical temperatures, this <<Scottish India Pale Lager>> is very clean, slightly malty, just hoppy enough, and fruity for sure… the brewery claims grapefruit, but we'll leave it up to you. Have no predispositions…

4. MAINE BEER COMPANY MO ~ For a long time we

have awaited this liquid to trickle down to Connecticut. Mo

is an American Pale Ale made of three different barley malts

with the interesting addition of red wheat yielding a refreshing mouthfeel balanced by good old American Hops. Peep Peeper Ale and lookout for Lunch! By the way,

Maine Beer Company is a proud member of 1% for the

Planet, giving back a portion of our sales to environmental groups around the world. Learn more at
www.onepercentfortheplanet.org

3. SOUTHERN TIER COMPASS ~ For those hot

summer nights when you want to cool down and kick up

the ABV, grab a Compass. An American Sparkling

Golden Ale inspired by the Belgian Tripel, the Compass

points towards rose-hips to soften its inner-animal, and

so-called citrusy hops for invigorating equilibrium. Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee; soft and effervescent, weighing in at 9% ABV.

2. BFM

√225 ~ Another mysterious beer from Brasserie Franches Montagnes.

This <<Historical Saison>> comes to us celebrating the 15th anniversary of the brewery, From the village of Jura near Genève in Switzerland, this Belgian Style

Farmhouse has been matured in barrels which once held BFM's Bière de Garde, l'Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien. The time spent in the Saint Good Dog barrels imparts a delicate and playful tartness in taste and acidity in scent. An excellent replacement for whites or rosés, and overall a beautiful interpretation of the summer style, Saison.

1. BAYERISCHER BAHNHOF ~ One of our favorite styles, this Berliner Style Weiss coming from Leipzig slakes the craving craze of the even the sourest

of beers… Made from 52% wheat and 48% pilsner malt, the Bayerischer Bahnhof uses a form of open fermentation and lactobacillus cultures to deliver a delightfully puckering lactic acidity. In Berlin, it is customary to add a shot of raspberry or woodruff syrup, but we'll take this one straight up…

Rosé of the day - Wednesday July 24, 2013

Domaine Sarrail Carcassone Rosé 2012 $9.99

Tasting notes: A bright, fresh wine with powerful aroma of flowers, pear and a note of lychee. The palate is light and fruity with great finesse.

Varietals: 100% Cinsault

Region: Languedoc, France

Tuesday's answer:
Lots of thoughts yesterday and among those we had a few right answers so lets get in to it. Our first answer came from Maureen Hart-Lenker who seemed a little unsure of her answer but went ahead and guessed "Ganim's?" and was right! No need for the question mark, you nailed it. I looked in a little while later and noticed that Marilee Ganim "liked" her answer too, Not bad, you got the centers owner involved Maureen.

Next up- Chefmichaelatyourservice and he was a little unsure also but started off by disecting the photo for its clues, "It's an outside photo because of the tree & telephone pole in background... " and then he just put it out there..."Wild guess, 1 of the 2 nurseries on Bronson Rd. ???...." Just like Maureen the answer was a question and in this case he was off track but something was pressing at him about Maureen's answer because he finished with "but probably Maureen is correct" and indeed she was which sort of makes you right too.

Third was Eric Gunnar Sundman who simply and without question put up "Hansens." and was off the mark, it was a fair enough guess but this time you missed the bullseye Eric, sorry. Lets see what you have today.

Our final answer was provided by Mark (Eagle eye) Beyerly who put up this "Nothing flowery from me today - I'm going to go with Ganim's as well - I think you can just make out the sign on the left hand side of the picture." And was of course correct. I thought Renzo did a nice job with the visual clues in this one. Chef commented on some of those clues and Mark did also.

I was down at Ganim's a few weeks ago to do some shopping and asked Lee to be involved with our game and he agreed. Last week my memory was jogged when I did "Ladies Night" with them on a sultry Thursday evening with a couple dozen other small business owners and a local musician. This was their second year of the event and was a hit with more than 200 ladies doing some local shopping and enjoying snacks and a few sips of wine. Nicely done by the Ganim family. Lee has his kids Austin and Marilee working along side him carrying on the family tradition started by his father which is very similar to our own shop and just like Harry's is more than a Liquor store, these guys are more than a Garden center. Lots of knowledge in this place.

Lets see how everyone does today...

Rosé of the day - Tuesday July 23, 2013

Domaine Sarrail Laroque Rosé 2012 $11.99

Tasting notes: Soft pink colored wine with the nose aromas of small red fruits like berries, raspberry and strawberry. The fresh fruit emerges in the mouth which is clearly recognizable strawberry. Combine this wine with rich appetizers, grilled fish and vegatables.

Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Landguedoc-Roussillion, France

Tuesday's answer: First to the keyboard Monday was Kevin (Young Gun) Beyerly whose quick post beat out big brother Mark (Where's my Coffee) Beyerly by a slim margin. His answer was "Nicholas H. Fingelly Real Estate in Southport!" Which was of course the right answer. This was Kevin's first time playing along, welcome Kevin!


Mark (I'm in vacation mode) Beyerly was just a few minutes behind and added a fun fact to the answer after giving us his best Homer Simpson saying "Doh....Little bro! Also where Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton were recently filming their new movie "And So It Goes"." I did see that they had been there through a picture in the paper a few weeks ago. I wish we had known they were coming, we would have used a similar picture with some movie stars in the background. Maybe next time


Chefmichaelatyourservice is pretty familiar with the daily happenings of this place of business it would seem. His answer "Vicky, Cathy & Marlene's daytime place of business." lets us know the businesses co-workers by name. He also posted "( I have to set my alarm earlier than the "Beyerly Boys". )" So today we held off a little so that he could wake up and get his coffee before the clue went up. Good luck today chef.

Our final answer receives partial credit... Susan L. Melcher simply posted "Southport" I suspect she was struggling with the name of the business and wanted to play along. I pass the building a couple of times a week when I take Lily over for a swim. The building always catches my eye and I love the feel of it sitting there on the corner. It is such a pretty area of our town!

Rosé of the day - Monday July 22, 2013

Chateau L'Esclans "Les Clans" 2012 $74.99

Tasting notes: Light orange. Explosive bouquet of candied citrus fruits, raspberry, rhubarb and fresh flowers, with a hint of vanilla in the background. Smooth and fleshy on the palate, offering intense red berry preserve and floral flavors braced by zesty acidity. The lively, precise finish clings with serious, spicy tenacity.

Varietals: Grenache, Vermentino

Grenache and Vermentino

Grenache and Vermentino

Region: Cotes de Provence, France

Friday's answer: 

Monday means a brand new week and new opportunities to discover more about our amazing town! Are you ready? 

For only the second time I took the picture that is our clue and the spot is very near one of our previous places. In fact it is so close that the bottle is acually propped up by that object. Can you name it?

Back to Friday's answer... Mark (I had better things to do) Beyerly was the first to chime in Friday (after going missing Thursday and making us worry) and said in response to our concerned post regarding his where abouts from Thursday "Like a lost ball, I was missing in the rough..." Ok Mark, thats just fine. Make us worry about you and then make light of it... thats just great! He went on to say "We're running out of golf courses in Fairfield, so I am going to take a chip-shot in the dark and guess that this is the Patterson Club in Fairfield." Nice play on words and a correct answer.

Next up was Steve Melnick as he confirmed an earlier suspicion that we had regarding his regularity on the towns courses by posting "The placement of the bottle is making this very challenging, at first glance I want to say that this is the 4th hole at the Patterson Club, where I spent many years as a caddy in my youth, and began my career in the restaurant business. It could also be the 17th or perhaps somewhere on H Smith Richardson. My money is on the 4th at PC." I wasn't able to confirm the hole that this was taken on but it sounds to me like you have a good grip on it so we'll give you the thumbs up. Steve went on to point out that my count of 5 golf courses was shy by 1 and in fact there are 6 when he added "BTW if you count Fairchild Wheeler, we actually have 6 golf courses in town" Keep it in mind as we go forward, there is still a lot of time left in the game.

Our final comment came from Chefmichaelatyourservice and he said "At 6pm its too late to answer, but if this is the PC John O'Brien, Ron Ciappa, Don Kuhn & Maureen Dickman would concur" It was PC and it is never to late to get involved Chef, we are open to new players and new ideas so always feel free to put up your guess when you see the clue. Thanks for helping us with some of the others that had an answer. 

Finally, aside from the people that posted and answer there were a handful that "Liked" the picture and another bunch that commented at the store over the weekend. On another note... I sat down with Kendra at the end of the week, she writes for the Minuteman and we spent some time talking about the game and how people have really gotten involved with it. She is going to do a stry for the paper and we'll have a bit of fun with that too. More to come in the next few days... 

Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4PM, Jul 20

Your Host is Jim Morrison of Artisan Wines.

Elena Walch Pinot Grigio 2012                          $17.99

This has a light straw yellow color and fruity notes of ripe pears, white pepper and a bit of sage on the nose.  Mineral-salty richness and a prolonged are distinctive on the palate. It is a wine with backbone that will complement many foods.

Emerson Pinot Noir 2010                                    $18.99

Aromas of cassis, rocky earth, and forest floor give way to an expansive palate, offering flavors of black cherry and plum. The classic weighty Pinot texture is overlaid with earthy, mineral notes. Balanced acidity and fine-grained tannins frame the long, complex finish.  Drink now or age for 3-5 years.

Kelley Fox Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010  $59.99

Made using fruit sourced from 40-year-old vines, this elegant and detailed Pinot Noir does not shy away from flavors of leaf and herb. But they are anchored in pure and expressive fruit, with old-vine flavors of bramble and pepper. What is most exceptional is the delicacy and length of this wine, two characteristics shared by all of the Kelley Fox wines.  Wine Enthusiast, 94 pts

Luigi Baudana Barolo 2004                               $49.99

Ripe strawberry and raspberry aromas follow through to a medium-to-full body, with fine tannins and a long, caressing finish. Balanced and pretty. Best after 2011.  Wine Spectator, 90 pts

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, July 19

Your host is John Zuluaga of Latis Imports

 

We take a brief hiatus from our Ct brewery tour (we will rejoin that next Friday) to help celebrate Belgium's Independence Day slated for Sunday the 21st. First we celebrated our own on the 4th of July, last week was France with Bastille Day on the 14th and now Belgium which officially happens on Sunday. Stop in to taste some of what Belgium has to offer and stock up early for the celebration! 

Palm           $9.69/6pb

It is neither heavy nor bitter, and is a true alternative/upgrade for your customers who drink Heineken or Stella Artois. It is slightly more flavorful than those brews, with a clean finish.

Estaminet   $9.69/6pb

Slow, traditional bottom fermentation, a brewing process based on an original recipe and maturation for a full six weeks make ESTAMINET a true Belgian Premium Pils.

Rodenbach $12.99/6pb

Rodenbach’s subtle sour undertones make it a real thirst-quencher. Acclaimed beer connoisseur Michael Jackson calls Rodenbach “the most refreshing beer in the world.”

Steenbrugge        $16.29/4pb

Blond beer with a warm, full-bodied flavour in combination with Bruges’ subtle herbal mixture (gruut).

"Blue Wines" What does it mean?

Wednesday night in our very popular "Summer Speaker Series" which is an offshoot of Harry's Wine School, we did a class called The “Blue” Wines of Sardinia with guest speaker Alfonso Gagliano. The Class was inspired by something that happened in our store a few months ago where the normally slow moving Sardinian wines, Cannonau specifically, began to sell at such a pace that our wholesaler ran out of supply. It's catalyst? Dr. Oz!

Dr. Oz had done a segment on "Blue Zones", five areas in the world where the inhabitants are living longer on average than anywhere else and science has shown that one of the contributing factors in the case of Sardinia is the wine they drink made from the Cannonau (Grenache) and other native grapes. If Dr. Oz says it, it is good enough for me... and everyone else apparently. Some of what he said on the show was that due to the high UV index on the island the grapes were evolving to deal with the sun by developing thicker skins and in turn the antioxident, artery scrubbing polyphenols were higher in the varietals found there.

Studies show that regular, moderate consumption of red wine and this one in particular add years to your life. The medical world is of course looking for ways to extract these natural antioxidents from sources like these grapes and turn them in to a pill which can be taken to do the same thing. Alfonso made this point just before he made a much more important point... Quality of life is a more important contributor than the wine they drink. In all of the Blue Zones (map below) the lifestyle is less stressful than in other areas of the world. The consumption of the "Fruits of the sea" is higher and their overall diets were better than places that the life expectancy was lower. Good point!

In the end a few things were taken away from the evening. First, Alfonso was a terrific personality that represented his portfolio and Sardinia very well. Second, The wines of Sardinia are worth a visit because everything showed well. Third, A healthy, lower stress life if worth striving for and each of us here in the Northeast can benefit from that piece of advice. Finally, my personal take away was that while living to a hundred and ten to a hundred and thirty might sound good on paper but I'm still under fifty and my eyes aren't as good as they once were, my knees bother me pretty regularly and my physical health will never be what it was when I was 20 no matter how much I exercise. The hands of time keep turning for us and we should do everything we can to enjoy our families, friends and our lives as long as we are on this big marble in space but it sounds to me like living to that kind of age is better in theory than it is in reality. :)

Cheers,

Patrick

Rosé of the day - Friday July 19, 2013

Tasting notes: A vibrant rose-salmon color. Pronounced aromas of ripe strawberry and green apple are supported by an undertone of light oak. The flavors are lively with cranberry and citrus zest notes. The full, lush mouth feel is balanced by a brisk acidity and mineral elements, leading to a long-lasting finish.
 

Varietals: Pinot Noir
 

Region: Sonoma Coast, California, USA
 

Thursday's answer:
Plenty on board yesterday with "likes" and answers. Lets get to it....

Sarah Janisch was our first correct answer and she was quick. I don't think the digital ink was even dry on the digital paper before she put up her answer "Brooklawn golf course!". Well done Sarah. Thanks for leading the way and playing along.

Alexander Dacey was our one and only guess for the theme of the week so far and he correctly typed in "Its like golf week at Harrys" which is exactly right. It is Golf week, or at least "Golf Course Week" Did everyone realize that we have five, count them, five Golf courses in our fair town? For those that didn't, you do now!

Chefmichaelatyourservice finally re-awoke from what I can only guess was a heat induced slumber and came back with his well though out guess and put up... "As an homage to the British Open this week, and a tobogganer in my youth, this is Brooklawn Country Club split by Cornell Rd." Which would have been a really good answer if only I were a little bit smarter and thought of the idea of the British open. But, alas, as any of the regular followers can tell you, I'm not that bright. The Tobagganing reference did put me in to a cooler state of mind though so thank you for that moment of wintery thought in this unbearable heat.

Our final commenter yesterday was Steve Melnick and he may have stolen a bit of our thunder when he put up "At first I was almost fooled and wanted to say H Smith Richardson. Upon further examination I realized that the 2 bridges, that small stream, and the green golf carts were all definitley Brooklawn CC." Some of you may understand why I say that as we move on to today. Steve also wrote "I need to stop by and try these Rosés, any Cotes du Rhone gets my attention." Ah yes, the Rosés, that is how this whole thing started and it is our one constant as the days and weeks go by. The Rosé was indeed and Cotes du Rhone and it is a very good one this year (we probably a couple more that would be interesting to you too ;)).

Now, I am not trying to worry anyone here but I was up late in to the night waiting for Mark (out of sight but not out of mind) Beyerly to do his thing and... He never showed! No "like", no clue filled answer or history of the spot that we were yesterday... Who the hell are we kidding, we're scared to death for him and his family (kidding here folks). I do believe that this is the first time we have gone "Beyerlyless" in the game. We'll wait one more day but if we don't hear from him we will be sending out the Bloodhounds and putting on the "Where's Mark" watch. There is already a Sandy watch on, more that another day.