Wine on Whidbey WoW

Whidbey is fast becoming a wine destination in the Puget Sound. That suits us just perfectly here at the Lovejoy Inn. We enjoy wine. We can use a few descriptive words like “jammy”, “oaky” “spicy”, “earthy” and “mmmm.” Our Coupeville neighborhood wine merchant, Beth at the Bayleaf, says in a friendly way that we are more “quantity than quality” – I can’t exactly argue with her. She has introduced us to some wonderful red wines from Spain (Tempranillo and Garnacha), affordable dry and citrusy Italian bubbly (Prosecco). We also pick up local wines from the Bayleaf, usually Whidbey Island Winery and Greenbank Cellars.

But that’s not all . . . there are now 6 wineries on Whidbey Island (two more opening next year) and 3 with vineyards. http://www.whidbeyislandvintners.org/
Last week I tasted a Pinot Noir with grapes grown on Whidbey and it was excellent. There’s also some nice white varietals grown here - Sieggerabbe, Madeleine Angevine, and Pinot Gris. There are at least 4 great wineshops around the island.

Link: Seattle Times story: Whidbey Island's got grape expectations

I started writing about this because one of our guests yesterday was here for a digital photography class that featured Whidbey wines, vineyards, wineries and local food. She had field trips to a local farm, a restaurant that features food from that farm, a lavender farm, two wineries, two vineyards, two wine shops, 1 cheese shop – the entire time taking photographs, drinking and eating. The class was taught by professional photographer Jan Goff-LaFontaine through Coupeville’s own Pacific Northwest Art School. I think I would sign up for any class that paired food and wine – (Intro to Statistics with . . .)

Cheers!

Full Weekends, Quiet Week (alternate title - City Mouse and the Country Mouse)

This has been the best summer weatherwise for many years – beautiful days – day after day. So where are the people Monday through Friday? Weekends are full here at the Lovejoy Inn with the occasional opening. Mid-week we have plenty of room. Just had a cancellation for the weekend of July 24 which has got me thinking about availability/vacancy.

If you want to have a break from your urban/city life – try a couple nights in Coupeville on Whidbey Island.

I’m not saying the city is bad, usually when the Richards getaway for a couple days, it’s to a city – Seattle, Portland, Vancouver BC. (picture is view from our room in Vancouver last month).

We have all the natural beauty, peace and quiet, wildlife, pastoral vistas and overly friendly people for a lifetime. We love the action, energy and population of the city. And, cultural diversity, dining diversity, fashion – we love it. We feel a little like the Beverly Hillbillies when we head to a big city – we don’t know how to dress anymore and we gawk at everything (I think I’m a cross between Jed and Jethro, Lynda is equal parts Daisy Mae and Miss Hathaway).

Ya’ll come back now, ya here!