Lummi Island Wine Tasting July 9, ’11
For a number of reasons, Fourth of July on Lummi Island is something of a Big Deal…whether you want it to be or not. This has a lot to do with the fact that the ferry to the Island leaves the mainland from Gooseberry Point, which is part of Lummi Nation, our neighboring Indian tribe, whose ancestors have been living in these parts for something like nine thousand years. Even if your ancestors came over on the Mayflower, it kinda makes you feel like a pretty recent arrival.
Being a sort of separate Nation within the U. S., and within the State of Washington, and within the Nation of USA, the Tribe has a lot of special rules and laws that govern it. Among those is the right to sell fireworks in the leadup to the Fourth.However that works, what happens around here is that for about two weeks before the 4th, a veritable Midway of Fireworks Stands blooms along all the main roads to and through “the Rez,” with names like Jack’s Bomb Shack and Dangereux Dave’s.
Our Gang celebrated the Fourth with a (for lack of a better term) Progressive Party (don’t you love it?, as Judy might say…?), beginning across the street at Brenda’s, moving down-island (and Up the Mountain) to Leigh and Brian’s for dessert and Fantastic View #1, and then on to Leere’s for Super Fantastic View #2. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures of the 180 degree view, and, even more amazing, when I Google “view of Bellingham from Lummi Mountain,” I don’t get any photos that capture the extraordinariness of the view.
So I am now officially in search of a photo that captures both the panorama and the perspective we saw–yes, Free Tasting for Two for such a photo! It was really quite magical. All YOU need to know is that you could see for Miles and Miles, and in every direction people were spending lots of $/hour just Blowing Things Up. If you think about it for more than a few seconds it is really bizarre.
Below a photo of the revelers up on the mountain, including lots (but definitely not all) of our Regulars: from l to r: Bruce, Judy, Rich (moi), John, David, Brian, Leigh (fore) Ryan D, Kier, Ryan T, Leere, Pam (fore), Marlene, Marc, Brenda. These wonderful people represent our community, and we met almost all of them– and they met each other in many cases–at our “wine shop.” (btw, noticeably missing from this photo is my darling wife and usually “joined at the hip” partner in all things, Pat.) So we must be doing something right, huh? And we may not have been here for nine thousand years, but for this moment, this is our Tribe, by which we define ourselves and are continually enriched, and this wonderful photo captures it perfectly. (photo by Leigh)
I could talk about last week’s wines, or about last weekend, our first weekend open Thurs thru Saturday, but I like this picture and what it represents so much that it seems more appropriate to leave it here. This beautiful photo does a magnificent job of capturing the aliveness and individuality that all of you bring and share with us and with each other. More than anything I could possibly put into words, this photo (thanks, Leigh!) captures much that is important….great moment, great photo, great community; what extraordinary good fortune!
a lot of people live elsewhere but have deep roots on Lummi
the New Mexico contingent…what wine for chipotle…??
so if you can get your head in the right place, even Ordinary Wine tastes Fantastic!
This week’s wines:
Vin du Lac Dry Riesling ’09 Washington $17
From this charming little winery overlooking Lake Chelan comes this crisp dry riesling with brisk acidity and minerality, with lively notes of lime and nectarine.
Chateau Lancyre Rose France $15
From the little area of Pic St. Loup (a favorite region) comes this pale rose; Light, bright pink, spicy aromas of wild strawberry, cranberry and rose, dry and incisive, with tangy red fruit flavors.
Tre Donne D’Arc Langhe Rosso ’06 Italy $16
Blend of Barbera, Pinot Noir (Nero), Dolcetto, and the rare, highly aromatic grape Freisa; the Barbera is aged in French oak, the Pinot Noir in Slavonian 20 HL barrels, while the Dolcetto and Freisa are unoaked, lively, and fresh. Wow! Named for the sisters lifetime inspiration Joan of Arc, D’Arc is a powerful, yet elegant wine with rich, moody fruit, bracing purity, and fascinating depth. A value extraordinaire.
Perazzeta Erio ’07 Italy $15
Sangio, cab, syrah blend (”Super Tuscan)– Balance, extract, and fruit so intense it induces sensations of actually chewing cherries, prunes and fresh dates…
Reminder: New Thursday & Friday hours
Just a quick note to remind you all that we are now on our new Summer Hours:
Thursday and Friday evenings from 4-7: Two wines (serious pours!) and munchies, $5
Saturday afternoons from 2-6: The usual tasting, four wines for $5
Beat the crowds, come early…or hey, it’s a small island–come every day!
Lummi Island Wine Tasting July 2 ’11
New Additional Hours. As usual, it is Thursday evening as I write this. What is different is that tonight was our first evening opening. Ryan is the primary host for these trial openings Thursday and Friday evenings from 4-7. So tonight our first guests were a pair of (I’m not making this up!) private detectives from the City (female), here for–you guessed it, dinner at the Willows–(they are calling it a “business retreat”…!)
We had been on the fence about whether we should have some kind of wine tasting on these evening openings, and our Private I’s convinced us straightaway that yes, we should. So the plan for the summer is to offer a tasting of two wines (generous pours) and a little bite of something for $5. Our goal is to be a little oasis on the way home for the weekend; stop by, sip a little wine, check in with the Gang, and pick up wine for the evening meal or even the weekend. Other plans include poetry or play readings, salon discussions of who knows what…your suggestions are welcome, so please post any ideas as comments.
Just note for now that we are now open Thursday and Friday evenings til 7!
Tip Jar? Last weekend was our lightest traffic for about two years, (including the Dark of Winter in December and January), about 8 guests all day. Among those were a charming young couple on bicycles (see photo) who insisted on leaving us our first actual “tip”!!! We did our best to discourage them, but they insisted, and we reluctantly but graciously accepted–and liked it! Now of course, we are working on the tacky problem of how to label–in order to distinguish clearly– a hypothetical new ‘tip jar’ from the customary “spit bucket…” Stay tuned…this is an exciting development that deserves further study…!
Our generous benefactorsMy Hit Wine from last week’s tasting was the Antonio Sanguineti Nessun Dorma Toscana. Beautifully packaged in 1.5 liter magnums within a nicely turned out wood box, this easy drinking super-tuscan (blend of sangiovese, cab, and syrah) is a perfectly delicious and inexpensive gift.
Next Wine Class: We are taking the Fourth off from the biweekly tasting with Ryan. The last tasting in this series will be next Sunday, July 10, and will pair wines with art and music. Ryan told me tonight what wines we will need and what the art and music will be, and it makes me smile! If you think about it, it is an essential feature of Any and Every Place that it somehow breeds a culture, a cuisine, a language, and a sense of place. So while on one hand it seems esoteric to think about pairing wine with the arts, on the other it is completely logical as well as completely appropriate if we are really to understand the relationships between people and place. Still a few slots open, be sure to call to reserve a spot.
This Week’s wines:
Legoe Bay Reefnet White Washington $10
From our friends down on the Bay, another refreshing blend with the smooth texture of viognier and crisp citrus notes of chardonnay…perfect for afternoon on the deck!
Torii Mor pinot noir ’08 Oregon $20 WS 90 pts
Medium ruby-colored, it exhibits an expressive nose of rose petal, spice box, cherry, and raspberry. Easygoing on the palate while deftly concealing some ripe tannin, this outstanding value will provide pleasure over the next 6-8 years.
Poderi Elia Barbera d’Asti ’08 Italy $14
Balanced, soft, and rich, with freshly pressed cranberries on the nose, and lush palate of bright pomegranate, bright acidity, and soft tannins that beg for pairing with a savory meal.
Bocelli Poggioncino ‘07 Italy $18
Big, soft, full-bodied sangiovese from Chianti region of Tuscany…entirely satisfying and highly recommended.
Reminder: new Thursday and Friday hours!
Don’t forget! Starting this weekend (Thursday, June 30) we will be open Thursday and Friday from 4-7pm
as well as our weekly tasting on Saturdays from 2-6! Beat the rush and stock up for the weekend!
2072 Granger Way