Lummi Island Wine Tasting May 21 ’11

Posted at May 19, 2011

still warm from Mother’s Day…

Wine Tasting Classes begin this Sunday–still room for a few more!
Join sommelier and new Island resident Ryan Wildstar, who will present a series of four wine-tasting classes every other week beginning Sunday afternoon, May 22, from 2-4. The first workshop will be:

Introduction to Wine: The Five “S’s” of Wine Tasting   Sunday, May 22nd, 2-4pm $20
We will discuss the principles of wine history and culture with a focus on the basic principles of wine tasting and analysis. An introduction to wine terminology, wine-pairing, and how to buy great inexpensive wine based on reading the label and knowing the region. Enjoyed with: 1 Sparkling Wine, 2 White Wines, 3 Red Wines. Paired with Artisan Cheeses and Charcuterie. (That’s six wines, tasty bites, good company, and wine education, all for 20 bucks! This is gonna be FUN!)

In case you missed the delicious Anne Amie Amrita white blend last weekend, there are just a few left (and most of those promised!) and I am trying to get more…but they are already sold out, so could be difficult. As a small consolation, we expect to be getting more of “The Other” white, which we poured a few weeks ago, and which is also really tasty!

Our three reds last week were delicious, alleviating my reservations about the new vintages. The Venta Morales tempranillo and the Altos Hormigas malbec are old favorites around here, and the trend continues as both tasted great. A new wine for us is the just-released Isenhower Purple Paintbrush, a cab franc-based blend from Walla Walla that delivers big flavor. We have more of all three wines in stock.

We went to a great French wine tasting a few weeks ago, wines arriving next week, so expect a French tasting soon. And then there was an awesome Italian wine tasting this past Monday at Il Graniao in Mt. Vernon (check it out, great food!), so you can expect a great Italian tasting soon…maybe two, as some past orders will also be arriving in June.

Studio Tour is next weekend and we will be open all day both Saturday and Sunday for Memorial Day weekend. In the “wine bar” part of the gallery we will continue our showing of Mary Beth Watkins’ photos of the Doors of Lyon— the more I look at them the more attached to them I become, so don’t miss them. In the “window” part of the gallery we will be showing a selection of Ryan’s (yes, our sommelier!) constructions from found objects. We are also working on a couple of winemakers to come and pour their wines for us for Studio Tour– wish us luck– so be sure to check next week’s posting for to see how we did!

This is someone’s Front Door...??

You know…it might actually be drinkable…!

Fyi, most Thursday nights while I slave over this blog the neighborhood “ladies” are playing Mah Jong in the wine shop…!!

OMG!   Two More “Talls“…and now they have secret hand signals!!

I should take my daughters to Lummi Island  more often!

This Week’s Saturday Tasting:

Shaya Verdejo  ’09     Spain    91pts     $13
Barrel-fermented and aged on its lees. Medium straw-colored, if offers up an alluring aroma of baking spices, spring flowers, and peach. On the palate it has a creamy texture, vibrant acidity, and intense flavors leading to a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Just in time for summery weather!

La Quercia Aglianico  ‘09   Italy   $11
Believed to be an ancient Greek wine grape, aglianico is a full bodied with notes of ripe plum and white pepper on fine-grained tannins.

Sorenson Malbec ‘07 Washington $18
Discovered this little winery in Port Townsend recently, and this was my favorite wine. Complex aromas of bright black cherry, juniper, and smoke lead to a satisfying palate with intriguing layers of fruit, berry, and spice flavors.

Urban Ribera Ribera del Duero ’07   Spain   91pts   $14
100% Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo), four months in French oak. Purple-colored, it offers up a fragrant bouquet of scorched earth, violets, and black cherry that leaps from the glass. Smooth-textured and suave on the palate, it has loads of succulent black fruit, silky tannins, excellent depth and grip, and a juicy finish.

Wine Tasting

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