Lummi Island Wine Tasting March 23 ’13 Toast to Spring!
Signs of Spring
It is comforting to see the days growing longer, and to feel the sun growing warmer. On our daily walk to Legoe Bay with the dogs today the perceptible warmth of the sun was the perfect offset to the chlll in the air and the cool breeze off the water. Global warming or no, spring seems slow in coming this year. Yes, daffodils are out, and Indian plum is feathering into early leaf. But at mid-day when I check the temperature, it is still often curiously close to 40. And though I think we may have had some moments over fifty, the spring so far seems a but reserved, a bit stingy almost, as if to say, “well, you had a mild winter after all, so stop complaining.” Meanwhile, all around us, Spring builds up like an inevitable pressure that will not be denied.
As for this picture–for about ten years from ’85-’95, when I was mostly a full-time potter, I was a member of a little cooperative gallery in Laconner. We would take turns opening the shop on weekends, and though none of us made much of a living at it, it was a good thing to do and a good place to be, and I have lots of fond memories of it, from the pile of notes from third graders who watched/helped me do a raku firing, to conversations with iconic local artists like Guy Anderson and Robert Sund, and rambling conversations with visitors who occasionally write years later saying Laconner was a life-changing moment. My working theory was that the good vibes came from all the negative ions (the good kind!) that got stirred up by all that water churning through the slough each time the tide changed. And in case you are not from around here, or for some other reason have not ventured to Skagit Valley this time of year to see the tulips, then I highly encourage you to do so! more info
Baer Winery
About the time we were getting into the wine business in the mid ‘ots’ we visited Woodinville with friends who took us along to the first or second release party (’02 vintage I think) for Baer Winery in Woodinville. As I recall, it was a wintry day in February, with cold rain and some snow on the ground, and the release event was in a couple of big tents put up for the occasion. We had a lovely chat with the young winemaker, Lance Baer, about his vision and passion for wine, and admired some of the few hand-etched magnums he had commissioned. Sadly, Lance passed away quite suddenly in 2007, and the family took over the task of making the vision a reality.
In the last few years Baer has achieved global recognition as one of Washington State’s rising stars of the wine world. Their 2008 Ursa earned an extraordinary 95 point score from Wine Spectator, which also rated it #6 in its “Top 100 Wines of 2011.”
As it turns out, we drank a bottle of the 2009 Ursa (there are a very few left) last night, and it was absolutely delicious! I haven’t tasted the 2010, and there are no reviews out yet, but our annual case of it arrived today, so we will offer a little taste of it for you with our tasting this weekend. Judging from the trend of the past several years, it should be pretty tasty, despite its youth. This wine is becoming something of a Washington “cult” wine, so if you like it, don’t expect it to wait for you to make your move!
Graciano
So, it’s important for you youngsters not to confuse this grape (graciano) with the charismatic middleweight boxer of the 1940’s, Rocky Graziano, himself not to be confused with the somewhat more famous heavyweight champ of the era, Rocky Marciano, later even further immortalized by his national chain of Red Lobster restaurants! But those are several other stories, which you can explore on your own. What I can tell you is that back in the fifties, Rocky G followed up on his noteworthy boxing career with a modest acting career, with regular appearance on many variety shows of the era (WAY before talk shows!). All in all, a pretty likable guy (but watch out for that right hand!)
More to the point, graciano is one of the lesser known grapes of Rioja (no, it’s not all tempranillo!) Graciano is thought to be native to Rioja, where it has long been used to provide color, density, and aroma to blended Rioja red wines (much as Petit Verdot is used to deepen the color of cab blends in California). Typically, it makes up less than 15% of Rioja blends when it is used at all. Graciano is both low-yielding and susceptible to mildew, making it a risky investment, so acres in production have been declining. Fortunately, it is considered by some to be the most interesting and complex of Rioja grapes, showing lots of dark fruit, deep inky-red/black color, and rustic, sturdy tannins. In short, it can be quite intense! This week we will be tasting a very inexpensive version that serves as a nice introduction to the varietal.
Mt. Baker Vineyards Mountain White
From time to time we taste through the current releases from Mt. Baker Vineyards, our only really well-established neighborhood winery. Located in Deming, a short drive east of Bellingham on (hello, where else?) Mt. Baker Highway, MBV owner/winemaker Randy Finlay has been making wine for over 30 years. There’s hardly a varietal he hasn’t explored. And although most of the fruit for Mt. Baker wines comes from Eastern Washington, estate vines right here in Whatcom County produce small quantities of several light-bodied, aromatic, and flavorful grape varietals like muller thurgau, siegerrebe, chasselas, and madeleine angevine.
With a bit of chardonnay from Eastern Washington vineyards, Mountain White is the perfect wine for Early Spring. Slightly sweet, fragrant, and crisp, and only $7 a bottle it is an incredible bargain…come by and taste it this weekend!
Wine club special: Get six or more for only $6 each!!!
This week’s wines:
Mt. Baker Mountain White ’10 Washington $7
A blend of several varietals grown just up the road in Deming, this fragrant, off-dry, light wine is easy to swallow…and a perfect toast for Spring!
Ventisquero Carmenere ’10 Chile $10
Glass-staining purple. Smoke-accented aromas of black and blue fruits and violet, with a peppery topnote. Juicy and light on its feet, with a seamless texture and good clarity to the fresh blackberry and blueberry flavors.
Casarena ‘505’ Malbec ’10 Chile $12
Bright medium ruby-red. Subtly complex aromas of dark berries, plum, lavender, pepper and flinty minerality. Seductively smooth in texture, with a restrained sweetness and good vinosity to the middle palate. Nicely rich, firmly structured malbec with broad, dusty tannins and very good length.
Rio Madre Rioja ’11 Spain 90pts $10
Inky ruby. Spice-accented aromas and flavors of black and blue fruits and cola, with notes of dark chocolate and licorice. Concentrated and powerful on the palate, with a spicy note building with air. Intense licorice, blackcurrant and bitter cherry notes linger on the spicy, youthfully tannic finish. Outstanding value here; there are very few all-graciano Riojas made, and they all cost a lot more than this one.
Baer Ursa ’10 Washington $35
42% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon
Once again delivers with generous ripe fruit flavors – notes of fresh plum, red cherry, and blackberry, with hints of vanilla and savory roasted thyme. Well-integrated and balanced, with a polished, lifted finish.
Lummi Island Wine Tasting March 16 ’13 St. Patrick’s Weekend
Annual Nod to St. Pattie
“The first known St. Patrick’s Day celebration was held in 1762, when Irish soldiers enrolled in the British army marched down Broadway in a display of ethnic pride. Some stayed when their enlistments expired, and New York, then as now, became a center of Irish immigration to America. In later years, New York Irish would organize parades on March 17, a different one for each neighborhood, church, and fraternal order. They would eventually come together in one parade in the 1850s, and New York has held a big St. Patrick’s Day parade ever since.” read more
Or, most obvious to all of us these days, “what the day has become is a day to express Irish American identity.” Hey, THAT sounds right! And not to mention, another very fine excuse to get drunk– traditionally, mind you: Catholics with Jameson, and Protestants with Bushmill.” Well, sez I, bein’ as I am 100% Irish on me mother’s side, whatever floats yer boat, eh…? Whatever yer ancestry, Happy St. Pattie’s Day to all; and hey, ferget the whiskey, ‘n’ come fer the wine!
Special Second Tasting: Two New Betz Wines
This past Sunday I drove down to Woodinville for the annual release of the Betz “Bordeaux blends.” As I have mentioned before, Bob Betz models each of his wines after his favorite French wine regions. Because Bordeaux is divided into Right Bank (east bank of the Gironde, predominantly merlot) and Left Bank wines (predominantly cabernet sauvignon), he makes one of each. “Clos de Betz” is his merlot-based wine, and “Pere de Famille” is his cab-based wine. As a special treat, we will be pouring the new “Clos de Betz” as part of a second tasting this weekend. watch video
Back in September we picked up the Betz 2010 “Rhone blends.” One, Besoleil, predominantly grenache, is modeled after Chateauneuf-du-Pape; one (syrah-based la Serenne) modeled after the rich Southern Rhone style, and one (syrah-based Cotes Rousse) modeled after the brooding Northern Rhone style. So this weekend along with the new “Clos” we will also be pouring the 2010 Besoleil as part of our optional second tasting.
Come by and check it out!
Wine Club Update
Hmm. The way this blog thing works is that I like to have a picture to anchor each paragraph. Since we have a LOT of photos accumulated over the years, sometimes it is hard to remember what is going on, not to mention WHO is going on! This photo is from last May; the wine is a perfect color, and I LOVE the hats, especially the one on the left. It reminds me that a couple of years ago the Talls came in with a festive group (as they often do!) including a young man with a great hat, a lot like the one in this pic. I liked it so much I ordered one online that looked about right, and it was Oh, SO Wrong I sent it back. Sigh. In any case, this photo does a nice job illustrating the raison d’etre of our wine shop and our wine club…it’s about sharing and belonging!
Response so far to the wine club has been enthusiastic! Most of our regulars are joining or have joined, and I am hoping that before this weekend is over I can get all of our members’ personal pages updated with your purchases to date this year…wish me luck! And thanks for bearing with us during this time of turmoilic transitions. (if that’s not a word, it oughta be!)
Online Store Update
All I can say about this is: “Oh, man, what a Project! You can monitor our progress at the new online store website. Since last week I have activated some of the links, posted our own photos instead of the generic ones, added some new behind the scenes software (payment gateways for Paypal and your favorite credit/debit cards), and added a few actual products, including the Betz wines mentioned above (with more detailed notes below). So progress is slow, but sure. And while it continues to be challenging, I think we have rounded a corner of sorts, now feeling pretty confident that this is going to work…and that’s pretty exciting. Now…remind me again about why we are doing this…??!
Looking forward to seeing you!
This Week: TWO Tastings!
#1: five good wines for $10 ($5 for members!)
La Font du Vent Rosé “Les Promesses” ’11 France 88pts $10
Very pure and showing nice drive, this delivers a range of plum, cherry and strawberry fruit. A lingering cherry pit edge provides contrast on the finish.
La Pepiere Muscadet Sur-Lie ’10 France 89pts $13
Scented with green apple, lime, quarry dust, and a hint of elder flower. Low-key, soft to the touch for Muscadet, but highly refreshing; and tinged with citrus rind, crushed stone, and iodine, it finishes with mouth-watering persistence.
Pend d’Oreille Bistro Rouge 08 Washington $14
Garnet black color. Aromas of black raspberries and plum chutney with a silky, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a tangy green apple, nut, and peach skin accented finish. A fun, flavorful wine for the table.
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
#2: two more outstanding wines for another $5
Betz Besoleil Columbia Valley ’10 Washington $43
93pts (Tanzer): (65% grenache, 18% mourvedre, 11% cinsault and 6% syrah): Bright red. Captivating nose offers strawberry, animal fur, garrigue, black and white pepper and flowers. Wonderfully aromatic and smooth in the mouth, with excellent sappy lift to the raspberry and cherry flavors complicated by wild herbs and pepper. Finishes structured and long, with suave, slowly building tannins. Very Old World in style (and specifically southern French) but with distinctly Washington red fruit flavors.
2010 Betz “Clos de Betz” Red Wine ’10 Washington $50
94pts (Tanzer): 58% merlot, 35% cabernet sauvignon, 7% petit verdot): Bright, full red. Spicy high notes to the aromas of raspberry, graphite, sandalwood and cocoa powder. Juicy, perfumed and precise; not a fleshy style but elegant, vibrant and extremely young. Today the wine’s mid-palate flavors and texture are still a bit suppressed by the bottling, but this long, firm-edged wine has the structure and inherent material to be outstanding. In fact, I retasted the 2009 next to it, and while that wine was silkier and plusher, it is not likely to match the 2010 for complexity a few years down the road.
Lummi Island Wine Tasting March 8/9, ’13
A Brick for Every Friend!
We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the ever-creative Island Library fundraising effort was exploring the possibility of selling engraved bricks for a “donor wall” in the new reading garden behind the fiction room. Well, folks, that plan is now a Reality!! Sometime in the next few days the FOIL website will have an online order form which you can use to place your orders, including your preference for up to three lines (up to 20 characters each line) for each brick. Alternatively, for those who just can’t wait, Pat has printed out order forms that are available immediately at the Library and here at the Wine Shop. The present goal is to sell 150 bricks ($50 apiece) for the construction fund. After that, there will be a continuing opportunity to purchase additional bricks in the future; they are a great way to help the Library, while at the same time immortalizing yourself, a family member, a pet, your business, or a poetic phrase…! (Let’s see…how about something like “I’D RATHER BE SMASHING IMPERIALISM”..!)
Just Dessert: Giovanna Madonia Chimera ’03
We poured this wine for you a couple of weeks ago. It was so delicious we sold out very quickly, but I was fortunate enough to find another case! It is 100% Albana harvested in extremely small batches, allowing the “botrytis” or “noble rot” to optimally develop on the berries. After a soft press it is fermented and matured in new French barriques for a period for 12 to 24 months, depending on the vintage. Following a micro-filtration, it is bottled, and rests for at least 1 year before release. This wine originally sold for over $30, and we have it now for $16!
Golden with copper hues; slightly viscous; intense aromatic qualities of honey, baking spice, raisins, apricot preserve and wild flowers. On the palate it offers balanced sweetness with good acidity and a dense yet extremely elegant mouth-feel, with endless aromatic qualities that keep coming back. Read more about the winery click on ‘about this winery’ in box at bottom of page
(And is this a great label, or what??!!)
Online Store Update
Okay, okay, progress is SLOW! However, I am delighted to report that there is in fact some progress to report! Last week I said I was exploring Zen Cart, which I had spent a fair amount of time exploring as far back as 2007. This week has had its share of frustrating slogging, but some hard-won progress has been made, to the point that the decision has been made to commit to the Zen Cart platform (yay, we hope!) and abandon WordPress E-Commerce (i.e., the “plugin” store to this blog) and seek our fortune in the strange world of Open Source software.
For those of you who don’t know, there is an entire world of alternatives to Microsoft and Apple and Google out there. One of our home computers runs on Ubuntu, a free Linux-bases operating system, and runs free open-source Office applications from OpenOffice.org that are in one sense like older versions of Word or Excel, except that in many ways they are better, simpler, and more reliable. One downside is that such a small percentage of home computers use Linux that big outfits like Netflix don’t bother to accommodate it. One upside is that a LOT of those users are Serious Geeks, who collaborate over time to keep improving the programs, and in the long run the quality of their products is quite likely to exceed the commercially oriented, planned obsolescence of the mainstream.
I say all this as a kind of mantra…oh, please, let it be so!...but honestly, at the moment I am still way over my head with all of this. When trapped in heavy surf, of course I get a little excited whenever I hit enough of a trough that my feet actually touch bottom for a moment, and I can take a nice big breath! (uh-oh, here comes another wave!!) So okay, there are still lots of problems to solve. But in this exploration I have gotten more clear that our primary goal is to make our site work better primarily for our “regulars,” to whom we will now be referring as “Members!” So we’re thinking about adding sections for my recommendations, Ryan’s recommendations, member recommendations….stay tuned! click: Our store at the moment…
Wine Club Launched, No Turning Back!
Last weekend was very much a milestone for us (and you), in that it was the debut of the $10 tasting. I confess it felt very strange, not sure why. But visitors who didn’t know that we had only been charging $5 for the last eight years just took it completely in stride, which makes us think “why did we wait so long?” One problem may be that we have been confused for a long time about whether this is a business, a club, or just entertaining friends. Of those, the “club” idea rings most true. It will take a few more weeks to iron out the many wrinkles (especially record-keeping!), but we are happy with the new club structure (see previous several posts), and hope you are, too.
Your Perk for this week: the above-mentioned Giovanna Madonia Chimera is reserved For Members Only!
This Week’s Tasting
We have some old and new favorites this weekend. We have a few bottles of the very popular Casterot Blanc from last summer, and the new vintage of the Hahn California pinot noir is possibly the best (and biggest!) ever. We had a bottle at Ciao Thyme recently and ordered a case for the shop the next day! The Buglioni valpolicella is a new wine for us, very smooth, very Italian, very food-worthy. We tend to like just about all the carmeneres we have tasted, and this one from Concha y Toro is a consistent classic, a lot of wine for the price. Finally, the Convento Las Claras is probably my current favorite of our many terrific Spanish offerings. My first impulse on tasting it was to hide it away because it was really good and quite limited in supply. We did manage to get several more cases in the last few weeks, however (we poured it a month or so ago), so are offering it again. This is a Really nice wine that is way underpriced at $18!
Casterot Gascogne Blanc ’10 France $10
Colombard and Ugni Blanc; Light, bright, crisp, and minerally, just the thing for Spring!
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.
Buglioni Valpolicella Classico ’10 Italy $12
Refined, feminine personality. Sweet red berries, flowers and spices linger on the high-toned, refreshing finish.
Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenère ’11 Chile WS88pts $11
Aromas of spice box, plum, blueberry, and lavender followed by a palate of chocolate, coffee, and spice.
Bodegas Convento Las Claras ’11 Spain 93 pts $18
100% tempranillo from vineyards dating back to 1900; dense ruby/purple color accompanied by abundant notes of pencil shavings, white chocolate, espresso roast and creme de cassis. This modern-styled Spanish, super-rich, intense red takes ripeness to the limit without sacrificing Old World nuances. Absolutely delicious!
Lummi Island Wine Tasting March 1-2 ’13
The Way of the Dodo
Like many species before it and many to follow, the Dodo was eliminated from the roster of currently living things about 400 years ago. Until then it had thrived on Mauritius, where life was so easy that it had evolved away from its ancestors’ ability to fly. Accounts of what it actually looked like are contradictory, but let us assume that it was quite dashing for its time and place, and not, as this caricature suggests, reminiscent of an albatross hooked on Crack. However, like many species it was not equipped to defend itself against humans and their animals, which first arrived with the Dutch in 1598.
Similarly, we note this weekend the passing of the long-time tradition here at the Wine Gallery of the Five Dollar Wine Tasting. Like the Dodo, we have pushed the edges of our niche as best we could, but after eight years of holding the line while wine prices have crept, little by little, up and up, we are giving in to evolutionary pressure, and raising our tasting fee from $5 to $10.
However, unlike the Dodo, the $5 tasting is not extinct for all; it will continue to be available to our Wine Club Members. Just sign up next time you visit! (See below for more info.)
Wine Club News
Lest any of our stalwart supporters fall to the ground, grief-stricken by this devastating development, we urge you to Take Heart, for the $5 tasting is not, as rumored, extinct like the Dodo for everyone, oh, non, non, non, mesdames et monsieurs! The $5 tasting will be continuing for All of our Wine Club members! Back of the envelope calculations suggest that since it costs $35 to join the Wine Club for a year, anyone who plans on tasting wine with us at least seven times a year is better off joining the Wine Club than paying the higher fee. Put that together with the other benefits of membership and joining up is Pretty Appealing! Just click on the Wine Club! link above to sign up. At some point we will have a nifty way you can pay your annual membership online, but for now just sign up online and you can ante up on your next visit!
Speaking of Online Stores
Rumor has it that the Original Principle, or whatever was around that transcended the Big Bang, or the whole Multiverse of Big Bangs, made Our Entire Cosmos in “three days,” whatever that means. I can only interpret that as meaning that creating the Universe is Easy, but creating an Online Store is more difficult! After weeks of challenges, our Web Professional has advised us to Abandon All Hope of ever getting our online store functioning on the WordPress platform. The argument is convincing, given our experience over the last few months, and the rationale heads in the general direction of “don’t expect layers of complicated platforms that are continually being redesigned for blogging to stay still long enough to build a store on.” You heard it here first, folks!
So we are giving up on WordPress Ecommerce for our online wine shop, and now trying to get up and running with an old open-source package called Zencart. I explored it some years ago, but, in full disclosure I must admit that I gave it up because it seemed way too complicated! Which leads to the insight that, well, there are different kinds of complications and some may be easier to deal with than others…although of course you never really know. So, philosophically speaking, the search for an online store that meets our balance of expense, functionality, and ease of management is pretty much like everything else we do: the best we can with the resources available.
I must admit that regardless of whether we will ever be able to pull this thing together into a functioning online store, there is a definite appeal to using open-source products like ZenCart. It is aesthetically appealing in the same way as our backroom desktop computer which is running a Linux-based operating system called Ubuntu. That is, nowadays we have the choice of buying in to the slick corporate parade of New! Upgrade! Planned Obsolescence! represented by Apple and Microsoft, or opting into a more sustainable path….for the moment, however, we do NOT have an online store. But like the empty concrete silos you see in abandoned shopping centers, the artifacts of our recent attempts are still visible… WordPress version (abandoned) Zencart version (under construction) Your thoughts? Please comment.
First Wine Club Perk!
Okay, here it is, your first Wine Club Perk! A month or two ago a gentleman contacted me looking for a wine that Robert Parker (yeah, I know, most of our crowd says Robert Who???) gave a stupendously high rating of 94 points (read: A++) despite its modest price of $16. My research revealed that the wine was not available in Washington, but was very hot in the Northeast (closest to Europe). Figuring it would all be gone before it ever hit the West Coast, I advised the gentleman that I had ordered a bunch but might never see it, so he should order it from Wherever!
All you need to know is that I bought five cases of this amazing wine, and offer it to our members at a mere $15 a bottle, this weekend only! Can’t come in this weekend? Send us an email order. Or, maybe by the time you get this it will be listed in the online store (sometime Friday!). We have tasted it, and it is both Big and Delicious; we recommend decanting for several hours.
This Week’s Wines
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.
Borsao Campo de Borja ’11 Spain 88pts $11
Inky purple, mostly garnacha. 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; outstanding value.
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.
Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec ’11 Argentina 89pts $14
Good full medium ruby. Crushed blackberry, licorice and violet on the lively nose. Quite ripe and sweet in the mouth, showing impressive volume and breadth for the price range. Finishes with serious ripe tannins and noteworthy persistence.
Bodegas Triton Tempranillo Entre Suelos ’10 Spain 90pts $12
Inky purple. Sexy, oak-spiced aromas of black raspberry and cherry, with pipe tobacco and floral nuances building with air. Fleshy, supple and sweet, offering bright red and dark berry flavors and a smoky, spicy quality. Fine-grained tannins help shape the a long, smoky finish.
2072 Granger Way
