Labor Day Weekend always seems packed too full of crowded events.  Many are crouching in a crowded campgrounds, bustling amidst the bands at Bumbershoot, or cheering on the Dawgs at Husky Stadium.  But if you skip all that. it can be a more mellow affair of hanging around the house watching the tomatoes ripen.  The weather is what those who have lived in Madrona long enough think of as perfectly pleasant.  There might even be time in the afternoon for a glass or two of Barbaresco. Al least thatis what we have planned at Madrona Wine.

Saturday we are tasting five wines from Ca del Baio, a small family producer in Piedmonte.
2018 Langhe Chardonnay “Luna d’Agosto”  $13
2017 Barera d’Alba “Paolina” $15
2014 Dolcetto di Alba “Lodoli”  $15
2016 Langhe Nebbiolo “BricdelBaio” $18
2015 Barbaresco “Valgrande”  $35–

Sunday we are getting a bit buggy, with two Cicada wines from Châteauneuf du Pape Chante Cigale.
Domaine Chante Cigale makes a powerful Châteauneuf du Pape, but the Cicada is their more everyday wine. 
2018 Chante Cigale, Cicada Blanc  $14
40% Viognier, 30% Picpoul, 30% Sauvignon Blanc
A really interesting and rich blend.  The Picpoul and Sauvignon Blanc bring brightness, acidity and floral components while the Viognier rounds out the wine with honesuckle and melon flavors.
2017 Chante Cigale, Cicada Rouge  $14
80% Grenache, 20% Carignan
Chante Cigale means singing cicada (a type of grasshopper/cricket), and the Cicada red is their early-drinking any day Grenache/Carignan blend. The property has been in the family since the 19th century and is currently run by Alexandre Favier who assumed the reins at the ripe old age of 20. The domaine is planted to 40 hectares of red and 5 hectares of white on 45 different parcels throughout the appellation.

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.