Lummi Island Wine Tasting September 24 ’11

Posted at September 22, 2011

NO MORE THURSDAYS TILL SPRING      NO MORE THURSDAYS TILL SPRING

As mentioned last week, traffic has been light during drydock, and Thursday evenings (never a crowd) have been marginal. So in consultation with Ryan, our volunteer Thursday and Friday night host, we are closing down the Thursday evening openings till sometime next Spring. We will still be open Friday evenings from 4-7pm, so we invite you to stop by, schmooze with the gang, load up for the weekend, and miss the Saturday crowd– or better yet, come by both Friday AND Saturday. What ELSE can you do on Lummi Island in the Fall? (It’s official…Fall officially arrives September 23 this year!)

FERRY NEWS   FERRY NEWS  FERRY NEWS   FERRY NEWS  FERRY NEWS

For those of you who might not have heard, the County Council did approve the new 35-year lease with Lummi Nation two weeks ago. So all you potential visitors from the mainland can rest easy, secure in the knowledge that your intrepid Whatcom Chief will be on the job, ready to carry you reliably and predictably across the Pond. And, of course, if that doesn’t work out, all the more reason to come by the wine shop until any crisis passes. (We have our own kind of “emergency planning”…!)

LAST WEEK   LAST WEEK   LAST WEEK   LAST WEEK   LAST WEEK   LAST WEEK

If I didn’t run this place I would still be in love with it. Probably the best thing about having a wine shop is that I know that I can grab any bottle at all off the shelf and I will like it. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. Years ago, before all this started, I would go into a wine shop or grocery store and be faced with hundreds and hundreds of choices, overwhelmed, having no basis for making a choice. Now I am faced with hundreds of wines that I have tasted and liked enough to offer to you in the shop. For those of you who follow the point scores in wine press like Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate, most of the wines we carry have scored 89 points or better (with a few 88’s on our “under $12” rack). Our hope is that every bottle that goes out our door makes someone say “mmmmmm, that’s good!”

Last week’s wines were a good example. The Novelty Hill Chardonnay (91pts) was a great example of the balance of Washington wines between ripe fruitiness and food-friendly acidity, and the Kiona cab-merlot is a bargain hunter’s red wine with the same characteristics. The Rubio wine from Montalcino, though unclassified as either a rosso or brunello, still shows the velvet power of the local varietal sangiovese grosso. And finally, the Dynasty Cellars DCZ zinfandel from our friend Peter just across Haro Strait wowed everyone with its plush, full-bodied style.

TALLS   TALLS   TALLS   TALLS   TALLS   TALLS   TALLS   TALLS   TALLS   TALLS

Also last weekend our friends “the Talls” (a recurring theme, starring Rachel, Andreea, and their many friends) celebrated a housewarming of sorts after all the work they have put in on their island retreat. The party was on Sunday in their delightfully renovated 100-yr-old cabin, but on Saturday we enjoyed a visit from Rachel’s mom and a bunch of cousins. Honestly, this is an outgoing, social, life-affirming family that never fails to brighten the energy around here, lift the spirits, and, of course, raise the noise level a few festive decibels when any subgroup arrives…so if you are in the shop sometime when I look out the window and announce “It’s the Talls!”, all you need to do is get ready for a good time, as their party is already in progress, and anyone nearby gets included!!! (That’s Rachel’s Mom in pink!)

This week’s wines:

Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino 2010   Italy    WA89pts    $13
A gorgeous white wine, with hints of papaya, passionfruit, flowers and light honey woven together in a fabric of notable elegance, followed by clean mineral notes that frame the finish beautifully– a totally convincing, harmonious white to supplement nearly any dish.

Peirano Estates The Immortal Zin ’08     California       $10
Hand selected from 113-year-old vines; deceptively subtle aromas of this wine combine red and black cherry, mineral, earthy rhubarb and slightly spicy red fruit; palate is wrapped in velvety layers of sweet red cherry, strawberry, cocoa and juicy red fruit leading to a lengthy, hedonistic finish– a lot of wine for $10!

Poderi Elia Barbera d’Asti ‘08 Italy $14
Balanced, soft, and rich, with freshly pressed cranberries on the nose, and lush palate of bright pomegranate, bright acidity, and soft tannins that beg for pairing with a savory meal.

Pago de las Capellanes ‘09 Spain WA90pts $17
Spicy black fruit aromas, lavender, and leather lead to a ripe, intense, savory wine that will pair beautifully with grilled foods over the next 4-5 years….an outstanding value and a big hit last time we poured it.

Wine Tasting

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