Small wineries, small importers, the world seen through a grape — just a few of the things we love at Madrona Wine Merchants.  Saturday we have a lineup of just that brought to us by small Portland importer Petit Monde.  We’ll be tasting distinctly French wines from some singular growing regions like Jura, Gaillac, and Savoie, as well as uncommon grapes Duras and Mondeuse.  Come tour the world with us.
 
2014 Guillaume, Chardonnay $16
Guillaume supplies vines to most of Burgundy, but their vineyards are in Jura.  Their 2014 Chardonnay seemingly fuses the soil-inflected nuttiness of a fine Jura with the detail of a white Burgundy from the Cote Chalonnaise.  This unoaked Chard is very clean and pretty with lots of creamy fruit.  Brisk acidity and smoky, chalky mineral undercurrents join with the wine’s brisk green apple fruit and sappy hazelnut expressions.
 
2015 Montrose, Côtes de Thongue Rosé   $12
65% Grenache, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah
Montrose is located in the Languedoc region of Southern France, 15 km away from the Mediterranean coast.  The name refers to its geographic location on a volcano (Mont) and to the pink (Rose) flowers and almond trees surrounding the vineyard.  The domaine was founded in 1701 and is still in the family.  This Rosé has notes of red berries and peach flavors with spicy overtones making an elegant wine combining roundness and freshness. And it comes in many sizes: 1.5 ltr — $25 & 3 ltr — $58
 
2014 Domaine Graveirette, Cotes du Rhone $16
100% Grenache
A family estate on the outskirts of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape that started making their own wine in 2005 Their Cotes du Rhone is full and chewy, with firm tannins. It has lots of earth, meat, garrigue, pepper, and spice but also clean and pure with bright raspberry and black cherry fruit.
 
2014 Domaine de Brin, Vendemia Rouge, Gaillac $15
80% Duras, 20% Merlot
The family owned Domaine de Brin estate is situated on a calcareous-clay plateau surrounded by an oak wood and uses organic growing and natural vinification methods.  Their Rouge ages for 18 months in large vats without sulfur and only get a very low level sulfiting before it is bottled unfiltered.  The wine has aromas of black fruits, and mild spices.  The flavors are fruity and generous with silky tannins. 
 
2013 Domaine De Idylle, Mondeuse  $18
Le Domaine de l’Idylle nestles in the age of the valley of the Combe de Savoie, deep in Rrench Alps. The Tiollier family has been working this terroir to produce subtle fine Savoy wines since 1840.  Mondeuse is the cool, elusive, peppery red of the Savoie that is a relative of Syrah.  The wine has aromas of  black pepper, violets, black cherries and tobacco. On the palate the wine alternates waves of fig, cherry and black plum fruit with complex undertones of cinnamon, hoisin sauce and sweet pipe tobacco. Long and lingering on the back-palate, reprises of black peppercorns and crunchy pie cherries mingle with finishing notes of bright acidity, medicinal herbs and fine, supple tannins.

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.