It is grey and wet outside but you can be warm and sunny inside. Come have a taste this Tuesday.
2020 Fantinel, Sun Goddess $15 Sauvignon Blanc Produced with love and passion from sun-kissed vineyards owned by Fantinel family in Friuli Venezia Giulia, where the peculiar microclimate and the precious terroir guarantee premium quality wines. aromatic, with tropical and spicy notes of yellow bell pepper, banana, and melon. The palate is: particularly structured with a balance between an intense acidity and a velvety smoothness with a long finish.
Mark Stephen Souder passed away this last week after a year and a half struggling with cancer. Mark loved travel, good food, intoxicating beverages and invigorating company. Mark co-founded Madrona Wine Merchants with me 12 years ago and his influence is embedded in every aspect of the shop. It really never would have existed without him.
Mark was a longtime fan of Bonny Doon Winery and was one of the early members of their wine club in the mid 1980’s. This weekend we will be pouring Bonny Doon’s le cigare volant Blanc and Rouge both Saturday and Sunday at the shop. Come have a toast to Mark.
Mark with Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon at the shop.
This weekend we’ll be tasting a few things to go with the weekend festivities along with the coming month as well. But your warm sweater on and stop by the shop for a taste.
Saturday
2020 Firriato La Sabbie Dell’ Etna $20 Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio From the slopes of Volcanic Mount Etna In Sicily, comes this lovely lighter red with elegant mineral into distinct hints of blackcurrants, prune jam, black cherries, licorice, pepper and wilted violet. Warm and refined, with suave tannins and a rewarding juicy finish.
Sunday
2018 Chateau La Roque Pic Saint Loup $18 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre A fancy Languedoc Red from Kermit Lynch drops in price. The wine has an expressive nose with notes of blackcurrant, gingerbread and garrigue. The gourmet mouth reveals notes of blackberry, licorice and sweet spices. Long and persistent finish. Organic Was $25 Now $18
Tuesday is Halloween!
Madrona Wine, along with all the other neighborhood merchants, will be handing out candy to all the little witches and goblins from 4 to 6pm. We will also have a little treat open for the parents of the ghosties and Ghoulies to keep their spirits up.
This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely Italian wines.
2010 Botromagno Gravina ($11) 60% Grecco, 40% Malvasia
Gravina is one of the oldest viticultural zones in Puglia; that the Botromagno co-op is the only producer in this long-recognized DOC is testament to the quality of their wines. Botromagno Gravina is a dry, delicate white composed of 60% Greco and 40% Malvasia. Abundant aromas of peach, white currant, and fresh wildflowers introduce a similarly generous palate. Enjoy with oysters, shellfish, and a wide array of Asian cuisines.
2011 Erste + Nueu Kaltereresee Leuchternburg ($13) Schiava (Vernatch)
A light bodied red with lots of cherry flavors and soft tannins from the german speaking part of the Tyrolian Alps.
This is a single vineyard wine made from Venatsch (Schiava) the smaller berried cousin to the Edelvenatch.
This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely French wines.
2010 Routas Wild Boar $10 64% Viognier, 36% Chardonnay
Straight from our Coteaux Varois estate vineyards of clay and limestone soils. And named for the wild boars residing in the enormous forests of Aleppo pine and oak that bracket our Routas vineyards. A crisp and fruity, summery white.
2011 Château La Croix du Duc Bordeaux $10 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
A nice minerally entry Bordeaux, this is a fruity, supple and soft wine with nice red fruit aromas intertwined with light toasted notes and soft tannins. Drink with red meats and cheese. 12.5% alcohol per volume.
This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely French wines from Château De Flaugergues. The Château is situated in one of the twelve terroirs found in the Côteaux du Languedoc known as ‘La Mejanelle’.
The Romans cultivated vines and olives here over 2000 years ago. The monks of Grand Mont maintained this tradition, and after them the ancestors of the current owners have continued to do so from 1696 until today.
This exceptional terroir is made up of rounded pebbles calles ‘les Grés’ (from deposits in the Rhone delta) and thrives in the area’s Mediterranean climate with its strong maritime influence.
The 75 acre vineyard is dominated by early-ripening grapes; it is the harmonious combination of different vines which allows for the creation of such a rich range of fine aromatic wines.
2012 Château De Flaugergues Les Comtes Rosé ($14) 60% Grencache, 40% Syrah Languedoc
A dry and herbal Rosé from the the Languedoc.
2011 Château De Flaugergues Les Comtes ($14) 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre
Languedoc
A dark and spicy Southern French with lots of spice and fruit. Very nice rich and complex nose with notes of spices and red berries.
This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely French wines.
2012 Paul Buisse Les Domaniales Rosé $9
A very crisp Rosé made from Cabernet Franc, Gamay, and Pineau dAnuis with aromas of fresh strawberries, raspberries and a slight herbal note.
2011 Galtier Garrica $10
A light and herby French red from the Languedoc named after the brush that grows there. 12.5% alcohol by volume
And just for the fun of it, let’s throw in an Italian Sangiovese in a box.
2010 Giacomo Sangiovese Toscana $30 Ruby red in the glass with aromas of cherries, plum and a hint of red currant. The palate is loaded with rich, dried cherry flavors that are backed by a note of tangy acidity and moderate tannins. This is an ideal mid-week red that is perfect with pizza, pasta, burgers and roast chicken. 3 liters which works out to $7.50 a bottle.
Artist’s Reception, Sunday August 3rd, 3 to 5 pm Portraits: Man & Beasts Eden Hopkins Laura Grover
Hanging from July 3rd to August 31st Artist Eden Hopkins presents six, lively and whimsical portrait paintings of dogs. Several of these lovable canines attentively make eye contact and feature their tongues lolling out. One painting showcases a Chiweenie dog, or a Chihuahua/Dachshund Mix mouthing a tennis ball, ready for play. These original oil paintings are created on 12″H x 12″W cradled panels. See more of Eden’s artwork at www.edenhopkins.com Artist Laura Grover’s portraits of her family are a way of reflecting on the time spent with them. It’s a personal time with each individual, to think upon what they look like, conversations we held together and how we first met. Each paint stroke is intimate and comes with personal feeling. These paintings are just moments that gave me pleasure. Not all family moments will be remembered with such joy and surely need to be recorded.
This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely Italians.
2010 Tola Catarratto ($13) A Sicilian white grape that has a big round mouthfeel, with flavors of grapefruit and apricot.
2011 Corbanelli Rosso Toscana ($9) 90% Sangiovese, 10% Trebbiano
An old school style Tuscan red where they blend a bit of white grapes (trebbiano) in with the Sangiovese. A lighter body, nice fresh fruit, summery red.
This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely Spanish wines.
2011 Viña Vilano Verdejo ($10) Bodegas Viña Vilano is located in the village of Pedrosa de Duero, province of Burgos, internationally regarded as the most privileged wine-growing region within the Designation of Origin of Ribera del Duero, with 300 hectares of vineyards dating back to its foundation in 1957. A tasty Verdejo with a good mix of tropical fruits and herbal notes. Quaffable.
2007 El Quintanal Joven ($10) Tempranillo
Ribera Del Duero
A ripe and fruity old vine Tempranillo was once young but now has a good bit of bottle age on it after 3 months in oak. Still robust. Excellent for appetizers, pastas and red meats.
Was $12 now $10
This Sunday we are celebrating the National French Holiday with a rosé and a red. It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. Festivities and official ceremonies are held all over France. The oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe is held on the morning of 14 July, on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic, French officials and foreign guests.
Come toast the Revolution!
2011 Coer Estérelle Provence Rosé ($11) A nice Provence Rosé at a good price. Aromas of rose petal, strawberry, fresh herbs are followed by light peach, apricot and tangerine peel flavors. Was $16 now $11
2010 Domaine Olivier Hillaire Côtes du Rhône ($15) Vieilles Vignes
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah
Domaine Oliver Hilaire is a small 23 acre estate in France’s southern Rhône Valley just across the Rhône River from Châteaunuef du Pape. Their CDR shows an intense nose of garrigue, blackberries and anise. Medium-to-full-bodied, with low acidity, medium sweet tannins, and a touch of earthiness. Was $18 now $15
To ensure that we can provide you with the specific wine that you are looking for, please call or email us with your request. It’s important to note that the vintage and availability of wines can vary from year to year.
