Artisan Wine Gallery

Comments Off

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 23 ’13 Pre-Thanksgiving

Posted at November 21, 2013

Holiday Bubbles

We don’t usually do much to promote sparkling wines here at the shop, though we do try to keep a little bubbly on hand, generally more affordable Italian prosecco or Spanish cava. However, recent circumstances have unfolded such that at the moment we just happen to have an interesting array of bubbles on hand, just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday. See tasting notes below. Supply is very limited on the French imports, but we can take orders if you find something you like. Or, if there is a special bottle out there you would like us to order for you, let us know and we will do our best to track it down for you!

Women in Politics

Sure, elections around the country a few weeks ago were for the most part pretty small potatoes. But one regional winner that really got our attention is Occupy activist and economics professor Kshama Sawant, who was recently elected to the Seattle City Council. Of particular interest is the fact that she ran — and won– as a Socialist candidate! And since the term “socialism” is rarely discussed seriously in the media, except when broadly applied by the Far Right as a generic put-down of any course heading even a single degree to port of Hard Starboard, it is a noteworthy accomplishment. In recent years mainstream corporate interests have taken control of both major political parties, neither of which is willing to address the major issues facing our planet: social and economic justice, climate change, sustainability, and peace. For more on this new political face in our region, watch a short video and read this excellent interview.

Along similar lines, check out Bill Moyers’ recent interview with Jill Stein (2012 Green Party candidate for President– yes, I did vote for her) and Margaret Flowers, full-time advocate for a single payer health care system at both the state and national levels. Both women are MD’s who spent many years in private practice before becoming convinced that they could do more good for more people by shifting their focus to politics. They are both members of the Green Shadow Cabinet, an organization of nearly 100 prominent scientists, community and labor leaders, physicians, cultural workers, veterans, and more, that provides an ongoing opposition and alternative voice to the dysfunctional government in Washington D.C.

Finally, there is a lot of ongoing chatter about Elizabeth Warren as a Presidential candidate in 2016. Warren, a freshman senator from Massachusetts, is a well-known progressive with a national following. She, too, is committed to social and economic justice, and has become a champion of the people against Wall Street power.

In summary, there is something encouraging going on with the traction progressive women have been getting in American politics recently, at all levels of government. Stay tuned, this could get even more interesting…!

Who is Dick Taylor and why should you care?

In late September we spent the day at the Northwest Chocolate Festival at the Seattle Convention Center. Here were two floors devoted to chocolate makers and their wares (I’m not making this up!) As many of you know, we have carried an array of Theo’s chocolate products for many years. Theo’s was well represented at the Festival, and we also discovered a number of other chocolatiers that made a favorable impression. Chief among those was a small artisan chocolate company called Dick Taylor, located in Arcata, California. It turns out there is no “Dick Taylor”, but there are two guys named Adam Dick & Dustin Taylor, who have also made music and wooden boats, and who now make some really great chocolate bars. Delicious and beautifully packaged, these single-source confections made an excellent impression. We have ordered some samples to share with you this weekend so you can preorder for the holidays.

This week’s tasting

Argyle Brut sparkling wine Oregon WA90pts $23
Not only does this little Oregon winery make great pinot noir, it also has earned a reputation for producing terrific Old World style sparkling wine. This blend of chardonnay and pinot noir displays a bouquet of brioche, pear, apple, and white peach. Crisp, balanced, and lengthy, it’s an outstanding value.

Deutz classic $36
Light yellow. Toasty lees, poached pear and lemon rind on the pungent nose. Offers an array of sappy citrus and orchard fruit flavors and becomes spicier with air. The lemon and lees notes come back on the broad, clear finish

Pierre Moncuit Hugues de Coulmet Blanc de Blancs Brut $38.
Light gold. Spicy, floral-accented aromas of lemon and green apple, with a hint of toasty lees in the background. Juicy and precise, offering focused orchard fruit flavors and a jolt of bitter citrus pith. Finishes tangy and long, with lingering spiciness and a suggestion of ginger.

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.

Vilarnau Cava Brut Spain $14
Well-balanced and light-bodied, this cava features lively acidity and an appealing mix of pear, star fruit, Meyer lemon and smoke flavors, ending with a creamy finish.

Tarima monastrell ’12 Spain $10
100% Monastrell sourced from 25-35 year old vines and raised in stainless steel with lees stirring. Medium crimson-colored, the nose reveals fragrant blueberries and underbrush. Firm on the palate with plenty of savory fruit.

Buglioni Valpolicella Classico ’10 Italy $12
Refined, feminine personality. Sweet red berries, flowers and spices linger on the high-toned, refreshing finish.

Familongue “Le Carignan” ’08 France $12
From 75 year old vines in gravelly soil, this carignan has brambly dark fruit, a soft palate, and great depth of flavor.

Wine Tasting

Comments Off

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 16 ’13

Posted at November 14, 2013

Annual Fall Regatta

Typically the second weekend of November brings not only the Winter manifestation of the Lummi Island Artists’ Studio Tour; it also brings the annual Round the County (San Juan County, that is) sailing race. Each year about eighty boats gather in West Sound near the Orcas Island Yacht Club and begin the race on Saturday morning, rounding Orcas, Clark, Sucia, and Patos before stopping for the night at Roche Harbor. On Sunday they set out 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.

What all this means to us on Lummi is an unexpected bright spot in the deepening autumn gloom. More often than not the weather is bright and sometimes very 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. Because of the light wind this year, the boats appeared in a long, continual string rather than the usual widely spaced clumps, providing the delightful view above…!

(click image for larger view)

Not your mother’s Retsina!

It’s one of those things we all go through: the first taste of retsina, usually in a Greek restaurant, and usually when we are quite young. It is actually made by putting some measure of pine resin (“Pinus Halepensis”) in with the grape must (skins, seeds, etc.) during fermentation, yielding a white wine with a decidedly piney character. It has been around so long that it has been declared a Traditional Appellation, and can only be produced in Greece. Back in the day, we all knew retsina as the weird wine we always had in Greek restaurants, and which often gave us nasty headaches the next day.

So it is with surprise and pleasure that we offer for your tasting experience this weekend a “new wave” retsina, more judiciously made with an eye to quality, and yielding a surprisingly tasty white wine. The pine resin is definitely there, but not so much that it smothers the white wine behind it. I think you’re gonna like it!

A taste of Portugal

Although we have occasional visitors specifically seeking Portuguese wines, we don’t often encounter the wines in tastings and generally don’t have much of a selection. That changed recently when Ryan needed a couple of Portuguese wines (and a couple of Greek wines!) for his fall tasting class in town. One of our reps brought in several of each for us to taste, and the four we are tasting this weekend are the ones we liked best. It is fair to say we were both surprised by each of them. As you can see from the map at left, there are eight main wine regions in Portugal. The delicious white we are pouring is from the Dão region, and the red is from Alentejo, further south. Alentejo, we have learned, is also the world’s most important area for the growing of cork-oak, known in Portugal as “sobreiro.” It has been grown commercially in the region for the past 300 years, where it is integrally co-planted with vineyards, pastures, and citrus groves. Who Knew??

This week’s tasting

Ritinitis Nobilis Retsina Greece $16
A “new wave” style Retsina, using modern winemaking technology and carefully managed co-fermentation with fresh pine resin, results in a surprisingly elegant and refreshing wine.

Albaro Castro Dão Branco ’12 Portugal $15
A lovely combination of fragrant crisp fruit and intense mineral notes. A blend of lemony and fragrant Encruzado, crisp and apricot-y Bical, and smoky-edge Cercial.

Agricultura Vinho Tinto ’11 Portugal $11
From Alentejo, on Portugal’s south-eastern border with Spain, comes this eminently quaffable red wine with surprising depth and complexity.

Perazzeta Erio Supertuscan ’10 Italy $16
An established favorite around here, this sangiovese-cab-syrah blend from Tuscany (we also carry their olive oil!) is rich, balanced, and delicious–a great food wine.

Gaia Agiorgitiko ’08 Greece $23
A well-structured and surprisingly delicious Greek red wine with intense ripe fruit aromas, well-integrated oak, and a velvety, seductive texture.

Wine Tasting

Comments Off

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 9 ’13

Posted at November 7, 2013

Hooray, we ARE open this Friday!

Here we are up to our knees in November, and finally we are shining our Friday night ray of light into the “I don’t think we’re saving daylight anymore, Toto” Gloom that has gathered around us since setting the clocks back last weekend. We will be open for our familiar Friday night hours of 4-7pm. We are hopeful Janice will bring the latest loaf of wood-fired bread to share, and maybe we will even turn on the fireplace to keep you warm and string our winter lights to guide your way in and out.

Autumn Studio Tour

Winter Studio Tour is a different animal from Spring and Summer studio tours. Most obviously, it certainly isn’t summer anymore, which can make for attendance obstacles. Not too many years ago, winter studio tour was the first weekend in December. However, in those days (they may come again, depending on El Niño/la Niña) it was common to get a Nor’easter in early December (or even late November), which could mean sub-freezing temperatures, high winds, and maybe even snow. There were some studio tours where absolutely No One came out, the weather was that nasty!

So it was a good idea to move the tour to the second weekend in November. I personally think it would also be a good idea to make it Saturday only, since attendance is often sparse on Sunday, but hey, maybe I am just lazy. For this tour we are continuing our show from Labor Day, adding some new works by Ryan Wildstar and Pam Miller. One or both of them will be in the shop both days from 10 till 1 to talk with you about their work, and we will be in from 1-6pm for our regular wine tasting (notes below, as usual!).

Momix to remember

As it turns out, both our birthdays fall within a week in late October/early November. We often talk about a joint celebration, but rarely actually do it. Well, this year we celebrated with dinner at Giuseppe’s (never disappointing) and tickets to the Momix dance production at Mt. Baker Theater. Momix is a small (5 men and 5 women), very creative and innovative dance troupe. They stretch the concept of choreography in lots of directions to include amazing lighting, costumes, and props reminiscent of Cirque de Soleil. Often you are not quite sure what you are looking at as the dancers seamlessly weave you into their illusions. The accompanying video gives you a taste. Bravo! see video in larger view

Were the Piccolominis really Meanies??

When we visited Italy several years ago we did a post about the 100-year-old church at St. Antimo, where a group of priests still say Mass every morning complete with beautiful Gregorian chant and huge clouds of incense, both of which hang like spirits in the morning sunlight that pours in above the altar. A short distance from the old cathedral we visited the winery at Ciacci Piccolomini, famous for its Brunello (it is Montalcino, after all), but also for many other wines. In addition, of course, the vineyard lands have been in the family since the 13th Century. The Piccolominis were a powerful family engaged in a centuries-long struggle for power against the other great Houses, including the Medici, and went through various periods of exile and triumph. The family included soldiers, prelates, literary men, and two popes—Enea Silvio, who became Pius II (1458–64), and his nephew Francesco, who was Pius III (1503).

This weekend we will pour their “Ateo,” a blend of cab and merlot (what, no sangiovese???) that has plenty of character, from a winery that has a LOT of history. Come check it out!

This week’s wines

Veramonte “la Gloria” sauvignon blanc ’11 Chile $9
Light straw and saline notes lead to a refreshing core of gooseberry, citrus and chive flavors.

Casarena ’505′ Malbec ’10 Chile $12
Dark red. Musky berries, tobacco and spices on the nose and palate, with nuances of gunpowder and pepper. Finishes smooth and persistent, with building tannins. Terrific value.

Borsao Garnacha ’12 Spain $9
Inky purple. Aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry and bitter cherry are brightened by peppery spices. Concentrated and velvety in texture, with good finishing breadth and cling. An outstanding value.

Ciacci Piccolomini Ateo ’09 Italy $14
Juicy cab-merlot blend that shows excellent up-front intensity, with notes of freshly cut flowers and mint that give the dark berry fruit an attractive sense of lift.

Lost River Western Red ’10 Washington $17
Lovely blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc; dark fruits on the nose, smooth and rich in the mouth, enjoy with rich sauces or all by itself.

Wine Tasting

Comments Off

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 2 ’13

Posted at October 31, 2013

Nope, not open this Friday, either!

Well, the good news is that Ryan is back from France, and next week we will resume our regular Friday hours from 4-7, including the latest loaf of fresh-baked bread from Janice’s wood-fired oven. The bad news is that we will not be open this Friday, November 1. We will, however, be open the usual hours on Saturday, November 2 from 2-6, and look forward to seeing you then!

Grenache Blanc

For the third week in a row we will be featuring a wine from one of our favorite French wineries, La Rocaliere located in Lirac in the southern Rhone Valley near Avignon. This week’s wine is their Lirac Blanc, a blend of grenache blanc and clairette, two varietals that may be new to you.

click on link above for lovely intro to their website…and turn your sound on

Grenache Blanc is thought to be a mutation of Grenache Noir, having originated in northeast Spain centuries ago before going to France, where it has flourished in the Languedoc and the Rhone Valley, especially in Chateauneuf-du-Pape (across the Rhone from Lirac). We found it both in Spain and France, with slightly different characteristics depending on where it is grown, and really liked it in both places. In both countries it is a major component of aromatic white blends, adding crisp acidity, medium to full-bodied texture, and slightly floral components. It can show pleasing notes of green apple, pears, cider, honeydew melon, white peaches, golden raisins, lemon, dill, white flowers, or sage. It is now grown also in Washington, and I predict it will become increasingly popular in the coming years.

Clairette is the most-produced white grape in Chateauneuf-du-Pape; it was also often used to make vermouth, because it produces wine high in alcohol and low in acidity. I confess I have not tasted a clairette by itself, so cannot say much about it, except we will look for one so we can all try it!

Library Reopens!

For those of you who may have been away on another planet for the past year, your attention is invited to our beautiful, newly remodeled Island Library, which recently reopened even though it is not quite fully completed or furnished. It is far enough along to earn lots of oohs and ahs from visitors, though. This project has literally been years in the planning, fundraising, and construction, and lots of Islanders played helpful roles, beginning with the tireless volunteers of FOIL (Friends of the Island Library), who saw the need, made a plan, raised money, put out the specs for bid, and stewarded the process through every step. So hats off, my friends, and Three Cheers for FOIL on a job well done!

artist’s conception, above

Also, kudos to Mark Sexton and his crew, who did a great job including lots of necessary adjustments as the demolition phase revealed a host of surprises about the original structure, and to KC of Island Quality Painting, who donated the labor for the entire interior painting. And let’s also raise our collective glasses to the entire community of volunteers who moved, dug, scraped, cleaned, stacked, unstacked, schlepped, measured, sawed, nailed, caulked, sanded, painted, shingled, swept, installed, and otherwise donated their time and talents to this massive community effort!

current reality, left!

Whatcom County Library System will be moving in new shelving and books in the next week or two, and the Library will hold its Grand Opening party on Sunday, November 17. Mark your calendars!

This Week’s Tasting

La Rocaliere Lirac Blanc ’11 France $16
Grenache Blanc and Clairette blend. Subtle, elegant floral aromas of jasmine, honeysuckle, and verbena. Rich and round on the palate, with wonderful notes of fresh citrus.

Montes Classic Malbec ’11 Chile 88pts $11
from nearly 100-year old vines in the Colchagua valley; ripe dark cherry and creme de cassis on the nose while the palate offers ripe, chewy, dark cherry and bilberry fruit encased in fine tannins and a pure vanilla-y finish that is satisfying.

Terres D’Artagnan Gascogne ’10 France $9
Alluring nose of black raspberry, flowers, and garrigue leads into a very juicy, round and harmonious palate with velvety, soft, ripened tannins and fresh acidity.

Scarafone Montecucco Rosso ’08 Italy $12
90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A rustic Italian red with aromas and flavors of dried cherry and dark blackberry, with a somewhat toasty character that includes bramble and dried herbs with a hint of leather.

Vin du Lac Les Amis Riesling ’10 Washington $8
A blend of riesling (green apple aromas and flavors), Muscat (honeysuckle), and Gewurztraminer (earthy spiciness) that combine into a delightful, aromatic, and refreshing wine.

Wine Tasting

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 23 ’13 Pre-Thanksgiving

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 16 ’13

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 9 ’13

Lummi Island Wine Tasting November 2 ’13

About

Search

Archives

Categories

Recent Posts

Artisan Wine Gallery latest blog

Links