lummi island wine tasting Thanksgiving weekend 2015
Closed for Thanksgiving Weekend!
photo credit: “Wild Turkey,” by Rodney Campbell: “A male wild turkey begins to turn blue(!) as it becomes agitated.” (…we can all SO relate!)
This is just a Holiday reminder that we will be closed through Thanksgiving Weekend (November 26-29). Then we will be open the first three weekends in December as usual. Also you Old-Timers should note that we ARE planning to continue our traditional “East Coast” New Year’s Eve Party from 7-9 on December 31. More on that later!
Sonoma
Today’s sky here in Wine Country (seen at the dog park)…sunny and bright, a sweet relief from the rains encountered on the drive down the Coast…! Now…where’s that glass of zinfandel…??
lummi island wine tasting november 21 ’15
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Friday Breads (email us to get on the preorder mailing list! )
Ciabatta with Whole Wheat – A rustic ciabatta with bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat with two pre-ferments– a poolish and an italian biga, yielding such high hydration dough that is simply cut into pieces before baking. – $5/piece.
Cranberry Walnut – This is a yeast bread loaded with eggs, butter, buttermilk and a bit of sugar, and stuffed with dried cranberries and walnuts and a little lemon to enhance the flavor. A great bread for Thanksgiving- $5/loaf.
Individual Brioche Tart au Sucre – Made with a rich, buttery brioche dough that is loaded with butter, eggs and sugar, rolled into individual tart pans then topped with a mixture of demerara sugar, eggs, cream and butter. Yum!- 2/$5
Round the County Race 2015
For some reason it is always a surprise that the second weekend of November brings the annual Round the County (San Juan County, that is) sailing race. Each year about eighty boats gather to begin the race in West Sound near the Orcas Island Yacht Club on Saturday morning, in turn rounding Orcas, Clark, Sucia, and Patos before stopping for the night at Roche Harbor. On Sunday they set out again on the completion leg down the west side of San Juan Island, east of Lopez, Decatur, and Blakely Islands to finish again at Lydia Shoal near Obstruction Island, a total of some 76 miles. In November. Rain or shine. (on a personal note, 50 years ago a similarly seasoned all-night race in Chesapeake Bay convinced me ever after to Devoutly Eschew hours and days on end of being Wet, Cold, and Tired…!) So hats off, lads, to these stalwart sailors, misguided yes, but in their own tragic way Heroic as well!
What all this means to us on Lummi with a view toward Orcas is an unexpected annual spectacle in the deepening autumn gloom. More often than not the weather is bright and breezy when sometime in late morning the second Saturday of November a long line of sailboats, colorful spinnakers flying, threads up Haro Strait between us and Clark Island. This year was by far the worst weather in many years, with strong winds from the South gusting over 40 kts under brooding, rain-laden clouds, making the boats fly by in Demon-Driven Droves…
Fall Color
We pass this little tree each day on the noontime dog walk. Today it seems to have something on its mind…something about Bold Color, something about its Turkey-like geometry…
On the Mend
Both of you regular readers of this blog will recall that two months ago our sweet little sailboat Dream Time had rather a Bad Day. Blown onto rocks by an unseasonable gale, she sustained major hull damage, not to mention serious flooding, repeatedly over several days.
So it is with a sense of Relief and, indeed, Affection for this little boat that we can report that she is Almost Ready to come out of the Shop after several weeks of serious Rehab. True, there is still much to do cosmetically, but in the World of Boats, Seaworthy is perhaps the first and Most Enduring Desirable Quality. Stay tuned!
Second Reminder: Closed for Thanksgiving
photo credit: “Wild Turkey,” by Rodney Campbell: “A male wild turkey begins to turn blue(!) as it becomes agitated.” (…we can all SO relate!)
Over the years we have come to realize that Winter unofficially begins around here on Thanksgiving weekend. Though we have variously tried opening the wine shop the Wednesday before, or the day or weekend after, or even for a few hours on Turkey Day itself for the odd Wine Emergency, history has taught us that it’s a good time just to step back and take some Time Off, cuz most of you folks have Other Plans, usually with Family. Well, this year…so do we!
Therefore, please note that we will be open as usual this weekend (Nov 20-21), and then closed Thanksgiving Weekend (November 26-29). We will be open the first three weekends in December as usual. Also you Old-Timers should note that we ARE planning to continue our traditional “East Coast” New Year’s Eve Party from 7-9 on December 31. More on that later!
This week’s wine tasting
San Martino Prosecco Italy $11
Pale straw yellow in colour, aromatic and elegant nose (unusual in prosecco), with notes of apple and banana; pleasantly full and harmonious on the palate.
D’Orschwihr Gewurztraminer Bollenberg ’12 Alsace $18
Shows its intensity through its golden yellow color. The mouth shows aromas of peach, passion fruit with cooked fruits. Very delicate, the sweetness can hardly be felt behind the liveliness of the wine.
Airfield Estates Merlot ’13 Washington $14
Slightly muted nose with dill, red cherry and raspberry. There are flavors of red cherry, pomegranate, dill and milk chocolate. Silky texture with good balance.
Le Rote Chianti Colli Senesi ’11 Italy $14
Rich, chewy, dark fruit evolves into a smooth palate with notes of black cherry and sweet tobacco.
Betz Besoleil ’11 Washington 92+pts $45
Grenache-dominant Rhone blend; Sexy aromas of red berries, cherry, lavender and rose petal; suave and weightless in the mouth, with bright red fruit and floral flavors with thyme, lavender and pepper nuances. Lovely and juicy with excellent intensity and saline grip.
lummi island wine tasting november 15 ’15
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Friday Breads (email us to get on the preorder mailing list! )
Breton – Made with bread, buckwheat, and fresh milled rye flours and sel gris – french gray sea salt – it has all the flavors of the brittany region this is a great bread for meat, cheese or a nice fruit chutney – $5/loaf.
Cinnamon Raisin – Made with bread flour, fresh milled whole wheat, and oatmeal. Milk, honey and cinnamon soften the crumb, adding a bit of sweetness and great flavor, with the cinnamon and raisins mixed right into the loaf. Makes great toast- $5/loaf.
Sweet Rolls – These delicious rolls are made with a rich, egg filled sweet dough that is rolled out, spread with pastry cream and topped with cinnamon sugar. Then rolled up and cut and baked into individual sweet rolls. – 2/$5,
Review review
Over the last few years we locals have become accustomed to the constant stream of rave reviews of the Lummi Island’s Now World Famous Willows Inn, beginning with that iconic NY Times piece a couple of years ago about “10 Restaurants in the World Worth a Plane Ride.” Most of us have even read a few of them, but, Really, there are So Many who could possibly keep up?
So it was a point of curiosity a few days ago when a friend suggested he had just read what he considered the Best Review of the Willows so far, and, having read it, I have to agree! This is a piece by self-defined food lover (please, NOT “foodie”!) Susy Bando. It is not at all clear where she lives or how she came to this vocation of chronicling her visits to the world’s Most Trendy restaurants. All you need to know is that, Unencumbered by any need whatsoever to be Brief, through her chatty prose and suberb photos she provides the absolute Next Best Thing to actually visiting these amazing restaurants. You can find her entry on the Willows here. Happy reading!
Studio Tour Weekend
This year’s November Studio Tour is something of a landmark for us, as it is the first year ever that we have not officially participated. For one thing, we are still showing Meredith Moench’s terrific watercolors that we put up for the Labor Day Tour. But, more important, it feels increasingly Grueling to be open all day both Saturday and Sunday to comply with the Studio Tour protocols.
Therefore, we WILL be open our regular hours (Fri 4-7, Sat 2-6) rather than the more demanding tour hours (Sat-Sun 10-6) the next two weekends, and closed Thanksgiving weekend. As the accompanying photo shows, Meredith’s work is a great Foreground for you art lovers and Background for you wine lovers! So if by some unfortunate chance you have not come by since Labor Day to check it out, this is a great opportunity to do so!
Closed for Thanksgiving
photo credit: “Wild Turkey,” by Rodney Campbell: “A male wild turkey begins to turn blue(!) as it becomes agitated.” (…we can all SO relate!)
Over the years we have come to realize that Winter unofficially begins around here on Thanksgiving weekend. We have variously tried opening the wine shop the Wednesday before, or the day or weekend after, or even for a few hours on Turkey Day itself for the odd Wine Emergency. But history has taught us that it’s a better time just to step back and take some Time Off, cuz most of you folks have Other Plans, usually with Family. Well, this year…so do we!
Therefore, please note that we will be open as usual this weekend (Nov 13-14…see above), and then closed Thanksgiving Weekend (November 26-29). Of course the Observant among you will notice that (OMD!) Thanksgiving this year is about as close as it can possibly get to December! And Winter! (I’m not making this up!). But Please Relax– this is just a first notice that after Thanksgiving weekend we will be open the next three weekends in December as usual. More important for some of you Old-Timers, at present we ARE planning to continue our traditional “East Coast” New Year’s Eve Party from 7-9 on December 31. More on that later!
This week’s wine tasting
J. Laurens Cremant de Limoux Rose France $14
A longtime favorite here at AWG–Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Pinot Noir; shows a gentle yeastiness, effusive effervescence and rich, tangy, mouth-filling fruit. Makes just about anything Festive!
Arndorfer Gruner Veltliner ’13 Austria $18
A touch of neutral oak gives a soft edge to “geevee’s” characteristic floral bouquet, bright acidity, appealing layers of flavor, and minerally character.
Borsao Garnacha ’13 Spain $9
Expressive aromas of blackberry, licorice and and fruitcake aromas; Juicy, spicy and supple, sweet, red and dark berry flavors; finishes fresh, focused and nicely persistent.
Antonio Sanguineti Chianti ’13 Italy $12
From Small Vineyards co-founder Antonio Sanguineti; friendly, approachable style that is rich and powerful, yet a great everyday wine that enhances many dishes.
Lost River Nebbiolo ’12 Washington $25
Lighter than its famous Italian counterparts barolo and barbaresco, yet showing classic nebbiolo notes of violets and tar on a smooth frame of cherry and strawberry…absolutely delightful!
lummi island wine tasting november 7 ’15
(note: some photos will enlarge when clicked)
Friday Breads (email us to get on the preorder mailing list! )
Whole Wheat – Made with about equal amounts of bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat and just a little honey to balance the grain this is a great all around artisan bread – $5/loaf.
Multi-Grain – Made with bread flour as well as fresh milled whole wheat and rye flours and a mix of flax, sunflower and sesame seeds. This bread is packed with flavor and has a nice chewy crust and crumb. A great rustic bread that goes well with all sorts of meats and cheeses – $5/loaf
Croissants – Plain and Chocolate, what more can I say. Made with a little sourdough for a nice tang and using european butter to create the laminated layers these are truly a delight. I’ve heard some say that they didn’t have croissants this good even in Paris! A delicious treat! -2/$5
The Big Seven-Zero
On the occasion this week of having enjoyed my 70th (OMD!) birthday, I am of course moved to try to make sense of this experience we call “Life.” But, So Sorry, I am pretty much drawing a Blank! I can tell you that my current fantasy about the Meaning of Meaning* leads me to “String Theory” for some illumination. Unfortunately, the Physics I studied in some depth fifty years ago has almost nothing to do with the Profound Esotericism of Modern Physics, or the Nature of Reality which it seems to imply. Although I know practically Nothing about Modern Physics, I find that I am, at my Advanced Age, completely comfortable with making up my own Current Fantasy of Reality.
Briefly, the Ten-Dimensional Model seems to suggest that every moment in the Time-Space Continuum continually splits into an Infinite Number of Contingent Universes, and Yes, that is Really Hard to get your Head Around. Scary, even. But the Somewhat Comforting Fantasy of the Moment (remember, I am officially an Old Guy now!) is that one Take-away from that is that we all live an Infinite Infinity of lives. There’s the infinite number of lives you have lived if the Nazis and the Japanese had won WWII, the ones you lived if you hadn’t told So-and-So to F*#k Off, the ones where you actually Died Quite Young for whatever reason, and so On and On and On…you know, it’s kind of Heavy, huh…?
SO, given that we are All Here Together in This One, Tidy, seemingly Linear Existence/Experience, I wish to place my palms together and bow to each and every one of you in Gratitude for having shared this one Very Particular Reality with you. Each moment shared with all of you in all of these Infinities is a Treasure for which I am Deeply Grateful. See video!
Marlborough Pinot Noir
photo credit: Jessica Jones Photography, NZ
Pinot noir– you know, the starring grape varietal in the movie Sideways, is fairly picky about where it wants to grow. It likes hot days, cool nights, and a relatively dry climate. It does well, most famously, in the Burgundy region of France, which is inland along the Rhone River, relatively far north, where soils vary wildly among parcels, and growing seasons can be short. It also does well in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where it is a bit hotter and wetter, and the wines tend to be a little bigger. Head to California, with more sun and cool coastal nights, and pinot really thrives, getting rich in both flavor and texture.
Another place where pinot noir does very well is New Zealand. In particular, it does well on the north end of the South Island, in Marlborough. The South Island is very mountainous, and pinot seems to take a shine to the combination of northern sun exposure (it IS the Southern Hemisphere!) and the cooling effect of the ocean and the mountains. In each location pinot takes on a regional personality, as this weekend’s NZ pinot demonstrates– it’s definitely pinot noir, and definitely not from any of those other places mentioned above, but it’s good! Come by and check it out!
This week’s wine tasting
La Staffa Verdicchio Classico ’13 Italy $18
Subdued aromas of stone fruits and herbs; rounder and more intense in the mouth, with marzipan and orchard fruit flavors and length, finishing with a peppery note and fresh acidity.
Coopers Creek Marlborough Pinot Noir ’10 NZ $17
Mid-red, going slightly brick on the edge. Dark cherry and strawberry on the nose, but with definite savoury, earthy, forest floor complexities showing. Medium bodied, with tannins still very much there, but beautifully velvety.
Chateau Montfaucon Baron Louis ’11 France $18
A co-fermented blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan, Mourvedre. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by sumptuous
notes of raspberries, kirsch, spring flowers and loamy, earthy soil.
Altarocca Librato Rosso ’13 Italy $18
Unoaked blend of canniolo and cab franc from volcanic soil; zesty, spicy, dark, and smooth, with a hint of eucalyptus on the finish. Terrific!
Lost River Walla Walla Syrah ’11 Washington $25
Dense and peppery, with rich texture to the purple plum, currant and floral flavors, coming together against crinkly tannins on the expressive finish.
2072 Granger Way