lummi island wine tasting july 19-20 ’24
Hours, July 19-20 ’24
Friday 4-6 pm Saturday 3-5 pm
looking south from Legoe Bay
Friday Bread This Week
Multi Grain Levain – Made with a sourdough culture and using 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 oatmeal add great flavor and crunch. And just a little honey for some sweetness. – $5/loaf
Rosemary Olive Oil – Made with bread flour and freshly milled white whole wheat for additional flavor and texture. Fresh rosemary from the garden and olive oil to make for a nice tender crumb and a nice crisp crust. A great all around bread – $5/loaf
and pastry this week…
Rum Raisin Brioche: A delicious brioche dough full of eggs, butter and sugar. Filled with golden raisins and chunks of almond paste and as if that wasn’t enough, topped with a chocolate glaze before baking. Ooh la la, what’s not to like?!– 2/$5
Island Bakery has developed a rotation cycle of several dozen breads and pastries. Each Sunday Janice emails the week’s bread offering to her mailing list. Orders received before 5 pm Tuesday will be available for pickup at the wine shop each Friday from 4:00 – 5:30 pm. Go to Contact us to get on the bread email list at least a week before visiting!
This week’s wine tasting
Domaine Chibaou Sauvignon Blanc ’22 France $19
Herby aromas of pastis, anise, papaya, with notes of hay and tropical fruits; smooth, nuanced palate and lingering finish, and completely delicious.
Argento Malbec ’20 Argentina $13
From organically grown grapes; deep purple hue; inviting aromas of red berries and flowers, and flavors of plum and sweet blackberry; finishes with ripe, balanced tannins– way over-delivers for its modest price.
The Wolftrap Syrah Mourvèdre Viognier ’21 South Africa $13
Syrah-mourvèdre blend; aromas of ripe plum, red currant, violets, Italian herbs and exotic spices; vibrant flavors of dark berries and spicy plum with hints of orange peel that linger on a juicy finish. (read more)
Wine of the Week: Wolftrap Syrah-Mourvèdre-Viognier ’21 South Africa $13
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 over 200 years ago, 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 here long ago . This wine was named in homage to the mysteries and legends of those 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 modest $13 price point.
Economics of the Heart: Timothy Snyder’s Four Scenarios
A couple of weeks ago authoritarianism history expert Timothy Snyder posted a very interesting set of scenarios to address the tumult about President Biden’s continuing fitness as the best candidate to assure the defeat of convicted felon and far more mind-impaired Candidate Tweetster in the November election.
If you have been conscious over the last several years, you already know that the fate of human civilization and indeed our entire planet is at stake in this election. This has been spelled out in great detail in Project 2025, the detailed plan of the Heritage Foundation to end American democracy completely. Their new vision for America is an authoritarian state no longer ruled by a Constitutional balance of power among the President, Congress, and the Courts. Instead it will be controlled by a Unitary Executive recently endowed by the Supreme Court with the limitless powers of a King, including the arrest, confinement, and/or execution of any citizen for any reason…even, we presume, a passing moment of petty ennui.
Metaphor #1: Some years ago Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki gave a presentation here in Bellingham about the growing dangers of climate change. Someone in the audience asked “should we be worried about Climate Change…?” Suzuki’s immediate response was “You should be shi**ing your pants!!”
Metaphor #2: Also many years ago I read a read a great book called “Heavy Weather Sailing” by very experienced British sailor K. Adlard Coles. One unforgettable quote spoke with great authority and humility that experiencing a hurricane at sea in a sailboat was something “most devoutly to be eschewed.” Ah, the British penchant for understatement…
So let us make no mistake: There never has been a election anywhere in the world more important than this one. A Tweetster win would realign our country away from our traditional allies and into service to the Bad Guys. It would radically change the global political balance of power. Everything we care about is at stake.
So, with that preface, let’s go back to Timothy Snyder’s proposal. Called “Biden Experiments,” his essay describes, in a curiously calming way, the main challenges of the moment, and four options for addressing them. We found his analysis clarifying and helpful enough to suspect that it is already guiding discussions at the highest levels about campaign strategy between now and November.
So look it over, think about it, and let’s talk about it this weekend at wine tasting!
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