Wine Tasting March 13 ’10
It has become fairly predictable that our afternoons are very low key from 1 till nearly 4, with the Happy Hour crowd (their idea, not ours) all arriving en masse around 4. But last week was different, beginning with Leigh and Brian arriving around 2 (egads!). That took awhile to get my head around, or as the new style has it, “get around my head,” but it was nice to be able to just hang out and schmooze.
Vanessa and Robin
The quiet and schmoozy ambience continued with the staggered arrivals of several first-timers (what to call them…newbies…? pollywogs…? the Chosen…?), perhaps a sign of the winter thaw. First we had Vanessa and Robin, recent music grads from Western, teaching chorale and orchestra, respectively, in nearby school districts. Then Sean and Elizabeth, who now reminds us of Kelly Mcdonald, who we just saw in a two movies recently (she says she hears that all the time) brought in friends Galine and Go from Seattle…Go has a contagious and energetic smile that never seems to fade…
Galina, Sean, Elizabeth, GoFor you natives, yes, there is another Kevin Jones in the world, okay probably many of them, not just our local Mindport Man...this Kevin and wife Laurie are from way down on the tip of Maryland’s eastern shore, a sort of island in its own right, with a lot of history. They are renting on the island for a month, thinking about a possible move. In coming weeks we may hear more about that, but personally I am curious to learn more about their neck of the woods, never made it down that far a million years ago when going to school in the area.
Kevin & LaurieThen during the Four o’clock Rush we met Emily and Rachel, cheerful Seattleites staying at the Willows (is the Season upon us??). With her close-fitting cap and sunglasses perched atop like goggles, I thought Emily had a jaunty jockey look (just add silks and a garland of flowers!) but I don’t think anybody else saw it…you be the judge!
Emily & RachelLast week’s wines? Hmm, lemme see…started with the Legoe Bay chardonnay, which I happen to like, but I think maybe islanders have all had it too often –it IS the Island’s only winery— so is more popular with visitors. It IS a great buy, as are all the LB wines. The new Borsao red was predictably quaffable, and the new Las Hormigas Malbec (someone pointed out that “hormigas” means “ant”, and the bottle capsule sports an ant motif…gotta learn more about this winery from Argentina) was showing VERY well, uniformly popular, so mark that one down as something we plan to keep in stock, a terrific value. And then of course the Walter Clore cab, always a classic Washington wine, a little out of our average price range, so a bit of a treat for us all to taste.
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This week’s wines:
Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino 2007 Italy $13
Supple aromas of citrus, pineapple, tropical fruits and honey are wonderfully supported by a zesty acidity. Delicate and pleasantly refreshing on the palate…(I love this wine!) $14
Stephen Vincent “Crimson” 07 California $10
Firm and spicy, with appetizing blackberry, wild berry, pepper, spice and chicory notes that firm up on the finish. Syrah and Cabernet
Sauvignon.
Sheridan “Kamiakin” syrah ’06 Washington $17
Brooding aromas and flavors of spicy plum and blackberry that linger on the palate.
Seghesio Zinfandel 08 Califiornia $19
Copious amounts of blue, red, and black fruits as well as excellent purity, medium to full body, a supple texture, and enough acidity to provide vibrancy. It is pure, elegant, and substantial.
Wine Tasting March 6 ’10
‘s now Thursday night (late) as I write this, and I have spent a good part of the evening finishing off the bottle of Ninet de Pena viognier from last Saturday. Not a stunning wine exactly or it wouldn’t have lasted this long, but all the same I liked it when first opened last weekend– spectacularly floral on the nose– and have found it very easy to drink all week, even now a week later. A good buy, and probably something to stock for awhile.
The Castelnoble drew numerous appreciative comments, all to the effect that this wine had a lot of “there” there for its measly $8 price tag. The Mt. Baker sangio, now two years past release, had earthy depth and also pleased the crowds. And needless to say, the Donedai was a show stopper, entirely alluring and satisfying.
Enjoyed a rare visit from Colleen B, who did not seem to realize that we were still around, or if we were, that we were open every Saturday. Yes, dear readers, we are here for you each and every Saturday (mostly), and a Fine Thing it is, too, to have your huddling masses huddling at our place on a winter afternoon. And yes, I do use the word “Winter” lightly, as it has been a mild and sweet one as winters go, and here we are barely in March with daffodils blooming and birds twittering, and blossoms blossoming just like Spring. Actually more like spring in places where they actually have Spring, though usually later in the year, but different from the schizo-spring we usually have which more often is a an alternating winter-spring-winter-winter-spring-winter-spring-spring-winter sort of thing, when any particular day could be mistaken for January or March or May or Whatever.
Nice photo of Colleen and Steve being entertained by someone, and then Ian’s smiling face,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, (the comma often sticks on this keyboard),,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, always makes you wonder what he has up his sleeve…
This week’s wines:
Legoe Bay Chardonnay ‘06 Washington $7
Crisp lemon-lime, green apple, and grapefruit with a clean finish, our locally
produced chardonnay is a terrific value, especially at the new rock-bottom price. These wines are an Awesome Deal at their current pricing!
Borsao Crianza Spain $10
Purple-colored with a fragrant nose of cedar, spice box, black cherry, and black currant. Smooth-textured, savory, and ripe, it has excellent depth, concentration, and length.
Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Argentina $10
Ripe, with raspberry and boysenberry fruit laced with notes of
mocha and fruitcake. Fleshy and round. A crowd-pleaser.
Columbia Crest Walter Clore ’02 Washington WS93pts $30
Polished, lithe and seductive, its ripe currant and blueberry fruit shaded nicely with peppery, creamy oak notes that still let the fruit persist beautifully through the long, silky finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Wine Tasting Feb 27 ’10
I gotta start writing this closer to the weekend past…here I have these great photos of new visitors and draw a blank on names. Actually that was the hallmark of the day, not that I couldn’t remember names, nothing new about that (but I never forget a face or where I saw it)– we would hear steps on the stairs and about half the time last weekend faces would emerge we had never seen before. Here are Okayse (oh-kay-see…is that a gorgeous name and smile or what?)… and Ben, from Seattle, staying at the Willows.
Then we had these three Western students, and here I am blanking on names, they will just have to read this and post their names so I can update!) but I can tell you from left to right majors in somatic psych (one of my old fields), math, and, hmm, lemme see…biochem, I think. Also, another novelty for us is whenever we have to card anyone, and we did, and yes they were all 21, he most recent only last month. So young and yet so wise to find their way to Lummi Island’s premier (and only) wine tasting.
Mark is back from Argentina, and somehow also made it to Uruguay and, somehow, for a couple of days in Chile as well. We Google-mapped a satellite view of their rental on the beach in Uruguay, where I understand that fine wine actually comes out of home faucets and costs practically nothing, so Mark is talking about buying a house there and inviting us all down. I also understand that the only thing to eat in Argentina is Meat, great giant slabs of it, so you better be a carnivore. Or maybe I got a few details wrong on that, but I think I got the gist…they had a great time and want to go back to Uruguay.
This week’s wines:
Ninet de Pena Viognier ’07 France $8
Straw in color. On the nose, youthful, medium intensity, slate, lilac, dandelion, honeysuckle, frisee, endive, not oaky, with lots of earthy elements. On the palate, off-dry notes of nectarine, peach, & intense floral element.
Castelnoble Tinto Roble “06 Spain $8 WA 88pts
100% Tempranillo with an enticing bouquet of raspberry, blackcurrant, and spice box. Elegant on the palate, it has tons of flavor and an easy-going finish with no hard edges.
Mt. Baker Sangiovese 05 Washington $15
Rich aromas and flavors of ripe plum, truffle, and moist earth.
Donedai Cabernet Sauvignon ’04 Washington $32
Carolyn Lakewold makes tiny amounts of this very rich and lush Cabernet blend, starting with an intense scent of black cherry, cassis, and violets. Flavors are of black raspberry, black cherry, plum, and jammy cassis fruit, with hints of toasted espresso bean, toasted cocoa bean, and hints of violets.
Wine Tasting Feb 20 ’10
Let’s start with this timely News Flash about the health benefits of wine and chocolate. NOT ONLY help your heart, but also fight FAT! (I’m not making this up!): clicky I mean, AS IF we needed any other reason to get together on Saturday afternoons…it’s not wine and chocolate, it’s Health Food!
Then let’s reminisce a bit about Valentine’s Day ought-ten. Kind of a quiet day allowing nice visits with the early arrivals, including Lisa L and Robin, our neighbor a block away, possibly first time I have seen her without her baby boy…they are noticeable cuz they obviously are, like, into each other in a big way. Actually there seems to be a bit of that going around, as Nancy and Joan dropped in also, and we got this sweet photo of Joan and Sammie.
Also we were graced by an early bird from the North Country, a rare visit from Gwen (Ms Latte Dah herself) on an outing from Juneau where she moved last year.
Interesting wines last week, with the most popular vote going to the Ricardo Santos malbec, which presented well with little fanfare, but solid in its tracks, good fruit and substance, comforting like a steady hand on the shoulder, a wine to take into the wilderness with you, or, like, out on the deck, or wherever.
The Perazzeta on the other hand had a casual sophistication, not formal by any means, but definitely classy, something special, a step or two towards elegant. This seems to be a style characteristic of this small family winery in Tuscany.
This week’s wines:
Anne Amie Cuvee ‘A’ muller thurgau Oregon $14
Crisp, fresh, light, and dry, this somewhat unusual German varietal a versatile match for mildly spicy dishes.
Alberti malbec 2009 Argentina $10
This is the new vintage of one of our most popular wines, tasty, substantive, and a terrific buy; Ripe and polished, with layers of red licorice, dark cherries, raspberries and a hint licorice that all glide together through the medium-weight finish.
Chandler Reach corella 06 Washington WS 90pts $18
Super Tuscan blend of 70% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot is definitely Italian in heritage. Bright, refined and beautifully focused, this is light on its feet, with guava, berry and a hint of pear as the silky texture carries the flavors through the long, vivid finish.
Graeagle Red Wing ’03 Washington WS 90pts $20
Dense, heady and impressive for its layers of black cherry, sweet spice and peppery sage flavors on a firm foundation of refined tannins, echoing as the finish persists. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
2072 Granger Way