lummi island wine tasting september 23 ’15
(note: some photos may enlarge on clicking)
Friday Breads (Contact Janice to get on her email list!)
Pain au Levain- A reliable favorite, this delicious multigrain levain is made with bread flour, freshly milled whole wheat and rye flours and leavened with sourdough culture. A great, flavorful all around artisan bread – $5/loaf.
Polenta Pepita – A beautiful golden loaf made with bread flour, freshly milled whole wheat, polenta cornmeal and toasted pumpkin seeds – $5/loaf.
Gibassiers. These delightful pastries are full of the flavors of Provence. Orange, anise, olive oil and lots of butter and eggs as well, once baked they are brushed with melted butter and rolled in sugar, my oh my, who can resist – 2/$5.
A New Take on Terroir
It’s called “Saccharomyces cerevisiae,” an ancient species of yeast that has been in blessed symbiosis with the human diet for thousands of years. This is the yeast that came to humans like Saint Nick on Christmas, and has been refilling our stockings ever since with with bread, wine, and beer, all of which we love and are made possible by this little fungus, which grows naturally on ripe fruit– you know, like grapes! True, we humans did a lot of fiddling with it over the years to make it more user-friendly, like the development of granulated dry yeast during WWII which lets anyone make bread pretty much anywhere, but the basic stuff co-evolved with every other living thing.
We have often discussed in these posts the elusive concept of “terroir,” by which wines from a particular place share a certain typicite in their aroma or flavor profiles. Recent research has revealed that this little yeast, which is found throughout the world, plays a significant role in generating these local differences. So yes, we can still think of terroir as the set local characteristics of a specific micro-region, like soil composition, sun exposure, day-night heating and cooling, and so forth. Now, added to that constellation we know that terroir also includes whatever local variation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae settles on the ripe grapes in late summer. Read more
Bardolino
Lake Garda lies about halfway between Venice and Milan in northeast Italy. The little wine region of Bardolino lies along the southeastern shore. Established as a DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) in 1968, wines called bardolino must be a blend of corvina, rondinella, and molinara, the same grapes used in the nearby Veneto region to make valpolicella. Typically Bardolino contains a smaller percentage of the more robust and flavorful corvina than Valpolicella. And since grape yields are often quite high in the Bardolino DOC, it can be argued that Valpolicella is more carefully restricted and perhaps higher in quality- and often lower in price.
This week’s tasting includes a Bardolino that strays from this stereotype. With 60% corvina and 30% rondinella, the blend has more weight and structure than a typical Bardolino, and in that sense is more typical of a Valpolicella blend. Wherever it comes from, however, and whatever the grape proportions, Bardolino tends to be light, fruity, and crisp, pairing well with many dishes, even those which normally would be served with white wine. It’s a good pairing for all kinds of dishes that are Flavorful without getting all the way to Robust. In other words, it’s a great wine for nearly all occasions!
I Still Blame the Business Schools
About thirty years ago our local newspaper, the Bellingham Herald, published one of my Letters to the Editor. Paraphrasing from memory, the basic idea was this:
“There’s a new kind of school that’s become Very Popular. All the young people want to go there. They’re called Business Schools. Mainly they teach students to always Wear a Tie. The ties are a Uniform that can be used to control their minds. The knot around the throat reminds them Never to Tell the Truth. The center part covers up their Hearts so they never have to Show Compassion. And the end covers up their Belly Buttons so they can Completely Forget they are Human Beings while they conduct Business.”
Well, not much has changed in thirty years, including my opinion of Business Schools, their Ilk, their Kith and their Kin. I still believe they are a Scourge on the Planet, the place where the new Overseer Class learns to Serve the One Tenth of One Percent for a little piece of the Action.
There are probably a bunch of reasons why this is coming up for me right now, including the Pope’s visit (Stranger in a Strange Land?), the so-called Presidential Campaign (Send in the Clowns?), the Global Refugee Crisis (Nowhere to Run to, Baby?), the deepening Climate Crisis (I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire?), and the continuing Concentration of Wealth (Buddy Can You Spare a Dime?).
I’m just saying, there is a Lot Going On, and I’m looking at this Sweet-Spirited Pope, and wishing he could get some Traction with his messages of Social Justice and Environmental Caring, but feeling and fearing that Leonard was so on target when he wrote, “Everybody knows that the War is Over; Everybody Knows that the Good Guys Lost…! sigh.. It’s been quiet in the wine shop during Drydock; come on by this weekend and cheer me up, huh…?!
This week’s wine tasting
Matthews Sauvignon Blanc ’13 Washington
A scintillating nose of lime, melon, green apple and hints of quince, with a racy background of grapefruit and herbs. Bright, crisp and steely, with bracing acidity and minerality.
Treana White ’13 Washington $16
Assertive aromas of poached pear, peach, honey, chamomile and vanilla, with a spicy topnote. Fleshy and broad on the palate, offering deep orchard and pit fruit flavors braced by zesty acidity and a gingery nuance. Distinctly rich but lively as well, finishing with solid punch and lingering sappiness.
Altos Malbec Clasico ’13 Argentina $10
Aromas of blackberry, strawberry, mocha and smoked meat, plus a hint of violet. Supple, soft and sweet flavors of black fruits and licorice, finisheing with smooth tannins and hints of chocolate and licorice.
Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon ’12 California $14
Exudes aromas of plum, black currants, blackberry, smoke, and earth. Soft tannins and bright acidity add balance and substance; concentrated flavors of raspberries and black cherries dominate the entry, with refined notes of earth and pepper and lingering hints of cherry on the long and satisfying finish.
Corte Gordoni La Fontane Bardolino ’12 Italy $14
Bardolino is made from a blend of 60% Corvina for structure, weight and a sour-cherry aroma, and 30% Rondinella for the wine’s appealingly fresh, herby flavor. Corvina vines are Guyot trained; all other varieties are spurred Cordon Vines.
lummi island wine tasting september 18 ’15
Friday Breads (sign up for preorder list! )
Buttermilk Currant- Half bread flour and half freshly milled whole wheat. Buttermilk tenderizes the crumb to be loaded with currants, a bit of honey for sweetness and hint of rosemary.– $5/loaf.
Pain Meunier – aka “Miller’s Bread,” an old favorite honoring the miller by including all parts of the wheat berry: bread flour, whole wheat, cracked wheat, wheat bran and wheat germ. – $5/loaf.
Bagels. Traditional bagels topped with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, mixed seeds or plain. Boiled and baked. David S. says these are the best shiksa bagels he’s ever had! Don’t miss out, limited quantities are available – it’s a tough dough to mix by hand! – 4/$5 (oops, sold out on pre-order!)
Alsace
Alsace is one of those wine regions with a Dedicated Cult Following. It is also one of those regions that I know almost nothing about, and need to learn more. Politically, of course, the region is precariously located north of Switzerland along the border between France and Germany, and over the centuries it has been a bone of contention between the two countries, eventually developing its own unique character by blending the two influences.
The predominant grapes are white: gewurztraminer, riesling, pinot blanc. Because these grapes have been grown here for centuries, regardless of what country happened to be claiming the region at the time, it has long been sorted out which grapes do best in which locations. And, like many European wine regions, each vintage faces its own challenges getting the enough (but not too much at once) amounts of water and heat each year. As it turns out, both 2012 and 2013 were a bit challenging– 2012 for its see-saw between warm and cold conditions, and 2013 for a long and cold spring, a dry summer, and a wet fall.
Our selection this weekend may not come from one of the many Established Houses of the region, but it does demonstrate a certain “typicité” of Alsation riesling. Come on by and try it as we begin our exploration of this highly admired wine-growing region.
Domaine Moulinier
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost five years since we visited Domaine Moulinier in St. Chinian. The winery is in its fifth and sixth generations with retiring winemaker Guy Moulinier (we had a great time trying to understand each other while he gave us a tour of the winery) and his son Stephane who now makes most of the wines. In the winery are astonishing displays of fossils and artifacts dug up in the past hundred years in their vineyards, including dinosaur eggs and bones and stone tools of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon hominids. Their collection rivals anything you would see in a museum, really amazing.
Since we visited in 2011, many of you have also visited the winery on one of Ryan’s wine tours. By now, of course, Ryan is an import agent for Moulinier and a number of other French wineries, and we regularly carry Moulinier wines.
Circus Maximus
Let’s face it, there are a lot of things that are Bizarre about the current Presidential Campaign, too many to list. But sometimes, when things we view seem too complicated, it is useful to Squint a bit, or Step Back a bit, enough to let the distortive forces register their own little insights…you know, if any are to be had.
At this particular moment, the Squint Exercise reveals a couple of interesting facts.
1. Everyone Hates the Mainstream. This is really pretty interesting. On the Right, Donald Trump is surging in popularity with his unapologetic Bluster, firing at will on the rest of the Clown Show of Republican aspirants. On the Left, Bernie Sanders is surging in popularity with his Everyman appeal to Reason and Social Justice. Between them, it seems that Mainstream Voters of all persuasions have Had It with Corporate-Controlled, Bought & Paid For Politicians.
2. Bernie talks to the People, while Donald talks to the Media. This is even more interesting. Sanders has been drawing huge crowds of supporters wherever he goes, meeting people face-to-face, growing popular despite the fact that he is largely panned by the mainstream media. On the other hand, Trump has unprecedented access to Big Media, so that everything he does is News, to the point that one rarely sees him in a crowd, only on a podium addressing Media.
In some bizarre way they both appeal to the disappointed and disillusioned across the political spectrum. Ordinarily in such circumstances the Mainstream regroups and Absorbs these pesky populist rebels by promising them a few crumbs while reasserting the Stability of the Status Quo.This time it is hard to see how that is going to happen. Nevertheless, our bet is that Mainstream Forces will Crush both forms of Populism like Bugs on a Limousine Windshield.
In other words, it’s a good time to stock up your wine cellar!
This week’s wine tasting
Schoenheitz Vin D’Alsace Riesling ’13 France-Alsace $15
Bright straw yellow with green reflections. Expressive nose bloomed nicely with lemon and a hint of minerality. A pretty generous fruit supported by fine acidity and elegant with a fresh and invigorating lemony finish.
Caymus Conundrum White ’13 California $16
Blend of Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc, Viognier, and Muscat Canelli. Nose of citrus orchard in bloom. Tastes sweet without being cloying, showing fig, apricot, exotic spice and melon flavors. Ends clean and pure.
Domaine Moulinier Rouge ’10 France $13
70% Syrah, 25% Grenache, and 5% Mourvèdre; Nice spice and garrigue on the nose, with a broad palate of ripe red fruit, with a bit of orange note on the finish. Smooth and soothing.
Steele Outkaste Red ’11 Mendocino $16
53% zinfandel, with syrah, tempranillo, petite sirah, and petit verdot; aromas of black pepper, raspberry, and cobbler, with palate of brambly blackberry, cassis, and spices.
Bocelli Sangiovese Italy $14
Bright,, lush, and appealing; deliciously ripe and smoky, with notes of marasca cherry, granite, and rhubarb compote. Finish is long and dry, with admirable acidity that makes the palate taut and pleasing.
lummi island wine tasting september 11 ’15
Taking a break
Well, friends, it has been a demanding couple of weeks, as discussed in last week’s blog. A lot going on! Even in the best of times (at our age, every moment is the best of times regardless of its content, n’est-ce pas?) we have closed the wine shop the weekend after Labor Day.
So this little break is part of a long tradition. We are at present off the island in our little trailer, dogs and all, and quite enjoying A Change of Pace.
The important takeaway here is that the wine shop will be closed this weekend: no Bread, no Wine.
We look forward to seeing you next weekend, September 18-19 when Janice will return with Fresh Bread and we will be back with Ripe Wine!
Lummi island wine tasting fall studio tour September 6-7 ’15
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Friday Breads (sign up for preorder list! )
Buckwheat with dried apples and cider– Bread flour + thirty percent buckwheat flour and whole buckwheat for added texture. Buckwheat pairs well with apples and using apple cider in place of water adds to the flavor $5/loaf.
Sonnenblumenbrot – also known as Sunflower seed bread. This bread is made with a mix of rye and bread flours and loaded with sunflower seeds $5/loaf.
Hamburger buns- These soft buns are made with a mix of bread and whole wheat flours and have an onion topping. 4/$5
Featured Artist
Our featured artist for Studio Tour is Meredith Moench, with a series of new watercolors. We have enjoyed watching Meredith’s watercolors evolve over the past several years, skillfully using light to evoke the emotional qualities we all experience in our Pacific Northwest landscape. Meredith will be in the shop Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10- 1 to meet you and talk about her new works.
Uh-oh…!
A few weeks ago we talked about our excitement at having fallen for a sweet little sailboat which we had just bought. Well, merely a month later Lummi Island and the rest of the PNW were visited by a Freak windstorm of the sort that sometimes occurs in late fall or winter, but which has not occurred in recent recorded history earlier than mid-October. This past Saturday we were hit by S and SE winds of 45-50 kts with sustained gusts up to 60. Our dear little Dreamtime was caught on her mooring with inadequate lines to meet the challenge (we hadn’t gotten around to it yet…dumb mistake), and snapped free around noon. Within about 15 minutes she was swept a quarter mile north onto the rocky beach just south of the ferry dock.
This photo must have been taken next morning, after an intense community effort pulled her high up on the beach on the late night high tide. Obviously much work remained if she were to be saved.
The Power of Community
Within minutes of the beaching, a large group of islanders appeared on the scene to help. The boat was mostly on coarse gravel, leaned steeply to starboard with low rocks to either side. Two-foot waves kept coming in from astern. Initial attempts to refloat the boat were dashed when it became obvious she was full of water. Effort then shifted to dragging her higher on the beach as the tide continued to rise (a period of very high tides). At low tide near midnight, she was bailed out to reveal serious hull damage.
Low tide next day (Sunday) brought more volunteers, who focused on jacking up the damaged side to get a better look at the damage and attempt makeshift repairs. Those were sufficient to slow but not stop the leak on the midnight high tide, but did provide enough flotation that she could be tipped enough to settle on her port side as the tide receded. On Monday the extent of hull damage was evident. By mid-morning the pros had arrived, and by the next high tide a serious patch had been applied to the damaged area. By early evening she was floating prettily on a mooring just north of the ferry, and by mid-morning on Tuesday she had been hauled out at Gooseberry Point. She now sits in Bellingham being cleaned and prepped for repair.
We would like to express our Warm Gratitude to all of you who played a part in this Saga for the breadth and depth of your support during this crisis. We press our palms together and bow to you in thanks: no gift is more precious than being part of this wonderful community. Over the next few weeks we hope to thank each of you personally. Despite the chaos of the unfolding events, each of you was an essential part of the resultant positive outcome. Like dozens of hands on some Cosmic Ouija Board, the Group Effort proved effective in finding a Solution.
This week’s wine tasting
Naia Naia ’13 Spain $14
100% Verdejo with 12% fermented in French oak. This fragrant, medium-bodied offering displays enticing aromatics of grapefruit, lime, and kiwi, a round, smooth-textured mouth-feel, and a crisp, refreshing acidity.
Cloudlift Rosé ’14 Washington $14
100% Cabernet Sauvignon; nose of fresh ripe strawberries with a touch of citrus that continues on the slightly off-dry palate, followed by a long, crisp finish.
Septima Malbec ’13 Argentina $9
Musky, ripe aromas of currants, leather, chocolate and espresso. Supple and generous flavors of sweet currant and tobacco flavors with a note of pepper, soft tannins and good length.
Tarima Hill Monastrell ’11 Spain 91pts $13
Complex, perfumed scents of dark berry liqueur, cola, incense and smoky oak spices. Plush and expansive, with sweet cherry compote and blueberry flavors with notes of floral pastille and bitter chocolate. Rich and lively, finishing with excellent power, smooth tannins and a late jolt of allspice.
La Quercia Montepulciano riserva ’11 Italy $18
100% organic montepulciano from low-yield vines; rich, port-like nose of candied cherries that carry through on the expressive, rich, earthy palate; nice balance of fruit and acidity.
2072 Granger Way