This Saturday we are pouring a lineup of classic French wines to help push away the January grey.  We have an alluring Aligoté, tantalizing Tavel, beautiful Burgundy, rugged Rasteau and a compelling Cahor.  It is enough to brighten any Saturday.  Come Join us.
 
2012 Christophe Buisson, Bourgogne Aligoté  $15
Bourgogne Aligoté is the appellation in Burgundy where the white wine is made from the other white grape of Burgundy. The Buisson has an exceptionally fresh and spicy nose of mostly pear and citrus scents leads to energetic and well- detailed middle weight flavors that terminate in a saline-inflected, clean, dry and utterly delicious finish.  Organic
 
2014  Domaine Corne Loup, Tavel Rosé $15
65% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, Clairette and Carignan.
From the Lafond family’s vineyard in Tavel.  “Corne Loup” refers to the name given to the place where someone, back in the old days, used to blow the horn (corne) in order to warn everyone if there was any sight of wolf (loup) coming in town.  It is a big full Tavel Rosé with aromas of strawberry and berry pie.  The wine is drinking better than ever with a bit of age on it.   Was $20 now $15

2012 Regis Bouvier, Marsannay Rouge Clos du Roy  $29
The winemaking history of Marsannay runs centuries deep, as far back to the 14th century when the Ducs of Bourgogne preferred Marsannay above other villages. Clos du Roy means “vineyard of the king” and its 40 year old vines grow on its sloped landscape .  The wine is aged in barrel for 12-16 months with 30% new oak.  It is a rich, full, earthy, red Burgundy.
 
2012 Famille Gonnet,  Rasteau, La Mado  $15
80% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Highly aromatic, and with lovely concentration of fruit on the palate, and a great price.

2012 Château De Mercuès, Cahors  $25
85% Malbec, 15% Merlot
Château de Mercuès sits on the gravely hillocks surrounding the communes of Caillac and Mercuès.  The particularity of Château de Mercuès is its vinicultural method, which was used in the last century before phylloxera – significantly increasing planting density.  Most plantations in the Cahors Appellation have average density of 4,000 vines per hectare, but at Château de Mercuès plantation density reaches 6,666 vines per hectare for half the vineyard, as high as for the great Medoc wines. This is particularly favorable for the Malbec grape, which has been grown in Cahors for more than 2,000 years. It reduces yield per stock and increases the quality of the wine, giving it very high concentration and ageing potential.  The wine is a big fully oaked Malbec that blends the old-world leather with a rich wine making style.

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.