The warm moist air of Spring awakens our taste buds and we look around for fresh wines to quench our thirst with. Saturday, we’ll be pouring some of our new discoveries from Portugal, Italy, Slovenia and of course a couple of French reds. Come refresh your palate.
2014 Alianca, Vinho Verde $8
Vinho Verde or “green wine” comes from the Minho province in the far north of Portugal. The green refers not to the color but the age. It is meant to be drunk young and fresh. The Alianca is crisp with a good body and that wisp of effervescence to match its lime , green melon and saline notes It is about as refreshing as a wine gets, and it’s only 10% alcohol makes it a great afternoon sipper.
2014 Bisson, Glera Frizzante $21
Glera is the grape of Prosecco, and Bisson’s dry sparkler is a fine example. The wine is incredibly refreshing with sundry hints of saline, minerals, citrus and herbs along with dry Mellon / lemon, yeasty notes. The traditional crown bottle cap closure provides easy access for outdoor patio or beach dining.
2012 Domaine Ciringa, Fosilni Breg $20
Sauvignon Blanc
From Slovinia, this rich Sauvignon Blanc come from Fosilni Breg (Fossil Mountain) vineyard. It jumps out of the glass with aromas of peach, pear and gooseberry and a fine acidity along with a pronounced mineral character from the limestone fossil soil. Thanks to the Euro it is now only $20.
2012 Château Les Arromans, Bordeaux $13
75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc
A small château run by two brothers produces this solid, straight forward, and correct Bordeaux without much fuss. The grapes are from 35-year-old vines. And produce a wine with pleasant plum, blackberry and cassis notes flecked with a hint of tobacco and smooth, chalky tannins. Organic.
2013 Château Massiac, Minervois Rouge $18
75% Syrah, 25% Carignan
Chateau Massiac (which dates from 1667), sits in the heart of Minervois. Bernard Boudouresques and his family recently revived the domaine, planting vineyards and converting the estate to organic viticulture. The site is exposed to both the winds that sweep up from the Mediterranean and the cooling northwest wind coming from the mountains which consistently dries the vineyard and makes it less vulnerable to the maladies of the vine. The Minervois Rouge is structured and balanced with intense, concentrated notes of dark fruit and spice backed by rich earth and minerals. As the wine ages, the fruit flavors give way to light herbal notes of juniper, rosemary and thyme as well as the savory flavors of wild berries and a hint of the “animal”.
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.