lummi island wine tasting june 5 ’20
click on photos for larger images
Bread, Social Distance, and Wine Tasting
As mentioned last week, Janice continues to send the week’s Bread Menu to her mailing list each Sunday, and accepts orders till Wednesday for Friday pickup. Btw, our Archives tell us that we are (OMD!) just now beginning our Sixth Year of the Friday afternoon Bread pickup and Wine Tasting tradition!
Though the wine shop remains closed for tastings due to COVID, Friday bread pickups have morphed into an impromptu Covid Isolation Therapy Tailgate party at the Ferry Parking Lot beginning around 4pm. Many set up folding chairs, bring wine and glasses, and share company and conversation (with appropriate physical distancing, of course!)…not the same experience as in the wine shop, but an entirely pleasant relief from the ongoing lack of social contact.
This week marks our Third Tailgate Mini-tasting in the Parking Lot (three wines). We have all been missing the conversations and camaraderie of our customary weekend gatherings at the wine shop, and the Parking Lot Scene definitely provides some much-needed Social Nourishment. Hope to see you there!
How to Make an Online Wine Order
We are continuing to take individual wine orders online or by phone for pickup at the wine shop. Click on the “Order Wine” heading at the top of this page for a partial list of our current offerings. When you have made your selections there are two ways to order:
- Click “Contact Us”on the website header bar at the top of this page, enter the names and quantities of each wine you would like to order, and click “Submit,” or…
- Phone us your order at the number next to our logo, above.
It’s that Simple!
Boekenhoutskloof
Over the past several weeks we have been introduced to several very pleasant and surprisingly inexpensive wines from South Africa. Earlier this year we discovered a lovely merlot from Indaba which many of you have come back for several times. Over the last few weeks we have poured two delicious chenin blancs (Terre Brulee and MAN), and a couple of pinotage blends (MAN, Kanankopf), all selling for $11-$15.
This weekend we are offering yet another in this series, this time a red blend called The Wolftrap from Boekenhoutskloof winery on the Western Cape. The area specializes in syrah, and this is a blend with mourvedre and a bit of viognier. (see tasting notes below)
Mar a Lago Update: Opening Salvos in the War for an American Soul
Last week we explored how the Nazis seized the opportunity presented by the 1932 Reichstag Fire (or started it themselves…) to create an Exploitable Hysteria among the public that the nation was being attacked from without and that only the Muscle of the Nazis could save them. Hitler took control of all national media for the entire next decade and used it to distribute carefully designed Propaganda (i.e., “Fake News”) to convince the people of Germany that the nation was facing an Existential Crisis brought on by foreigners, Jews, Gypsies, and other non-Aryans. Within a few months the Nazis had taken Complete Power. Hitler declared a National Emergency and took away most individual rights in the name of National Defense; violators were sent to Concentration Camps. Most scary to note for us today…those rights were not returned until after Hitler was defeated in 1945.
Fast forward to this week, when a Mindless policeman and his cronies in Minneapolis (OMG…Really? Minneapolis??) has ignited our very own Reichstag Fire and thrown the entire nation — and much of the World– into Chaos with his self-absorbed Slo-Mo Murder of George Floyd, caught on video to the Horror of the Entire World. His Nine Minutes of Thoughtlessness may have changed the world forever by igniting a Civil War in America that has been building for several decades.
In the past week we have seen a battle of Two Narratives on the Meaning of Mr. Floyd’s senseless and heartbreaking death. Speaking for he Right, the Tweetster has called for Mayors and Governors to deploy Overwhelming Force to Suppress Demonstrators. Somewhat to the Left we have military leaders like Admiral Mike Mullen and General James Mattis taking strong stands against the involvement of the military in civil issues, and we strongly support that point of view.
Here at the Wine Gallery we may be even further Left. If we think of movies as metaphors, one major impact of fifties films like The Blob is that lethal enemies might have no Shape, no declared allegiance, and no Uniform to warn you not to trust them. So we have to rely on our own insight, values, and perspective to know what is right.
Most of us who were born in the 40’s were taught a noble view of our country. America stands for Right vs. Might, Truth vs. Lies, Honor vs. Deception. Every human being is Worthy and Equal. In my own case, my years as a midshipman deliberately trained me to believe in truth, honor, loyalty, responsibility, and service. So when General Mattis and Admiral Mullen chastise our so-called President for failing to reach beyond his Ego for once and grasp the enormous responsibility of his Example and Responsibility, I feel a sense of relief that they have spoken out, and that so many national leaders are calling for justice and restraint.
These are Scary Times. Recent events are only the latest salvos in the 20 year-old Republican agenda is to make America a dumbed-down, one-party country, take over all branches of state and federal government, repeal the Bill of Rights one phrase at a time, make the President a Unitary Dictator, and turn this country into a Christian-Fascist Feudal State divided into Competing Corporate Fiefdoms. Or to put it another way, Republicans are Orcs, and Democrats are Hobbits, and we all know which side we are on!
This Week’s Friday Tailgate Tasting
Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes ’17 Argentina $11
Highly perfumed aromas of lemon drop, grapefruit, white flowers, peppermint and white pepper. Supple, pliant and easygoing, with citrus, herbal and floral flavors joined by a hint of licorice.
The Wolftrap Red Blend Western Cape ’18 South Africa $11
Syrah, mourvedre, viognier; notes of black spice, dusty red plum and blackberry fruits in the glass with a soft smoky, floral essence. Medium-bodied, with flavors of dark cherries, plum and subtle red and black spices show up on the mid-palate and lead to an easy finish.
Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon California $21
Medium ruby red; opens with scents of currants and dried roses, grape pomace and fresh tilled soil. The nose is nuanced with toasty oak imparting a subtle smoked meat character. Flavors of blueberries and blackberries mix with the warmth of vanilla and toasted bread. Silky tannins and striking smoothness. Mouthwatering, lengthy finish trails off with the taste of unsweetened chocolate and cassis.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
2072 Granger Way