Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4, October 31

 
Your Host is Chris Rundstrom
of Connecticut Distributors





Vigneti Del Vulture Pipoli Greco Fiano 2014 . . . $15.99
Pale lemon in color, with perfumes of citrus and a touch of stone fruit. Rich yet fresh with a lime zest character, which comes from the Greco fruit, balancing the richness.

Davis Bynum Russian River Chardonnay 2013 . . . $21.99
This Chardonnay has beautiful aromas of baked apple, citrus and white floral. On the palate the wine opens up with brioche, lemon meringue and toasty baking spices, with a lush finish that is balanced with acidity and a rich creaminess.

Sainte Eugenie Corbieres 2013 . . . $10.99 
Rich, dark purple color. The wines presents a lovely array of fresh red berries, especially cherry and raspberry, with hints of flowers, spice and zest of orange. Full-bodied with rich, round tannins. Wonderfully complex and balanced. Satiny texture.
 
Bogle Phantom 2012 . . . $19.99
Full of juniper berry and spice, with just a wisp of toasted coconut hinting at the American oak aging. Sparkling rubies catch the light and tempt your first sip. Juicy plums and brawny blackberries are succulent and intoxicating, as the full bodied structure takes hold. Abundant, yet ripe tannins round out the palate, yet don’t overpower the red cranberry fruit. Aged for 24 months in 1 and 2 year-old American oak, Phantom exits with an enthralling and passionate finish.

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, October 30

Your Host:
Dan Nieves

Jacks Abby Brewing Company
Farmingham, MA

Leisure Time . . . $9.69/6pbtl
Leisure Time is brewed with wheat and a blend of spices including lemongrass, coriander, orange peel, and chamomile. A subtle spiciness balances the citrusy and floral hops added to the whirl and hopback!

Hoponious Union . . . $9.69/6pbtl
Hoponius Union harmoniously combines lager yeast fermentation and West Coast IPA hops. Our India style Pale Lager is like a traditional IPA but with a twist – it’s fermented cold and aged for extended periods. A blend of classic American hops creates a huge tropical fruit and citrusy hop aroma. A dry finish accentuates the pleasant bitterness and hop profile.

Framighamer. . . $10.69/4pbtl
Big, bold, and black. This unusual lager style has many similarities to Imperial Stouts. A lengthy conditioning period creates a silky smooth chocolaty mouth feel enhanced by the use of oats and brown sugar. Noticeable sweetness gets balanced by roasted malt and hop bitterness. At 10% alcohol by volume, this beer is sure to keep you warm on a cold winter night.

Copper Legend . . . $9.69/6pbtl
Our Octoberfest is malty, smooth and exceedingly drinkable. It is perfect to celebrate and honor today’s legends. We use locally grown wheat from MA, Munich malt and noble hops.

Single Barrel Batch #3 Has Arrived!

This is a bit of a good news bad news story and here is how it goes...

First the bad news, Our stellar Eagle Rare 10yr Single Barrel that arrived at our store in the first week of September was sold out before the first week of October (very quick). It was quite a memorable one with its fans coming in to buy a bottle and then, in most cases, coming back in hopes purchasing of more. The people that responded quickly were rewarded and with another bottle and, in some cases, even a handful of this very memorable selection. Since it sold out we have seen a good number of our faithful Bourbon fans that didn't act as quickly, go home empty handed and disappointed that we were so successful in selling it out because it meant that they weren't going to get their "back-up bottle".

In our defense, we did tell people that it would go quickly.

Here is the good news...

Single Barrel Batch #3 has arrived and is available for sale as you read this!

This time we switched it up a little and went with another delicious selection from the same Buffalo trace portfolio but instead of Eagle Rare 10yr we went with the Buffalo Trace 8 year (8 1/2 to be exact). The price is great at $34.99 and the Whiskey from this barrel was housed in building #4 which great collectors of bourbon will recognize as the house that most of the Pappy Van Winkle comes from. We didn't know this when we first tasted it but we did know immediately that there was something special about it's beautifully soft and elegant styling.

We made this selection with Bourbon season and fall time in New England in mind. It shows all of the stuffing that a good bourbon fan loves, Caramel and Toffee notes on the nose and big mid-palate presence highlighted by well balanced dark spice notes and a dark fruit finish that really holds your attention. The Fall personality really begins to show when you start to pick up on its complexity with of notes like Cinnamon, Nutmeg and soft earthy tones that will remind you of walking through dried fall leaves, it just feels like this time of year when you sip it. This is not a simple Bourbon and spending a bit of time with it is very rewarding. You will keep going back to it's styling and incredibly long finish that invites you back again and again.

We have begun to sell it over the past week or so and it is going quick so here is your forewarning.

Be Quick or be disappointed!

Just like our first two selections, this will sell out quickly. If this past week and a half is a good indicator, it will be gone as quickly as its predecessors. The response has been great and the feedback is equal to each of our other personally selected  Barrels. This past weekend we showed each of our previous picks along side of this newest one at our 74th Anniversary celebration and it was a very hot seller.

What will we do when this sells out? Good question!

We have Batch #4  in the works and it promises to up the ante for us. We tasted a good number of samples from different producers but the one that stole our hearts is from a small guy that has made a big mark with his brand. We are going to keep it under our hats for the moment but suffice it to say, it will not disappoint!

In the meantime, stop by to have a taste and see if you agree that the current Batch #3 is worth the hype. We think that you will agree that this needs to be in your own personal collection.

-Cheers

Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4, October 24

 

Your Host is Paul Cullen
Martin Scott




Besserat de Bellefon Vintage 2002Champagne . . . $59.99
A bright deep straw appearance with golden highlights. The steady stream of fast moving bubbles form a delicate necklace. The expressive nose is structured around ripe pear and quince notes as well as fruit jellies. With aeration, toasty notes appear on the scene before making way for menthol and spicy notes with ginger, cinnamon and anise. The champagne is powerful and generous on the palate.The finish, with a dominant flavour of cooked yellow fruits such as mirabelle, is fruity, generous and persistent.

Mont Gravet Cotes de Gascogne White 2013 . . . $8.99
100% Colombard. Mont Gravet has a pale, bright yellow color, with a very intense and refreshing nose. It displays flavors of citrus fruit and black currant leaf.

Vinum Cellars Petite Sirah 2013 . . . $13.99
On the palate this wine shines with ripe blue fruit such as blueberry, huckleberry and blackberries. These deep fruit notes sit on a silky tannin matrix of French oak with hints of vanilla, but finishes elegantly with cassis. 

Zuccardi Q Malbec 2012 . . . $19.99 Deep purple color, with bluish hues. Intense red and black fruits aromas, such as blackberries, cassis, and currant dried figs and blueberry jelly. French oak aging provides tobacco and chocolate hints. Soft and silky entry with great structure and firm, sweet tannins. Long finish.

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, October 16

Your Host:
Caitlin

Two Roads Brewing Company
Stratford, CT

Unorthodox Imperial Stout . . . $7.99/22oz
This most unorthodox Russian Imperial Stout is brewed with malted rye and aggressively hopped with four different Pacific Northwest varieties to create a depth of character that's unmistakable.Full-bodied with notes of rye, treacle, chocolate and espresso that join together to create a crescendo of flavor. You’ll want to do an unabashed Kalinka after just one taste!

Lil' Heaven SIPA . . . $17.99/12pcan 
A session IPA in a can. Made with four exotic hops - Azacca, Calypso, Mosaic and Equinox. Taste is of tropical fruits, specifically passion fruit, grapefruit and apricots. Finishes with just enough toasted malt character to balance.

Road to Ruin DIPA . . . $12.29/6pbtl
A big, hoppy IPA with plenty of bite! Our assertive, hop-centric Double IPA has a lean malt backdrop and is brewed with four American hop varieties – Summit, Palisade, Cascade and Magnum. Piney, citrus, floral, not-for-the-timid!

Honey Spot White IPA . . . $9.69/6pbtl
The Two Roads interpretation of this emerging beer style naturally takes a road less traveled. Unlike other versions, our employs an American ale yeast and no spices. The result is a soft wheat backdrop that accentuates the Pacific Northwest hop character.

Celebrating 74 Years with Pappy Van Winkle and others...

Join us Satuday October 24th from 4-7pm for a special anniversary Bourbon tasting featuring our library of single barrel selections highlighted by the already sorely missed batch #2 from Eagle Rare. Also on the tasting will be our 1st batch, also from Eagle Rare, and our current offering from Buffalo Trace. We will offer a handful of Batch #1 & #2 for purchase from our Library on a first come first serve basis (one per customer please). We have also got a couple of very special, hard to find things to taste including Pappy Van Winkle 15 year. You will have to show up if you want to see what else we are offering.

Other special American Whiskey bottlings that we have been holding for the occasion will be offered for sale this weekend to the quickest responders.

2015 Parker's Heritage Reserve
Elijah Craig 18yr
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof
E.H. Taylor Rye
E.H. Taylor Single Barrel
Westland Sherry Wood Single Malt
Wild Turkey 17yr Master's Keep
Willet 2yr Rye

Are all on the list!



Enter to win a chance to purchase one of five special bottles that we have socked away for the occasion.
Fill out your name and number and drop it in the box. October 31st we will draw a name for each bottle and the winner will have the opportunity to skip the 8 year wait list for these coveted bottles and take it home with them to add to their personal collection

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon $89.99
Pappy Van Winkle 20yr $144.99
Pappy Van Winkle 12yr $69.99
George T Stagg Jr. $59.99
Sazerak Rye 6yr $30.99


There are lots of great wine, beer and spirits on deep discount for the celebrations (Ad in The Minuteman) so take some time and save big $$ when you stop by and say hello.

-Cheers

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, October 16

Your Host:
Gerard

Thomas Hooker Brewing Co.
Bloomfield, CT

OktoberFest . . . $9.29/6pbtl
Our rich and satisfying Bavarian-style OctoberFest comes from a special blend of imported German malts that creates a full-bodied brew and stresses a malty flavor and lingering aroma. Gently hopped and delicately balanced, its true-to-style, slow fermentation and long, cold maturation produces a luxuriously smooth, award-winning brew.
MALTS: Canadian 2-Row, Munich Light, Carapils, Caramunich I, Caramunich II, Vienna, Wheat Malt
HOPS: Bittering (Spalt, Hallertau), Flavor (Hallertau), Aroma (Saaz)

Defiance IPL . . . $9.29/6pbtl 
Defying conventional wisdom, this brew possesses the robust hop character of an India Pale Ale but finishes like a lager. Bursting with Citra hops, this beer is the best of both worlds.
MALTS: Pilsner, Carahell,and Vienna
HOPS: Citra and Azacca

Tenacious Belgian IPA . . . $9.29/6pbtl
Hopped with Citra and Amarillo and fermented with Belgian yeast, Tenacious has a juicy citrus flavor with a smooth finish.
MALTS: Pilsener, Vienna, Wheat, Caramunich 2, candy sugar
HOPS: Amarillo, Citra

Liberator Doppelbock . . . $9.29/4pbtl
Hopped with German and Czech hops and fermented with Bavarian lager yeast, this traditional doppelbock blends an extensive amount of select dark malts to achieve its rich and creamy character. Rich and filling, this brew is a malt lovers dream.
MALTS: Bohemian Pilsner, Munich, Vienna, Caramel Munich, Carafoam, Chocolate, Roasted Barley
HOPS: German Select, Czech Saaz

Celebrating our Anniversary

   The weather turns crisp, the fall foliage adds color and beauty to our town and we ready ourselves for the upcoming holidays.  At Harry’s, October is also a time for us to reflect on our history as we celebrate our store’s anniversary.
October is a beautiful time of year here in Fairfield.

It has been 74 years since Harry and Betty Pollack opened their small liquor store in October 1941.  Passed to a second generation owner in the 1970’s (Saul) and now a third generation owner in 2011 (Scott and his partners William and Patrick), Harry’s has seen tremendous change through its history.  From a single storefront located alongside the Post Road, heated by a potbelly stove, the store has been relocated to our current building and expanded within that building several times.  Within the store, product offerings are constantly changing and expanding, technology has been upgraded in keeping with the times and employees have come and gone.  But through all of this change, the one thing that has stayed constant is our singular focus on providing the best value and service possible to each of our customers.

 We hope that each time you visit our store, you see that we are very proud of our store and our history and sense the importance we place on the guiding principals that we have inherited.
 As we work to put our generation’s mark on Harry’s history we continue to strive to be a leader in our industry, a wanted member of our local community and a great place to work. We value you, our customer and work hard to show our appreciation to you for your patronage. We look forward to helping you celebrate your own milestones…the birth of your next child, the graduations, weddings and retirements.

We thank you for your friendships and the help you have given us through the years in growing our little store. We look forward to each new vintage, the next great beer and trend in spirits and are thankful for an interested community that shares of passion for finding the best of what our industry offers.

Thank you for the handshakes, the stories shared and for helping us to introduce our puppies to people. We offer our appreciation for your patience with our newer staff members and the well wishes to those that graduate our store and continue their own careers.

We will have some nice tastings and events through the remainder of the month so watch our Facebook and the local newspaper for notification of the fun in store and the savings on some of the best we have to offer.

-Cheers

P.S. October is also the anniversary of my marriage to Janice who helps me to write the history of our lives both in and outside of our lives here at the store. I offer my humble thanks and my whole heart to you.
Est. October 16, 2004

Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4, October 10

Your Host is  
Theresa Rametta
Worldwide Wines






Man Chenin Blanc 2014 . . . $7.99
The 2014 Free-Run Steen Chenin Blanc has a focused, clinical bouquet with pineapple and lemon zest, hints of passion fruit developing just behind. The palate is very well balanced with a fine line of acidity: plenty of tropical fruit on display here but neatly delineated on the tense and citric finish that linger in the mouth. Quite simply, this represents unbeatable value. 90pts, Robert Parker

Miraval Provence Rose 2014 . . . $24.99
The finest rosé yet from this estate (the wine is made by the top notch team at Chateau Beaucastel), the light pink colored 2014 Cotes de Provence Rose sports a fresh and lively bouquet of wild strawberries, raspberries and white flowers to go with a supple, lightly textured, silky and seamless feel on the palate. 91pts, Robert Parker

Castiglion del Bosco Rosso di Montalcino 2012 . . . $21.99
Offering a combination of richness and elegance, this red offers black cherry, black currant, bitter chocolate, spice and tobacco notes, married to a solid structure. Austere on the finish, yet long. 90pts, Wine Spectator

Pine Ridge Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 . . . $49.99 
Swirling with layered aromas of fresh red raspberry, blackberry pie and ripe cassis, this deep ruby wine enraptures the senses with fragrant dried violet, gingersnap, dark cocoa and sweet basil impressions. Plush and exuberant, the palate opens with red cherry, juicy boysenberry and red plum fruits that intermingle with hints of cinnamon stick and graham cracker pie crust. The complex array of flavors lasts through the lingering finish, framed by velvety tannins and echoes of cherry cordial and roasted espresso bean.

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, October 9

Your Host:
Emily

BMC Importers
 

Silly Sour . . . $3.69/12oz
Silly Sour is a unique brew that blends 13% of traditional dark Saison with 87% of soured ale. The delicate malt notes from the Saison manage to break through the striking green apple sourness upfront and than give a way to a finishing jolt of lactic sourness! At an approachable 5.5% Alc. by Vol. this chestnut colored brew adds a new page in the history of Saison brewing.

Petrus Aged Pale . . . $4.29/12oz 
Petrus Aged Pale is a 100% beer from our foeders. Michael Jackson, the beer hunter, chose the name in the late 1990s – and he was the first to sell this beer in his beer clubs. Today, it is still the reference for sour beers in the US. Petrus Aged Pale has won multiple gold medals in beer competitions worldwide. Moreover, ever since the start of the brewery, the beer has been used as a blending-beer with other beers to give them fresh, slightly sour flavors and aromas.

Monk's Cafe Flemish Red. . . $3.94/12oz
We blend young and old beers to make this mildy tart sour ale. Light bodied with a lactic/sour nose and a bit of sweet and sour in the finish.

Green Wine Locator

Towards the back of our store nestled in next to the $4.99 wines is a small rack that is our entire certified Organic section, sort of...

This little rack contains a dozen or so "Certified Organic" wines that we have deemed "good" organic wines. As consumers get more conscious of what they are putting in their bodies, it has become clear that this rack is becoming more and more relevant. Once a dusty and rarely asked about selection of wines, this display is getting more attention all the time. Some are looking for health reasons and others are having reactions to sulphites and want to continue to be able to drink wine.

The biggest problem we run into is that even though the intentions are good and the selection that we have put together is at least adequate and in our own opinion, "good", there simply aren't very many top tier "certified" wines in the category.

What to do?

Take a look around the store and you will notice a bunch of these green tags on our other display racks. What are they? Simple, They are a code to let our customers know that these are careful producers that use Organic, Bio-dynamic, or sustainable practices in their vineyards. Many producers choose to, for one reason or another, not to be certified organic. Usually it is because of cost and the very stringent rules governing the production of this tag.

Imagine if there were some sort of infestation and the owner was trying to save his or her valuable vines. It might be necessary to use a control mechanism like insecticide that is not permissible by the USDA standard. That entire vineyard would go down in a big hurry. Another reason might be that there are no added sulphites to your wine and in the big picture it is just not a good plan if your are trying to make age-worthy wines. Those sulphites are a stabilizer and allow the great wines of the worlf to age gracefully for many years and even decades.

Going back to our little rack for a moment...

For all of the good intentions of the certified organic wines, they just don't hold up well and are typically less enjoyable that another wine that isn't certified in it's same price category and style. Many people go to the rack with good intentions and them find out that they aren't satisfied with the wines so they don't go back and try the other selections.

The wines on the racks with green gel coats on the shelf tag are an indicator that our research has shown that these are careful producers that are using the practices in their vineyards but not getting certified because they feel that they need small amounts of sulphites to stabilize their wines. We often tell our customers that if you think about it, it doesn't make sense to do all of this great work in the vineyard all through the growing season just to add a bunch of chemicals when they get their grapes to the press. They are producers that are even handed and judicious in the making of wine but are unwilling to make a sub par wine because of the rule book.

If you are having a reaction to your "Big box" brand and finding that those wines have an adverse affect on you, we recommend trying some of these well managed wines to see if they do the trick.

- Cheers 

Wine Tasting - Saturday 1-4, October 3

Your Host is Donna Pace

Gathering Harvests



Ryan Patrick Chardonnay Bacchus Vineyard 2013 . . . $19.99
Aromas of toasted almonds complement a creamy mouth-feel with hints of pineapple and ripe pear. Six months of French oak add a subtle depth.

Ryan Patrick Redhead Red 2013 . . . $11.99
An easy sipping wine that is soft and silky, with hints of dark red fruit and subtle oak. A blend of 84% Merlot, 13% Malbec and 3% Syrah that is medium bodied and balanced in texture.

Ryan Patrick Rock Island Red 2012 . . . $19.99
Named after the first dam to span the Columbia River this is a blend of 58% Merlot, 35% Syrah, 5% Petite Sirah and Primitivo.  Aromas of cherry and currants are complemented by hints of cocoa and blackberry. 18 months of American oak aging create depth and supple tannins.

Fritz Windilch Niersteiner Kabinett 2014 . . . $11.99 Beautiful transparency; its ability to express nuances of soil type, its thrilling vivacity, balance and poise. These old vineyards in Nierstein with its deep red soil retains the heat, and its wines often show exotic fruit flavors and are known for their freshness. Deep gold in color. Apple peach and pear standing at the forefront mixed with delicate floral undertones. At the same time, it leaves your mouth watering.

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, October 2

Your Host:

Brandon O'Donnell

Yuengling Brewery

Oktoberfest . . . $7.99/6pbtl
A homage to our German Heritage. Copper in color, this medium bodied beer is the perfect blend of roasted malts with just the right amount of hops to capture a true representation of the style.

Lord Chesterfield Ale . . . $7.99/6pbtl 
Brewed with select hops, its distinct robust flavor is derived from a delicate combination of sweet maltiness and lingering herbal bitterness.

Porter . . . $7.99/6pbtl
An authentic craft-style beer, our porter calls for a generous portions of caramel and dark roasted malts, which deliver a rich full bodies flavor and creamy taste with slight tones of chocolate evident in every sip.

Lager . . . $7.99/6pbtl
An iconic American Lager famous for its rich amber color and medium-bodied flavor- with roasted caramel malt for a subtle sweetness and a combination of a cluster and cascade hops, this true original delivers a well-balanced taste with very distinct character.

*Discount tickets to Harbor Brew Fest October 17th 2015 1:00pm-5:00pm

HARBOR BREW FEST ∙ BALLPARK AT HARBOR YARD
Please join us Saturday, October 17th, 2015 at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard for the 4th annual Harbor Brew Fest. The event will tap off with a limited attendance Brewer's Special from 12pm – 1pm and General Admission will begin at 1pm and will pour until 5pm. Join us for an unforgettable day of beer tasting, a beer tasting glass, great music from talented local bands, delicious food from CT’s favorite food trucks and a fun-filled day to enjoy with friends.  Brewer's Special will also grant Exclusive Access to the Brewer's Beer Garden where limited release and hard to find beers will be served for tasting. $40 in advanced, $50 at the door

 

Limited number of discount tickets ($35.00)
available exclusively at Harry's! 

*Update*

Discount tickets are selling very quickly, Get yours before they are gone!

 

Brewer's Special Tickets, Attending Breweries, and more at:
www.harborbrewfest.com