lummi island wine tasting june 24-25 ’22
Hours this weekend: 4-6pm both Friday and Saturday
We just learned that anyone in the wine shop last Saturday afternoon may have been exposed to Covid. One guest developed very mild symptoms on Sunday for one day. We have tested negative so far, with no symptoms.
County-wide figures show that new cases seem to include everyone, regardless of vaccine status, and that symptom severity is roughly correlated with vaccine status. At this point in the pandemic we all have to judge risks for ourselves.
We will be open as usual from 4-6 Fri-Sat, and there will be limited outdoor seating available on the deck for those who wish to stay outside. We do continue to request that the unvaxed remain outside for tasting. Fyi, the forecast is for a sunny weekend!
Bread Pickup This Week
Multi Grain Levain – – Made with a sourdough culture and a flavorful mix of bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat and rye. A nice mixture of flax, sesame sunflower and pumpkin seeds and some polenta add great flavor and crunch. And just a little honey for some sweetness. A great all around bread that is full of flavor – $5/loaf
Polenta Levain –– Also made with a levain, also known as sourdough, in which the sourdough starter is fed and built up over several days, then mixed with bread flour and polenta in the final dough mix. This bread is a nice rustic loaf with great corn flavor. – $5/loaf
and mmm, pastry this week…
Brioche Tarts au Sucre – otherwise known as brioche sugar tarts. A rich brioche dough full of eggs and butter is rolled into a round tart and topped with more eggs, cream, butter and sugar. These are delicious topped with fresh fruit inlace of a traditional shortcake. As always, quantities are limited, be sure to get your order in – 2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. Each week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: Monte Tondo Veneto Corvina ’20 Italy $12
Corvina (click link and scroll down) is one of several grapes historically grown in the Veneto (Venice) wine region of Italy. Others include Rondinella and Molinara; the three are often blended together into Valpolicella. Corvina and Rondinella grapes, in turn, are sometimes dried before pressing, yielding a concentrated juice which is used to make amarone. The same skins are then typically used many times in additional fermentations to make ripasso, a valpolicella that is richer for the treatment.
The Monte Tondo winery is located just outside Verona. As a separate varietal, this corvina has an appealing lightness and low alcohol content that make it a good pairing with light summer meals on the deck or patio.
The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel, which preserves the freshness and lively spiciness of the grape while maintaining a supple and
smooth character. After bottling it is aged another several months before release.
Notes: Ruby red color; bright lively nose with fresh cherry, black berry and black pepper hints. Medium-bodied and well balanced, with moderate acidity and supple, well-integrated tannins. Dark fruit core with cherry, chocolate and spicy notes. Moderate length with a smooth, seductive finish and a spicy aftertaste. Food pairing: Ideal with typical Mediterranean dishes, roasted and grilled meat, salami.
This Week’s $5 Tasting
Charles Krug Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ’20 Napa $15
Cold-soaked before pressing and cold-fermented on the skins to develop rich and nuanced aromas and flavors of grassy lime, tropical fruits, and lychee, with a crisp, lingering finish.
Monte Tondo Veneto Corvina ’20 Italy $12
Organically farmed; bright nose of fresh cherries and black pepper; fresh and lively palate of cherry, dark chocolate and spice, with supple, well-integrated tannins and a smooth, seductive, slightly spicy finish.
Charles Krug Cabernet Saugvignon ’18 Napa $30
Cranberry and briary aromas with hints of brown butter and clove leading to a palate of cranberry and black currant flavors nicely integrated with lightly toasted oak, all leading to a smooth lingering finish of berries and butter.
The Economics of the Heart: Rights and Wrongs
In recent years we have watched our country become increasingly dysfunctional. It seems to be a global trend. Perhaps we are a crazy species, or perhaps the Internet is the new Tower of Babel. We were resourceful enough to have survived this long, but we are looking more and more like an experiment gone terribly wrong. Or, as the Creator might quip on the Daily Show, “Well, Trevor, we didn’t know how these humans would work out in an interdependent ecosystem, and, well..now we know!”
Let’s start with the unfolding public hearings of the House Jan. 6 committee. The ongoing revelations of the detailed history of how January 6 insurrection evolved into actuality have lately revealed two very important things. First, there was indeed an ongoing conspiracy directly instigated by the Tweetster to overturn the 2020 election and stay in office for another term. Second, that conspiracy recruited millions of supporters with the Big Lie and came dangerously close to succeeding in stealing the election.
The near-success of the project created a blueprint for more blatant attempts by Republicans to rig elections in their favor in Red states nationwide. Many have already changed the rules for voting and vote tabulation, reducing oversight by replacing neutral Secretaries of State and election workers with partisan Republicans. These new laws are designed to keep Democrats from voting, and for keeping their votes from being counted if they do manage to vote.
The Good News is that the revelations of the Jan 6 Committee have been well documented and well presented, mostly by a carefully selected handful of conscientious Republican officials at both the state and federal level who chose follow the law rather than the Tweetster. The Bad News is that most of the Republicans in office at all levels still believe that all Americans should be bound by their religious superstitions, racial biases, and sense of divine entitlement. Their King James is better than the Books of a hundred other religions, all based on some culture’s beliefs and tradition (i.e., superstition), and all made up by imperfect humans under the auspices of divine revelation– all equally hopeful, all equally flawed.
Deep concern for this very development is why the framers were so careful to make their new country a secular one that allowed the practice of all religions but favored none. They recognized and feared the tyranny of any government that claimed divine right.
Fast forward to today, when the Ultra-Right Supreme Court just decided that every American has the right to carry a loaded gun anywhere and anytime. In his 66-page argument, Justice Thomas (he of the MAGA and Jan 6 co-conspirator wife) wrote:
“The constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not ‘a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.’ ” Thomas wrote, referring to a previous Supreme Court ruling. “We know of no other constitutional right that an individual may exercise only after demonstrating to government officers some special need.”
Hmm. “No other Constitutional right,,,??” Really? There seems to be a special kind of blindness in whatever form of “justice” these guys are peddling. The clear and transferable implications are that women do NOT have a right to manage their own bodies and their reproductive burdens, that the sudden appearance of guns in holsters Everywhere will NOT affect any sense of public safety and well-being, and that no polluter or nuisance-creator need worry about ever having to pay for damages imposed on others. As if, you know, turning all of America into Deadwood or Tombstone is what the framers Really had in mind.
If these six clowns really believe this crap, then any lingering hope for Roe is reduced to a flicker, and the Originalists have laid the first asphalt on their brave new Road to Hell for our country.
lummi island wine tasting june 17-18 ’22
Hours this weekend: 4-6pm both Friday and Saturday
We continue to monitor Covid numbers around the County. There has been some rise in cases over recent weeks, so caution is still recommended and vaccinations are required for wine tasting.
There is limited outdoor seating on the deck for those who wish to stay outside. Because weekly bread pickup is under the front awning on Fridays, only uncovered outdoor seating is available then. On Saturdays there is limited covered and uncovered outdoor seating available.
Fyi, the forecast is for clouds on Friday and some showers on Saturday.
Bread Pickup This Week
Kamut Levain – Kamut, aka khorasan wheat, is an ancient, protein-rich grain discovered in a cave in Iran in the 70’s that many people who can’t tolerate wheat find more digestible. This bread is made with a levain that is fermented overnight before being mixed with with bread flour and fresh milled whole kamut flour. It has a nutty, rich flavor and makes a golden color loaf. A great all around bread – $5/loaf
Barley & Rye w/ Pumpkin Seeds – Made with a levain that was fermented overnight before the final dough was mixed with bread flour and fresh milled rye, barley, and whole wheat flours. Some buttermilk makes for a tender crumb, honey for sweetness, and toasted pumpkin seeds add to the flavor and texture. A really flavorful artisan loaf – $5/loaf
and mmm, pastry this week…
Brioche Almond Buns – Made with a delicious brioche dough full of eggs, butter and sugar. Rolled out and spread with an almond cream filling. The almond cream is a delicious creamy filling made fresh with even more butter, sugar, eggs, and almond flour. Yum! – 2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. Each week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: Areyna Torrontes ’20 Argentina $14
photo courtesy of https://pie-experiences.com/
Torrontes is the dominant white grape in Argentina, but the best fruit comes from the Cafayate wine region in the high Andes near Salta. The climate is semi-arid and visually reminiscent of the American Southwest on a grand scale. Vineyards are planted in alluvial, sandy soil, and typically grown on high pergolas as in some parts of Portugal.
Torrontes from this region displays a broader flavor profile than its more prolific lower altitude cousins, showing more complex aromatics and compelling balance between bright acidity and complex floral and citrus notes.
“Attractive golden color with green tones, which undoubtedly speaks of its perfect harvest timing. Citrus aromas of pink grapefruit and a floral mix. The mouth has a lovely level of acidity showcasing a modern, fresh and unique style of Torrontes. The citrus notes of this Torrontes pair perfectly with seafood dishes such as spicy curried shrimp or salmon ceviche. Also try paired with aged hard cheeses such as Manchego” –James Suckling
This Week’s $5 Tasting
Areyna Torrontes ’20 Argentina $14
Aromas of lime blossom, green apple, papaya and lemon; medium-bodied with tangy acidity, complex flavors, and a clean, fresh finish.
Quinta Do Vallado Douro Red ’14 Portugal $16
Blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional,Tinta Roriz, Sousão; Lovely, floral black cherry and blackcurrant fruit; supple yet structured with notes of pepper, meat, and a lovely herbal twist.
Macchialupa Compania Aglianico ’17 Italy $22
Bright cherry flavors, almond nut nuances, and lasting shades of minerals and earth, with palate of bright fruit and a crisp, firm finish.
The Economics of the Heart: the Gears of Justice
At left is the logo used for our four-year series on the so-called “Presidency” of The Former Guy, the Grifter-in-Chief– he who, as his former attorney Michael Cohen told Congress some years ago, would never leave office willingly…alas, we should have taken Michael more seriously, huh…?
Over the past week we have seen two public hearings from the January 6 committee of the U.S. House. They have so far been carefully aimed at Tfg, and have been persuasive to many who watched and listened. In many cases presenters had been part of Tfg’s Administration, and to some degree their testimonies were likely motivated by self-preservation to stay out of jail.
Hopefully sometime soon we will see indictments against some of the key players in the conspiracy. Maybe (but unlikely) Tfg himself might get charged with enough to disqualify him from holding government office ever again. Even just that would provide considerable relief to many.
Still, we wonder: will anything in the revelations about the attempted coup on January 6 change the tyrannical inclinations of Republicans? We know that over 100 Republican Congressional candidates still embrace the Big Lie even now that it has been totally debunked. We know that the Republican platform for this election year, written by Florida Senator (and suspected space alien) Rick Scott, is a manifesto for imposing the religious views of some Americans on All Americans. We know that legislatures in most Red states have passed trigger laws which will ban abortions and impose draconian penalties in all circumstances against women who violate them. As someone observed many years ago (possibly Sinclair Lewis), “When fascism comes to America, it will be draped in the Flag and carrying a Cross.” Well, it’s here.
Metaphorically, Democrats, like Ukainians, just want a level playing field where all of us matter equally, with the same opportunities, the same rules, the same protections. Today’s Republicans share the values of the fascists they so admire, completely convinced of their Entitlement to the largest shares of every pie, because, as Dick Cheney once put it, “It’s our due.” Most red states have already enacted laws to limit access to voting and to replace impartial non-partisan election workers with Republican appointees and Secretaries of State. It all adds up to an ongoing sense of anxiety about how long our democracy will remain viable with the vast majority of Republicans now openly committed to authoritarian rule.
In these difficult times it is something of a comfort that Dems will at least hold the White House through 2024, providing some veto protection from the worst excesses. In the meantime, though, ominous dark smoke continues to belch from the Red States of Mordor while GollumMcconnell and DarthMccarthy keep cackling and stirring their toxic cauldron of Wealthy Privilege.
lummi island wine tasting june 10-11 ’22
Hours this weekend: 4-6pm both Friday and Saturday
We continue to monitor Covid numbers around the County. There has been some rise in cases over recent weeks, so caution is still recommended. Showers are forecast for both days. Friday bread pickup is under the front awning on Friday, and for those who wish to stay outside for tasting on Saturday.
Last Saturday we did ask some folks to sit outside to limit crowding upstairs, and it seemed to work well for everyone.
Bread Pickup This Week
Breton – Made with pre-fermented dough in which a portion of the flour, water, salt & yeast are mixed and fermented overnight before preparing the final dough, which incorporates the flavors of the French Breton region by using buckwheat and rye flour and sel gris -the grey sea salt from the region that brings more mineral flavors to this bread. Goes great with meats and cheeses – $5/loaf
Spelt Levain — Spelt is an ancient grain with a nutty, slightly sweet flavor; it has gluten but it isn’t as strong as in modern wheat. This bread is made with a levain before the final dough is mixed with traditional bread flour, spelt flour, fresh milled whole spelt and rye. – $5/loaf
and mmm, pastry this week…
Kouign Aman: Made with the same traditional laminated french pastry used for croissants. Has both a little levain for the sourdough flavor as well as some pre-fermented dough to help build strength. When rolling out however, instead of using flour to prevent sticking, sugar is used. The dough is cut into squares and baked in cupcake tins where all that sugar and butter caramelizes and makes for delicious, crunchy, delightful pastry. Quantities are limited so get your order in early so you don’t miss out – 2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. The week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: Wine of the Week: Longship Lady Wolf Malbec ’18 Washington $25
Longship is a fairly new family-owned winery in Richland, in the heart of Washington wine country. Established in 2013, it has focused on producing big, hand-crafted, barrel-aged, red varietals like tempranillo, malbec, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, with at least 60% proportion aged for 18 months in new oak barrels.
The name “Longship,” and the adoption of the Viking Longship as the winery’s logo is a nod to the family’s Scandinavian heritage and the winery’s ongoing journey to produce some of the finest wines in the Pacific Northwest.
The Richland tasting room was added at the end of 2016, not just to feature their wines, but also, as is the case here at the Wine Gallery, to create a social space where friends can gather to relax in a convivial environment while sharing delicious handcrafted wine.
We took an immediate liking to the wine when we first tasted it last year. Chances are you will, too!
This Week’s $5 Tasting
Chapoutier Belleruche Blanc ’20 France $14
Delicious blend of grenache blanc and roussanne; fragrant and perfumed with a light, grilled-lemon note over ripe melon with a lingering palate of rich white peach.
FontanaFredda Briccotondo Piemonte Barbera ’18 Italy $15
Nose of blackberries and plums, with hints of black pepper and cinnamon. Crisp and fresh on the palate with sweet, soft tannins, silky texture, and great fruit character.
Longship Lady Wolf Malbec ’18 Washington $25
100 % malbec; unfolds with dark, enchanting notes of blackberry, grilled plum, and jammy raspberry with accents of orange peel, vanilla, and tobacco spice, finishing with balanced structure, plush texture, and a lengthy finish.
The Economics of the Heart: The Alphabet vs. the Goddess
Some years ago we read a fascinating book by surgeon Leonard Shlain. His basic and well-researched hypothesis was that the introduction of reading and writing into human society millennia ago actually changed the way that human beings thought. In particular, he suggested that before widespread literacy, most cultures were tribal, holistic, and intuitive– perhaps what we today might call “right-brained.” So “goddess” is a metaphor for a particular world view that honored the holism of the natural world.
In contrast, Shlain argued that the cultures of the Israelites, Greeks, Christians, and Muslims, transmitted as written texts and ideas rather than sensory experience, turned human culture toward linear, dualistic thinking. Those, he argued, narrowed the holistic perception of our own experience and concentrated power in the “educated” men who claimed authority to interpret these “laws.”
The everyday miracles of existence took a back seat in “civilized” culture to complex rules that put power in the hands of a small number of the self-anointed priests and shamans, mostly men. And these fundamental cultural changes– the Alphabet– changed Everything about human social organization, including gender roles. As a result, women’s roles have borne a burden of subservience which has resisted change for millennia.
This all came to mind a few days ago when a dear friend (a woman) sent us the following note written by an unidentified young man. It captures in simple terms the glaring gender inequities in our country and across most of the world that disproportionately concentrate power in Patriarchal Authority.
“How about we treat every young man who wants to buy a gun like every woman who wants to get an abortion – mandatory 48 HR waiting period, parental permission, a note from his doctor proving he understands what he’s about to do, a video he has to watch about the effects of gun violence, and an ultrasound wand up the ass (just because). Let’s close down all but one gun shop in every state and make him travel hundreds of miles, take time off work, and stay overnight in a strange town to get a gun. Make him walk through a gauntlet of people holding photos of loved ones who were shot to death, people who call him a murderer and beg him not to buy a gun.”
It is an alarming and attention-getting metaphor at this point in our history to juxtapose these two huge political debates in our country. According to Republicans, every MAN has Three inalienable rights:
- To own an unlimited arsenal of highly lethal military assault weapons and ammunition, AND
- To refuse public health mandates for vaccinations because only HE decides about HIS own body, AND
- To be subjected to minimal legal/moral liability for his essential role in causing a woman’s pregnancy, thereby condemning her to decades of child-rearing burdens.
These same Republicans have a far more parochial view of the rights of American women to manage their own lives and bodies. Should Roe v. Wade fall as is widely anticipated, nearly all Republican-controlled states have laws that will immediately go into effect to severely restrict every woman’s rights as a citizen simply because of their gender. REALLY?? Looks like time to dust off that Equal Rights Amendment and make it Law, huh…?
As we go to press tonight, the first public report from the Jan 6 Committee is being broadcast nationwide while Fox and other Right-Wing Press are pumping out propaganda for their vast Zombie army. Tragically, their brains, washed clean of actual facts about their world, have left only empty skulls, endlessly echoing slogans from Trump, Hannity, and Carlson. Alas, these are the sad remnants of the very footsoldiers of Trump’s Orc army who did so much damage on January 6.
Seriously, the quote above is evocative, timely, and worth sending to everyone you know, including your elected representatives at all levels. Our democracy continues to hang but a fragile thread away from becoming a dystopian, corporate Hell under the banner of self-anointed white men and the cruel gods they have created in their own image.
lummi island wine tasting june 3-4 ’22
Hours this weekend: 4-6pm both Friday and Saturday
We continue to monitor Covid numbers around the County. There has been some rise in cases over recent weeks, so caution is still recommended. There is seating on the front deck as well as under the awning for those who wish to stay outside for tasting. Last Saturday we did ask some folks to sit outside to limit crowding upstairs, and it seemed to work well for everyone.
Bread Pickup This Week
Pain Meunier -Aka Miller’s Bread to honor the miller who mills the wheat. Made with pre-fermented dough it contains all portions of the wheat berry: flour, fresh milled whole wheat, cracked wheat and wheat germ. Always a favorite and a great all around bread. It makes the best toast! – $5/loaf
Sonnenblumenbrot – Aka Sunflower Seed Bread, made with a pre-ferment that takes a portion of the flour, water, salt and yeast that ferments overnight before mixing the final dough with bread flour and freshly milled rye, then loaded up with toasted sunflower seeds and some barley malt syrup for sweetness. – $5/loaf
and mmm, pastry this week…
Chocolate Babka Rolls – A sweet pastry dough full of eggs, butter and sugar, rolled and spread with a chocolate filling, rolled up and cut into individual rolls that are placed in baking forms for baking and then brushed with sugar syrup after baking. – 2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. The week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: The Wolftrap Syrah Mourvèdre Viognier ’18 South Africa $11
Boekenhoutskloof farm was established in 1776 in the furthest corner of the beautiful Franschhoek Wine Valley of South Africa, about 50 km east of the Cape of Good Hope.
The farm’s name means “ravine of the Boekenhout” (pronounced Book-n-Howed), which is an indigenous Cape Beech tree greatly prized for furniture making. In 1993 the farm and homestead were bought and restored and new vineyards planted for Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Semillon and Viognier.
When the farm was founded, the Franschhoek valley was far wilder than it is today. Though the mountains are still alive with indigenous animals, including the majestic leopard, the only evidence that wolves once roamed here is an ancient wolf trap found long ago. This wine was named in homage to the mysteries and legends of days long gone by.
Most of the Syrah in The Wolftrap comes from the Swartland region (photo, left), where it develops its robust character and elegant aromas of violets, ripe plums, and spicy, peppery profile and juicy, fruity character. The Mourvèdre, also from the Swartland, lends a red fruit character and smoky body while a dash of Viognier adds perfume and verve for a rustic Rhône-style blend that seriously over-delivers for its $11 price point.
This Week’s $5 Tasting
Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes ’20 Argentina $11
Highly perfumed aromas of lemon drop, grapefruit, white flowers, peppermint and white pepper. crisp yet supple and easygoing, with citrus, herbal, and floral flavors on the clean finish.
The Wolftrap Syrah Mourvèdre Viognier ’18 South Africa $11
Aromas of ripe plums, red currants, violets, Italian herbs and exotic spices lead to vibrant flavors of darker berries and spicy plum with hints of orange peel that linger on a juicy finish.
Bodega Garzon Tannat Reserve ’18 Uruguay $15
Opaque deep, dark red; opens with enticing, delicious aromas of very ripe, dark fruit and berries stewed in their own liqueur, with lingering notes of spice, herb, and licorice on the seamless finish.
The Economics of the Heart: Holding the Center
Again and again over the past six years we have found some inspiration in a quote from economist Joan Robinson that succinctly captures the relationships among value, society, and economics:
“Every economic system requires a set of values, a set of rules, and a will in the people to carry them out.”
The observation implies an ongoing dynamic between economics and politics where values are shared to a great enough extent that we all willingly bind ourselves to support the rules. In our country those rules are represented by the Constitution of the United States, as amended over the past 250 years as the nation has evolved.
There have always been divisions, among and within the separate states, financial interests, the personal egos of the political leaders of the time, and the demands of international cooperation or conflict. So far there has only been one Civil War, and it was caused primarily by the irreconcilable views on slavery between the North and the South in 1860.
For the past 30 years in general and the last six years in particular, Republicans have spent much of each day coming up with the latest pejorative term for Democrats. Someone at Fox comes up with the slogan for the day or week, and every announcer on every show repeats it over and over, like a mantra. They speak with practiced and slanderous disdain, carefully worded slogans, and ongoing calls to anger and outrage. Their entire purpose is to attack the underlying values of the nation itself. We have seen all of this before, the practiced and well-trod path to Tyranny.
Next week the long-awaited public broadcasts of the findings of the January 6 Committee will begin. We can expect a major ratcheting up of the Fox echo chamber and most sitting Republican office holders as they try to distract, ridicule, and attack every finding. In a way it will be the beginning of the New Civil War. Like the first Civil War, it will be based on a Great Divide in values.
Democrats stand for protecting the Constitution and preserving the legacy of this country to create and maintain the conditions for each citizen to live freely, happily, and productively. This current crop of Republicans, like their Civil War heroes, seems aimed at making the rich ever richer, the poor ever poorer, and the non-white ever the slave.
2072 Granger Way
