Sauvignon Blanc

That's this Saturday at our regular 3-6pm time slot. I miss the Tall Ships.  The literal translation comes about from "savignin" or "wild" and "blanc" meaning white; wild white.  I miss the tall ships. This is a perfect wine for this time of year, crisp, light...you need to bring some home find the crackers and the good cheese.  I miss the Tall Ships.  More tomorrow.

I'll be back but for now I need to go look over the horizon for a bit, find a pirate's patch, cry out "hail thar me hearties" and swagger some.

How marvelous



Photo courtesy of the North Fork Patch

We have another tasting today and tomorrow and hope you will drop in. 3-6p 132 Front Street in Greenport opposite the ships.

There is a view from our front windows that makes us (not lets us) daydream about the romance of the sea, boats, ships, villages and days gone by.  Days we never knew but dream about.

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago- never mind how long precisely- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off- then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.

He just got off the ship...should be here at 3pm

Greg dropped in for a "how de' do" and promised to come back for the tasting today at 3pm. It is gonna be fun.

By the way, the village has an ordinance re: harpoons, carrying and concealment.

Tomaaayto tomahhhhto which doesn't belong and why?

"I hold in my hand the envelopes. As a child of four can plainly see, these envelopes have been hermetically sealed. They've been kept in a #2 mayonnaise jar on Funk and Wagnall's porch since noon today. No one knows the contents of these envelopes, but you, in your borderline divine and mystical way, will ascertain the answers having never before seen the questions."

Which doesn't belong at our tasting today at 3pm and why?

A. Rosé ??? - some confusion here

We let our minds wander some and see what happens? Tarnation.  Now we are all confused.

A Rosé Saturday 3-6pm. That's what the message said A. Rose was gonna be in the store 3-6. I know we are tasting Rose so it fits but then the person on duty who took the message ...well here is what she wrote  A xl Rose!! so we think she meant "a" "xl" (for excellent obviously) Rose for Rosé (Wine).

We will have to check when she gets back...she went screaming down the street like some crazy teenager and haven't seen her since.

a Rose is a Rosé

OK you smarty pants. Since we are sampling rosé this Saturday (3-6p) the question of the day is rosé a mix of red and white wines or is it produced by leaving darker skins of the grape in contact for a few days making the wine neither deep red or clear white.

Come tell us your theory.   Seriously good question and if you hang around on Saturday we will talk about it and you can impress the heck out of your friends.

Flying Dutchman

With the Tall Ships coming Memorial Day weekend (and by the way we have four days of wine tastings scheduled - more on that later), our reading material has turned to the lore of the sea.  Really.  We were reading "A Voyage to Botany Bay" where the legend of the sea, the Flying Dutchman, first was mentioned:

I had often heard of the superstition of sailors respecting apparitions, but had never given much credit to the report; it seems that some years since a Dutch man of war was lost off the Cape of Good Hope, and every soul on board perished; her consort weathered the gale, and arrived soon after at the Cape. Having refitted, and returning to Europe, they were assailed by a violent tempest nearly in the same latitude. In the night watch some of the people saw, or imagined they saw, a vessel standing for them under a press of sail, as though she would run them down: one in particular affirmed it was the ship that had foundered in the former gale, and that it must certainly be her, or the apparition of her; but on its clearing up, the object, a dark thick cloud, disappeared. Nothing could do away the idea of this phenomenon on the minds of the sailors; and, on their relating the circumstances when they arrived in port, the story spread like wild-fire, and the supposed phantom was called the Flying Dutchman. From the Dutch the English seamen got the infatuation, and there are very few Indiamen, but what has some one on board, who pretends to have seen the apparition....."

Neat

Ann Jarvis

Ann Jarvis was a West Virginian; probably spunky, sentimental, loyal and driven. She is the one who made Mother's Day the big deal it started as and hated the commercialism that it became. This was before women could vote and the suffrage movement, although gaining speed, was just a dream for the future.

There were others before Ann, but none of those efforts took hold. Now we're kinda into a day (some 104 years later) that bypasses the idea a bit what with all the cards and flowers, dinners and "visits to say hello".  Not that any of that is a bad thing mind you, but the root of it, the realization that mother's of all types (great and not so great) put a lot of their lives, love, energies and worry (not to mention guilt!) into making you who you are and for that they deserve respect.

Some came at it with few tools in the toolbox of motherhood.  Others were naturals.  None of that, in the end, makes a lot difference and perhaps the best thing about the day is that it snaps us back to the reality of the effort and immense contribution made for us.  But then again, we need to be thinking of that the other 364 days and not just today.

In that light, mother's day is aimed squarely at us; to be better and more appreciative every day not just today. 

It is beautiful outside. Enjoy it.  Find her or remember her and take a minute - not for flowers and cards (although flowers and cards are a nice thing so don't get all crazy) but for a sincere thank you.

Band is warming up.....

Unfortunately not here. But we have CDs and they left a few cases of their wine for us to taste at 3pm today (until 6).  Come join us.

Be there or be square.

Kookookachu.

Hey Dave, Nice Wine

We are always happy when an idol drops in for a visits, plays a few tunes, doesn't overstay ---- well you get the idea.  Dave dropped by at closing as he and the band heard we were going to feature his wine this Saturday at our tasting (3-6pm 132 Front Street, Greenport).

We gave him a sticker for his luggage and he brought us a couple cases and we were just about to taste them when the train whistle blew so he had to dash.  We went ahead and opened a bottle and it was pretty good. Very good actually.  We were pleasantly surprised so went to the door and yelled "hey Dave, nice wine!" and he turned and smiled as he disappeared around the corner on 3rd Street.

Nice of him. Seems like a nice normal guy and his band was a great addition even though it was a little cramped.  We have some of the wine left over.  Come on in Saturday and we will tell you about it.  You can have a sip as well.

Wish he could'a stayed .... sigh.

DMB

We couldn't get the band booked in time for the tasting Saturday but we did get some of the wine in - his wine....Dave's wine.

We are holding out hope that the band will show but make no promises. We told them the time (3-6pm)...up to them.

We feel so hip.

Friends

We have them and are lucky for that.  After an exhausting week of work and a huge day at our tasting yesterday, we were just thinking this morning about how nice friends are. Nothing profound. Just the joy of friendship. 

Enjoy the day.  This is one of my favorite celebrations of friendship.  Text is under the music. Take a minute to listen and think of your best friend.

Byrn sings the character of Zurga and Andrea sings the part of Nadir
BRYN
It was in the evening!
In the air cooled by a breeze,
The brahmanes with faces flooded with light,
Slowly called the crowd to prayer!
ANDREA
At the back of the holy temple,
decorated with flowers and gold,
A woman appears!
BRYN
A woman appears!
ANDREA
I can still see her!
BRYN
I can still see her!
ANDREA
The prostrate crowd
looks at her amazed
and murmurs under its breath:
look, this is the goddess
looming up in the shadow
and holding out her arms to us.
BRYN
Her veil parts slightly.
What a vision! What a dream!
The crowd is kneeling.
BRYN & ANDREA
Yes, it is she!
It is the goddess,
more charming and more beautiful.
Yes, it is she!
It is the goddess
who has come down among us.
Her veil has parted and the crowd is kneeling.
ANDREA
But through the crowd
she makes her way.
BRYN
Already her long veil
hides her face from us.
ANDREA
My eyes, alas!
Seek her in vain!
BRYN
She flees!
ANDREA
She flees!
But what is this strange flame
which is suddenly kindled in my soul!
BRYN
What unknown fire is destroying me?
ANDREA
Your hand pushes mine away!
BRYN
Your hand pushes mine away!
ANDREA
Love takes our hearts by storm
and turns us into enemies!
BRYN
No, let nothing part us!
ANDREA
No, nothing!
BRYN
Let nothing part us!
ANDREA
No, nothing!
BRYN
Let us swear to remain friends!
ANDREA
Let us swear to remain friends!
BRYN
Let us swear to remain friends!
BRYN & ANDREA
Oh yes, let us swear to remain friends!
Yes, it is her, the goddess,
who comes to unite us this day.
And, faithful to my promise,
I wish to cherish you like a brother!
It is her, the goddess,
who comes to unite us this day!
Yes, let us share the same fate,
let us be united until death!

strange confluence of events today

scary isn't it.

If only there were an Italian Kentucky Derby

We are in a quandary of sorts.  Out tasting today is a selection of great Italian wines - all reasonable money-wise and all very good.  So of course we want you to drop in from 3-6p for our tasting and start to narrow the choices for Mother's Day dinner when the male cooks and serves breakfast in bed, takes her to lunch and then waits on her hand and foot for the remainder of the day with wine and cheese promptly at 5. (are you reading this sweetie? -- I've warned you about the potential consequences of not reading my blog...)

Anyway, today is also the Kentucky Derby horese race. So may we suggest that you think about that as well. It is Mint Julep Day and have all the fixing's except the silver cup, the mint, the shaved ice and the sugar...otherwise you are home free. (We actually have a friend who has 64 silver mint julep cups and 8 silver trays to put them on - no kidding - and he tells us that you are to cradle the cups in your hands or hold by the rim (that is why there is a pronounced rim on a true julep cup) so you won't heat the drink or disturb the frost on the side.  Way too much?

Just a note of warning...do not plan on going anywhere for the rest of the day if you start in on these.

 

Il Grillo Parlante

Sooooo much to write about and so little space.  Remember Pinocchio - the Disney animated film? The kid with the nose that grew when he told a fib? That one.  And that little cricket, Jiminey Cricket...stage is now set.

Saturday's tasting is a whole bunch of very nice and reasonably priced Italian wines one of which is called - wait for it - Grillo.  The Grillo grape is Italy's most abundant and is pretty much found only in Sicily.  Well you know that the tasting is 3-6pm Saturday at 132 Front St. in Greenport; across from the Post Office.

We were wondering why a grape was named or coincidentally called the Italian word for cricket as in Jiminy Cricket that is some wine......so we are now intrigued.  To the point of obsession actually and we are going to figure this out or as much as our brains will allow.  Any ideas?

Bring them along.  We will be singing the "cricket song" about 3pm.