When the warm weather rolls into Madrona we go just a bit nuts with thinking of crisp whites, fresh rosé and lighter styled reds. Well it is after Memorial Day and the temperatures are perfect, so we are pulling the corks on Saturday of some of the aforementioned wines. Stroll on by and see what we’ve opened.
2014 Spice Route Chenin Blanc $15
From unirrigated bush vines from their dry farmed Swartland vineyards, the Spice Route has a complex tropical nose with spiced apple flavors. The palate is full bodied with a creamy rich mouth-feel, with a lingering fresh pineapple finish.
2014 Vin Gris de Cigare Rosé $15
35% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 12.5% Roussanne, 8% Carignane, 16% Grenache Blanc, 8% Cinsaut and a touch of Marsanne and Couniose.
A Rhône inspired kitchen sink assemblage from the ever eclectic Randall Grahm — “The wine does not overwhelm one with fruitybombasticity; its charms are seductively subtle. Discreet nose of alpine strawberry, evolving into a refreshing mintiness with additional air and warming. On the palate, a beautiful natural crispness and a great sleek and savory texture, in virtue of the extended lees contact/bâtonnage the wine received”
2014 Monte del Fra Bardolino Chiaretto Rosato $17
65% Corvina, 30% Rondinella, 5% Sangiovese
The heart of Monte del Frà is located in the village of Custoza on the morainic hills of Lake Garda, in Veneto. This rosé has delicate scents of berry fruits (raspberries, redcurrants) and wild flowers, accompanied by light and refreshing hints of chlorophyll and green apples and by subtle spicy tones (cinnamon, cloves, vanilla) On the palate the Chiaretto reveals its juicy sensations of red berry fruits to the full, along with an appealing and refreshing youthful acidity
2012 Marchione, Grignolino di Asti $13
Grignolino d’Asti is essentially unique to Piedmont, and is believed to have originated from the Monferrato hills. A light Piedmont grape this Grignolino delivers a combination of fresh fruit, light body, and surprising but delicate tannin. The Marchione is an amazingly versatile wine.
2009 Caprazo, Brunello di Montalcino $40
But all summer wines don’t need to be light and breezy. There is plenty of room on a warm sunny evening to contemplate a good glass of Brunello. After maturing for 36 months in Slavonia and French oak barrels the Caprazo Brunello is further refined in the bottle for one year to express its most elegant characteristics. The 2009 is a pretty, impeccably balanced wine to drink over the next decade or so. Red berry, spice and floral notes of rose and blue flower lead the nose on this wine. The palate delivers ripe red cherry and raspberry accented with thyme, sage and mint with hints of espresso and toast that goes into an attractive, layered finish.
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.