{"id":4360,"date":"2014-07-17T22:59:49","date_gmt":"2014-07-18T05:59:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artisanwineclub.com\/?p=4360"},"modified":"2014-07-17T23:15:20","modified_gmt":"2014-07-18T06:15:20","slug":"lummi-island-wine-tasting-july-19-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/lummi-island-wine-tasting-july-19-14\/","title":{"rendered":"lummi island wine tasting july 19  &#8217;14"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"color: maroon;\">Friday Bread Line <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-opt-id=1829505032  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 20px;\" src=\"http:\/\/www.movetofranceblog.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/French-bread-stack-300x216.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" \/>One reason we have such a loyal group of Friday regulars is because on <em>most<\/em> Fridays, Janice brings in <em>freshly baked bread <\/em>just as we open. <em>This<\/em> Friday she will bring a number of surplus loaves from an additional baking gig. They will be available at the wine shop, on a first-come, first-served basis, starting about 4:30! There will likely be only a few loaves each of:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>German Rye with pumpkin seeds and currants;<\/li>\n<li>Semolina with golden raisins and fennel seeds;<\/li>\n<li>Pave d&#8217;autrefois <em>(a ciabatta-like mix of whole wheat, whole rye and whole buckwheat flours)<\/em>;<\/li>\n<li>Pain Meunier (whole wheat, cracked wheat and wheat germ); and<\/li>\n<li>Sunflower Seed bread <em>(also has some whole rye)<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Suggested donation $5 each. Don&#8217;t dally, they will disappear quickly!<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: maroon;\">Sauv Blanc time warp!<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-opt-id=1046822038  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 10px;\" src=\"http:\/\/www.constantiavalley.com\/files\/CU_TableSetting_thumb.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"228\" height=\"153\" \/>Periodically some of the distributors we buy from have close-out sales. They email out a list of wines they want to get rid of, and our job is to pore over this list of mostly wines you have never heard of and decide if the markdowns make any of them attractive. Most of the time, whatever you want has already been snapped up, but occasionally there are some interesting deals. A case in point is the Constantia Sauv Blanc from South Africa listed below <em>(vineyard area at left)<\/em>. On the one hand as a 2004 it is pretty much past its predicted shelf life. On the other, older white wines often have intriguing characteristics. I happen to like this one, and bought the last two cases, as I often like sauv blanc from this area. However, we had a special event earlier this evening and not much is left. So the notes below also include the wine we will pour for you after the Constantia sells out&#8211;which may only take a few minutes<em> (yep, snapped up by the same people who will buy all the bread before you get here&#8230;!)<\/em> Not to worry, there are backups, including a little <em>Italian<\/em> sauv blanc from Tuscany <em>(no, really, I\u00a0 am not making this up)<\/em> and the Brancott <em>(from NZ)<\/em> listed below. Sunny days and sauv blanc are a match made in heaven, especially with shellfish, salt, fresh peppers, or maybe fresh radishes. Mmmmm! And <em>sun<\/em>&#8230;did I mention sun???<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: maroon;\">La Rocaliere revisited<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-opt-id=1640149379  data-opt-src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/-wdhnj_opDlI\/U6x5lDofsYI\/AAAAAAAADuk\/UuqjB0Er5fM\/s800\/DSCN0704.JPG\"  decoding=\"async\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 10px;\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20100%%20100%%22%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This little winery in Lirac has become one of our favorites. We first visited about three years ago. We were immediately enthralled by the wines, the region, and the story. The winery was inherited and is run by two charming sisters, Severine (winemaker) and Melanie (business manager). Lirac itself is not the most scenic of French wine regions, but it IS just across the river from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and people have been making wine there for time-out-of-mind because the special constellation of soil and climate that drives human beings to grow grapes and make good wine in a place has made it so. The Bad News is that we are still waiting for our next shipment of their wonderful ros\u00e9&#8230;but the good news is that we will be pouring their red <em>(and possibly their white)<\/em> this weekend. The way things have been going lately, we may sell out quickly, but the Good News is that more is on the way, including their wonderful ros\u00e9. I took the accompanying photo during our visit last month when we were there again on Ryan&#8217;s Southern Rhone wine tour. <em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.artisanwineclub.com\/2013\/06\/06\/lummi-island-wine-tasting-june-8-13\/\">See also<\/a> <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: maroon;\"><strong>Lost River\u00a0Ros\u00e9 <\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-opt-id=548050561  data-opt-src=\"http:\/\/www.lostriverwinery.com\/process\/assets\/images\/51\/bottle-rose.png\"  decoding=\"async\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 10px;\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20100%%20100%%22%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"\" width=\"66\" height=\"266\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The other compensation for not having any Rocaliere ros\u00e9 at the moment is that we just received a shipment of one our favorite Washington ros\u00e9s, that from Lost River Winery based in Mazama. All of their wines have been consistently appealing over the years, and their ros\u00e9 is among our most popular of each summer season. We will also have some of their new pinot gris, as well as our regular stock of their red wines, including the Western Red blend, the delicious Nebbiolo, and their big and satisfying syrah.<\/p>\n<p><em>Y&#8217;all come by now, heah?? <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: maroon;\"> This week&#8217;s tasting notes<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Constantia Sauv Blanc &#8217;04 South Africa $5<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Yup, 10 years is old for most sauv blancs. This one shows some age, along with crisp notes of minerally lime, gooseberry and a bit of effercescence. <\/em>(Not unlike a lot of us old-timers!)<em> Only a few left at this amazing price!<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Brancott sauv blanc &#8217;12 New Zealand $14<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Spicy quince and Asian pear flavors rest on a crisp, juicy body, with plenty of lime zest and grapefruit notes through the juicy finish.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost River Rose\u201913 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 Washington\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $15<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>A long-time favorite here&#8230;blended from merlot and cabernet franc, harvested early to preserve crisp acidity and bright notes of strawberry and cherry.<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>La Rocaliere Lirac Rouge \u201910 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Lirac\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 $16 <\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Equal parts grenache, mourvedre, and syrah. Clay hillsides and serene aging in cement tanks yield this<br \/>\ninky purple wine with deeply pitched aromas and flavors of cherry-cola, licorice and violets.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Lopez Cristobal Crianza &#8217;07\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Spain\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 $27<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Tempranillo\/merlot blend from high, calcareous vineyards in Ribero del Duero; long, balanced, and full-bodied, with soft, ripe tannins and a luscious, elegant finish.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Friday Bread Line One reason we have such a loyal group of Friday regulars is because on most Fridays, Janice brings in freshly baked bread just as we open. This Friday she will bring a number of surplus loaves from an additional baking gig. They will be available at the wine shop, on a first-come, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wine-tasting"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4360"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4369,"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4360\/revisions\/4369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artisanwineclub.com\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}