Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 9-11 ’12 Artists’ Studio Tour

Posted at November 8, 2012

A Toast to our Default Art

After we took down our great show from Labor Day weekend featuring works by Kathy, Gerry, and Ryan, we had, as usual, reverted to our default wine posters, which we really like. Most of them are from a series commissioned by Longoria Winery in Los Olivos. As we have mentioned at various times over the years, they produce a cab franc blend each year called “Blues Cuvee,” and every other year they commission an artist to paint yet another interpretation. So far we have liked them all. It’s really a great series, and we like how they look in the gallery.

 

 

 

 

Studio Tour Featured Artists

At the same time, we also love having different Island artists show their works at our place. It’s a great way to change the decor, tweak the atmosphere, provide a venue for local art, and meet new people. This weekend we have new watercolors from Meredith Moench and recent works by Brendan Dunn. We dropped by Meredith’s studio during Labor Day Studio Tour and fell in love with many of her new watercolors, which feature great light, color, and composition, and are happy to have many of those same works in the gallery this weekend. Sorry we don’t have photos of her new work to post here (remember…? our camera is kaputsky!). I am also sure most of you will remember Brendan’s vivid oil paintings of Hawaiian flowers that we showed last year, and we have more of those on display. I also found a picture of one of his newest works on his Facebook page (left) , and have already started lobbying to get it in the gallery before Thanksgiving…we’ll see! We are open Friday (4-7), Saturday (10-6), and Sunday (10-5) this weekend, so come on by, take a look, taste some wine, and hang out!

 

Blue Rodeo

As I write this tonight, I have turned on the radio here in the back room, at random, really, and got hooked into the music on CBC Radio 2, (somewhere around 92 FM), and have very much been enjoying the music while I write. When I first tuned in, I had no idea what I was listening to, but it turned out to be a 25-yr anniversary concert (I may have the number wrong) by a group I have never heard of (Okay, okay, I lead a sheltered life!) but whom I am sure Everyone else has been enjoying for, you know, decades. The group is “Blue Rodeo,” and their harmonies and acoustic music have a really nice sound, very reminiscent of the “late sixties-early seventies,” or in Old People parlance, “back when music was actually, you know, Music.” Anyway, chances are we can find them on Pandora and play them in the wine shop this weekend…  Check them out

 

California Notes

Yesterday we returned from a week in Napa (see last week’s post). The fall colors are still developing, but definitely present, soft yellows, oranges, reds, and greens under a perfect deep blue autumn sky. During the day the temperature got up into the 70’s, sometimes close to 80 (yes, fellow Islanders, way too hot for the likes of us!), then dropping to 50’s at night. Grapes are now mostly harvested, and wineries are rich with the smell of fermentation. We did visit a few wineries (yum!) and several delightful restaurants, and in the process took in a lot of lovely scenery. I have to confess that if rent weren’t three to five times what it is here we might even think about moving there someday. That said, it is nice to be home, and we are looking forward to visiting with you all this weekend.

 

This week’s tasting:

Legoe Bay Viognier ’08        Washington       $8
The new release of Lummi Island’s only winery’s flagship wine offers subtle floral and fruit notes with lots of fruit, great texture, and balanced acidity.

Honoro Vera Monastrell   ’10      Spain      $9
Tank aged 100% Monastrell. Its pleasing nose reveals notes of underbrush, mineral, and blueberry leading to a savory, spicy, nicely balanced medium-bodied wine.

Kiona cab-merlot ‘08     Washington     $10
Rich, earthy, spicy, and crisp; good showing of Washington fruit at a real bargain price; great for sipping or with any meal.

Urban Ribera  ’07   Spain   90pts   $14
Deep purple in color with an inviting perfume of violets, Asian spices, black cherry, and blackberry, on the palate it is layered, plush, and intense


Wine Tasting

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