lummi island wine tasting february 28 ’15
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Last Bread Friday till March 20!
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Berlin Country Bread. Rye sourdough culture with about 70% rye flour and coarse ground fresh milled rye. Hearty and substantial– a couple of slices with cheese will last you all day – $5/loaf.
Hazelnut & Fig Country Bread. A mix of bread flour, whole wheat flour, and a bit of cracked rye, with toasted hazelnuts and dried figs soaked in brandy. What’s not to like – $5/loaf.
Pain aux Raisin. Croissant dough rolled out, spread with pastry cream, and sprinkled with golden raisins and dried cranberries before being rolled up, sliced and baked. Get your order in early as there is a limit on how many I can make. – 2 for $5.
Mencia
Mencia is a Spanish grape varietal found in the region of Bierzo, in northwest Spain. Like other wine regions, some of the best vineyards in Bierzo are on slate hillsides that produce wines with notable depth and complexity, often showing plum, cherry, tobacco and chocolate notes with notable minerality. Valley floor vineyards, which generally have more quartz and clay, produce wines that can be light, pale, and fragrant, but without the complexity of their hillside neighbors. In general Mencia tends to be fruity and aromatic, with good acidity that makes for versatile food pairing with both meat and fish dishes.
The grape was for a time thought to be related to cab franc, but recent genetic testing has demonstrated that it is in fact identical to a Portuguese varietal found in the Dao region where it is known as Jaen. Some people say it sometimes tastes like cab franc from the Loire region of France, while others think it’s more like pinot noir or gamay noir (you know, beaujolais). You will just have to come by this weekend and find out for yourself about this particular mencia (which I imagine is pronounced “men-thee-ah”…?)
The Blue Grape From France
Around here we know it as lemberger, another lesser known red varietal with flavors that always remind me of ripe thimbleberries– yes, those weeds that line many of the roadsides here on Lummi Island and which usually ripen in mid-Spring (soon!). In Austria lemberger is more commonly known as Blau Frankisch, literally “blue grape from France.” In the past we have found that under either name it goes really well with spicy food, a revelation a few years ago when we were pouring it along with a tasting of jalapeno cheese– one of those Perfect Pairings one occasionally discovers.
Today’s version is from Shooting Star winery of both California and Washington. Because winemakers in Washington love the varietal but universally hate the name (reminds too many people of the famously smelly cheese of similar name), the wine is called Blue Franc, playing on the Austrian name for the varietal. That also led to the choice of an old French Franc bill for the label.
This week’s tasting
Domaine Girard Chardonnay ’13 France $13
Medium to full bodied with fleshy notes of fresh-picked apples and pears; no oak, but spends time on the lees to give it richness; clay soils at a higher elevation impart a delightful freshness.
Agricultura Vinho Tinto ’11 Portugal $11
From Alentejo, on Portugal’s south-eastern border with Spain, comes this eminently quaffable red wine with surprising depth and complexity.
Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec ’13 Argentina 89pts $14
Aromatic and fresh, with notes of violets, ripe plums and a touch of brown sugar, quite showy, with the profile of a cool vintage, the sweet tannins of the Malbec, some sweet spicy flavors, and good length.
Shooting Star Blue Franc ’11 Washington $12
From slate soils; nine months in French oak. Lively and vibrant, with aromas of blueberry and blackberry with touches of cocoa, pepper, and clove. Palate packed with cranberry, blueberry, and blackberry with a bit of cinnamon and licorice on the velvety smooth finish.
Triton Mencia ’11 Spain $12
From slate soils and nine months in French oak prior to bottling. Pungent dark berry and mineral scents show lively character. Firm and juicy, with concentrated blackcurrant and bitter cherry flavors and a hint of allspice.
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