The April Madrona Wines Monthly selections have been chosen. Your wines will be ready to pick up starting Wednesday, April 4^th at noon. Not a member of our wine club? It’s easy to join, just click here for more information. 

6 Reds

2000 Gran Oristan , La Mancha                         $12

Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon

No Quixotic adventure, this Cab. Sauv. and Tempranillo blend sees 24 months in barrel and you can count the years in bottle. Not as good as the grand reserva wines from Rioja but nowhere near the price either.

2009 Chateau Barrabaque, Cannon Fronsac, Cuvée Antoine         $14

A great tasting, ready to drink Bordeaux from 2009. The Antoine has lots of dark fruit and dry tannins. Barrabaque, let’s see, what food to have with it?

2004 Nicolis, Testal del Veronese IGT                         $14

94% Corvina, 3% Merlot, 3% Cabernet

The grapes picked from the end rows of the estate where they get riper and are dried for 3 weeks before fermentation, concentrating the flavors, then blended with a little Cabernet and Merlot. It is aged 16 months in barrel. The wine has a bouquet of red fruit, with hints of sweet spice and vanilla. The palate is complex and full, with soft tannins and lots of dried plum and cherry.

2009 Sainte Eugenie Corbiers                             $12

40% old vine Carignan with the rest being a blend of Grenache and Syrah (25-46 year old vines). The Eugenie is vinified for 9 month in barrels varietal by varietal, then blended placed in small casks for up to 15 months before bottling. The result is a complex and clean wine. The red fruits burst from the glass with mild hints of toast and spice that continue through the impeccably balanced finish.

2010 Franco Serra Barbera d’Alba                         $10

A fresh and refreshing Barbera with lots of solid cherry fruit.

2010 Domaine Magellan Le Fruit Défendu                    $12

100% Cinsaut

A fresh and lighter red from one of the minor Rhône blending grapes.

1 White and 1 Pink

2011 Gilbert Cellars Rosé of Mourvedre                     $13

A dry local pink that actually does a great job of imitating the French. Nicely layered floral notes and good acidity.

2011 Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc                         $11

The 2011 is fairly full bodied, with a grassy nose and a mix of citrus flavors and a long, lingering finish.

5 More Reds

2010 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon                        $10

Colchagua Valley

Very fruity with a slightly spicy finish.

2009 Viña Gormaz Tempranillo                            $10

Ribera del Duero

50 year old vines. Unoaked. Pair with cheeses, grilled meats, poultry.

2009 Château Roc de Segur Bordeaux                        $10

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc

Roc de Segur Bordeaux Rouge has a nose full of spice (cinnamon, cocoa and clove) and savory herbs (rosemary and thyme) immediately upfront. The fresh fruit gains a lead over some time with sweet cassis and blackberry. Framing the fruit is an empty cigar box aroma, where old tobacco is just lingering through the walls of the cedar package.

2007 Clerico Visadi                                $13

Langhe Dolcetto

A big dense and tannic Dolcetto drops down in price as it switches distributors. A wine for those who like to chew their wines. Lots of smoke, tar and pencil lead.

2009 Les Perles Syrah                                $9

Pays d’Oc

A great example of what the Languedoc can do with this varietal. Ripe roses on the nose with peppery red marionberry fruit in the mouth and jammy, mouthcoating tannins with length on the finish. Not complex, but oh-so delicious!

6-bottle Red Wine Club Selection

2009 Château Blouin Bordeaux                        $10
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
From the right bank of the Gironde, the Blouin is tasty and unassuming. Stainless steel fermented, nice dark fruit, and a medium body.

2008 Marchesi Poggio alle Sughere                    $13
90% Sangiovesse, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Morellino di Scansano
A good deal on this Sangiovesse blend from Maremma. Pretty versatile food wine.

2009 Chateau Saint Nabor Domaine des Santonilles            $13
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan
Côtes du Rhône Villages
This quality village level CDR gets an even better price.

2010 Erste + Neue Edel Vernatsch                    $11
Süditrol – Alto Adice
A lighter north Italian Red, Edel Vernatsch is the grape. A refreshing alternate for lighter fare.

2010 Charles Smith The Velvet Devil                    $11
Columbia Valley Merlot
A good rich Washington Merlot at an everyday price.

2009 Trivneto Amado Sur                            $13
73% Malbec, 15% Bonarda, 12% Syrah
Mendoza
The Bonarda and Syrah add more complexity and elegance than you normally get in a straight Malbec at this price.

Mixed Red and White Wine Club Selection

2010 Labbé Abymes                            $12
100% Jacquère
Vin de Savoie
A dry white from Northern France at the foot of the Alps. It has a blend of melon and citrus notes. The perfect wine for Fondue.

Toffoli Prosecco Frizante Sur Lie                        $10
Colli Trevigiani I.G.T.
Dryer than most Prosecco and with just half the fizz the Toffoli is great as an aperitif.

6 more Reds for the Full Case Club members

2009 NW Vine Project Cabernet Sauvignon                $14
Columbia Valley
A lightly oaked Washington Cabernet from Badger Mountain (just across from Red Mountain). Good flavors of licorice, black current and touch of forest floor.

2007 Villa da Filicaja Chianti Superiore                    $11
90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, and 5% Merlot
A nicely aged Tuscan Sangiovese.

2010 Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône                    $13
Syrah
Layers of dark plum, anise and crushed blackberry fruit, with black tea and graphite notes through the finish.

2008 Rivière Rayos Uva                            $13
Tempranillo, Grenache
Rioja
A big Spanish blend takes a big drop in price as it switches distributors.

2008 Quinta de Cabriz Colheita Seleccionada                $10
Alfrocheiro, Tinot Roiz, Touriga Nacional
Dão
90 points Wine Spectator and #42 in Top 100 Wines of 2011: “A well-structured, muscular red, with a touch of Asian spice to the wild plum and dried raspberry flavors. Beef and mineral notes mark the finish. Distinctive, with a very sauvage allure. Drink now through 2015.” — And only ten bucks.

2010 Domaine Lafond Roc – Epine                    $14
70% Grenache, 30% Syrah
Côtes du Rhône
This family run vineyard consists of 8 hectares of rocky, sandy soil with a mix of pebbles and lime and clay. The grapes are all hand-picked, and let to macerate for 14-20 days before pressing. It is aged in cement and stainless steel tanks then racked into new oak for 3-4 months before bottling. The Lafond has aromas of ripe fruit, cherries, black currents and undergrowth followed by deep red fruit and dark berry flavors.