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Some Very Special Wine

March 11, 2012 / Jim / No comments

2010 Bouchard Pere & Fils

Bourgogne

Last week we got to sample the 2010 Burgundies from Bouchard. It looks to be a very nice vintage. The wines are showing good fruit, but with more structure and acidity than the 2009s. A select few of our favorites (adjusted for price to quality) were:

Beaune Clos de la Mousse 1er cru.

The wine has dark fruit aromas with light toasty notes. It is both rustic and refined with a earthiness on the finish.

Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot 1er cru.

The wine has bright fruit and spicy aromas followed by a big opulent mouthfeel.

Nuits Saint Georges Les Cailles 1er cru.

This wine has everything going for it. Intense notes of black berry fruit blended with some touches of oak and brine, and a bit of earthiness on the finish.

Le Corton Grand Cru

The Corton has an intense bouquet full of fruit and spice and a full and rich mouthfeel and a long finish.

These all are wines that will take 5 to 10 years to fully develop. It pays to plan ahead.

These and the other Bouchard wines (also wonderful and also available) are now just being offered for presale. They will arrive in June. For those who want to order now, we are offering them at a special presale price. No minimum order required. Other discounts don’t apply. Wines need to be paid for at time of order.

All the other Bouchard Cuvées are also offered for presale.

Please inquire if you have a favorite you are interested in. For more info visit http://www.bouchard-pereetfils.com/home/

Presale Pricing

Beaune Clos de la Mousse $41 (regularly $54)

Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot $63 (regularly $82)

Nuits Saint Georges Les Cailles $84 (regularly $110)

Le Corton $85 (regularly $111)

Orders need to be received by Thursday, March 22^nd.

Category: What We've Been Tasting /

The Art – and Science – of the Swirl.

March 4, 2012 / Jim / No comments

There is more science in swirling your wine before tasting.

Click here for the link to the Wall Street Journal article from March 3^rd.

Our just take a gander at the video:

Category: What We've Been Tasting /

Don’t Forget Champagne For Oscar.

February 26, 2012 / Jim / No comments

Don’t forget that last minute Champagne for your Oscar viewing. Will have chilled bottles in the cooler ready to pop.

Category: Tastings & Events /

McKinley Springs, Cor Cellars and Syncline

February 18, 2012 / Jim / No comments

Saturday, February 18^th

This Saturday we’ll be featuring three Washington wineries that kick out some good juice at a great price. They also have more in common that just good wine. Grape growers first, the Andrews family who own McKinley Springs grow over 20 varietals on their 2000 acre estate vineyard in the southern part of Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills. They sell their fruit to twenty five wineries, including Cor and Syncline. In 2002 they started making wine from their own fruit with the help of James Mantone of Syncline. Luke Bradford started Cor Cellars in 2006 after working for other wineries in both Italy and the Northwest, one of which was Syncline. Syncline, run by James and Poppy Mantone, specializes in Rhône varietals, some of which come from McKinley Springs. Come and see if you can taste all the connections.

2008 McKinley Springs Confluence White $10

56% Chenin Blanc, 44% Viognier

The Confluence is fermented and aged sur lie in stainless steel tanks, with a small portion of the Chenin Blanc aged in new oak to give it structure and a richer mouthfeel. The wine has aromas of ripe apricot, tangerine and floral notes. Its lemon lime citrus, orange zest and juicy ripe pineapple flavors lead to a long, smooth finish with the perfect touch of acidity.

2010 Cor Cellars, Riesling $16

The Riesling comes from Underwood Mountain Vineyards in the Columbia Gorge. Off dry, the wine bursts with lemon, peach and wildflower honey tea and has bright acidity, supple viscosity and a lingering, lip smacking minerality.

2007 McKinley Springs Syrah $15

The Syrah from McKinley Springs is co-fermented with 3.5% Viognier, a common practice in France’s Rhône Valley that adds bright fruit flavors. The wine is aged 17 months in 20% new oak (75% French and 25% American). Blackberry, licorice and black cherry aromas and tangy cranberry sauce, dusty earth, lavender flavors, and an expansive, lush texture.

2008 Cor Cellars Momentum $15

30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Petit Verdot, 21% Merlot, 21% Malbec

McKinley Springs & Alder Ridge Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills

Starting with of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is floral, regal and extensive, Merlot for silky texture, Petit Verdot for spice and then finally Malbec for its earthy and expressive personality, the Momentum is Cor’s dark and Verdot heavy Bordeaux style blend. The wine has notes of blackberry, black cherry, plum and cassis along with hints of dark chocolate, spice and violets.

2010 Syncline, Carignan/Grenache $25

64% Carignan, 36% Grenache from McKinley Springs Vineyard

Syncline describes the wine as “Wild and untamed, this wine contains substance and personality; certainly not prim and proper, but rarely are the best of times. Avant-garde meets tradition, in pioneering vineyards, two ancient varietals find a new home in the eastern Washington desert. Meaty, spicy aromas and bramble fruit flavors cavort with a refined texture and persistent finish.” The wine is as purple as the prose.

Category: Tasting Notes, Tastings & Events /

February 2012 Madrona Wines Monthly Selections

January 29, 2012 / Jim / No comments

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.

Category: Madrona Wines Monthly /

The forecast for this weekend is rain with a couple of bright spots.

January 21, 2012 / Jim / No comments

Saturday

Spanish Wines

from Eric Solomon

2-4pm free

Sunday

Port

Its styles and flavors

5pm $5

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Category: Tastings & Events /

We Are Open Today.

January 15, 2012 / Jim / No comments

No snow day for Madrona Wine Merchants. We opened a half an hour late due to stalled busses on Union, but we are open and tasting some delicious wines. Stop on in (but drive carefully).

Category: In The Beginning /

Globetrotting Values

January 13, 2012 / Jim / No comments

Saturday, January 14^th

2pm

We’ve searched the world over to find this selection of distinct wines at fantastic prices!!! OK, we didn’t really, but we talked to a few people and tried numerous wines and pulled together this line up of good wines at good prices. Stop by on Saturday when we will be showing them off. Take a world tour without leaving the neighborhood.

2010 Yealands, Sauvignon Blanc $13

From Marlborough, New Zealand, Yealands is a sustainably farmed estate winery that uses sheep instead of tractors and wind turbos for power. The exposure to high sun and wind, coupled with cool nights and low rainfall produce a smaller, thicker skinned berry with intense fruit flavors. The wine has fresh grass, herbal aromas along with citrus, guava flavors and wet stone minerality.

2010 Leyda, Pinot Noir $13

Leyda Vineyards is located in the coastal mountain area of Chile about 8 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The wine’s bright fruit-driven bouquet boasts plum, cherry and soft smokiness followed by cherry, spices flavors with soft sweet tannins. More similar to California than Oregon, the Leyda is still better than most Pinot at this price.

2009 Chateau Roc Meynard, Brodeaux Supierur $15

90% merlot, 5% Cabernet, and 5% Cabernet Franc

A smaller (29 hectare) estate winery located right next to Fronsac “separated by only a small dirt alley”. So close but they can’t put the name on it. The Roc Meynard is a full bodied, robust Bordeaux in a modern style with lots of red ripe fruit, black current notes and darker spices.

2008 Kangarilla Road, Shiraz $15

Kangarilla comes from McLaren Flat vineyards located at the northern part of the foothills where the grapes ripen later than other surrounding sub-regions resulting in “cooler climate” spicy aromatic dark berry driven wine with intense mid to back palate presence and an abundance of soft velvety tannins. The wine has aromas of spicy mulberry followed by a smooth mix of earthy black and red berry fruits on the mid and back palate.

2007 Domaine du Crampilh , Madiran, l’Originel $20

70% Tannat, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Located in the Southwest corner of France where the small hills start to climb into the Pyrenes, lays Madiran where the dark tannic grape Tannat is king. At Domaine du Crampilh, 4^th generation winemaker and owner Marie Oulie, blends in Cabernet to soften up wine along with some micro-oxygenation before it rests for 8 to 12 months in barrel. The result is a robust wine with notes of blackcurrants and Morello cherries. l’Originel possesses an elegant structure, with round and spicy tannins. The finish is long and suave.

Category: In The Beginning /

Swing By And Grab That Bottle For Dinner.

January 8, 2012 / Jim / No comments

Swing on by and pick up that bottle for dinner, and sample what we have open. The perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Category: In The Beginning /

Today’s Pour

December 27, 2011 / Jim / No comments

2008 Cabriz

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.