lummi island wine tasting sept 2-3 ’22 artists studio tour
Studio Tour Hours: 4-6 pm Friday and Saturday
The wine shop will be open for tasting this weekend as usual from 4-6 pm on both Friday and Saturday. We are also participating again in the Annual Artists’ Studio Tour, with Anne Gibert as our visiting artist.
Official Tour hours are from 1- 5pm both Saturday and Sunday. However, although before Covid we used to stay open and offer wine tastings all day both days, due to Covid cautions and other constraints our official tasting hours will not change for the tour.
However…if our sandwich board sign is deployed in front of the shop, you may assume we are open for art viewing and possibly wine tasting, so please feel welcome to drop in!
Finally, at the current stage of the global pandemic, anyone can be an unknowing carrier, so even though overall risks are low, we all must manage risk to ourselves and others in our own way. For our part, we will continue taking basic precautions in the wine shop: windows open, air filter operating, outside seating options. We do continue to request that the unvaxed remain outside for tasting.
Fyi, the weekend forecast is for partly cloudy, comfortable (70°) weather both Friday and Saturday!
NO Bread Pickup This Week !!
Janice is away this weekend, so sorry, no bread deliveries…back next week!
Wines of the Week: Cloudlift Cellars Favorites
Friends of the wine shop know that we have a long-standing appreciation for the wine making skills of Tom Stangeland, owner/winemaker at Cloudlift Cellars in Seattle. Tom and his wife Joanie have been making an annual pilgrimage to Lummi Island each August to celebrate their wedding anniversary with a long weekend on the Island and an anniversary dinner at the Willows. This year marked their 25th!
We took advantage of their visit to get a delivery of several of our particular favorites of their wines, and will be pouring them for our tastings this weekend. See tasting notes below…!
Economics of the Heart: The Devil and the Republican Party
image courtesy of www.atlantamagazine.com
The airwaves are lately full of commentary about the handling of classified documents. This public discussion has followed the discovery that The Former Guy had retained possession of dozens of boxes of classified government documents that he apparently had accessed while in office. Despite the nonstop media musing about what that Might Mean, there has been precious little discussion about how exactly such materials are regularly maintained and custody tracked in everyday White House operations. It is actually quite stunning to hear that anyone, including a President, can have custody of such documents even while in office without a clear paper trail showing what document, which copy, when custody began, and when it ended.
It is disturbing enough to hear how not only how cavalierly these documents have been held in unguarded and unsecured locations for all this time. It is even more disturbing to realize that such a thing could ever have been allowed to happen in the first place. Back during the Cold War such materials were taken very seriously, with numbered copies, each with a chain of custody that linked each document to the last person to have responsibility for it. People were trained to take these responsibilities extremely seriously. You took pains to make sure not to lose such materials in your custody or leave it unsecured. You were Responsible for it, and if it got lost or compromised, you were in big trouble.
Probably none of us who never experienced whatever kind of zoo the Tweetster White House really was can even imagine the prevailing levels of chaos. Still, the implication is that the Former Guy had open access to such documents, apparently with no clear chain of custody, and retained possession of them for nearly two years after leaving office.
Really? That certainly sounds like a story worth following…
The other head-scratching piece of this is that until pretty recently Republicans all pretended to be Hawks on America and would have devoured the Tweetster at the first inkling of what we all suspect– that he kept these documents because he knew they would be worth a LOT of $$ to the right buyers. Does anyone really imagine there is some Other reason for his having stolen all these papers and kept them so readily available at his swanky little international golf club? Go ahead, think about it…as Michael Cohen has spelled out in great detail, and as history has continually confirmed, the Tweetster is a con man-opportunist-psychopath with no apparent purpose in life except conning people into trusting him and then pushing them down the stairs. He is to the Republican Party what the Devil was to Faust.
Even after all this, most Republicans across the country still continue to choose the Tweetster over country, over Constitution, over truth, over common sense. Faust is the Republican Party, reveling in the growing Authority of its Christian Fascism, its institutionalization of cruelty, the offhand sacrifice of the entire planet’s ability to support life for a few moments of fleeting riches. There’s a lot at stake, all right…
This Week’s Special Tasting $10
Cloudlift Lucy Rosé of Cab Franc ’22 Washington $18
Pale salmon in color, with aromas of fresh nectarine, citrus peel and strawberry; palate is dry, bright, and focused, with lively, mouthwatering citrus and minerality that extend the finish.
Cloudlift Viognier/Marsanne/Rousanne ’20 Washington $22
We claim a little credit for asking Tom to make a marsanne/roussane blend a few years ago. The blend adds white flowers and honeysuckle, melon and pear nuances to fill out the palate.
Cloudlift Ascent Cab Franc ’13 Washington $27
74% cab franc and 18% merlot with a bit of cab sauv and Petit Verdot; deep ruby color and a rich, smoky nose of raspberry, cherry, and plum with scents of rosebuds, brambles, tobacco, sage and pepper. The flavors follow the aromatics with notes of licorice, dark cocoa, French roast and scorched earth.
Cloudlift Zephyr ’15 Washington $34
Beautiful blend of 44% Syrah, 28% Mourvèdre, and 28% Grenache presents rich aromas and flavors of blueberry, huckleberry, orange peel, garrigue, raspberry, black pepper and sweet fruit flavors that linger like satin on the finish.
lummi island wine tasting aug 26-27 ’22
Hours this weekend: 4-6pm both Friday and Saturday
Th
e wine shop will be open this weekend as usual from 4-6 Friday and Saturday. Covid continues to be a threat, even for those fully vaccinated. Limited outdoor seating is available on the deck for those who wish to stay outside.
At the current stage of the global pandemic, anyone can be an unknowing carrier, so though overall risks are low, we all must manage risk to ourselves and others in our own way. You are welcome to wear a mask , stay outside, or otherwise distance as additional precautions to protect yourself and others. For our part, we will continue taking basic precautions in the wine shop: windows open, air filter operating, outside seating options. We do continue to request that the unvaxed remain outside for tasting.
Btw, the weekend forecast is for partly cloudy, comfortable (70°) weather both Friday and Saturday!
Bread Pickup This Week
Pain Meunier -Aka Miller’s Bread to honor the miller who mills the wheat. Made with pre-fermented dough it contains all portions of the wheat berry: flour, fresh milled whole wheat, cracked wheat and wheat germ. Always a favorite and a great all around bread. It makes the best toast! – $5/loaf
Sonnenblumenbrot – Aka Sunflower Seed Bread, made with a pre-ferment that takes a portion of the flour, water, salt and yeast that ferments overnight before mixing the final dough with bread flour and freshly milled rye, then loaded up with toasted sunflower seeds and some barley malt syrup for sweetness. – $5/loaf
and mmm, pastry this week…
Kouign Aman with Cream Cheese filling : Made with the same traditional laminated french pastry used for croissants. Has both a little levain for the sourdough flavor as well as another pre-fermented dough to help build strength. When rolling out however, instead of using flour to prevent sticking, sugar is used. The dough is cut into squares, placed in cupcake tins then filled with a cream cheese filling… so a cheese danish and croissant walk into a bar… – 2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. Each week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: Lyrarakis Plyto Psarades ’21 Crete $20
https://wineanorak.com/2020/11/09/lyrarakis-visiting-this-leading-winery-in-crete/
The very rare Plyto (aka Dafni) grape variety was saved from imminent extinction in the early ’90s by the Lyrarakis family when it was planted in their “Psarades” family vineyard at 480m (1500′) altitude in central Crete.
The varietal’s name derives from the laurel (bay leaf) plant, which is called “Dáfni” in Greek, as the wine shows distinctive herbal nuances, a clean and refreshing mouthfeel, and a clean, lingering, aromatic aftertaste. Its unique characteristics offer great food-pairing versatility: if it is served outdoors in the summer, this wine will very likely pair very well with it.
Tasting notes: Engaging aromas of peaches, grape-nuts (yes those grape-nuts!), with a spicy-minty background of garrigue, bay leaf, and warm earth that linger through a long, clean finish.
Economics of the Heart: Trances People Live
This week’s title comes from a powerful book written about 30 years ago by psychologist Stephen Wolinsky. One basic takeaway from the book is that we are all constantly going in and out of “trances,” in the sense that in one moment we can be functioning rationally, logically, and functionally, and in the very next, without any conscious sense of anything having changed, we are operating from an unconscious trance state. Such a “trance” is not some kind of unaware sleepwalking. It is a seamless shift from one sense of self-and-other to another, without even noticing.
With a bit of reflection we all recognize that these “mood shifts” can happen with road rage, or feeling shame, or rejection, or hopelessness, or any of the other Buttons. We all have our own deep wells of experience, unresolved conflicts, and the meanings we have made from them– private prisons of our own making that we carry with us wherever we go. We are not a single constant self, but an ongoing set of responses to inner and outer stimuli. We all have our training, habits, beliefs, needs, desires, hopes, dreams. Still, we must respond to each moment as it arrives, and ideally our best self emerges. But too often our habitual selves arrive first and make everything more difficult.
These thoughts arise as our nation approaches a consequential electoral crossroad in November. After two years of doomsday predictions, there have some recent signs of hope for these challenges.
Much of that hope is coming from a growing backlash against the draconian anti-abortion legislation being passed by Republican State Houses across the nation after the Dobbs decision. Additional heads are being turned by the recent (finally!) legislation package passed by Congress to address a number of issues of equity, education, public health and safety, and climate change, among others. The Jan 6 Committee has brought public attention to the ties of the Trump Administration to many crimes committed against the country, and recent document seizures at Mar a Lago threaten serious legal action against the Tweetster.
At the moment there is a little glow of hope in the air that our country and our planet can find a way to unite for the common good of all.
This Week’s Tasting $10
Lyrarakis Plyto Psarades ’21 Crete $20
Engaging aromas of peaches, grape-nuts (yes those grape-nuts!), with a spicy-minty background of garrigue, bay leaf, and warm earth that linger through a long, clean finish.
Lancyre Pic St. Loup Rosé ’21 France $15
Raspberry and pear aromas on the nose, with distinctive notes of garrigue. Big, bold and firm on the palate, ending with a long, clean finish; pairs perfectly with hearty salads, grilled vegetables, kebabs, stuffed tomatoes or charcuterie.
Bluegray Priorat ’20 Spain $21
Named for the licorella slate soil of Priorat, which yields intense, terroir-specific wines with ripe black fruit and cherry flavors with herbal, mineral and spicy notes; expressive, with well integrated tannins. Shows good balance and elegance with a long, lingering finish.
lummi island wine tasting aug 19-20 ’22
Hours this weekend: 4-6pm both Friday and Saturday
The wine shop will be open this weekend as usual from 4-6 Friday and Saturday. Covid continues to be a threat, even for those fully vaccinated. Limited outdoor seating is available on the deck for those who wish to stay outside.
At the current stage of the global pandemic, anyone can be an unknowing carrier, so though overall risks are low, we all must manage risk to ourselves and others in our own way. You are welcome to wear a mask , stay outside, or otherwise distance as additional precautions to protect yourself and others. For our part, we will continue taking basic precautions in the wine shop: windows open, air filter operating, outside seating options. We do continue to request that the unvaxed remain outside for tasting.
Btw, the forecast is for sunny, comfortable (70°) weather both Friday and Saturday!
Bread Pickup This Week
Whole Wheat Levain – Made with a sourdough starter built up over several days before a levain is made and fermented overnight to start fermentation and gluten development. The bread is made with levain and bread flour and about 25% fresh milled whole wheat for a ‘toothy’ crumb, great texture and flavor and a nice crisp crust. – $5/loaf
Semolina w/ Fennel & Raisins – A levain bread made with bread flour, semolina and some fresh milled whole wheat. A little butter for a tender crumb and fennel seeds and golden raisins round out the flavors. These flavors go really well with meats and cheese, but it also makes pretty darn good toast – $5/loaf
and mmm, pastry this week…
Chocolate Babka Rolls – A sweet pastry dough full of eggs, butter and sugar, rolled and spread with a chocolate filling, rolled up and cut into individual rolls that are placed in baking forms for baking and then brushed with sugar syrup after baking. – 2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. Each week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: El Nido Clio ’19 Spain $45
Though we have had a few of these in the cellar for some years, we rarely let ourselves drink one…it’s that good. It used to be very hard to get because of the high demand and low production. So on a whim we ordered some this week and hallelujah, it arrived today, and you can all get to taste it this weekend!
Clio is a blend of 70% monastrell (known as mourvedre in France) and 30% cab sauv. Monastrell, a somewhat demanding grape to cultivate, has been developed to a high standard in the Murcia wine region in recent years. At the same time international demand for wine has also led to widespread planting of cab sauv in many parts of Spain, where it has thrived and developed its own Spanish footprint, and this wine showcases the blend very well. Lucky for us…come on by and try it!
Tasting notes: Inky purple in color, opaque and bright; nose of blueberries, cassis, black cherries, toast and baking spices. Full bodied, with lots of fresh black cherry and black raspberry on the palate, with underlying spice and long finish. Delicious now, but best after five years and good for another twenty after that.
Economics of the Heart: Fascism and the Holy Book
image created with Midjourney art app
The Jews have the Torah. The Muslims have the Quran. Christianity claims authority from both the Torah (Old Testament) and the Gospels, Epistles, and Acts (New Testament). All claim special relationships with the One omnipotent God such that their founder/prophet (Abraham, Mohammed, or Jesus) was The One chosen by God to be his messenger and representative on Earth. From those assumptions it was a very short step for all of these religions to claim Divine Right over the behavior of not only their own followers, but literally, Everyone on the Planet.
On reflection, these religions of the Book all seem to have started with the fundamental idea of Patriarchy– one Head Guy with Divine Right to Rule, who could proclaim a comprehensive list of rules, practices, behavioral limitations, duties, and rituals that everyone was Required to follow or suffer punitive consequences, including confinement, exile, torture, mutilation, and death– not forms of Justice, but forms of Punishment that we should all now recognize as Pavlovian Behavioral Conditioning.
It doesn’t take a great deal of contemplation to see that these structures did not come from some Omnipotent God, but rather from a bunch of ordinary men (not women) who craved Authority and Position in their culture. These Books are the foundation of centuries of feudal oppression by small groups of psychopathic men who wanted personal Power.
Why ever would an Omnipotent Deity have the slightest interest in being worshiped or obeyed by its little Creations? Why ever would any, you know, well-adjusted, Omnipotent, and Eternal Deity capable of creating Time, Space, and Infinity have any need for a mean streak?
These “Religions of the Book” account for 2.2 billion Christians (32% of the world’s population), 1.6 billion Muslims (23%), and 14 million Jews (0.2%) around the world as of 2010, about 56% of global population. Another 16% follow no religion, 15% are Hindu, 7% are Buddhists, and the rest follow one of very many more local or regional practices.
The main takeaway here is that over half the world adheres to the beliefs of male-dominated, hierarchical feudal religions, complete with authoritarian titles, lack of accountability, sins and punishments, everlasting damnation, and Divine Dictatorial Authority of the currently ruling dominant male. Really?
Et tu, Republicans?
We leave you today with this little Buddhist sutra, which takes the view that acts of loving kindness are the better measure of our worth.
Let none deceive another
Or despise any being in any state;
Let none through anger or ill will
Wish harm upon another;
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world.
Metta Sutta
This Week’s Tasting $10
Montinore Borealis White Oregon $15
Aromas of orange blossom, honeydew, guava and kiwi; sumptuous flavors of stone fruit, Meyer lemon and juicy pear drizzled with caramel.
Mas des Bressades Rosé ’21 France $12
Bright and dry rosé from a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, with a splash of Carignan and Cinsault. Lovely balance of bright red fruit and wild herbs, with a vibrant, spicy finish.
El Nido Clio ’19 Spain $45
Seductive nose of blueberries, cassis, black cherry, toast, and baking spices; full bodied, with lots of fresh black cherry and black raspberry on the palate, with underlying spice and lingering finish.
lummi island wine tasting aug 12-13 ’22
Community Meet and Greet
Susan Hutton, the new Executive Director of the Lummi Island Heritage Trust, will be at the shop from 4-6 on Friday. She has taken over the position recently vacated by Becca Rettmer, who served as Director for much of its 25-year history. This will be a great opportunity for Susan to meet more of the community and talk about new directions for the Trust. Even if you don’t order bread this week please stop by and say hello to Susan and take a few minutes to get to know her!
Hours this weekend: 4-6pm both Friday and Saturday
The wine shop will be open this weekend as usual from 4-6 Friday and Saturday. Covid continues to be a threat, even for those fully vaccinated. Limited outdoor seating is available on the deck for those who wish to stay outside.
At this stage of the pandemic in our region, anyone can be a carrier, so though overall risks are low, we all must manage risk to ourselves and others in our own way. You are welcome to wear a mask , stay outside, or otherwise distance as additional precautions to protect yourself and others. For our part, we will continue taking basic precautions in the wine shop: windows open, air filter operating, outside seating options. We do continue to request that the unvaxed remain outside for tasting.
Btw, the forecast is for sunny, comfortable (70°) weather both Friday and Saturday.
Bread Pickup This Week
Buckwheat Rye – First, fresh milled buckwheat and rye flours are soaked for 8 hours without yeast in a method known as an autolyse. This allows what little gluten these grains contain to start developing enzymes before the final mix – which is then fermented overnight in the refrigerator. The buckwheat-rye soaker is mixed with bread flour, salt and yeast and a bit of honey. Goes well with all sorts of meats and cheese – $5/loaf
Sweet Corn & Dried Cranberry – Made with polenta and bread flour, then enriched with milk, butter and honey for a soft and tender crumb, then loaded up with dried cranberries. Has great corn flavor but is not a traditional quick cornbread. A delicious bread that makes great toast – $5/loaf
and mmm, pastry this week…
Black Sesame & Candied Lemon Brioche: A delicious brioche dough full of eggs, butter and sugar. Filled with fresh lemon zest and candied lemon and as if that wasn’t enough, topped with a black sesame streusel before baking. Ooh la la, what’s not to like?! – 2/$5
To get on the bread order list, click on the “Contact Us” link above and fill out the form. Each week’s bread menu is sent to the list each Sunday, for ordering by Tuesday, for pickup on Friday. Simple, right..? If you will be visiting the island and would like to order bread for your visit, at least a week’s notice is recommended for pickup the following Friday.
Wine of the Week: Tre Donne Roero Arneis ’20 Italy $20
photo courtesy asiaimportnews.com
The revered Italian wine region of Piedmont (i.e., ‘foot of the mountain’) lies in the NW corner of Italy, in the foothills of the French and Swiss Alps to the west and north. The geography makes for the serendipitous combination of warm days and cool nights that make perfect conditions for wine grapes. The Roero region is just north of the iconic Barolo and Barbaresco regions, which produce some of Italy’s most prestigious wines.
White wines from Roero must contain at least 95% Arneis, and reds must contain at least 95% Nebbiolo. The sandy clay soils make for a nuanced, medium-bodied Arneis with aromas and flavors of pear, apricot, and white blossoms. With roots diving deep into layers of tufo clay, the 35-year-old vines at Tre Donne yield a wide array of complex aromas and flavors, from prominent stone fruits and piercing minerality to subtle layers of quince, mushroom, and lemon verbena. It’s easy to like!
Read more and even more...
Economics of the Heart: Signs of Actual Progress!
The past week has brought a number of encouraging signs, rare and welcome experiences after the wearying and wearing twin challenges of the last few years, Covid and Trumpism– one a disease of the body, one a disease of the body politic. Both have taken tremendous and lasting tolls, and both still linger as mortal threats.
The first good news is that after many years of effort by our community and our representatives at the local, county, state, and federal level, the USDOT (thanks, Pete!) has awarded Whatcom County $25M for our ferry replacement project! This would not have happened without the considerable effort of many in our local and extended community over the past decade: ferry Captains and crew, County Public Works and Council, LIFAC (Ferry Advisory Committee), our State and Federal legislators, our Governor, DOT Secretary Buttigieg, and many others who played vital roles in getting us this far. So it’s a very Big Deal and a huge relief to have this funding come through as our trusty Whatcom Chief gets increasingly crotchety in her old age.
The plan on the table is for a 34-car ferry to replace the Chief, which was designed 60 years ago as a 16-car vessel but which, as everyone knows has operated for decades as a 20-car vessel, bumper to bumper, door to door, day after day. The next boat will likely have walkable space all around each vehicle…quite extravagant, even a bit agoraphobic, perhaps..? Another possible stumbling block could be that the $25 million in the original rough proposal is now $37 million in current dollars, so it is likely there will be a two years of further tweaking before the final design is approved. Some of us who will remain unnamed for the moment have been pushing for a smaller, more energy-efficient vessel; given that the 34-car design would now cost another $10 million, there are likely to be numerous trade-offs before a final design is reached. This moment is for savoring the green light to move ahead with the project. It’s a Big Deal for all of us.
The proposed new ferry (after considerable arm -twisting) is a diesel-electric hybrid design, not the diesel-only originally proposed. Also, for six decades the ferry has berthed at the Island at night, and all the crew have been island residents. Therefore, because the new vessel will have to recharge overnight on the Island, an essential component of island infrastructure will involve a charging/energy storage station. At LIFAC’s urging, the County has also approved a Shore Power Study in the near term to explore and evaluate various recharge options.
Over the last twenty years there has been a great deal of research across the globe into replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy resources. One of the key infrastructure challenges has been how to make renewable energy resources reliable and predictable. After all, the great convenience of fossil fuels is you can use it whenever you want. But sun, wind, waves and currents are more fickle, so a great deal of global research has explored ways to gather and store energy from renewables while the sun is shining, the wind is blowing, the waves are crashing, the tide is changing, and then draw from it as necessary, the renewable equivalent of “starting the engine.” This, in turn, has led to substantial improvements in the capacity and efficiency of energy storage systems.
These lines of inquiry have been productive enough that it now makes sense for communities like our little island to start planning how to use microgrids, solar panels, windmills, waterfalls, waves, and tidal energy– whatever is locally available– to gather and store clean energy to run not only the next ferry, but also our homes and other infrastructure as well. It is now looking entirely feasible for a place like Lummi Island to become energy independent, with every property both generating energy for and using energy from interconnected community sources.
Including generating power for the next ferry!
This Week’s Tasting $10
Tre Donne Roero Arneis ’20 Italy $20
Pale golden yellow; soft aromas of orange blossom, honeysuckle, nectarine, and lemon verbena; flavors of pear, peach, quince, and green apple; enduring minerality and balanced acidity.
La Atalaya del Camino ’19 Spain $13
Intense aromas, fruit, and elegance on the nose with a distinct spiciness and a touch of floral notes. Rich and meaty structure, with rich dark fruits and hints of spice. Smooth and pleasant long finish.
Sineann Oregon Pinot Noir ’19 Oregon $30
Aromas of deep dark fruits lead to a juicy, vibrant palate with notes of black cherry, black raspberry, fig, baking spice and fresh plum, and layered fruit flavors, finishing with supple, textured tannins and a lingering, complex finish.
2072 Granger Way