We search the world to fine great wines at good prices!! Well no, actually we search our distributor’s catalogs to find delicious little beauties. This Saturday we’ll be pouring a lineup of just such things. None are from here. All are from there (Veneto) and there (Mendoza), and there (Marche) and there (Gascony). It’s a bit short on theme, but long on flavor. Come join us.
 
2010 Tenuta Santa Maria Alla Pieve Soave Lepia        $15
Garganega
Tenuta Santa Maria is Bertani ‘s (of Amarone fame) private project. The Lepia is full and rich with flavors and aromas of pears and peaches with a hint of almond and nice minerality.
 
2005 Cantina Valdadige, Terra Dei Forti, Enantio        $13
Terra dei forti DOC is a small area between Veneto and Trenton, in a valley shaped by the glaciers of the Quaternary and carved by the river Adige. Enantio is an indigenous grape that was found growing abandoned in the forests of Veneto, then recued and replanted in the sandy soils of the local vineyards where Philoxera doesn’t affect the vines. The grapes are picked at a level of slight super-maturation and left on the skins for an extended period and then left to age in barrels for 15 to 18 months. The wine is ripe, dark and complex with wild berry flavors and a noted spiciness and a smoky note.

2010 Plaimont La coURtine Côtes de Gascogne        $10
60% Tannat, 40% Merlot
From a cooperative in the Southwest of France that has a very odd idea of what makes an attractive label. But inside the bottle is a dark and leathery wine with the Merlot smoothing out the edges of the Tannat.

2009 Melipal, Malbec                           $13
Melipal is a modern family run winery in Argentina producing high quality wines. Their Malbec comes from a blend of their estate organic vineyards and Las Nazarenas a vineyard with 80 year old vines. All the grapes are sustainably farmed and fermented with natural yeasts. The Melipal has lots of dark fruit and spiciness and stands out above others at this price.
Was $16, Now $13

2010 Marotti Campi Rubico Lacrima di Morro d’Alba     $20
Lacrima is a little known red variety frown in the Marche on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Morro d’Alba is the name of the village which grows the approximately 150 acres of the grape. The wine is very floral with rose and violet notes along with its bright fruit. The palate is a smooth, velvety, dry and pleasantly tannic.

Witness Tree Vineyard is a 100-acre estate in the Eola Hills of the Willamette Valley named for an ancient oak which towers over the vineyard. Steven Westby is the winemaker and vineyard manager for Witness Tree and can often be found on a tractor or out walking the vineyard, checking on the crop. His use of low yields in the vineyard and minimal handling in the winery create wines of depth, elegance, concentration, and character. This Saturday we’ll be tasting the wines from Witness Tree along with one from Steve’s own label Elemental Cellars. Come give them a sip.
 
2010 Witness Tree Pinot Blanc $16
Pinot Blanc is grown in very small quantities in the Willamette Valley. Witness tree has two and a half acres in production. This limited bottling offers delightful fruit flavors reminiscent of apple and pear, balanced beautifully by a crisp refreshing acidity.
 
2010 Witness Tree Chardonnay $15
The Witness Tree Chardonnay is a blend of estate-grown Davis 108 clone, coupled with a bit of Dijon clone fruit farmed at the Stand Sure Vineyard. Upon opening the wine brings intense aromas of pineapples, mangos and other juicy tropical fruits. As it is a cooler vintage, the acidity is a bit higher-toned, yet in complete balance with fruit and alcohol content. In the mouth the wine shows exceedingly vibrant acidity balanced by a rich, very full mouth-feel of more tropical fruit, butterscotch and a kiss of toasted French oak
 
2010 Witness Tree Chainsaw Pinot Noir $20
The 2010 Chainsaw presents aromas of fresh berries, dried herbs and barnyard. It maintains a pure, clean mouth feel with a core of fresh red fruits. Ripe strawberries, Bing and black cherries, along with subtle notes of currant are accentuated by more herbal nuances such as thyme, savory and sweet marjoram.
 
2009 Witness Tree Dolcetto Remari $20
The Dolcetto comes from a 1.6 acre site exhibiting big grapey, sassy flavors! Its considerable “slurpy factor” makes it a wonderful cocktail wine, while its natural acidity gives it the power to pair exceptionally well with all kinds of cuisine. It is an interesting twist on the Piedmonte varietal.
 
2006 Elemental Cellars, Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah $20
This wine from Elemental Cellars comes from old vine Syrah (for Oregon –planted in 1995) by Deux Vert Vineyard owners Mike and Patty Green in the middle of Pinot Noir country. The wine is co-fermented with Viognier. It has fascinating, deeply complex Syrah notes of smoky violets and bacon, mineral, coffee and leather notes with vibrant berry fruit.

Southard is a family owned and operated winery located a few miles north of Selah, Washington. They excel at Rhone Style Rhône cultivars from the Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, and Wahluke Slope AVAs. This Saturday we’ll be pouring a great line up of their wines. The wines are all boutique, hands on, small production creations. Scott Southard, the winemaker and kingpin of the operation will be here to tell you all about them. Come join us.

2010 Columbia Valley White $15
Two thirds Viognier, one third Roussanne
This humbly-labeled white is a revelation. In the mouth it has the style and sleekness of fine Burgundy, with flavors running through a spectrum of herb, citrus and tree fruits. Polished and seductive. 413 cases

2008 Elephant Mountain Vineyard Viognier $20
Citrus, orange blossom, and peach flavors predominate in this Viognier. The wine is made in a restrained style yet shows a chewy texture and long finish. 130 cases

2010 Columbia Valley Red $15
Syrah/Mouvedre
The Columbia Valley Red is a dry and mineraly blend with notes of blackberries, cherries and black pepper.
 
2010 Sugarloaf Vineyard Red Wine $20
61% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 12% Cinsault and 9% Counoise.
This bone dry, southern Rhône-style red blend has elegant and detailed flavors of light berry and Bing cherry are dusted with cocoa accents. 206 cases

2009 Lawrence Vineyard Syrah $25
The star of the show. You can pay four times as much for comparable Royal Slope projects, or grab this jewel. Dark and bloody, this fascinating Syrah masterfully mixes layer upon layer of detail. Red meat, black olive, cassis and earth roll across the tongue, while hints of floral scents and chocolate linger in the nose. 337 cases

It is the Dog Days of August, with some being yipping pups and other panting beasts. To beat the canine stupor we rounded up a number of specials that will break up the doldrums and enliven the most dogged torpor. Come check them out, because like the summer, they won’t last forever.
 
2008 Weingut Felsner Alte Reben Grüner Veltliner
Was $27 now $15
Manfred Felsner cultivates 38 acres of vineyard sites in Kremstal using environmentally friendly farming. The grapes are highly selected using multiple passes of picking at harvest. The old vines on the estate, dating back a couple of generations, bring depth and complexity to the wine. The Alte Reben is a single vineyard Grüner that is clean and elegant, with the typical crisp varietal character and weight.

2008 Cave des Vignerons de Buxy, Rully Plantenay
Was $20 now $12
The Plantenay is a fine Chardonnay from this Burgundian collective of growers. The grapes for this Rully were grown with lutte raisonnée or ‘reasoned struggle’, a practice that uses chemicals less often and less aggressively than conventional growers The wine offers aromatic complexity with pineapple, apricot and floral notes held together by fine acidity and good minerality.
 
2008 Domaine Didier Tripoz, Pouilly Fuissé, Vieilles Vignes
Was $30 now $16
Catherine and Didier Tripoz took over this flagging domaine in the 1990s and have worked hard to restore it to glory. The 10 hectares of vineyard are situated to the south of the Maconnais region, close to the great vineyards of Pouilly-Fuissé. The grapes for for their Pouilly Fuissé come from older Chardonnay vines.   The wine is fruit driven with apple and citrus flavors and a long elegant finish. It sees no oak ageing, and is crisp and refreshing.
 
2006 Vereinigte Hospitien Piesporter Goldtröopfchen Riesling Kabinett
Was $25 now $12
Vereingte is one of the United Hospitien a group of traditional wineries in the Mosel set up to provide financial security for the old, sick and disabled people of the region. The wine cellar of the winery United hospices located in an old Roman walls dating from 330 AD and is the oldest wine cellars in Germany. The Goldtröopfchen or gold droplets is a dryer Riesling with appealing fruity flavors of citrus and spicy acid and mineral notes.
 
2010 Cantine Pirovano Këssel Lagrein Trentino
Was $11 now $9
From up in Trentino in Northeast Italy, this lighter alcohol (12.5%) Lagrein has intense aromas of blackberry and sour cherry along with Violets and Tobacco notes along with soft fruit flavors of cherry and plum. It is a great versatile food wine.
 
2008 Maude Pinot Noir
Was $32 now $16
This Central Otago Pinot is fermented traditionally in open topped tanks with a portion of whole bunch included in each fermenter using indigenous yeasts. The wine is hand plunged for a month for tannin development prior to gentle pressing through a basket press, then matured in French barriques for 10 months before bottling. The Maude has a dark and brooding nose of mulberry, plum pie and ripe blackberries along with wild thyme, violets and toasty chocolate. It has good concentration of fruit flavors coupled with strong yet supple tannins.

This weekend we are bringing together some new faces and some old friends from the Côte du Rhône for a little tasting. Join us and try a fine selection of spicy rouge, flavorful blanc, and crisp rosé that are a perfect match for our summer weather. We’ve even imported a genuine Frenchman for the occasion. Come rendezvous at the wine shop and refresh yourself.

2011 in fine, Rosé $11
80% Grenache, 20% Cinsault
In Fine is the baby project from Raphael Trouiller, rising star of the Ventoux Domaine de Cascavel. This small biodynamic sustainably farmed estate sits nestled in the shadow of Mt Ventoux allowing the grapes to slowly ripen. The rosé is new to the shop. Come check it out with us.
 
2009 Ogier, Heritages Blanc $13
Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Viognier
This Rhone Blanc from a noted Chateau Neuf producer offers an ample and round body with aromas of white peach, and pears.
 
2009 Ted the Mule, Cote de Ventoux $11
Syrah, Grenache
A little play on words, Ted the Mule is a bit stubborn and thick but ultimately delicious smoky and earthy Rhone Red.
 
2010 Ogier, Heritages Rouge $13
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
A good value spicy Rhône with lots of earthy fruit.
 
2008 Domaine des Florets, Gigondas Tradition $26
Grenache 80%, Syrah 10%, Mourvèdre 5%, Cinsault 5%,
From an eight acre biodynamic estate, the Forlets Tradition comes from older vines with an average age of 60 years. The harvest is picked and sorted by hand at prime maturity. It is a blend of the 4 typical grape of the Gigondas appellation. Grenache brings the strength, fat and softness, the Syrah brings elegance and fruit, the Mourvèdre brings the backbone and the Cinsault the sweetness.

This Saturday we have a great line up of wines from Bordeaux, the Loire, and South Africa. And while the combination may seem a bit odd on paper, the flavors will tell you otherwise. All these wines drink better than their modest prices.
 
2010 Domaine le Portail, Cheverny – $11
Sauvignon Blanc 80%, Chardonnay 20%
From a small family run estate, this unusual blend from the Loire Valley is a great fresh white wine. The Chardonnay gives this wine a fruity lift and body while the Sauvignon lends citrusy backbone and minerality. It is a shop favorite and if you haven’t tried it you won’t want to miss this opportunity.
 
2011 Domaine de la Garenne, Sancerre Blanc – $20
Sauvignon Blanc
The Classic white of the Loire, the Garenne combines two vineyard sites, Caillottes and Terre Blanches. This Sancerre has a good volume of citrus and white fruit. The finish is clean and dry, elegant minerality.
 
2009 Chateau Barrabaque, Fronsac – $14
70% Merlot, 25% Cab Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Great example of right bank wine from the fine 2009 vintage, drinks like a wine twice its price.
 
2005 Chateau Marsau, Cotes de Franc – $18
100% Merlot
This is a classically structured Merlot based Bordeaux that is just hitting its stride and drinking great right now. A great deal on an aged wine for those who don’t have a cellar.
 
2007 UGABA from Anwilka Stellenbosch, South Africa – $20
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 17% Syrah
A joint project from some heavy hitters from Bordeaux and Stellenbosch, the Ugaba is a big lush red with loads of black licorice, currants, smoky bacon and black tea notes.

Come cool off on Saturday and sample some wines that are perfect for the warm weather. We have a large lineup of refreshing wines from near and far that match long sunny evenings, easy conviviality and a wide range of foods and flavors. Stop in and give them a try, and if it gets too hot we’ll turn on our new air conditioner. How exotic can you get for Seattle?

Dopff & Irion, Cremant d’Alsace Brut $14
50% Pinot Blanc, 50% Auxerrois
Dopff & Irion is a complex glass of bubbles at a great price. It has lots of toasty, creamy, yeasty notes along with apple and citrus fruit flavors.
 
2011 Grande Cassagne Costières de Nîmes Rosé$10
45% Grenache, 45% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre.
This Southern French wine has pleasant aromas of strawberries, raspberries, along with its dry, clean and crisp ripe fruit flavors.
 
2010 Marques de Caceres, Rioja Blanco $9
Viura
From sunny Spain the Caceres Blanco has a lively bouquet combining pears and mineral notes with a discreet depth of grapefruit. Well-integrated fruit flavors awaken the palate with their refreshing vivacity. It goes with Tapas and a whole lot more.
 
2011 Adelsheim, Pinot Gris $14
This esteemed Oregon estate farms with sustainable farming practices. Their Pinot Gris is full of crisp, bright flavors, with hints of papaya, apples and pears and a gentle creaminess that lends a rich, mouthfilling texture and long finish. It is great with mildly spicy foods (such as ceviche), not so mildly spicy Thai cuisine.
 
2010 Vina Gormaz, Ribera del Duero, Tempranillo $12
This unoaked Spanish classic has deep wild berry aromas and mouth-filling flavor and length provided by the old Tempranillo vines. The tannins are balanced by the textural richness and juicy fruit. It is tasty and easy to drink by itself or along with roasted vegetables, a wide range of snacks and dips not to mention barbeque chicken.
 
2010 Château de Campuget, Costières de Nîmes Rouge $10
30% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 15% Carignan, 15% Cinsault
A good easy drinking wine from the South of France, the Campuget is light and fruity, easy drinking and very enjoyable. The wine is clean and fresh with herb and mineral notes up front, backed by a modest core of red currant and cherry fruit. It’s lightly crisp, but with good drive. Give it a sip.