Wine Tasting Studio Tour November 14-15
It all started with: “It was a dark and stormy night…” and went downhill from there...
...It was raining on the Island, not a Hard Rain exactly, more like a Heavy Rain, but not heavy in the sense of tropical downpour, though sometimes it was, but more Heavy in the sense of Omigod, it’s the week after the clocks have been set back and it gets dark early, Too Early, and even if it wasn’t cloudy and Gloomy with thousands and thousands of feet of Heavy Clouds up there and out there and all around, just Sucking the Light out of the very air we breathe and more importantly see the world through, and more important than that, that we see Color through, and at best there are just shades of gray and no real color because there just isn’t enough Light, and yes though it was sometimes raining Hard, tropically even, it is mostly that Oppressive Feeling of the relentless Weight of the Gloom, that we can’t help but fear will Never Go Away, and if you look at the political situation, well, it’s exactly the same thing, that’s all I’m saying. (that’s my entry and I’m sticking to it…)
Which is to say, our first guests were Sean and Elizabeth and friends, and somehow the subject came up about the annual Bulwer-Lytton writing contest, in which people write really funny long sentences like B-L did once upon a time, and we read several of the entries from the website, totally silly and great fun.
Our other Big Event of the day was our first visit from just-turned-21 Patrick O’Callaghan, who looked to be having a good time…ah, it’s all Downhill from here, Kid, enjoy the ride!
I have to say this was one of the best tastings we have done in a while; all four wines were showing really well, completely delicious, and highly recommended.
This weekend is the pre-Holiday Artists’ studio tour. so we will be open from 10-5 both Saturday and Sunday. We will aim at pouring wines to go with holiday fare, either turkey or perhaps salmon, or both.
BY THE WAY PLEASE DO US A FAVOR: KING-5 TV has a listing of wine shops on its web site; click on this link , then click on “Write a recommendation” and give us YOUR vote for best wine shop in Washington! (thanks!!!)
Truffles!!! In addition, Pat and Janice (Lummi Island Chocolate Kompany or “LICK” as I like to call it–and they don’t, but they haven’t come up with a real name yet) will have some new truffles for tasting during the weekend so you can order some for the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas), conveniently packaged in boxes of four, each a different flavor, for a mere $1 per truffle. Having sampled, I gotta say these are Awesome! Flavors:
Fleur de sel Caramel- Bittersweet chocolate, Lummi Island sea salt, organic cream
Eggnog- – egg nog, organic cream
Pumpkin spice –pumpkin, milk chocolate, organic cream, spices
Dark Chocolate Port Truffles — Bittersweet chocolate, madeira, organic cream
As for this weekend’s wine tasting, well, that’s complicated. We want to feature wines that will pair well with Thanksgiving dinner, but typically there are several courses, so “pairing” becomes quite general. So through the weekend we will be pouring an evolving selection of wines, generally covering four areas: appetizers, soup/salad, main course, and dessert.
Appetizers/ socializing: the perfect occasion for bubbles, in the form of Italian prosecco, Spanish cava, French champagne or cremant, or any number of other sparklers
First courses: Most soups or salads will pair well with medium bodied white wines or roses that complement the acidity of the dressing and the sweetness of the vegetables; the more fat and seasoning, the bigger the wine should be, so a range
Main course: Around here this means turkey or salmon, and either one might also be smoked a little or a lot. My thinking is again the more fat and salt/spice, or the more smoke, the bigger the wine needed, and the more juicy, the less acid that’s necessary. So the range would include a crisp and fruity dry riesling, a smooth and flavorful viognier (like our own Legoe Bay), or a nicely oaked chardonnay. With salmon, it is tough to beat pinot noir for a perfect match. And if either turkey or fish is smoked, you might want to slide into a red wine with lots of fruit like a zinfandel or a syrah.
Dessert: This runs the gamut, though pumpkin pie is often the centerpiece dessert for the day; here you want a dessert wine with good acidity that frames the flavors in the pie, from a a late harvest riesling or pinot gris to a concentrated caramel-raisiny Pedro Ximenez sherry.
All I can tell you is that at any time there will be four wines being poured, one from each category, and from varying price ranges. So come by, taste some wines, and let’s talk about good pairing for YOUR dinner!
Wine Tasting November 7
Strange day in some undefinable way. First, it was Halloween, and we decided to wear “costumes.” Pat had a really great Witch Hat and pasty witch makeup and looked, well, kinda creepy. At the last minute I found my old martial arts outfit and put that on…it’s been enough years that now it is definitely a “costume.”
We were expecting a pretty good crowd, and imagined many would be in costume, but alas, only a few. Which is really not all that surprising for a Saturday afternoon. Then again, it isn’t that complicated to put on your old Lone Ranger mask, and a bit of stage makeup. Anyway, Russ, Kathy, and Kathy’s sister, Cindy (who is talking about moving here)—- did themselves up very nicely and set a festive mood, and late in the day Mary Jane came by decked out most convincingly as a nun, having access to the wardrobe of a new production of “Sister Act” soon to be in rehearsal somewhere nearby. She even had that stern countenance that scared the bedickens out of all the little kids in oldtime Catholic schools (it’s one of the the things Recovering Catholics are, you know, Recovering from).
This week’s wines:
Nefarious Cellars “Consequence” White ’08 Washington-Chelan $15: Off-dry in style, a blend of Aligote and Viognier, a great patio sipper, with aromatics of tree fruit (huh??) and grass, with flavors of peaches, apricots, green apple, stone fruit, and ruby red grapefruit, with really lovely mouth-cleansing acidity. Not to mention, this winery is beautifully situated overlooking Lake Chelan and several acres of well-tended vineyards. see slide show
Martorana Colonna nero d’avola/syrah Italy $13–Lush, Rubenesque aromas and flavors of ripe plum, Moroccan spice, mincemeat, and sweet ginger…
Domaine Rimbert Le Chant de Marjolaine 07 France $14— “Jean-Marie Rimbert is a native of Provence who has forearms reminiscent of Popeye’s – must be the vine-pruning. He believes that carignan is his pinot and with old vines and small yields is a noble cépage. In his words “It is a much more efficient vehicle for terroir than syrah or grenache, at least here, where the schiste gives you relatively low acid wines.” (which basically means I can’t remember this wine except that I liked it!”
Marguery Familia Malbec ‘04 Argentina $21 —a round, supple wine with insinuating flavor intensity, smooth tannins, and lovely life and length (my favorite!)
Halloween Wine Tasting October 31
halloween greeting (click)
NOTE: Pat is making Special Halloween Truffles; wear a costume to the tasting and get a Free Truffle Treat!
Last weekend: It’s been a long time since we had a day like this. Gorgeous day, the sort I was tempted to call “Indian Summer” but was informed it had to be longer than one day really to be called that. And as you know, it didn’t last, as Sunday the rains returned. Ah, but it was lovely: warm sun, cool breeze, even the blackberry leaves were in splendid colors.
In the shop it was quiet at one. Quiet at two. Quiet at 3. Quiet at 3:45. Our eyes meet. We shrug. Well, we thought, haven’t experienced this for some long while…! Then just before four o’clock within the space of a few minutes, there were 10 or 11 guests, and the usual festivities ensued. Once again we narrowly avert Disaster!
Wines were a bit of a mixed bag. The Cremant was very interesting, with a fine-bubbled and frothy mousse and amazing acidity; load up and serve with anything edible! The Denis Gayte seemed young and undistinguished, might have to wait a while on that, though it did show a nice freshness. As promised the Marquis Philips Sarah’s blend was a bit of a Dark Fruit Bomb (works for me!), and the Termes was a bit brooding for most, needed even more air perhaps.
Again don’t forget to wear a costume (simple is fine, but no, sunglasses are not a “costume,” we do have some standards!).
This week’s wines:
• Aveleda vinho verde (Portugal) $9
High acidity makes it refreshing, and a bit of spiciness tempers the melon, green apple and peach flavors.
• 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.
• Terre Rouge Tête-à-Tête Syrah 02 California $16
A likable and out-of-the-ordinary blend, with aromas of cedar, plum and spice and zesty yet supple flavors of licorice, coffee and blackberry.
• Robert Karl Cab Sauv 05 Washington WE91pts $23
Dense, deep and angular, this young Cabernet is a lot of wine, loaded with bright berry flavors mixing raspberry, strawberry and boysenberry. With great concentration and palate presence, this youthful wine shows grip and texture, as light pepper and spice flavors filter in, and the tannins add definition and power to the finish, which slowly opens into a light dusting of chocolate.
Wine Tasting October 26
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Well, the day started with a very soft “bang” as a first-time couple from Seattle arrived early in the afternoon for tasting. It was a pleasant reminder of the quieter days before last May, when there were rarely more than three or four visitors, and it was quiet and easy to chat and get to know our guests. That typically gets more difficult as the day goes on.
Anyway, the “bang” was that these lovely folks decided to buy a case of the day’s wines, clearing out the few remaining bottles of the Relagnes Cotes de Rhone, and setting up later arrivals for “Here, you might like this, by the way we don’t have any more.” So when that ran out we poured the Château Saint-André Corbin St-Georges-St-Émilion 2004, which, like many wines in our shop, have been languishing in a corner for a couple of years. We have poured it a few times, but on this day it was Ready, and was a hit. I think we have just one bottle left, and I might have to “disappear” it…!
When we run out of something during a tasting, and have to replace it with something else, it is always fun to renumber the new wine as “the New Number Two,” which leads to considerable confusion and always reminds me of the old (ancient to some) TV series The Prisoner, which began with Patrick McGoohan’s abduction and awakening at The Village:
Why did you resign?
WHO are YOU?
I’m the new Number Two.
Whose side are you on?
That would be telling.
Who is Number One?
YOU are Number Six.
I AM NOT A NUMBER! I AM A FREE MAN!
…and then some spy-movie music would start and you could see him racing around in his little Lotus Super 7 and how he got captured…If you are too young to remember it (it WAS forty years ago!) then check it out on Netflix and we’ll talk about it. But I digress; the other wines for the day were also quite popular; we are down to one bottle of the Brooks Amycas, which everyone liked, and though everyone loved the OS syrah, not many buyers in the price range.
This week’s tasting:
Domaine Laurens Cremant de Limoux (France) $14 — This ancient cousin to champagne is from a little area in the SW corner of France near the Spanish border, with creamy mousse texture, and notes of baked apple, prune, yeast, and minerality.
Denis Gayte “Harmonie” ’07 (France) $10 — I haven’t actually tasted this vintage, but the wine has an interesting story (http://wsm.wsu.edu/s/index.php?id=214#) and I have liked it in the past. Made in Provence by a young American who grew up in Seattle. (http://www.lagramiere.com/blog/2007/07/meet-denis-gayt.html#). Come try it out!
Marquis Philips Sarah’s Blend Shiraz ’06 $15 (Australia) — This wine is made by an American in Australia, and was one of the pioneers of the big fat Aussie shiraz’s we all love to wallow in from Mclaren Vale; the nose is big and jammy with plums, spice, almond and chocolate aromas, and full-bodied, fruit-driven, intense flavors.
Numanthia Termes ’04 (Spain) $26 — Parker 94 pts: Inky purple-colored, it emits a beautiful bouquet of scorched earth, graphite, wild blueberry, and blackberry liqueur, followed by a full-bodied, layered, concentrated, intensely flavored wine with exceptional balance and length. (only have a few, better show up early; in most wine shops these disappeared minutes after arrival about 3 years ago!)
2072 Granger Way