lummi island wine tasting oct 11 ’19
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Friday Breads
Rosemary Olive Oil – Bread flour and white whole wheat for a little more flavor and texture. Fresh rosemary from the garden and olive oil to make for a tender crumb and a crisp crust. A great all around bread – $5/loaf
Multi Grain – Made with pre-fermented dough to begin the enzymatic activity and gluten development overnight in a cool environment. The next day it is mixed with bread flour and fresh milled whole wheat and rye, then flax, sunflower and sesame seeds are added for a nice bit of crunch and some extra flavor. – $5/loaf
Pumpkin Spice Muffins- Delicious muffins made with pumpkin and all the spices that go with pumpkin. Topped with a streusel made with butter, brown sugar and pumpkin seeds and as if that isn’t enough filled
with a cream cheese filling. Yum! Warning: somewhat addictive! – 4/$5.
( breads must be pre-ordered by Wednesday for pickup here at the wine shop at our Friday wine tasting, 4-6pm. Planning a visit to the Island? Email us to get on the mailing list!)
October Sunset
Langhe Nebbiolo
Barolo and Barbaresco, among the most esteemed of Italian wines, are made from the nebbiolo grape found mostly in the Piedmont wine region near the French border, where it thrives in sheltered, south-facing, well-drained calcareous marl soils. Flowering early and ripening late, it produces high levels of sugar, acidity and tannins. The vintner’s goal is to harvest the fruit when these three elements are in optimal balance.
The grape is known for its particularly strong tannic structure which usually takes several years of aging to soften into optimal drinkability. Because of their high prices ($50 and up) and need for cellaring, these two nebbiolo wines are out of reach for most of us for everyday drinking.
Fortunately, many of the appealing virtues of nebbiolo are available in a less expensive wine, Langhe nebbiolo, which is essentially the same grape but from less prestigious or declassified vineyards or younger, less select vines. Also, producers are allowed to blend small amounts of barbera or dolcetto to make it more approachable. Though Langhe nebbiolo does not develop the intensity, depth, or aging potential of the more expensive and collectible nebbiolo wines, they provide an affordable ($18-$30) way for all of us to enjoy them.
Mar a Lago Update: A Letter to Congress
We have been committed to writing this weekly commentary on the Ongoing Disaster of the Tweetster’s Occupation of our Formerly Respected White House since April, 2017, and have every intention of maintaining it until he is Gone…our little Indulgence for Mercy from whatever Capricious Fate is responsible unleashing this Menace on our Dear and Vulnerable Planet.
Two months earlier I had written a few letters to Congress about our Fears for the Future. Many of us recall our Inability to Accept that this Gigantic Mistake could possibly be allowed to continue. Here are the first few paragraphs of my letter to Senator McCain, sent in February 2017:
Dear Senator McCain,
I write to thank you for your excellent speech at the recent Munich Security Conference. As a fellow graduate of the Naval Academy (1967), I share your deep concerns about the rise of Authoritarianism both in Europe and here in the United States, and was reassured by your strong position on preserving our common values.
Your recent comments also suggest that you are as disturbed as most Americans that a man as singularly unqualified as Donald Trump should have somehow become President of our country. He consistently demonstrates a severe narcissistic personality disorder, the emotional maturity of a spoiled child, and the critical thinking ability of Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter, ever nattering in nonsensical riddles.
Perhaps no quality of leadership is more important or less appreciated than maintaining a steady and reassuring hand on the tiller. Yet each day Mr. Trump remains in office adds more chaos and confusion, upsets long-established expectations at home and abroad, and undermines our ability to achieve and maintain our strategic and economic interests around the world.
Today, almost Three Years later, anyone who has been paying attention in the last few days has to be both outraged and heartbroken that this Dog-Damned Fool in his “Great and Unmatched Wisdom” has single-handedly opened the door for the destruction of the Kurds, a People without a Country and our long-term allies in our never-ending Middle East Crusade…in the name of Jesus, Wall Street, and Dick Cheney, Amen.
Of the whole torrent of Outrageous, Breathtaking, Heart-Breaking Cruelties this Soulless man has inflicted on our country and our world, this betrayal of our core values and our responsibilities to a valued ally should not be tolerated by Anyone. The Tweetster should be Finished, Done, OUTA HERE with all deliberate haste so our country can act to protect a loyal ally, as our sense of honor Requires. Good Grief, when even Lindsay Graham can find enough moral character to condemn this betrayal of American responsibility, then no American of any political persuasion should be able to rest until we have taken action to assure the Kurds’ security.
Washington Post Tweetster Lie Count to date: 12,000 as of 6/10/19
This weekend’s wine tasting
Mayu Pedro Ximenez ’18 Chile $10
In the mouth, this dry Pedro Ximénez from Elqui on the edge of the Atacama desert feels plump and medium in intensity, with notes of kiwi and flowering herb lead to a crisp dry palate with a mouthwatering finish. read more
Chateau de Caraguilhes Rosé ’18 France $14
Fresh pink, clear and bright; intense and appealing aromas of gooseberry and cherry with clean mineral notes; round and well-balanced, rounded and elegant, a great pleasure to drink.
Chateau Sicot Bordeaux Superieur ’16 France $14
Classic right bank Bordeaux, organically farmed, and a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. Aged for a year in used and new barrique.
Castillo de Mendoza Vitaran Crianza ’15 Spain $14
Tempranillo from the classic home of Rioja Alta. Aged for a year in Hungarian and American oak and farmed organically.
Fenocchio Langhe Nebbiolo ’17 Italy $21
10 days on the skins, 6 months in stainless, and 6 months in oak before bottling. Nose of black cherries, dark fruits and gentle dark florals. Palate of ripe black fruit; Attractive and plush, with silky mouthfeel and fine tannins.
lummi island wine tasting oct 4 ‘19
Closed this weekend!
Special note: We are away for a few days, had intended to be back for wine shop hours Friday and Saturday.
However, as the trip has unfolded it has become clear that we Will Not be back in time to open the wine shop either day.
We regret any inconvenience, and look forward to seeing you Oct 11, when our Bread Baker will also be back!
Rich & Pat
lummi island wine tasting sept 27 ’19
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Friday Breads
Note: Our baker is away for three weeks in the northern Baltics in search of new breads and pastries. So…next Bread Friday won’t be until (gulp!) October 11th!
Don’t worry, though, the shop will be open on this Friday and Saturday as usual, so come by and celebrate the end of this year’s Ferry Drydock!
( note: Breads must be pre-ordered by Wednesday for pickup here at the wine shop at our Friday wine tasting, 4-6pm. Planning a visit to the Island? Email us to get on the mailing list!)
Making Jet Fuel from Air
Any general, off-hand thinking about the effects of jet travel on climate make us think about the impossibility of flying without paying a big price in environmental damage. Any of today’s jet airliners uses thousands of pounds of fossil fuels per hour to get aloft and fly us thousands of miles. At any given moment over a million people are airborne across the world. And it is hard to imagine how to lower the carbon footprint for jet travel.
Recent research (watch video) has been exploring methods for extracting CO2 from the atmosphere and using it to make jet fuel (which, btw, is more like kerosene than like gasoline). The various experimental systems use solar energy and high temperatures to convert carbon dioxide and water into hydrogen and carbon monoxide, also known as synthesis gas (syngas). It sounds a lot like reverse breathing; instead of inhaling oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide, it breathes in CO2 and exhales syngas which can be used for anything, especially aviation fuel. (watch another video)
Lots of big investors (like Bill Gates) have put $$ into researching this idea, and several pilot projects are underway. This is an encouraging sign that economic incentives for innovation in climate stabilization are getting the attention of investors and will soon bear fruit!
Mar a Lago Update: Bribery Vs. Extortion
Bribery is about exchanging something of value to influence the actions of an individual holding a public office or legal duty. There are at least two parties involved; one which wants the favor, and one with the means to provide it. Both solicitation and acceptance constitute crimes regardless of whether the solicitation results in the receipt of a valuable gift.
Similarly, extortion is the gaining of property or money by threatening any kind of force, violence, property damage, or other harm if a particular action is not carried out. Extortion is a felony in every state.
In the case of the Tweetster’s now World-Famous telephone conversation with the new President of Ukraine, until recently (no one could have made this up) a well-known comedian in Ukraine, it is perhaps harder to figure out whether the obvious Crimes implied in the conversation would better be called Bribery or Extortion. What IS clear is that whatever you call it, it totally qualifies as “bribery” as used in the Constitution of the United States to define an Impeachable Offense.
Since the news broke (was it only Yesterday…?) about the Tweetster’s phone conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky, the new Ukrainian President (maybe he has a Thing for anyone named Vladimir…?), the airwaves have been Overloaded with endless Right and Left Wing Punditry about the decision of the House of Representatives to upgrade their Investigation a notch closer to an actual Impeachment resolution.
Everything that is going on in the media right now about these latest developments is reminiscent of the testimony of the Tweetster’s long-time personal lawyer Michael Cohen’s warnings: “Mr.Trump did not directly tell me to lie to Congress. That’s not how he operates,” Cohen said in his opening statement. “He doesn’t give you questions, he doesn’t give you orders — he speaks in a code. And I understand the code because I’ve been around him for a decade.”
As Everybody Knows, the point of this kind of code among Crime Bosses is to avoid leaving explicit evidence lying about; in other words, maintaining what everyone in Politics calls, “Plausible Deniability.” The unsurprising Takeaway from these events is that as a group, Republicans have no underlying Ethic. On the contrary, they will do anything, say anything, and dissemble about their fluidity on any particular value except Holding Power.
Dog help us…!
Washington Post Tweetster Lie Count to date: 12,000 as of 6/10/19
This weekend’s wine tasting
Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi ’13 Italy $17
Bright golden color. Scent of overripe pears, spices, citrus fruit and aromatic herbs; Well balanced notes of honey and butter; full-bodied and savory. And a wine bottle worth saving!
La Croix Belle Caringole Rosé ’17 France $12
Syrah-Grenache blend; intense nose of rose petals and garrigue; palate of cherries and raspberries with notes of dried rosemary and thyme and a citrus accent on the crisp finish.
Carmen Carmenere ’17 Chile $16
Aromas of fresh berries, baking spices and chocolate get this wine going; full bodied yet balanced, with toasty black fruit flavors with grip and intensity; full bodied yet balanced, with blackberry, herbal plum and spices.
Capcanes Mas Donis Old Vines ‘15 Spain $12
Velvety mouthfeel and texture; wild red and black berry flavors, with cherry, spices and herbs; medium to full-bodied with soft and velvet tannins and nicely refreshing finish.
Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet ’16 California $19
Huge, rich, and opulent, with complex flavors of chocolate, coffee, blackberries, cassis, mint, and velvety tannins. New French oak adds notes of vanilla and toast; concentrated, rich, and smooth on the palate.
lummi island wine tasting sept 20 ’19
click on photos for larger images
Friday Breads
Note: Our baker is away for three weeks in the northern Baltics in search of new breads and pastries. So…next Bread Friday won’t be until (gulp!) October 11th!
Don’t worry, though, the shop will be open on Friday and Saturday as usual, so come by and celebrate the last quiet weekend of this year’s ferry Drydock!
( note: Breads must be pre-ordered by Wednesday for pickup here at the wine shop at our Friday wine tasting, 4-6pm. Planning a visit to the Island? Email us to get on the mailing list!)
Talk Like a Pirate Day
Arrrrr, lads ‘n’ lassies, we be a wee bit late in gettin’ the word out to ye this year, ‘n’ a shame it is, too, as this note in a bottle’ll be washin’ up on yer shore too late fer ye to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day, which be Today as We put Quill to paper for this very missive. Arrrr!
The idea started in 1995 with a couple of buddies kidding around. Since then, with the help of humorist Dave Barry, it has evolved into an international Phenomenon, at least among people who like to throw around a bunch of old movie Pirate Jargon, like Avast there matey! or I’ll cut yer gizzard out! or when in doubt, the All Purpose exclamation, usually said with a bit of a sneer Arrrrr! (click on image for further instruction!)
Another Autumnal Equinox
The Autumn Equinox falls each year within about a three-day period between September 22 and 24. The term “equinox” connotes a day with an equal number of hours of day and night, which happens twice each year due to the tilting of the earth’s axis some 23.4° from the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, the Ecliptic.
Though we think of the Equinox as a whole day, it actually occurs at a particular moment: the exact time when the Sun is directly above the Equator. That is, it occurs when an observer on the Equator can look straight up (90° ) at the Sun. Imagine a line of people standing all along the Equator. As the Earth approaches the moment of Equinox, each person in turn would see it getting closer and closer to 90° overhead until for some particular person it will be exactly Overhead, after which the angle for each subsequent person will keep decreasing until the next Solstice. This year the Equinox occurs here shortly after midnight, which means that the person right under it at the exact time of the Equinox would be about 100 miles east of the Seychelles, along the Equator in the Indian Ocean.
By the way, it is believed that the Earth’s axis was originally much more closely aligned with the plane of the ecliptic. But it was knocked off its axis billions of years ago by a cataclysmic collision with another object exploded a huge piece of the Earth into orbit to form the Moon! Without that collision, without the tipping of the axis to cause seasons, and without the moon to make tides, maybe Life would never have evolved here. No matter the viewing angle, our very existence seems Unlikely. Yet here we are for a few brief moments…!
Mar a Lago Update: Hope and Despair
On the positive side, the past couple of weeks have brought to our collective attention 16 year old Greta Thunberg of Sweden, an unlikely heroine, yet a persuasive spokesperson for Global Action to stop Climate Change. A serious, self-proclaimed autistic on a global mission, she is happy that people are listening to her message. But she has also said, “It’s sometimes annoying when people say, ‘Oh you children, you young people are the hope. You will save the world…’ I think it would be helpful if they would help us just a little bit.”
She recently visited the US, traveling here by solar powered sailboat (I am not making this up!) and having TV face time with newscasters, pundits, talk show hosts, Congress, and former President Obama.
On the less positive side, we recently read a disturbing editorial by well-known conservative columnist David Brooks that has taken our breath away with its pull-no-punches attack on Democratic Progressives in general and on Elizabeth Warren in particular. On the one hand his fictional narrative has her winning the nomination and election in 2020 and Democrats gaining control of both Houses of Congress, with subsequent broad decline in Republican support. But Brooks can’t seem to stop himself from imagining that a Warren White House would be staffed with, in his words “incompetent idealogues” doomed to fail because, “Fired by their sense of moral superiority, they were good at condemnation, not coalition-building.”
I confess I have always found Brooks’ opinions hard to grasp. On the one hand he seems to have a balanced sensibility that has been sorely strained by all things Tweetster. On the other hand, he Is a card-carrying Conservative, but of an uncertain caste. Possibly, as above, he is “Fired by a sense of moral superiority…good at condemnation, not coalition-building.” But I am at a loss as to why he thinks Elizabeth Warren is an “incompetent idealogue” because she espouses values we old folks grew up with in Eisenhower’s fifties.
Back to the positive side, lots of young people are postponing having children because of their uncertainty about the world those children will live in, and even today as you read this youth movements around the world are demonstrating Global Unity against Climate Change. It feels like the Tide may be starting to Turn…
Washington Post Tweetster Lie Count to date: 12,000 as of 6/10/19
This weekend’s wine tasting
Oregon Solidarity Chardonnay ’18 Oregon $18
Bursts with fresh apple, pear and peach aromas. Barrel fermentation has smoothed any rough edges and polished the flavors to a bright sheen.
Chateau de Caraguilhes Rosé ’18 France $14
Fresh pink, clear and bright; intense and appealing aromas of gooseberry and cherry with clean mineral notes; round and well-balanced, rounded and elegant, a great pleasure to drink.
Montes Cabernet Sauvignon ’15 Chile $11
Earthy aromas that include rubber and gamy berry fruits lead to a wide palate. Warm, candied plum and cassis flavors are chocolaty and finish with a swipe of oak and tobacco.
Capcanes Mas Donis Old Vines ‘15 Spain $12
Velvety mouthfeel and texture; wild red and black berry flavors, with cherry, spices and herbs; medium to full-bodied with soft and velvet tannins and nicely refreshing finish.
Betz Besoleil ’14 Washington $45
Grenache-dominant Rhone blend; classic notes of cherries, herbes de Provence, red plums and pepper in a fine, elegant, medium to full-bodied style.
2072 Granger Way