Lummi Island Wine Tasting Spring Equinox ’14
Spring Raccoon
Well, I know some people aren’t crazy about them, and they can be messy. And sighting one isn’t up there with seeing a unicorn or an orca, perhaps; but I confess I have a fondness for their outlaw masks, their Cheshire Cat tails, and their deliberate ways. A small local group patrols our neighborhood at night, and some mornings we see 2, 3, or 4 animals climbing one of the firs behind the house. They climb methodically, maybe still looking for things edible, but the stronger impression conveyed is a patient search for just the right place to take a nap. They go up, down, out on this limb, back on that one, never in a hurry, sometimes trying out a spot for a bit before deciding that somehow, no, this bed is too something, and look further. Within twenty minutes or so, however, they settle down for a snooze, and it becomes very difficult to see them even if you know right where they are.
Spring Arrives: Minimal Fanfare…but Relentless Promise
There is an old story about a gifted pianist who gives an inspired performance of a difficult piece. After the concert, an awestruck fellow from the audience comes to the stage and says, “That was wonderful! But what does it Mean?” The pianist lifts his finger to acknowledge the question, then sits down and plays the entire piece all over again. Then he stands up and faces the questioner: “That’s what it means!” he exclaims.
So it seems to be with weather around the world this winter, including here in the Pacific Northwest. I was curious what the next few months might have in store for us, since the last several months have seemed to bring in, you know, somebody else’s weather. Noted meteorologist Cliff Mass (see his latest blog entry) probably knows as much about our regional weather patterns as anyone, so, wondering what he was thinking about that, I checked out his website. At left is a chart (click image to enlarge) from his blog for today, in which he discusses how right now, mid-March, is when the air about a mile above ground is typically the Coldest of the Year (red line). That little insight goes a long way toward explaining all those weird March days we have all experienced around here (though not this year yet!), when in the space of a few hours you can experience bright, warm sunshine; sudden hailstorms; blustery winds; and perhaps a bit of hard rain. My lingering question is: “yeah, yeah, very interesting, but is there gonna be a Real Summer this particular year (last year was a little Too Real if you ask me) around here??? Or is there, you know, another Ice Age headed our way soon??”
More wines than you can shake a stick at!
Though no one seems to know the precise origin of the phrase “more than you can shake a stick at,” and of course ignoring for the moment the disturbing use of a preposition at the end of a sentence, one interesting conjecture can be found here. The suggestion is that anything of real value is “worth shaking a stick at.” In other words, it has some kind of Real Value, some kind of Worthiness.
In that spirit I am happy to tell you that in the last week we have brought in a LOT of new wines, “more than you can shake a stick at,” and we will be pouring them for you, along with some established favorites, over the next few weeks. Spring is here, and weekend afternoons linger. What better time to blip on by the Wine Shop??
This week’s tasting
Domaine Girard Chardonnay ’12 France $13
Medium to full bodied with fleshy notes of fresh-picked apples and pears without the influence of oak. It spends time on the lees to give it richness but being grown in clay soils at a higher elevation retains a delightful freshness.
Venta Morales Tempranillo ’12 Spain $9
Bright purple; pungent aromas of cherry, blackcurrant and dark chocolate. Supple and juicy in the mouth, with spice-accented cherry and fresh herb flavors, finishing on a tangy note.
Pech Celeyran Ombline Rouge ’12 France $10
Un cuvée surprenante: un nez de fruits noirs, une bouche gourmande et fraîche. C’est ce type de vin dont le plaisir appelle un second verre…Barbecue de saucisses et viandes épicés.
Mt. Baker Zinfandel ’09 Washington $17
No review available, and I haven’t tasted it yet. But their wines are very consistently well-made, and someone recommended it. Don’t expect a big, extracted California-style zin– but should be soft and balanced.
Bodegas Convento Las Claras ’11 Spain 93 pts $18
100% tempranillo from vineyards dating back to 1900; layered nose of black raspberries, blackberries, licorice, graphite and spice box. Rich and full-bodied with sweet, velvety tannins and a heady, layered finish.
Lummi Island Wine Tasting Ides of March ’14
Sunsets are Back!
In the Beginning (of March!), the Island was Without Form, and Grayness (snow!) covered the face of the Deep. And the Spirit of Spring saw the Darkness and took Pity and moved the clocks Ahead, and the days grew longer, and it was Good. And the Spirit said, “Let there be warmer days and glorious sunsets again in this dark and dismal place!” And the Light returned, and Color again filled the World, and it was Good. Very, very, Good!
See slideshow of the sunset
Wine Club: Two Thumbs Up!
It has been a year since we launched our Artisan Wine Club, and from our perspective it has been a resounding (…ounding …ounding …ounding_) success! We are deeply grateful to all of you who joined the Club and helped make it a success. For those of you who don’t know, the Club offers two kinds of rewards for membership. First, annual Wine Club dues of $35 entitle each member to save $5 on all of our wine tastings ($10 for non-members), a saving worth up to $200 a year, depending on how often you take advantage of it. Second, the more wine club members buy from us, the deeper their discounts. After $150 in purchases, save 5% on the next $150. After $300 in purchases, we pay your sales tax– 8.7% discount on all purchases.
The Wine Club has increased our weekly attendance (and social energy!) by charging members a little less for tastings, and increased our revenues by allowing us to charge infrequent visitors a little more. We are also very grateful that some members have shifted much of their wine purchasing to our shop, to both their advantage and ours. We hope that being a member of the Artisan Wine Club has been a good thing for you in the past year as well, and we hope you will renew your membership for another year. We will be contacting you individually when your membership is ready for renewal.
The Ides of March
March 15, the Ides of March, is just another day– except for that one day in 44 BC when Julius Caesar was assassinated by, of all things, a conspiring group of Roman Senators, right in the Senate Chamber. Can you imagine that today? Hmmm…well, yes, now that I think about it I suppose we can, but more so in the House than the Senate, don’t you think? Anyway, as we all know, led by Caesar’s friend Brutus (et tu, Brute…!) and moved by a concern that the Republic would be lost to a dictatorship (why is it always the Other Guys who are the Dictators?? ), they turned on Caesar and sliced him to pieces like a bunch of nasty, yapping, razor-toothed little Chihauhua-doodles. For the record, it didn’t do much to restore Democracy. Make a note of it.
It was a nasty and infamous piece of work, further immortalized by Shakespeare, so that two thousand years later the deed– and especially the business about the soothsayer’s warning to Beware– is still an Icon for Treachery. It just makes me wonder: is that because it was so OUTSIDE the realm of Human Behavior, or so TYPICAL of it…? All you need to know is, “Dude, not much has changed in two thousand years.”
This Week’s Tasting
Mt. Baker Roussanne ’10 Washington $12
Notes of apricot, honeyed white peach, grassy aromas and lengthy dried apricot flavors with a plump mouthfeel and a cleansing minerality and acidity.
Hahn Pinot Noir ’11 California $12
Lovely aroma of ripe dark berries, lavender, baking spice and a little smoke. Smooth on the palate of black cherry and dark berries over a layer of spice and a little black pepper.
Stephen Vincent “Crimson” 10 California $11
Firm and spicy, with appetizing blackberry, wild berry, pepper, spice and chicory notes that firm up on the finish. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha ’10 Spain 92pts $15
Deep notes of roasted herbs, sweet black cherries and raspberries, peppers and spice soar from the glass of this dark ruby/purple-tinged wine. Full-bodied, rich, ripe, silky textured, pure and long
Perazzeta Syrah ’08 Italy $38
From one of our favorite Italian wineries, this beautiful artisan syrah (only 80 cases produced) was made from meticulously selected grapes beginning with open-barrel fermentation. Very special!
Lummi Island Wine Tasting March 8 ’14
“Snideology”
One of the more entertaining aspects of aging is the “creative hearing” that develops as bits of frequencies trickle away; a consonant here, a vowel there, so that words are sometimes heard in new, creative, and entertaining ways. In our latest example a phrase about “ideology” was recently heard as “Snideology.” Hmmm, interesting word…what might it mean?? It has a ring to it that effectively captures our most fundamental human instinct: the impulse to jump up and down in primate outrage– or, what has come to be called in our human culture: “politics.” We all do it, right and left, liberal and conservative– use an extensive arsenal of emotionally-laden expressions to challenge other individuals and groups who might otherwise exert power over us. Remember, you heard it here first, folks: ” Snideology:” the art of substituting conniving innuendo for substantive debate, hyperbolic ridicule for valid differences in values, and relentless, finger-pointing Blame for honest political differences. What better name for this trend of our time than “Snideology”….
Seattle camping
The blog is late this week because we were camping near Woodinville for a few days, and our usual modes of online access didn’t work. But we did have some great meals and tasted several very interesting wines we hope to offer you in coming months. And in between, despite the sometimes heavy rain, we enjoyed the ducks and cormorants that seemed to know they were protected and nonchalantly wandered about the campground when not paddling in this sweet little lake built from an old peat bog. Periodically they have to gird the lake bottom with a matrix of logs to keep it all from sinking into the bog. The area has evolved over some decades from an old family farm in Bothell. It’s is aptly named Lake Pleasant — and so it is!
The Art of Food
The main reason for our sojourn near Seattle was to attend our friend (and Island resident) Jen’s capstone dinner in completing the Culinary Arts Program at Seattle Central CC, part of a major life transition after a couple of successful decades in finance. At left course #4: slow-roasted pork tenderloin with root vegetables, fingerling potatoes, and roasted sage. Five courses in all: absolutely delicious!
This Week’s Tasting
Lost River Pinot Gris ’12 Washington $15
Aromas of citrus, pear and tropical fruits. Their most popular wine, the crisp acidity is balanced with a small amount of residual sugar.
Portteus Bistro Red 12 Washington $10
54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. A food friendly wine with delicate yet elegant mouthfeel. Blackberry, pomegranate, cocoa, honey and licorice like flavors with a creamy finish.
Palama Negroamaro ’12 Italy $10
Elegantly expansive, rich and robust, with silky mouthfeel, layered aromas of steeped spices, and palate of blackberry jam with accents of cinnamon, leather, tobacco and smoke.
Altarocca Librato Rosso ’11 Italy $16
Unoaked, from volcanic soil; zesty, spicy, dark, and smooth, with a hint of eucalyptus on the finish. Terrific!
Altavins Tinto Joven ’11 Spain $11
Mouth and sense-filling blend of garnacha, syrah, and carinena, full of ripe dark fruit and berry flavors from Terra Alta’s hot days and cool nights close to Tarragona and the Mediterranean.
Lummi Island Wine Tasting March 2 ’14
Harbingers of Spring
Around here we all know that Spring “begins to begin” on Groundhog Day (Feb 2), which heralds a parade of early Spring signs, including pussy willows, Indian plum, and daffodils. The pussy willows were right on schedule a few weeks ago; the Indian plum tendrils are a good inch long, and the relentless daffodils are already 6-8″ tall. It is deeply reassuring that these Spring harbingers have maintained their relentless harbinging right through a foot of snow (our first this year!) from a vagabond snowstorm that dropped in for a couple of days last week.
clicking on some photos will yield more detailed images
A touch of Winter
First, it snowed. Then it snowed some more. At our place it came to about 9 inches, not bad for the only snow this winter. The wind was so light the snow just piled up wherever it fell– roofs, railings, and of course trees. While we were taking the “road” picture below, it was still snowing, and every ten minutes or so there was a loud “CRAAAACK” as tree branches, limbs, or even whole trees gave in the the weight of the snow. As we would say in Maine, Yessuh, by Gawd, gonna be lotsa fiahwood foh next yeeah.
After the snow, glorious sun shining on snow, overwhelming our squinty Northwest mole-eyes. All in all, a bit of an adventure, lightened to casual nuisance by its occurrence amidst the unmistakable signs of Spring all around. After all, the pussy willows, the Indian plum, and the daffodils know what’s going on, and they’re certain that “Spring comes, the grass grows by itself.” Or at least it used to…will it always…?
Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, the Betting is now Closed…
There is a great deal more to Climate Change than ‘Global Warming.” The Deniers look at a Cold Day and Guffaw and Spit through their teeth and exclaim, “You Greenhorn! Why, you thick-skulled, hare-brained, half-witted, Greenhorn! (click for clip, sometimes it works) So it is important to note that “Climate Change” is the more inclusive term, the global-climate-equivalent of “I don’t think we’re in Kansas any more, Toto…” The Big Deal is not that the Planet is getting warmer. The Big Deal is that we are pushing the Planet out of Our equilibrium. But from the Planet’s perspective, it is Always in Equilibrium, and it is not concerned in the slightest with whether this or that species survives. On the contrary, it is up to each species to take its Best Shot, and just because it is our turn at the Plate doesn’t mean we have a Future.
Anyway, musing on our recent unseasonable snowstorm, along with the bizarre weather around the world this winter, I confess to an uneasy feeling that we may have abused our Mother Planet a bit too much. And planets are complicated Beings that take a Very Long View. “Oh yes,” She says, “those humans were SO promising at the beginning, especially that Darwin fellow, he was such a Dear…but yes, they have been quite a big Disappointment after all…”
About ten years ago there was a brief news clip about a Pentagon study that had looked at some unlikely but possible climatic change scenarios involving the Strategic Implcations of….wait for it...a Sudden Ice Age! So our “out of the envelope global weather this year” seems an appropriate cue for digging into the Archives to revisit that analysis. In the words of inspiring eco-spokesman David Suzuki when asked by a Bellingham audience member whether we should be concerned about Global Warming (please think “Climate Change”), said, “You should be shi%$ng your pants!” Although this article is somewhat heavy going (“scholarly”), it raises some interesting questions that are very much worth revisiting. Every day it becomes more and more clear that our political leaders are are unwilling or unable to deal with problems of this magnitude. In short either we have to change how we select our political leaders, or our species will likely perish, and probably sooner rather than later. link
This Week’s Tasting
Leonildo Pieropan Soave ’12 Italy $15
Well-balanced, lively, and tangy, with distinct minerality and appealing flavors of cantaloupe, pear, blood orange and ginger.
Atalaya Laya ’12 Spain $10
70% Garnacha and 30% Monastrell; superb bouquet of dark cherries, blackberry and incense, with layered palate of succulent black fruit ; supremely well-crafted for this price range.
Rio Madre Rioja ’11 Spain 90pts $10
Inky ruby. Spice-accented notes of black currant and cherry cola, dark chocolate and licorice. Concentrated and powerful on the palate, with a spicy note building with air.
Maryhill Zinfandel ’09 Washington
Full-bodied, with smokey aromas of dark ripe plum and candied citrus, with a hefty palate of black currant and leathery dried plum.
Palama Metiusco ’12 Italy $23
50% Negroamaro, 25% Malvasia and Primitivo; fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the essence of southern Italy’s terroir— medium-bodied, earthy and complex, with a velvety finish of black cherries, raisins and plums.
2072 Granger Way