ANIMALE is a very small winery hidden away in the outskirts of pastoral Ballard with a total production of just around 200 cases. There Matt Gubitosa, winemaker, cellar master and head bottle washer produces his hand-crafted, full-flavored red wines from some of Washington’s lesser known grapes. His preference for aging in neutral oak barrels accents each varietal’s unique characteristics and lets the wines speak for themselves. Matt will be at the shop Saturday showing off his newly released 2009 vintage. We’ll have his Petite Sirah, Dolchetto, Petit Verdot and Mouvedre open for tasting. Come join us and be merry in Madrona.

2009 Petite Sirah         $25

From McIntire Vineyard in Sunnyside, the Petite Sirah has explosive aromas of fresh blackberries, and a hint of menthol. The wine is medium bodied with flavors of ripe plum, berries, and dark chocolate. 57 cases made.

2009 Dolcetto         $24

From Gilbert’s 24 K vineyard in Mattawa, this Dolchetto has aromas of blueberries and cherries, with appealing floral accents. It is an incredibly well made example of a domestic Dolchetto. 24 cases made.

2009 Mourvedre         $26

95% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah

From Kiona Vineyard in Red Mountain the Mourvedre has aromas of black currants and blackberries, with hints of exotic spices and tangerines. 24 cases made.

2009 Petit Verdot         $28

From Gilbert’s “Doc Stewart” Vineyard in Mattawa, the Verdot has complex aromas of cherries and plum with hints of roasted peppers, kumquat, and ginger. 24 cases made.

2009 Barbera     $18
From Gilbert’s 24 K vineyard in Mattawa. This is not your typical Barbera. 

This Saturday we’ll be featuring some great red wines from the Southern Rhone where Grenache finds its best expression. Southern Rhones are great food wine, balanced and versatile and the best ones have an elegance that is hard to match. They are just the thing to bring you out of Thursday’s food hangover. Shake it off and come try some excellent wines.

2010 Les Perles Piquepoul                                                        $8

Pays de L’Herault

Picpoul is the grape, known as “the Muscadet of the South” in France. The Les Perles, made by Jérôme Calmes in the Languedoc, is a Lip Stinger! Pale yellow color with green tints the picpoul has fresh and fine aromas of grapefruit, exotic fruit and lime flavors. It is slightly south of the Rhone, but a fresh way to wake up your mouth.

2010 Domaine Lafond, Roc-Epine, Côtes du Rhone                 $14

70% Grenache, 30% Syrah

This family run vineyard started in 1880 consists of 8 hectares of rocky, sandy soil with a mix of pebbles and lime and clay.  The grapes are all handpicked, destemmed and let to macerate for 14-20 days before pressing.  It is aged in cement and stainless tanks then racked into new oak for 3-4 months before bottling. The Lafond has aromas of ripe fruit, cherries, black currants and undergrowth followed by deep red fruits and dark berry flavors.

Clos du Papes, Le Petit Vin d’ Avril Rouge                               $15

Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre

From Clos des Papes, Le Petit Vin d’Avril Rouge is a non-vintage “house blend” meant for everyday drinking while their Châteauneufs age gracefully in the cellar. The Petit is made from declassified Chateauneuf du Pape vines usually blended from two vintages. The wine is full of cherry fruit with notes of pepper, spice and herbal brush.

2009 Clos des Brusquières, Châteauneuf-du-Pape                 $40

85% Grenache, 9% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre

With only eight hectares of vines (40 year old on average) this miniscule, ultra-traditional estate produces tiny quantities of just one wine: no luxury cuvee, no specialty blend, just a stunningly pure and complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Owner Claude Courtil is the godson of none other than Henri Bonneau, one of the most legendary and revered producers in the region, and he learned everything he knows about winemaking from his godfather. Henri and Claude share a deeply held commitment to natural winemaking: manual vineyard work, traditional aging in large foudres, and bottling without intrusive fining and filtration. The 2009 is loaded with dark fruit and spice. It is drinking great right now and will age nicely.