lummi island wine tasting nov 22 ’19
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Friday Breads This Week
As in previous years, bread this week will be limited to two kinds of dinner rolls in time for Thanksgiving dinner next week. Each order will contain six rolls, three each of:
Petite Polenta Boules – Made with bread flour, polenta, milk and a bit of brown sugar for sweetness, then loaded up with pumpkin seeds for a bit of crunch.
Cranberry Walnut Rolls – Made with bread flour, milk, brown sugar and eggs. Then loaded up with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries.
(breads must be pre-ordered by Wednesday for pickup here at the wine shop at our Friday wine tasting, 4-6pm. Planning a visit to the Island? Email us to get on the mailing list!)
Thanksgiving Schedule
Please note the wine shop will be closed for Thanksgiving weekend, November 22-23.
Therefore there will be neither bread deliveries nor wine tasting next week.
We will be open as usual the following weekend December 6-7. Happy Thanksgiving!
Terre D’Oro
Back in 1848, the California Gold Rush brought some 300,000 people to the Sierra Foothills looking to make their fortunes. Over the next few years, the huge influx of gold seekers to region brought starvation, disease, and genocide to the Native Californian Indian and Mexican population, and rapidly brought the Territory toward Statehood.
When the Gold Rush petered out a few years later, many would-be miners, especially of European origin, turned to planting vineyards and making wine. By the turn of the 20th century there were over 100 wineries in the region. As a result, some of the oldest vineyards in the country today are located in the Sierra Hills appellation, which is particularly known for its oldest vines, particularly Zinfandel, many over 100 years old.
For several years we have regularly stocked an old vines zinfandel from from one of those old wineries, then called Montevino, now called Terre D’oro. Last week we were visited by a rep from Terre D’Oro, who poured a number of other wines, two of which we are pouring for you this weekend.
The first is Petite Sirah, first introduced in the region in the 1880s. It was originally a French grape known as Duril; it makes a rich wine with lush blueberry and spice notes and deep, dark color in the glass, with stong tannins that give it considerable longevity in the cellar.
The second is is their Zinfandel Port. Grapes for the wine are left to ripen until they reach a maximum sugar content. Before fermentation is completed (i.e., there is still considerable unfermented sugar) the juice is fortified with grape brandy, which stops the fermentation process. The resulting juice is then aged in oak barrels to yield a smooth, sweet, and warming dessert wine.
Mar a Lago Update: Holy Smoking Guns, Batman!
The resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974 followed a two year process that began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee Office in the Watergate Hotel in June 1972. The Nixon White House resisted Congressional investigation into the incident from the beginning. Even after two years of legal challenges and the release of many White House tapes, there was still considerable reluctance on the part of Republicans to support impeachment.
It was not until July 1974 that the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to turn over numerous tapes that had so far been withheld that the so-called “Smoking Gun” tape was released, in which Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate cover-up was made explicit. Within a few days his support in both the House and Senate had plummeted so fast and so far that it was clear that he would be forced from office. To save some face, he chose to resign rather that face the humiliation of Impeachment.
In the present circumstance, the Tweetster is facing the strong likelihood that the Democratic-controlled House will soon issue Articles of Impeachment against him. Assuming the Articles are passed in the House, it will fall to the Republican-controlled Senate to try the case and decide whether or not to remove him from office. So far in the proceedings we have seen no indication that any more than a few, if any, Republican Senators would be inclined to vote to impeach.
Back in 44 BC, the Roman Senate was upset with the ambitions and growing political power of Emperor Julius Caesar and formed a plot to assassinate him. They carried it out in the Senate Chamber, with all the Senators taking a turn at stabbing him, and he bled to death on the Senate steps. Fearing his ambitions, they conspired to murder him in the Senate, and they did.
Fast forwarding to Today, we have seen from the Hearings in the House Intelligence Committee over the past two weeks that the country and the Congress are intensely polarized on the idea of Impeachment. True Believer Trumpodytes have convinced themselves with their own talking points that he did Nothing Wrong, while at the same time we have seen convincing evidence of Presidential wrongdoing, including in particular using his office for bribery/extortion of a foreign State in exchange for personal and political favors and obstructing Justice by ordering subordinates to defy Congressional subpoenas.
As in the Nixon case four decades ago, the Nation remains deeply polarized on the issue almost entirely along Party Lines. After this week, those of us on the left are completely convinced that the Tweetster jeopardized the security of an important foreign ally engaged in a hot war with a long time mutual geopolitical rival by delaying military aid in exchange for political and person political favors. Odds are that the Democratic-controlled House will vote to impeach him and that the Republican-controlled Senate will decline to do so.
Still…the look on Darth McConnell’s face a few weeks ago when The T abandoned our Kurdish allies as a favor to Turkey’s President Erdogan was very much how we might imagine that of Cassius’ telltale “lean and hungry look” that forebode Caesar’s assassination. It may be wishful thinking, but it’s not hard to imagine that the Tweetster may have become too much of a liability for the Republican leadership to tolerate any further. Time will tell…
Washington Post Tweetster Lie Count to date 13,445 as of 10/10/19
This week’s tasting
Folie a Deux Pinot Grigio ’16 California $11
Lively aromas of white peach, honeysuckle, citrus and perfumed pear open to a palate of tropical fruit, honey and spice and a crisp, clean finish.
Particular Garnacha ’13 Spain $14
Old vines garnacha from stony soil and the extreme climatological conditions that yield smaller, more concentrated, intense and aromatic grapes. It is a powerful, tasty and complex wine that will surprise and please.
Terra d’Oro Petite Syrah ’16 California $14
An exotic earthy character dominates this dark-colored, full-bodied and firmly tannic wine, giving it a rustic feral appeal that gets progressively more enjoyable on the palate and finish. Blackberry and blueberry flavors underneath add to its appeal.
Iron and Sand Cabernet Sauvignon ’17 California $24
Nose of black fruit, violet, stone, loam and a hint of herbs lead to dry palate of black cherry, purple flowers and soil, with a hint of black olive.
Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port California $21
Aromas of raisined berry fruit, sugared dates, chocolate, caramel and orange peel lead to a rich, lush, palate with flavors of raisin, cocoa, coffee and toffee. Great on its own or with any kind of chocolate, Stilton cheese. or toasted walnuts.
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2072 Granger Way