Lummi Island Wine Tasting December 21 Winter Solstice 2013
BIG Solstice Thoughts
Our distant ancestors had perhaps a more vested interest in the passage of the seasons than most of us. Still, followers of this blog will have observed our fascination with the annual cycle of solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days, which define the solar year. Today the thought occurred to me that we usually visualize our solar system as a sort of disc, with the Sun in the center and the planets orbiting it more or less within the plane we call the ecliptic. In that view, it is easy to imagine that each year on the winter solstice the Earth occupies again the same spot in the Universe as it does every year.
So it occurred to me today while walking the dogs that of course that isn’t exactly true, because as we all know, the whole Solar System is hurtling through space at something like 70,000 kph in its 220 million year trip around the Milky Way Galaxy. So of course, even though we are moving pretty slowly relative to the incomprehensible vastness of the Galaxy, it is breathtaking to realize that each year the Winter Solstice “place in Space” moves something like 375 million miles, and elliptical planetary orbits aren’t really “elliptical” at all, more like spirals. So of course when I got home I Googled “solar system movement through space” and man, did I hit a Jackpot of Far Out graphics! Click on the image for the first video. Please note that these images have NOT earned the approval of the scientific community, but there is something intuitively appealing about the basic idea of spiral movement. For more graphics, here are two more interesting videos:
Corkscrewing around the galaxy and The Earth does not revolve around the Sun
Mundane Solstice Thoughts
On a more familiar and more mundane level, on the left-above is a photo (tampered with) from several days ago, and another (below) from a few years ago of the actual Solstice sunset, about where the arrow is on the first photo. Considering all of the present day evidence of ancient solar observation (Stonehenge, Chaco Canyon, e.g.), this “Sun in Everyday Life” stuff has been around for a long time and is part of our inquisitive nature. Or as I have been putting it for some years now, at least several times a day, “Okay who are we, and what are we doing?” Or, as Suzuki Roshi put it, “before you chew your food there is rice, pickle, and soup. When you have chewed your food there is no rice, pickle, or soup. Otherwise the food will not serve its purpose.” Whichever way you look at it, infinity is still infinity, even if we can’t understand it!
The Alaskans
As often happens this time of year, last weekend was a quiet one in the wine shop, marked by a curious confluence of Alaskans on Saturday. Anne and Jerry, just back from New Zealand and soon to head off to Brittania, have a place up there right next to the Edge of the Earth as I understand it, where Jerry spent some decades. Nancy, our resident spinner and knitter (Gude Erth Knitware), spent many years in Alaska as an outdoors photographer; and first-time wine shop visitors (but long-time Islanders) Bruce and Karen have spent lots of time visiting, working, and hiking in Alaska over many years. Arrrrr, they’re a hardy lot, these Alaskans, ya gotta give’em credit for that! On the other hand, you gotta ask yourself what kind of person can spend many winters in a place where you need a special heater to keep your car alive overnight, and where the sun doesn’t come up for months at a time. Yep, they’re a breed unto themselves!
Holiday Case Sale!
It’s the end of the calendar year; winter is pretty convincingly already here; and business has been slowing way down, as it usually does this time of year. Contrary to what one might expect on the mainland, we don’t get a lot of holiday shoppers. More often, the holidays take people off the island, and the shop gets pretty quiet. That makes it a good time to offer our annual Holiday Case Discount: Buy any twelve bottles, and we will pay the sales tax (8.6%)! Even better …if you are a Wine Club member, buy any twelve bottles and get 15% off! Offer good through closing time on Saturday, December 27!
Holiday Schedule
We will be open our regular hours on Fridays (Dec 20, 27) 4-7pm, and Saturdays (Dec 21, 28) 2-6pm. We hope you can join us.
Eighth Annual “East Coast New Year’s Eve” Extravaganza
Well after eight years our “East Coast New Year’s Eve Party” has become an established Tradition. From 7-9pm on New Year’s Eve we provide the wine, you bring something delicious to share, and when the ball drops in Times Square three hours away, we all hoist our glasses and toast the New Year! The young folks can move on to the next party on their dance cards, and we old timers can get to bed at a decent hour! It’s also our chance to thank you for your support this past year, and to look ahead to more fun in aught-fourteen. Mark your calendars and start planning your finger food. And please–RSVP if you are coming! (758-2959 or Email us.)
This week’s tasting
Cottat “Grand Caillou” Sauvignon Blanc ’11 France $11
Offers a light, crunchy feel, with lemon peel, thyme and tarragon notes, showing a flash of gooseberry on the finish.
Patton Valley WV Pinot Noir ’12 Oregon $18
Aromas of graphite, cherry crumble, coriander and rose petals, with flavors of brown sugar, red cherry and citrus rind and big, soft tannins and a rich mouthfeel.
Maryhill Winemaker’s Red ’11 Washington $11
Aromas of berry jam, chocolate, and cinnamon, with fruity notes of strawberry, caramel, and hints of white pepper, oak, and tart Marionberry.
Eguren Codice ’09 Spain 90pts $11
Aromas of cassis, cherry, licorice and mocha. Dense, alluringly sweet and juicy, with excellent concentration to its chewy dark berry and bitter chocolate flavors. Silky, fine-grained tannins and lingering spiciness.
L’Ecole No. 41 Syrah ’10 Washington 91pts $23
Black raspberry and exotic nutty oak aromas; plush, dense and generous palate with creamy-sweet black raspberry fruit. finishing with sweet, easy tannins and lingering berry flavors.
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2072 Granger Way