It is a bit cooler, but we are having lovely Fall weather here in Madrona.  So to warn off the chill we are heading to sunnier places for our weekend tastings.

Saturday we are sipping our way around Spain, skipping from a light and familiar Rioja to a bold and exotic Extremadura and stopping at sundry places in between.  It starts at 2pm.

Sunday we’ll be sliding into Sicily. Since 1500 B.C. wine has produced in Sicily and while the vintages we will open aren’t that old, they are ready to drink today. Stop in for a sip. 11 to 5pm.

2013 Fondo Filara Catarratto $10
Catarratto is Sicily’s most widely grown white grape.  The wine has a fresh and concentrated bouquet with notes of bread crust, honey and a sweet almond finish.

2012 Nicosia Frapatto $10
Created from an ancient grape variety typical of southeastern Sicily, this wine is distinctive for its pleasantly fragrant bouquet of fresh red fruits, raspberries and blueberries, while its taste is both lively.

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.