THE TUESDAY ICE SHIPMENT IS IN !!!!!!!!

We have recieved our ice shipment today. In order to help as many people as possible we our selling a maximum of 3 bags per customer. We realize how difficult these times have been post-Irene and are happy to be able to offer ice. We have even had people looking for ice for their friends and neighbors. Hopefully by tomorrow more of the community has their power restored and ice can be used for keeping kegs cold or putting in your drinks!

- Greg

We just got our delivery of ICE

Since Irene blew out of here Leaving 65% of our town without electricity, everyone is working to get back on track with their lives and the most asked question today here at Harry's has been...

Do you have any Ice?

We had some early on but it was gone with the first wave of people. We are fortunate to be a big seller of ice in geneeral for our supplier and when we called this morning they gave us some good news, Your are on "the list" for delivery today. Well, they just finished loading us up so we stuck a sign up on the road the says it pretty matter of factly.

WE HAVE ICE

We aren't selling much in the way of beer or wine but the parking lot has been buzzing with people looking for those frosty cold blocks. I don't know how long we'll have a supply so if you are in the need stop down asap and we'll get you taken care of. 3 bags per sale please.

-Patrick

Wine Tasting 1-4pm Saturday, Aug 27

Your host is Jordan Ross of Pasternak Imports.

Pictured with Jordan are our neighbors and the owners of The Fairfield Cheese Company, Chris Palumbo and Laura Downey who just had a very nice honor bestowed on them when they recieved "Best Cheese Shop in Connecticut" as voted by Connecticut Magazine. It is an award that was hard earned and well deserved. Since there inception just two years ago their growth and commitment to excellence in their field have been great to watch through the glass wall that divides our two stores. If you haven't had the opportunity to stop in, please consider this your invitation.
Congratulations to everyone at the Cheese shop we couldn't be happier for you!

La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $9.99
Brilliant, pale straw gold with a translucent rim. Nose: fresh, clean and youthful with delicate nuances of lime, grapefruit, green apple. Well integrated acidity; medium bodied with lingering citrus-apple aromatic notes in the finish.


Les Charmes Macon Lugny 2009 $12.99
Fresh & crisp in the mouth, it has floral and fruity aromas with lemony nuances. Rich, full- bodied, almost unctuous dry white wine features a greenish-gold robe.


Prieure de Montezargues Tavel Rosé 2010 $22.99
This classic orange/salmoncolored wine offers up an exquisite nose of dried flowers, framboise, strawberry jam, Provencal herbs and spice. Its considerable depth of flavor and full body make this very dry rose the quintessential example of a great Tavel.


Marie de Beauregard Chinon 2009 $14.99
It has a rich ruby color and excellent structure. This value-priced wine has a subtle peppery spice and darker berry fruits with rich tannins on the finish and a juicy freshness throughout.

Irene is on her way, Do you have everything you need?

As we all hunker down in anticipation of hurricane Irene we have to wonder, have I done enough? Is it going to be as big as they say? Do I have everything I need? Well, I have been tracking this storm wondering what the impact will be on Harry's and Fairfield in particular but also the whole east coast. Is it just hype or are we in line for a devasting storm that will change the east coasts landscape forever? There are lots of questions and theories but not many answers. I guess only time will tell.

We at Harry's are a pretty sturdy bunch and we have helped our customers through the years to get their "emegency supplies" and today is no different. Just this past winter as the snow piled up and the mounds created by the plows kept rising our dorrs were kept open. I had a few people say to me that they knew we would be there, open and ready to go. Now I can't predict the future when it comes to mother nature but I can tell you that We are open since 8:00 am like usual and we will hang in as long as the weather permits. We aren't crazy and we'll be tracking Irene like everyone else. We all have families and won't put our employees in harms way but there are people looking for their emergency rations and though the supplies of Dark and stormies and Hurricanes will surely be put to the test we'll do our best to supply those in need.

A new load of ice will be in early a.m., we had some cases of water brought in, a couple of trucks delivering beer will come by soon the shelves are loaded with Rum. Recipes for recipes for Dark and Stormies and Hurricanes are below for those that need them.

Best wishes for a safe weekend to all!

-Patrick


Hurricane recipe:
1 oz vodka
1/4 oz grenadine syrup
1 oz gin
1 oz light rum
1/2 oz Bacardi® 151 rum
1 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1 oz triple sec
grapefruit juice
pineapple juice

Pour all but the juices, in order listed, into a hurricane glass three-quarters filled with ice. Fill with equal parts of grapefruit and pineapple juice, and serve.
Serve in: Hurricane Glass


Dark and Stormy recipe:
2 oz Gosling's Black Seal rum
3 oz Ginger beer
lime wedge for garnish if desired
Preparation:
Build the ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice cubes.
Garnish with the lime wedge.

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, Aug 26

Your host will be Lindsey from Long Trail.



$15.99 for the Mix Pack


Blackberry Wheat
Light, crisp and refreshing, Blackbeary Wheat is modeled after the spontaneously fermented "Lambics" of Belgium. Real blackberries added to the fermentation contribute a subtle fruitiness to this Summer Quencher! Available May through August.



Pale Ale
This classic English-style pale ale features a modest malt body and a well balanced citrus, pine hop aroma. Our Pale Ale is lightly filtered to provide a delightfully robust flavor experience.



Belgian White
Our Belgian White Ale is modeled after the original Belgian Witbiers brewed in monasteries during the early 14th century. The soft notes of citrus and spice are topped with a light fluffy head that finishes clean and crisp.

Organic Wine

Going green is a popular trend which has impacted peoples' lifestyles and the wines they buy. However, some wine companies find when their bottles are marked as "organic" they are automatically grouped with other wines of a different caliber. "Frogs Leap" for example prides itself on being a sustainable winery since they started, however it will never say so on their bottles. If you take a look at its website (http://www.frogsleap.com/flash/intro.html), there are many segments dedicated to their belief in sustainable wine making practices.

Here at Harry's we have a wide variety of organic and sustainably farmed wines at a range of prices. Anytime you see a green label on the wine rack, it means the wine comes from an organic winery. Generally speaking, those customers looking for organic wine head to the corner of the store where one can find kosher, half bottles, and non-alcoholic wine however we have many of our organic wines all over the store depending on where they are from.

Depending on the origin of any given wine, there may be different regulations in place before a wine can be called organic. For example, in Canada, if a wine label says "100% organic" it means the wine is produced with grapes that are 100% organically grown and do not have any sulfur dioxide added. Additionally, if a wine label says "organic" (and it's from Canada) it means that 95% of the wine comes from organic grapes with a very low level of sulfur dioxide added. Yes, a small difference in labels, but it can be a big difference to a consumer. The list continues with specific regulations (which you can read on winesofcanada.com/organic) in order for a wine to receive the prestigious organic wine certification. It is important to recognize that just because a wine is organic, it does not necessarily mean it is completely sulfite free, so if you are unsure, simply ask on of our wine people!

Many international wineries have had trouble getting certification from the United States NOP (National Organic Program) because the regulations required in the US are more strict than in many other countries. Essentially, what is organic in Argentina for example may not be perceived as such in the United States which makes it tricky for many small international wineries to export their organic wines. For them the easy solution to this is for companies to simply going without putting the name "organic" on the label and hope for the best, which is what many have done. Mostly, it is the big name international wineries that can afford to make the label changes that are required by the US standards.

Here are some of the vineyards carried at Harry's that deemed organic:
Frog's Leap, Benzinger, Grgich Hills, Urban, Argiolas, Tilia, Kaesler, Parducci, Gruet, Heartland, and Calera.

-Georgina Heasman

QR Code but this time you can win something

I've been talking about these QR Codes for the better part of the summer and this week we came across this one in a case of Mionetto Sergio that came in. One of our guys has an iphone with the reader on it so I asked him to scan it to see what it could tell us. He did and it took him to a site where they are running a contest where the winners get these Prizes: One (1) Illy Espresso machine. Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $400. One (1) OXO Kitchen Set. ARV: $99.99. One (1) OXO Barware Set. ARV: $99.99. One (1) OXO Wine Sleeve. ARV: $24.99. One (1) OXO Wine Rack. ARV: $19.99. Twenty-five (5) Wine Stoppers. ARV: $6.99 each.
The contest ends August 31, 2011. Drawing is on September 15th.

Just putting it out there, we aren't getting anything out of it and although I like the Sergio Prosecco, I don't have anything to do with the contest. It only takes a couple of minutes if you feel like getting in it. These QR codes are popping up everywhere I guess it is time to upgrade my old cellphone and join the modern age. Funny, it wasn't so long ago that I got my first cellphone and now it seems like if you don't upgrade about every 6 months or so you fall behind pretty quickly. Hard to believe how fast technology is moving now.

-Patrick

Some Things Must Come To An End!

One of the most popular wines we have carried this year has been the Orogeny Pinot Noir. Coming from the highly touted 2007 vintage out of California, this wine offers silky flavors of cranberry, raspberry and cherry with a soft and elegant finish. Orogeny has surpassed our wildest expectations and our current stock is dwindling fast. Based on our sales history, we will run out sometime in the next month, and our experience shows that when a hot item like this is coming to an end it can go quicker than expected. We are fortunate enough to be one of the few stores in the country that still carries this delicious wine and IT WILL BE GONE SOON! If this happens to be one of your favorite wines or if you are looking for something new to try get it now before this wine becomes a thing of a past. $21.99 a bottle.

-Chris O

Wine Tasting 1-4pm Saturday, Aug 20

Your host is Juan Costa of Maja Imports. Maja imports was started in 1993 by a gentleman named Inaki Castro after retiring from Jai Alai, Juan, met and married inaki's daughter Biotza (translated is "Heart" in the Basque language) and started the company with him. Juan now owns Maja imports with his wife. Today Juan is tasting 2 from Spain and 2 from Portugal. All represent great value in their indvidual price to quality ratio. An interesting side note...A wine presently on our shelves is Inaki's namesake and appropriately named "Inaki". The bottle has a Pelota on the label (this is the basket used to play the game). A very popular wine with our customers when we can get it and has been since he first made it 6 years ago. Ask the staff to show you where it is

Quinta da Romeira White 2010 $12.99
The Arinto grape provides great delicacy and intense flavors that work together here. There are citrus and tropical fruits with a touch of pineapple. Fresh and crisp, the citric flavors and aromas dominate this fresh, green wine from the coast near Lisbon. It is zesty with some layers of tannin and grapefruit.


Dao Cabriz Red 2008 $9.99
A well-structured, muscular red, with a touch of Asian spice to the wild plum and dried raspberry flavors. Beef and mineral notes mark the finish. Distinctive, with a very sauvage allure. Drink now through 2015. Wine Spectator, 90 pts


Flor de Raim Cava N.V. $9.99Vibrant aromas of ripe peach and pear with a hint of spice fill the nose. The palate is dry with a crisp, clean texture. Flavors include citrus and spice that persist through an elegant finish.


Don Quijote Red 2009 $7.99
Berry and jam aromas with a touch of cacao. In the mouth it has good structure and well integrated tannins, showing flavors of fruit, dark chocolate and liquorice. 60% Tempranillo, 20% Syrah, and 20% Cab Franc

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, Aug 19

Your host is Michael B. Bergeron of Sapporo Brewing, Pictured here with Jessica from Black Rock Vintners tasting through Mikes line-up of beers. He brought some swag with him, t-shirts and the like for some of our eary bird tasters So get down here quick if you want some.

Jessica was stopping in to tell us about Black rock's newest additions to their portfolio which will include a Malbec and a Barbera which are soon to be released. We will have the opportunity to tast the new wines in the coming week or so and will be happy to give you our own opinions.In the mean time come on by and try the Sapporo suds, they're pretty tasty today.






Sapporo $3.29/22oz $8.99/6pb
Pours clear golden with a medium white head. Aroma is light hops, light fruit and light malt. The flavour is sweet malt, light hops and light fruit.



Sapporo Reserve $3.29/22oz
Sapporo Reserve is a super premium lager brewed almost twice as long as other competing brands. Reserve is brewed with only finest European barley, and the most select European hops.