Who says you can’t find Washington wines are reasonable prices. Sunday we’ll be pouring two Washington wines that have gone mostly unnoticed. Stop by and take note.

2011 Upland Estates, Gewurztraminer $10
“Upland Winery,” was Eastern Washington’s first winery and cultivated its first plantings on Snipes Mountain in 1917. In 1934, they started commercially making wine unfortified wine out of European grape varieties. Some things have changed since then but the Upland Estates still farms some of those original vineyards. Their Gewurztraminer is dry and nicely complex with a pleasant mix of herbs and spice notes.

2012 Airfield Estates, Dauntless $15
72% Merlot, 13% Malbec, 11% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet FrancAirfield Estates is located on an old air base (founded Pre World War II by the Olympic Transport Company) at the foothills of the Rattlesnake Mountains, near Sunnyside, WA. Seeing the agricultural promise of the location, H. Lloyd Miller purchased the air base at auction and for four generations the Miller family has farmed the surrounding area, planting its first vines in 1968 (most of that being sold to Chateau St. Michelle until recently.) An estate grown red blend, the Dauntless has aromas of plum & spice, the palate is full bodied with smooth tannins, soft oak and flavors of black cherry and spice.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.