A star is in our midst

A natural on the red carpet.

She is a star and many of her adoring fans have come to see her....

No autographs please

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, Mar 22

Your host will be Bill of Redhook Brewing Company.   

MIX PACK               $12.99

ESB   

Redhook ESB is modeled after the premium Extra Special Bitters found in English pubs. Brewed since 1987, this full-bodied amber ale is Redhook’s signature brew with its toasted malt flavor and pleasant finishing sweetness. Its eminently drinkable style has established Redhook ESB as a benchmark brew in the amber ale category. 

IPA

A lighter, drier ale with a warm, brassy color and herbal aroma.

Pilsner

Redhook Pilsner is brewed in a traditional Czech style and is the first pilsner Redhook Ale Brewery has ever released. Red Hook Pilsner offers a very soft palate and malt flavors that are offset by a medium dose of distinct Czech hops to bring out its authentic flavors.

Wine Tasting 1-4pm Saturday, Mar 23

Your host is Sue Leach from Recanati wines. With Sue today is Michael Nishball who agreed to let us take his picture for our fine blog. Lots of Kosher for Passover wines to choose from here at you "Kosher wine Headquarters".

WINES OF RECANATI

Yasmin White 2011               $10.99

Yasmin White is a delicate straw gold color. The wine has aromas of dried fruit and herbs. The taste is light and refreshing, with flavors of tropical fruits, anise and pear. A delightful reception wine, and a perfect match with passed hors d'oeuvres and fish dishes.

Yasmin Red 2011                  $10.99

Yasmin Red is a blend of grapes grown in the winery's vineyards in the Galilee and the Ella Valley. This wine has an appealing ruby red color and a bouquet that is lively, youthful, and with fruit-filled fragrance. Yasmin Red is supple and medium-bodied, with an abundance of ripe red berry fruit and can be enjoyed while still young.

Yasmin Chardonnay 2011               $15.99

Delicate aromas of tropical fruit with subtle nuances of caramel and hazelnut.  Full-bodied and harmonious, concluding in a long, smooth finish.

Yasmin Cabernet  Sauvignon 2011 $15.99 

Delicate smoky aroma with hints of spice.  Medium-bodied, with flavors of blackberries, plums and herbs.

When will winter end??

This is the question on everyone's lips these days. Saul had been in Florida these past few weeks and made it back just in time for our last snowfall. No not yesterday's flurries (can't really count that can we?), the one we had Monday into Tuesday where we had some accumulation. When we talked on Wednesday he was telling me that the weather in Florida was chilly...he didn't even get to go swimming very much (poor guy). Barely got over 70 degrees he told me. He sort of smiled when he decided that it wasn't so bad after all, at least in comparison to what is happening in CT.
Wasn't Punxsutawney Phil predicting an early spring?... what happened there? This is why the weather in the northeast has the reputation that it does. I looked up this same week's weather from last year and it was in the 70's here in our state. Now I'm sitting in a cold office thinking about the crocus that are popping up around town and the daffodils that look like the are getting ready to bloom, while old man winter keeps his grip on our state.

I usually don't really start thinking spring until the first week in April.  It always seems like we get that one more dusting of snow or a cold snap as winter finally fades into the rearview mirror. This year, however, Easter is early and Passover is just a few days away. These are such harbingers of spring that all of our minds are pressing a bit harder for the warmer weather. Hopefully this is the last cold snap that we are experiencing right now because I am ready to get back outside and into the fresh air and warmer weather.

Some signs that it is close...

March madness began yesterday,

Easter and Passover are both within a week or so,

William has started bringing in the Rosè selection for the upcoming season (around 30 at last count),

Spring training is happening for MLB,

and Flowers are beginning to show themselves!

So hang in there everyone! We are right on the edge of our next season.  Just think, in a week or two...or three, we'll be able to hang up the winter coat and break out the grill and the lawnmower, and switch from the heavy reds to the lighter brighter spring and summer wines.

soon...

BOURBON CLASS: Understanding Pappy Van Winkle - Thurs, May 2nd 2013 7pm-9pm

Let’s do a word association - 

I say Bourbon, you say... PAPPY! 

The demand for this top bourbon always outstrips supply and our waiting list grows each year.  This is your opportunity to learn the Stitzel-Weller, Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle, and Buffalo Trace connection.  You will have the very unique opportunity to taste and learn the connection between these three bottlings and also where Jefferson Presidential Bourbon fits in to this whole picture. Plus our guest Speaker for this event Heather from Sazerak, will bring along some other surprises from the great Sazerak portfolio.

This one is an absolute DO NOT MISS!

$40 per person

Call jan for your seat today. (203) 259-4692 

SCOTCH CLASS: The Many Faces of Single Malt Scotch

The category of brown liquors is currently very popular, and one of the hottest is single malt Scotch.
From just this one island of Scotland, and ONLY Scotland, comes an amazing variety of tastes and styles. From the Lowlands to the Highlands, from Islay to Orkney you will taste a wonderful selection of Scotches ranging from light and heathery to peaty and oily and everything in between!
Although true to their ancient heritage, Scotch producers today are also using new production and aging techniques that will excite your palate.
Wednesday April, 24 2013 7pm-9pm
$40 per person
Pleas call Janice to reserve your seat(s) (203) 259-4692

St Patrick's Day Tasting

McSorely's Black Lager
McSorley's Irish Black Lager is a smooth dark lager with subtle roasted malt and chocolate flavors that come from a special blend of five malts. It is perfectly balanced and finishes clean, crisp and extraordinarily refreshing for a dark beer. It's a great alternative to heavier stouts and porters.

Murphy's Irish Stout
The beer is dark brown, mahongany color. The head is short, but tight foam (very Guinness-like). The floating cap of foam lasted for the entire pint, decent looking lace coats the glass.
Smells of roasted malt, maybe a bit of coffee, but I think the nitro kills alot of the aroma.
The flavor is quite mild, some more roasted malt, slight hints of coffee or cocoa. A little bit of bitterness at the end. Body is quite thin, but the nitro keeps it creamy and smooth
http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2011/11/murphys_stands_up_well_to_guin.html

Murphy's Irish Red
Murphy's Red Ale is a top fermented ale first brewed at the Lady Well's Brewery in 1856 and is still brewed today with the traditional brewing methods and recipe.
A clear ale with a rich, amber color and a creamy head. Very crisp and malty with a touch of fruity sweetness and soft body.

Wine Tasting 1-4pm Saturday, Mar 16

Your host will be Inaki Castro of Maja Imports.

 A of the selections today are great "value" wines. Maja imports has a way of finding very good quality wines with affordable pricing. In our wine classes we talk alot about "price to quality ratio" and his wines seem to come up in that conversation quite a bit. Last Wednesday and Thursday we did Spain in class and the Cuba Vieja was the third wine in the line-up, We never talk about price prior to tasting but rather we discuss the given merits of the wine. Across the board the students responded positively to the wine and when it came time to share the cost there was a collective gasp when Len announced $7.99 as its price. Needless to say, it has been one of those "take home a bottle, come back for a case" wines. Come by and see if you agree.

Assobio Douro 2010              $14.99

Deep dense red color leads to intense aromas of ripe red berry fruits with smoky notes.  On the palate it is dense, compact palate with firm tannins, and well structured.  It finishes long and with good persistence.  Tinta Roriz 40%,  Touriga Franca 40%, and Touriga Nacional 20%.

Cuba Vieja Red N.V.            $7.99

One of the current “Great Value” wines of Spain!  It is ruby red in color with lots of wild berries and strawberry notes on the nose.  Showing good intensity it finishes smooth and silky.  Tempranillo 80%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%

Inaki Reserva 2010               $16.99

This shows a bright ruby color and has aromas of red fruits and flowers.  Well balanced with a creamy texture, the wine is full-bodied with spice and red and black fruits on the palate.  The finish is firm and long lasting.

Trileka Sauvignon Blanc 2012    $4.99

This is a pale, gleaming yellow with notes of green. It offers tropical and citrus fruit, with slight herbal notes. Young and lively in the mouth, this white has medium body and a clean finish.

Beer Tasting 4 - 7pm Friday, Mar 15

Your host will be Rick Sciroco of Star.

Harpoon Celtic          $8.99/6pb

This Irish-style ale features a deep amber color, a smooth, malty, and complex flavor with a moderate hop finish. Our tribute to the classic Irish red ales, Hibernian Ale is the perfect beer for all your St. Patrick’s celebrations.

Killian’s Red              $7.29/6pb

Rich amber color and a thick, creamy head. Introduced into the U.S. in 1981. Gold medalist (amber lager) at 1998 World Beer Cup.

Killian’s Stout            $7.29/6pb

George Killian’s Irish Stout is the perfect example of an authentic, all-natural Irish stout brew. Its boldness can be detected immediately by its rich, dark chocolate brown color and thick caramel-colored foam head. Its taste is what beer drinkers have come to know and love from a traditional Irish stout – a slight coffee flavor without being overly bitter or too heavy, topped off with a smooth, lingering chocolate finish that will leave your taste buds wanting more.

BEER CLASS: All is fair in Love & War: The Beer and Wine Marriage"

It has always been beer vs. wine. Well not anymore as now-a-days these boundaries are getting more and more blurred. So in this workshop we are going to break down these walls and talk about and taste products that really blend the two worlds.

Beer and Wine actually take a lot from each other and in some senses it is like a marriage- there is love but there is also war. 

In this workshop we will taste 7 products that really blur the boundaries. Along the way we will throw in a cidre and a mead to really showcase how all these liquids have more similarities than you might think! 

Guest speaker for this event will be Ben Neidhart, Vice-President of B. United International, a premier beer importing company. 

Tuesday April 23rd 7 pm-9pm $30 per person. Please call for reservation (203) 259-4692