Lummi Island Wine Tasting August 4 ’12

Posted at August 2, 2012

A Rosé is a Rosé is a Rosé

It’s definitely looking pretty summery out here these days, with lots of sun and temperatures soaring to almost 70 degrees! That is Very Cool relative to the rest of the country, but that’s just how it is out here on the Frontier, and we are grateful for it. For the past month or so visitors will have noticed the “Rosé Shrine” at the top of the stairs, and hopefully it has gotten your attention. (I also mentioned this a few weeks ago…OMD, has summer lasted a MONTH already??!!) After many years of considerable indifference to rosé, I have been gradually converted over the past couple of years by friends who love it, trips to Europe where it is perfect to accompany the leisurely noon meal, and a sharp upturn in the number and quality of dry, Provencal-style rosés from both Europe and America. With its racy acidity, rosé pairs well with almost any dish, particularly in the afternoon!

Too Much Wine???

I know, I know, it sounds Oxymoronic. But there you have it, I find I can hardly get into the garage we have gotten so much wine lately. We are of course trying to keep our “Under $11” rack stocked for those of you who like to take advantage of our ongoing $99 case sale, and we have some new additions as well as some old favorites. In addition, we would like to invite your attention to the lovely array of beautiful Washington and Oregon wines that are curiously overlooked. These wines range in price from $13 and up, and include whites like gewurztraminer, chardonnay, and pinot gris, and reds from pinot noir to cabernet sauvignon, cab franc, syrah, malbec, and more.

Our Deal for this Weekend: 10% off all Northwest Wines $12 and over!!!

 

Lagrein

Last year we stocked a wine made from an unusual (to most Americans) grape called “Edelvernatsch.”   Then this spring we attended a tasting in Seattle of wines from the same region of Italy, called Alto Adige. It is at the threshold of the Alps in an area equally influenced by Italian and German languages, and it is home to a number of grape varietals found few other places. This weekend we offer another wine from such a grape: Lagrein. We tasted many versions of this at the April tasting, and this one is typically rich, earthy, and vaguely rustic, yet curiously elegant. It is a unique varietal, and I think a lot of you are REALLY going to like it!

Here’s a fairly lengthy video segment about the varietal.

 

This weekend’s tasting

Bernier Chardonnay ’11 France $10
Light, bright yellow. Lemon, herbs and lees on the nose. Juicy but dry, focused, and refreshingly brisk.

Teutonic pinot noir Rose ’10 Oregon $14
A lovely rosé with all the characteristic aromas and flavors of a good Oregon pinot: pie cherry, forest floor, mineral, and spice, on a beautifully-structured, low-alcohol (10%) framework.

St. Michael-Eppan Lagrein ’09 Italy $17
Intense, with firm tannins and a smoky mineral sublayer supporting the ripe black fruit, espresso bean, iron, dried sage and fennel seed notes. Big and inky, but well-knit and integrated.

Scarafone Montecucco Rosso  ’08  Italy   $12
90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  A rustic Italian red with aromas and flavors of dried cherry and dark blackberry, with a somewhat toasty character that includes bramble and dried herbs with a hint of leather.

Ciocca Fior  Chocolate Grappa   Italy    $24
A decadent liqueur-like wine combining lots of chocolate with grappa (a rustic Italian brandy)…it will definitely get your attention!

Wine Tasting

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