The Essex Restaurant celebrated reopening in its new location in downtown Old Saybrook with two pairing dinners. During a themed event called A Winter Night in Beaune on Dec. 8, guests enjoyed a gourmet meal prepared by Owner and Chef Colt Taylor and his culinary team, curated with five seasonal wine selections, in collaboration with retailer Spencer & Lynn Wine & Spirit Merchants of Mystic. A second menu and wine dinner event was hosted Dec. 9, also celebrating the opening, for food and beverage trade and media, with pairings by Wine Director Katey Taylor. The Essex and Spencer & Lynn will collaborate for monthly themed wine dinners, with its next an Alpine Wine dinner on Jan. 19. Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner, Château Saint Julien Bordeaux, François Montand Brut Rosé and Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc were among the wines that accompanied the menus, both of which included creative seafood pairings. Established in 2017 in Centerbrook, The Essex offers fine, classic and progressive modern American cuisine with a focus on sustainable seafood and local, seasonal ingredients. The venue offers à la carte and chef’s tasting menus which are updated each week alongside wine, beer and cocktail selections.

Photos by Monique Chaisavan Sourinho/Bee The Love.