No need to take Airbus. This Saturday you can have a flight of French wines delivered directly to your glass right here in Madrona. We’ll be pouring a Loire white, a Provence rosé, a sturdy Côtes du Rhône, and a pair on Haut Médocs that will leave your spirits soaring. Come join us.
2013 Patient Cottat, Le Grande Caillou $12
Sauvignon Blanc
The Fournier family have been farming and producing wines in Sancerre for generations. Le Grande Caillou “the big rock” doesn’t make the cut to be labeled Sancerre, but at this price we won’t quibble. Clean, bright and refreshing, this is a perfect little Sauvignon Blanc. The wine has soft, subtle mineral notes wrapped up in aromatics of melon and citrus and tropical fruit.
2014 Miraval Provence Rosé $25
Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Rolle
The 17th-century Miraval estate is located in Provence, and was bought by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in 2009 and extensively renovated, but they leave the winemaking in better hands. The Miraval has fresh fruit aromas, with delicate notes of raspberries, peaches, and white flowers. The wine expresses impressive freshness, minerality, salinity, great balance, good length and character.
2012 Domain Perrin, Côtes du Rhône Villages $12
70% Grenache, 30% Syrah
This blend of different terroirs of Côtes du Rhône Villages is made by the same family that makes Beaucastel, and who’s holdings stretch throughout the Rhône valley. Perrin’s CDRV has an intense nose of macerated cherries and licorice. The wine is full-bodied with a generous attack, a pleasant freshness and elegant tannins with a thyme and rosemary aftertaste. Baby Beaucastel? Maybe not, but it is a great value for a on a village level Rhône.
2011 Château Senilhac, Haut-Médoc $13
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Chateau Senilhac is a small estate not far from Saint Estephe, which dates back to the 19th century, belonging since 1938 to the Grassin family. The wine is a soft, supple, fruit-forward styled Haut-Médoc with berries, soft tannins and low acidity. It’s an easy drinker for many occasions.
2004 Château Lanessan, Haut Medoc $28
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
While some Bordeaux drink fine young, most taste better with a bit of age on them. This library release from Château Lanessan is a solid Bordeaux that is just hitting its prime and drinking quite nicely with lots of mineral notes, full fruit and smooth tannins. Why cellar something when you can get this right now?
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.