Labor Day is here and this Saturday we have some rewards for the working man (or woman).  We’ll be pouring some great value wines from France to give some respite to your hard efforts.  It is a fine line up to celebrate as we slowly turn from Summer and start thinking of the Fall.
 
2016 Château Bizard, Blanc d’ Amour  $14
Viogner, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne
The first production of red wines and white wines at Château Bizard in the Côtes du Rhône region dates from 1862. People did not talk about vines or vineyards at the time but “vine fields” like meadows or fields of wheat. The Blanc d’Amour has an aromatic complexity with fragrances of grapefruit, white peach, lychee and acacia flower. It shows a beautiful balance on the palate, ample and suave, with a fresh finish.
 
2017 Chateau Barbebelle, d’Aix du Provence Rosé Cuvée Madeleine $15
40% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 25% Syrah
This rich wine is classic Aix du Provence rosé with notes of white peach and expressive, fresh, pear notes.  It is smoothly fruity, with a bright touch of acidity that gives the wine its elegant lift.
 
2015 Bel-Air Brouilly Cuvee Briante  $18
Gamay
The small Briante parcel in Brouilly has soil is silt-clay on the surface with schist and granite deeper down. It makes an aromatic wine, where plum, cherry and kirsch rub shoulders. The palate is long, the tanins are refined and there is great freshness at the finish.  
 
2012 Domaine de Mayol, Luberon Rouge $12
Syrah, Grenache, Old-Vine Carrignan
A dark and spicy Rhone value with some age on it — The Mayol has a sensual texture, some red fruits arôma and then blackcurrent fragances, a good length in mouth with finally notes of peppermint and flavor of summer.
 
2014 Chateau Bizard, Grignan Les Adhémar, Montagne de Raucoule $17
Syrah, Grenache
The Raucoule is a deep red wine from the Rhône valley AOC of Grignan les Adhémar.  The wine is aromatic and rich, expresses scents of black fruits –blackberry, sloe, cherry- underscored by notes of licorice, ripe fruits and spices and well-structured, fine and coated 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.