It is the equinox this weekend, which in Madrona means finding a balance between sun & showers.  Fall seems to have settled in, but as we adjust to the new season we have some great wine tastings this weekend to help with our equilibrium.  We’ll start at the end and work our way back.

Sunday Evening we’ll be tasting the well-aged wines of López de Heredia.  This starts at 5:30 pm after we close the shop and costs $20.We have a few spots left if you’d like to join us.
2009 Viña Tondonia Rosé Gran Reserva $28
2010 Viña Gravonia Blanco Crianza $27
2005 Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva $45
2010 Lopez de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza $24
2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva $44

Sunday from 11 to 5 we’ll be featuring two wines from the Sant’ Elena Winery of Friuli/Venezia in Northeastern Italy. This winery also likes to age its wines a bit before sending them to market.
2011 Sant’ Elena Chardonnay  $12
Bright acidity frames this lively Chardonnay. It offers flavors of stone fruit, Gala apple, almond and citrus zest.
2001 Sant’ Elena Merlot  $17
A 17-year-old Merlot from Friuli that is far from giving up the ghost.  Smooth developed flavors and soft tannin.

And Saturday, we are going back to nature with Organic & Biodynamic Wines from Italy, France & Portugal. Come celebrate the equinox with these balanced natural wines. This starts at 2pm.
2018 La Staffa, “Mai Sentito” Verdicchio Frizzante $19
2018 Le Fraghe, Garganega Veneto $15
2017 Le Fraghe “L’escluso” Bardolino $16
2017 Les Amethystes, Chiroubles $20
2015 Casa de Mouraz, Dao Tinto $18

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

Join us this Saturday as we taste a new line up of organic wines from local distributor Owen Kottler.  Come celebrate the equinox with these balanced natural wines.
 
2018 La Staffa, “Mai Sentito” Verdicchio Frizzante $19
Young winemaker Riccardo Baldi is behind La Staffa in the town of Staffolo in the Marche. He has 10 HA of vineyards he farms.  In the cellar, only native yeast is utilized. Just as in the vineyard, with all winemaking, Riccardo acts with total respect for the grape and for the viticultural traditions of the area. The family produces wine exclusively from grapes grown on estate vineyards. “Mai Sentito”means “never heard”, as in I’ve never heard of a sparking Verdicchi.
 
2018 Le Fraghe, Garganega Veneto $16
Nestled between the eastern shores of Lake Garda, the hills of Valpolicella and the ancient city of Verona is where we find Matilde Poggi’s vineyards. Her winery is outside of the town of Affi. She makes her wine naturally (no additives, native yeast, no enzymes). From Matilde: “I love this earth, every square metre of it somehow different, brought here by the glaciers that carved out, in remotest times, the the bed of the lake and the valley of the Adige river. Everything that I do in the vineyard is aimed at respecting and preserving those unique and literally incomparable qualities that I find only in my wines.”
 
2017 Le Fraghe “L’escluso” Bardolino $16
Like her Garganega, L’escluso is organically grown,  harvested by hand, and vinified with native yeast. The fermentation at a cool-temperature, the cap is managed daily – délestage in the morning &  pumpover in the evening. Malolactic fermentation and maturation is in stainless-steel until bottling the following spring
 
2017 Les Amethystes, Chiroubles $20
Located in the AOC Morgon, Michel Guignier prefers a natural approach to winemaking and believes a wine should above all be the fruit of the earth.  “Too many chemicals prevent the terroir from coming through in the wine”.  His wines are steeped in terroir, the yields are low and the harvest is done by hand. The grapes are pressed in a wooden press and matured in oak barrels on their lees.
 
2015 Casa de Mouraz,  Dao Tinto  $18
Tinta-Roriz, Touriga-Nacional, Jaen, Alfrocheiro
In the DÃO region of Portugal these vineyards of 30-40 year old vines in Granitic soils are worked using biodynamic practices and are certified ECOCERT since 1997.  The wine is a field blend using natural vinificatio, then matured in old, inert French oak barrels for 8 months.  Cherry and strawberries, intense bouquet of red fruits, plum and rosemary with notes of dark chocolate.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

One of South Africa’s oldest wineries with roots tracing back to 1711, Morgenster has been owned since 1992 by the now-late Giulio Bertrand and his family, who significantly upgraded facilities and enlisted the expertise of Pierre Lurton (Cheval Blanc) along with minimalist-approach winemaker Henry Kotze to produce exceptional, age-worthy blends from and alongside their mostly estate-grown single varieties. One of the Southernmost properties in Stellenbosh, Morgenster enjoys relatively cooler maritime climate keeping the wines fresh and delicious.
 
2019 Morgenster Sauvignon Blanc (unwooded) Stellenbosch $14
A hand-harvested, unwooded Sauvignon Blanc sourced from some of the top white vineyards in the Helderberg ward. The 2018 vintage was superb for white grapes, with a dry growing season featuring significant day/night temperature variations.
 
2016 Morgenster Cabernet Franc Stellenbosch $16
Grown in mixed soils with vines averaging 5-18 years of age.  The grapes are hand-harvested, and the wine aged 12 months (6 months on lees) in used French oak barrels followed by six months of bottle ageing prior to release.  This 100% Cabernet Franc possesses classic characteristics including a nose of lush cassis fruit with notes of cinnamon and clove.
 
2014 Morgenster Cabernet Sauvignon Stellenbosch $16 
This Stellembosch Cab Sauv is drawn from younger, 10-20-year-old vines.   Henry Kotze’s minimalist winemaking affords pure expression of lush red and black fruits in an approachable, terroir driven style, with Morgenster’s trademark silky smooth tannins in the background. Hand-harvested, destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks with minimal extraction to preserve freshness and fruit. The wine is aged 12 months in French oak barrels followed by several years of bottle ageing prior to release.
 
2010 Morgenster Lourens River Valley Estate Red $21
50% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot
An age-worthy Bordeaux-style blend dominated by Cabernet Franc and Merlot, using estate-grown grapes from Stellenbosch’s Helderberg district.  The wine is aged 18 months in French oak barrels (30% new) followed by several years of bottle ageing prior to release. The wine is a South African classic with aromas of Blackcurrant and cherry with spicy clove, chive, anis and butter developments. Well integrated vanilla, cacao and caramel smooths over into the palate.  The wine is plush with dark berry fruits, rounded silky tannins and the signature SA smoky note.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

We received a very small allocation of white and rosé wines from Lopez de Heredia and rather than put them on the shelf we thought we have them as a special tasting. Join us Sunday evening to try these very unique wines, along with some Tapas and we’ll still get you home for Sunday dinner. Space is limited.  Sign up to save a spot.

López de Heredia began in the nineteenth century when French negociants visited Rioja looking to find quality grapes since phylloxera had decimated their vineyards. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, an enthusiastic student of wine making, followed closely in their footsteps. Don Rafael fell in love with the region. Around 1877 he began the design and construction of the complex that is today known as the López de Heredia bodega (winery), the oldest in Haro and one of the first three houses in the Rioja region.
 
López de Heredia is renowned for long aging of their wines, ageing the white wines in oak for as long as reds. After the wines spend a long time in oak, the oaky tastes and aromas are overly noticeable and unbalanced. But, when left for a few years in bottles, the rough edges of oak become polished and balanced to create a seductive bouquet of spice, bitter almonds, vanilla and walnut, trademarks of the majestic and opulent Viña Tondonia whites.
 
2009 Viña Tondonia Rosé Gran Reserva $28
60% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 10% Viura
Beautiful flavors of blood orange, berries, peach skin and almonds only begin to describe this wine, which also has a silken texture unlike any other rosé you have likely ever had.
 
2010 Viña Gravonia Blanco Crianza $27
The Gravonia comes from 45-year-old Viura vines in poor and stony soil. It has aged 4 years in barrel and 5 years in bottle before release. The wine is complex, nutty and truly unique with notes of petrol, beeswax and chamomile.
 
2005 Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva $45
90% Viura, 10% Malvasia
Iconic white Rioja. Extremely complex, spicy, nutty and herbal thanks to 6 years of oak ageing. Loads of lemon and orange peel with green tea and fresh kumquat. Its palate profile is of wax, honey and pebble stones.
 
2010 Lopez de Heredia Viña Cubillo Crianza $24
65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacho, 5% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano
From the vineyard Viña Cubillas, whose vines average 40 years of age, with a mixture of clay and limestone soil. This crianza ages for three years, being racked twice per year and then 5 in bottle before release.
 
2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva $44
75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 5% Graciano, 5% Mazeulo
A remarkable red with no concession to modernity, this Reserva is fermented in 140-year-old wooden vats followed by six years of ageing in oak casks, the rest in bottle. The wine has complex notes of spice, leather, cherries, balsamic and cigar box with a long savoy finish.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

It is Fruit Fly season here in Madrona, and no wonder.  The corks are out of the bottles and they want to lap it up with the rest of us.  This weekend we are tasting near and far.  Come join us.

Saturday we are pouring the wines of Woodinville wonder Darby English.
2017 Native Rosé  $17
53% Mourvedre, 48% Granache from Stillwater Creek vineyard.
2015 Le Deuce Columbia Valley  $25
Viognier & Rousanne from Stillwater Creek and Stonetree Vineyards.
2013 Livewire Red Columbia Valley  $17
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Stillwater Creek and Stonetree vineyards.
2016 Purple Haze Columbia Vallley  $20
Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Petite Sirah from Dineen, Quintessence,
2014 Chaos Columbia Valley 2014  $25
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 16% Petite Verdot and 4% Malbec from Quintessence, Dineen and Discovery vineyards.

Sunday we are tasting two deeply discounted wines from Coopers Creek in New Zealand.
2016 Coopers Creek Limeworks Chardonnay $12
A melange of vanilla, cream, sweet lemon, grapefruit, hazelnut, and subtle oak. This is a big, rich Chardonnay. It has weight, sweet fruit, beautiful texture and length. 13% alcohol by volume.  Was $22 Now $12
2014 Coopers Creek Pinot Noir  $12
A delightfully fresh, fruit driven Pinot. Black plums and black cherries on the nose intermingled with subtle French oak. Rich and firm on the palate with bold, sweet fruit. A core of ripe black cherry lingers on the finish. Was $20 Now $12

Coming up:  A special tasting of the wine of Lopez de Heredia.  Sunday evening September 22nd.  Stay tuned for more detail.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

Darby English started his Woodinville winery in 2005 marrying old-world wine making techniques with innovation and experimentation.  He sources his grapes from some pretty good vineyards: Dineen (Yakima AVA), Quintessence (Red Mountain), Discovery (Horse Heaven Hills), Stonetree and Stillwater Creek (Wahluke Slope).  The results are quite delicious.  This Saturday we’ll be pouring five of his wines. 
 
2017 Native Rosé  $17
53% Mourvedre, 48% Granache from Stillwater Creek vineyard.
A Woodinville take on the classic Bandol blend.
 
2015 Le Deuce Columbia Valley  $25
Viognier & Rousanne from Stillwater Creek and Stonetree Vineyards.
Aged 16 months in neutral French oak.  A big Rhone styled white with aromas of citrus, fresh cut flowers and minerals that are followed by lush flavors of apricot, orange peel and exotic spices.
 
2013 Livewire Red Columbia Valley  $17
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Stillwater Creek and Stonetree vineyards.
Aged 18 months in French oak 25% new.
The livewire is a right bank style red that is an easy drinker.
 
2016 Purple Haze Columbia Vallley  $20
Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Petite Sirah from Dineen, Quintessence, Discovery and Stone-tree Vineyards.
Aged 18 months in French Oak 40% new.
A Bordeaux-style blend with a bit of Petit Sirah added to put the purple in the haze.  Dense and rich, with a muscular mix of dark currant, cherry, and plum with a hint of cedar.
 
2014 Chaos Columbia Valley 2014  $25
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 16% Petite Verdot and 4% Malbec from Quintessence, Dineen and Discovery vineyards.
Aged 18 months in French Oak barrels 60% new. This Cabernet-based blend is rich and impressively structured, with savory blackberry aromas and accents of dark cherry, currant, anise, and cedar.   The wine gains depth while holding focus and persistence. Was $35 now $25

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

Labor Day Weekend always seems packed too full of crowded events.  Many are crouching in a crowded campgrounds, bustling amidst the bands at Bumbershoot, or cheering on the Dawgs at Husky Stadium.  But if you skip all that. it can be a more mellow affair of hanging around the house watching the tomatoes ripen.  The weather is what those who have lived in Madrona long enough think of as perfectly pleasant.  There might even be time in the afternoon for a glass or two of Barbaresco. Al least thatis what we have planned at Madrona Wine.

Saturday we are tasting five wines from Ca del Baio, a small family producer in Piedmonte.
2018 Langhe Chardonnay “Luna d’Agosto”  $13
2017 Barera d’Alba “Paolina” $15
2014 Dolcetto di Alba “Lodoli”  $15
2016 Langhe Nebbiolo “BricdelBaio” $18
2015 Barbaresco “Valgrande”  $35–

Sunday we are getting a bit buggy, with two Cicada wines from Châteauneuf du Pape Chante Cigale.
Domaine Chante Cigale makes a powerful Châteauneuf du Pape, but the Cicada is their more everyday wine. 
2018 Chante Cigale, Cicada Blanc  $14
40% Viognier, 30% Picpoul, 30% Sauvignon Blanc
A really interesting and rich blend.  The Picpoul and Sauvignon Blanc bring brightness, acidity and floral components while the Viognier rounds out the wine with honesuckle and melon flavors.
2017 Chante Cigale, Cicada Rouge  $14
80% Grenache, 20% Carignan
Chante Cigale means singing cicada (a type of grasshopper/cricket), and the Cicada red is their early-drinking any day Grenache/Carignan blend. The property has been in the family since the 19th century and is currently run by Alexandre Favier who assumed the reins at the ripe old age of 20. The domaine is planted to 40 hectares of red and 5 hectares of white on 45 different parcels throughout the appellation.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

For four generations Ca’ del Baio has been a family affair.  All their wines are estate-grown, made from a wide range of varieties, some typical of the area while others are more international: the whites include Moscato, Chardonnay and Riesling, and the reds Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto. Today the Ca’ del Baio estate takes in 28 hectares of vineyards in the villages of Barbaresco and Treiso, both of which are in the Barbaresco DOCG. Come by on Saturday and taste some of these excellent wines.

2018 Langhe Chardonnay “Luna d’Agosto”  $13
This fresh and fruity wine is made with early-harvested grapes during the first weeks of September.  It has a mineral vein that comes from the soil on which vineyards are planted.  The wine is delicately floral and fruity, with notes of citrus and exotic fruits.  The flavor is dry, cool, and long, with a slightly mineral aftertaste.

2017 Barbera d’Alba “Paolina” $15
This Barbera comes from the assemblage of different vineyards, creating a fresh wine that exhibits strong, but soft Barbera characteristics.  The wine is intensely fruity, with nice hints of red currants and raspberries.  It has a fresh taste that is vibrant in the mouth, showing a long, rich, smooth flavors.

2014 Dolcetto di Alba “Lodoli”  $15
This “very Piedmontese” wine encapsulates the simple pleasures of everyday life.  It is intense and vinous, with delicate fruity overtones reminiscent of cherries, wild strawberries and blackberries; taste dry, with good balance and acidity, and a nicely almondy finish.

2016 Langhe Nebbiolo “BricdelBaio” $18
Aged in neutral barrels the BricdelBaio is a pure example of fresh Nebbiolo.  The wine is delicately fruity, conjuring up wild berries and raspberry jam.  The taste is dry, warm and well-balanced, with a nicely tannic finish.

2015 Barbaresco “Valgrande”  $35–
Nebbiolo
This traditional-style Barbaresco is harvested from the vineyards that surround the winery.  It is aged only in big casks. The Valgrande shows the elegance of Barbaresco at its very best, without flaunting the muscle of Nebbiolo. It is intense, with powerful fruit, dried flowers and underbrush; taste dry, smooth and rounded, ending in a warm finish with nicely-balanced tannins.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday, we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.