The holidays are upon us and this weekend we have a solid line up of French wines to add to the seasonal festivities.  Come by and help us toast Bon Solstice! Joyeaux Noël! Bonne L’année Nouvelle!  Or you can just make fun of our accents.
 
2015 Cave De Tain, Crozes-Hermitage Blanc  $20
Marsanne.
This Northern Rhone white has a rich nose dominated by citrus fruits and green lemon. The second nose, more complex, reveals exotic fruits (pineapple, mango), anise and bitter almond aromas. It is a well-balanced and fresh wine with a lemony finish. 
 
2012 Olivier Morin, Bourgogne Chitry  $15
Pinot Noir
A great deal on an Bourgogne Rouge. This Chitry has a fresh nose with notes of cherries and roses. Light and supple with balanced tannic structure, evolving on notes of spices and red fruits.  Organic
Was $18 now $15

2015 Château Mountfaucon, Lirac  $20
60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Cinsault
A very well-balanced Rhone Red, the 2015 has bright cherry and pomegranate fruit is laced with a light lavender thread and lightly dusty tannins, espresso and cinnamon notes.

2013 Château Respide-Medeville Graves  $25
60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose offers brisk blackberry and briary aromas, The palate is medium-bodied with a spicy opening, nicely balanced with white pepper, cassis, leathery tannins and a long smooth finish.
Was $32 now $25

2005 Château Citran, Haut Medoc  $36
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot
Here is a chance to drink a developed Bordeaux without aging it yourself.  This stunning Left Bank Bordeaux blends 50% Merlot with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon from a text-book perfect vintage. The classic ageing in part new French oak adds a toasty spiciness to the wines, while the fruit flavors have moved towards the more mature flavors of dark berry fruit, earthy notes and savory bite.
Was $48 now $36

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.

‘Tis the Season for Sparkling Wine!  So, this weekend we have THREE Sparkling events to choose from.  Come effervesce with us.

Saturday at 2pm we’ll be pulling the corks on FIVE bottles of bubbles.  Come early before the bubbles run out.
2016 Rosell Mir, El Serralet Rosé Brut Nature  $16
Trepat, Pinot Noir
Tessari, Garganega Brut  $15
Cave de Bissey Cremant de Bourgogne      $18
60% Aligoté, 10% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
Champagne Moutard, Brut Grande Cuvée  $32
Pinot Noir
2017 Patton Valley, Petillant Natural Sparkling Riesling  $23

Sunday
we are off to Spain for a little Cava!  11 to 5pm

Dibon Brut Reserve Cava  $10
45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, 30% Parellada
This Catalan sparkling wine is made in the Traditional or Champagne method from organic grapes. The three grape varieties are fermented separately and then blended before a second fermentation process which takes place in the bottle for more than twelve months. Brilliant appearance. Gives off a considerable amount of small and medium-sized bubbles. The color is pale straw yellow. Good body. Smooth and silky, fresh and lively, providing a long finish.
Dibon Brut Rosé Cava  $11
Granacha
Clear red and pinkish tones. Small bubbles are gently released to form various strings that rise to the surface. Smells of fruits, raspberry and blackcurrant. Full in the mouth with a splendid bubbly sensation that fills the whole palate. Red fruit also appears, even more markedly in the nose. Long finish and great elegance.

Sunday at 5:30 is our Special Champagne Tasting!
We have a couple of spaces left for this so let us know if you want to come.
Tis the Season
Champagne Tasting
Sunday, December 9^th
5:30 pm
$25 (plus tax)

We have some Vintage, some Special Club, & all Grower fantastic Champagnes to sip on.  We’ll have some appetizers to go with and still get you home for Sunday dinner.
This special tasting is s BY RESERVATION ONLY.
Space is limited to twelve people. Call or email us to save a spot.
2009 Copinet Monsieur Leonard Blanc de Blanc  $53
Durmont & Fils Solera Reserve Brut  $50
2012 A. Margaine Special Club Brut 1er  $85
Pehu Simonet Blanc de Noir Grand Cru  $85
Jean Vesselle Oeil de Perdrix Rosé  $58

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.

This Saturday we are getting all bubbly with a fine line up of sparkling wines.  It is a great way to get ready for the holidays, and as usual (for us anyway) we’ve come up with some less than usual example to tease the mind as well as the palate.  Come join us.  The corks pop out at 2pm. This has been a VERY popular tasting – show up sooner, rather than later. We WILL run out.

2016 Rosell Mir, El Serralet Rosé Brut Nature  $16
Trepat, Pinot Noir
A crisp and unusual, not to mention delicious rosé Cava.  Organic

Tessari, Garganega Brut  $15
From a Veneto Soave producer, this Sparkling Garganega has an intense aroma of apple, elderberry and chamomile are bewitching. Fresh and persistent on the palate, with a delightful aftertaste of bitter almonds and a playful mineral sparkle.
Was $18 now $15

Cave de Bissey Cremant de Bourgogne      $18
60% Aligoté, 10% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
Close to Givry and Buxy, Bissey is on the cool side of the Côte Chalonnaise, giving its sparkling wines that extra freshness. This Brut is bright, crisp, laced with apples and tangy lemon zest.

Champagne Moutard, Brut Grande Cuvée  $32
Pinot Noir
The Grande Cuvee is aged for at least three years. The wine is complex and nuanced, with fine, intense bubbles. It has a seductive bouquet of pears, grilled almonds, mineral notes and apple pie followed by rich flavors of ripe stone fruits, honey and buttered toast and a remarkably ling, delicate finish.

2017 Patton Valley, Petillant Natural Sparkling Riesling  $23
An un-disgorged, unfiltered, funky bottle of bubbles, this Petillant has all of the freshness, fizz, and fun of this style, the aromatic snap and bloom of bright apples, and a whole lot of citrus, white peach, and quince. The nose is racy, but the wine is abundant.  Organic

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 time again to try some Bubbles.  We have some Vintage, some Special Club, & all Grower fantastic Champagnes to sip on.  We’ll have some appetizers to go with and still get you home for Sunday dinner.

This special tasting is s BY RESERVATION ONLY.
We’ll be offering a 10% discount on these wines this evening.
Space is limited to twelve people. Call or email us to save a spot.

 
2009 Copinet Monsieur Leonard Blanc de Blanc  $53
Chardonnay
This tête du cuvée reflects the very best selections from the 2009 vintage. Both creamy yet zingy with acidity, it coats the mouth with pear, melon, and citrus, with a huge, layered 5- minute finish of marzipan, nutmeg, mulled – wine – spice, orange and Meyer lemon.

Durmont & Fils Solera Reserve Brut  $50
Chardonnay
This is made using the solera method. Dumont has dedicated one stainless steel tank that was first filled in 1991. He has been adding to the tank every year, making it at present, a blend of approximately 20 vintages.  There is a lot going on here: apple, pear, peach, apricot, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, kiwi, butter, cream and vanilla.  Organic

2012 A. Margaine Special Club Brut 1er  $85
100% Chardonnay 
The vintage Blanc de Blancs [the “Spécial Club” bottling] from this grower based in the little-known village of Villers-Marmery at the far eastern end of the Montagne de Reims is refined, incisive, and vinous, built on understated lemon fruit, and acquiring tantalizing walnut-butter notes with time.
 
Pehu Simonet Blanc de Noir Grand Cru  $85
Pehu Simonet is a smaller producer locate in Verzenay, which is a Pinot Noir-dominated grand cru village in the Grande Montagne de Reims area. The pure Pinot gives a powerful character to this Champagne. There is terrific tension, producing a wine that is firmly structured, full of ripe flavors of white fruit and red apple skin. It’s full bodied and dry in the Pehu-Simonet style.
 
Jean Vesselle Oeil de Perdrix Rosé  $58
100% Pinot Noir
A grower Rosé Champagne from Bouzy.  Dried rose petals, orange zest, white pepper and mint give much of its high-toned aromatics, but there is plenty of depth to the fruit as well. Deceptively medium in body, the Oeil de Perdrix possesses striking finesse and exceptional overall balance. Oeil de Perdrix is an old-fashioned style of Blanc de Noirs with just a touch of color from a very short period of skin contact at pressing.

December has arrived and it looks like we are in for a week of good winter weather here in Madrona.  For those of you in our wine club the boxes are packed and ready for pick up.  We are tasting Wines from Italy all weekend at the shop.  We are pulling the corks on  a few favorites so swing by and see what is open.

Saturday we’ll be tasting a Prosecco from Veneto, two Tuscan reds, a Barbera from Piedmont, and an Aglianico from Campania.  They are all bold wines that will help to take the damp out of December.
La Luca, Prosecco  $11
2016 Carpineto, Dogajolo Red  $13
2012 Carpineto, Chianti Classico $20
2017 Viberti, Barbera d’ Alba La Gemella  $15
2013 Vinosia, Taurasi Santandrea  $40

Sunday, we’ll start off in Abruzzo, which is east of Rome on the Adriatic for a little Pecorino. Next up we are off to Tuscany for a good value Chianti.
2017 Priore Pecorino  $12
A supple Abruzzo white with smooth citrus notes and a bit of minerality.
2016 Badia di Morrona Chianti  $12
85% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
This laid-back Chianti offers red-skinned berry and baking spice aromas. The palate is simple, with easygoing tannins and ripe red cherry and clove flavors.

Coming Up Soon!
Tis the Season
Champagne Tasting
Sunday, December 9^th
5:30 pm
$25 (plus tax)
It is time again to try some Bubbles.  We have some Vintage, some Special Club, and all Grower fantastic Champagnes to sip on. 
This special tasting is s BY RESERVATION ONLY.
Space is limited to twelve people. Call or email us to save a spot.
More details coming soon.

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.

Thanksgiving is 5 days away and it is time to pick up some wines for whatever your holiday plans are.  We will be Open next Tuesday, and open each Tuesday from now until New Years.    We’ll also be open THANKSGIVING DAY 11-3 for those last minute wine emergencies!  But before that we are tasting a fine line up of wines to match the big feast.

Saturday, come find a different match to your holiday meal.
2017 Ca dei Frati Lugana I Frati $19
Trebbiano
2016 Saget la Perriere Blois, Marie de Beauregard Vouvray  $17
100% Chenin Blanc
2018 Garzon, Pinot Noir Rosé $15
Just off the boat.
2017 Domaine du Prieurè,  Hautes Côtes du Beaune $19
Pinot Noir
2012 Sella & Mosca, Terre Rare Reserva  $17
Carignano del Sulcis

Sunday, we offer a pair of Portugesse.  Portuguese wine was brought to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Come experience these old world wines in the modern era.
2014 Casa Ferreirinha, Planalto Branco Reserva   $13
35% Viosinho, 15% Malvasia Fina, 15% Gouveio, 15% Códega, 15% Arinto, 5% Moscatel
A full, dry Portuguese white with floral aromas (orange blossom), tropical fruits (pineapple and passion fruit), along with beeswax, apples, pears and citrus peel. 12.5% alcohol by volume
2014 Terras do Dão, Irreverente   $10
Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, Alfrocheiro Preto
A fine, accessible blend of all the Dão red grapes in a mélange that is full of blackberry fruits and acidity. 13% alcohol by volume
3ltr box –$23

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.