Who is winning in our Bordeaux vs. Banylus contest so far? As of 12:30, the score is….

5                0

And as of 4pm, the totals are:

10               5

As of 5PM the totals are:

10               12

The results are in — If you count the pre-orders (we ran out of the Bordeaux at 2:20), for ten bottles of the Senhilac, we have a winner. Actually, we have TWO winners as they were both tasty.

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 Labor Day weekend, a “holiday honoring the American Labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country.”  This Saturday we’ll be celebrating with some Hard Working Washington wines.  These wines diligently labor to provide solid, quality value that greatly our well-being.  Come taste the rewards of their labor.
 
2014 Parejas Cellars, Albarino  $15
Parejas is a boutique winery in the Yakima Valley that produces high quality, great value wines from locally grown Spanish varietals.  Their Albarino has stone fruit and spice notes and a good crisp mouthfeel.  13% alcohol by volume
 
2012 Shooting Star, Blue Franc  $14
Lemberger
Shooting Star is Jed Steele’s Washington label, and Lemberger is a founding Washington grape.  The Blue Franc is very clean and fresh with medium body and cherry and plum fruit along with notes of traces of pepper, almond, cherry and cinnamon.
 
Vina Salida Vino Rojo  $15
Malbec, Temprnillo
Vina Salida is Doug McCrea’s new project focusing on Spanish varietals with a side trip into Malbec. This non-vintage bottling of Vino Rojo comes mainly from the cooler 2011 vintage with some 2010 added to fill out the body.  The combo is totally successful balance between the spiciness of the cooler vintage and the full fruit flavors.
 
2010 Basel Cellars, Estate Claret      $20
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 12% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3.5% Malbec, & 0.5% Petit Verdot
Basel Cellars is based in Walla Walla.  Their Estate Claret is an example of precision blending  and a minimal use of new barrels and emphasizing the grapes.  The wine has aromas of dark fruit, cherry-cola, plum and cassis. The mouth provides a balanced acidity interwoven with dark fruit and a graphite-like minerality. The lingering finish is reminiscent of the dark spicy wrapper of a good Maduro cigar.
 
2011 Soos Creek Wine Cellars, Palisade Red  $20
82% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon
Soos Creek pulls it’s fruit from some heavy hitting Washington vineyards (Champoux , Ciel du Cheval, Boushey, Klipsun and Sagemoor,)  The Palisade has aromas of dark raspberry, dark chocolate, musky spices and earth. At once broad and juicy, it offers savory currant and dark raspberry fruit flavors complicated by licorice and smoky soil nuances. The wine is nicely concentrated wine with a restrained sweetness, and finishes with tongue-dusting, supple 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.

But seriously folks, we pouring two Portuguese wines whether the weather is pouring or not. Stop on in for a sip in the storm.

Sunday, August 16th

Swing by on Sunday to have a swig of two distinctly unique wines from disparate parts of the world. We’ll be pouring an electrically crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Slovenia and rich and complex plum wine from Japan. They are more of a contrast than a comparison, but both are not to be missed.

2012 Domaine Ciringa Fosilni Breg Sauvignon Blanc $20

From Slovinia, this rich Sauvignon Blanc comes from Fosilni Breg (Fossil Mountain) vineyard. The Cringa has aromas of bananas, pear and pepper. It wakes up the mouth with an explosive eruption of flavor and acidity

Gekkeikan Plum Wine $15

A drier version of plum wine with more complexity, the wine is made all from handpicked plums and is aged 3 years before bottling. It has notes of raisin, pecans, nutmeg, candied oranges and a tart finish. It is unique and tasty and only 13% alcohol.

Saturday

August 15^th

2_pm

Summer is great for vacations. So this Saturday we are hopping all over Europe and tasting crisp and refreshing wines from Germany, France, Austria and Spain. These wines are all unique and delightful and an escape from the everyday. Come slip away with us and give them a try.

2013 Dr. Heyden, Oppenheimer, Silvaner, Trocken Alte Reben $13

The Heyden family runs a small 11 hectares estate in the town of Oppenheim. Silvaner is the second most planted grape (after Riesling) in Germany, and this old vine example is a fresh, zesty, mouth-wateringly delicious wash of Silvaner-ish-ness. Juicy and floral from start to finish, this is a great example of coaxing the best from a grape.

2014 Novellum, Chardonnay $12

Novellum is a custom cuvee of Chardonnay grown and made by Jean Marc and Eliane Lafage for Eric Solomon. The Latin name “Novellum” echoes “Nouveau” (“new. To achieve its balance of fresh acidity, ripe fruit and a touch of minerality, 70% of the wine is aged in stainless steel, and 30% is aged briefly for 2 months in one-year old barrels. But the real uniqueness in this wine comes from its aging method: it is aged on the “lees” of previously fermented Viognier for three months, imparting a luscious floral character that’s different from the average Chardonnay.

2014 Biohof Pratsch, Zweigelt Rosé $13

Pratsch is a organically certified winery in the appellation of Niederösterreich, Austria. Their unusual and delightful rosé features aromas and flavors of wild strawberries, peach and pear backed by crisp, dry, refreshing acidity.

2014 Espelt, Corali Rosat $12

Made from Grenache, the Coralí follows the purest tradition of Mediterranean rosés: pale, with the soul of a delicate white and the body of a fruity red, fresh and mouth-coating, tangy and ripe at the same time. The aromas are a blend of ripe peach and herbal notes, with a citrusy character.

2012 Michel Gassier, Cercius Vieilles Vignes, Côtes du Rhône Villages Visan, $15

85% Grenache and 15% Syrah

Made from 80+ year vines the Gassier Cercius is a lush, decadent offering that delivers loads of black raspberry and blackberry styled fruit that is intermixed with notions of licorice, rolled stone, roasted garrigue, and hints of leather on the nose, layered, fresh, and beautifully textured, with a full-bodied, rich feel in the mouth that never seems heavy. Ripe dark berries and wood smoke on the perfumed nose. Lush and creamy in texture, offering sweet blackberry and cherry flavors lifted by a spicy element. It finishes sappy and broad, with gentle tannins and subtle anise and cola qualities.

We kid you not, who knew.

Apparently these people: http://nationaldrinkwineday.org/

You have your marching order. Snap to it.

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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.

While the Seahawks try to rack up more yardage this weekend on their way to the Super Bowl, and a misty fog hangs over the neighborhood, here at Madrona Wine we’ll have our thoughts on Sunny Spain.

Saturday starting at 2, we’re pouring a lineup of eco-friendly Spanish wines that please the palate as well as the environment.  There is plenty of time to try them and still make the kickoff.

Sunday, we’ll be pouring two more great value wines from Spain all day from 11 to 5.

2011 Vina Costeira Ribeiro Blanc  $9
50% Trexeiadura, 20% Albaranio, 10% Torrontes, 10% Godello, 10% Palomino

2012 Pazo de Eguren Terra de Castillia  $11
Tempranillo

Float on by and give them a try.

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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.

Madrona Wine will be welcoming the first weekend of 2015 with mellow style.  After the excesses of the holiday season we are showcasing two wines each day that are 13% alcohol by volume and under.  Stop by and take it easy with us.
 
Saturday we’ll be featuring
 
2013 Domaine Couet, Coteaux du Giennois    ($15)
Sauvignon Blanc
Couet’s Coteaux-du-Giennois comes from clay, limestone soils and flint clay soil in the Loire . “The nose opens immediately on beautiful exotic fragrances (passion fruit, grapefruit). The mouth is a model of balance: the size, quickness and length gives it an elegance and remarkable harmony. This is a beautiful representative of the appellation.”  Hachette Guide. 12.5% alcohol by volume.
 
2013 Cantine Povero, Barbera d’Asti    ($12)
This 100% Barbera from estate vineyards in Monferatto, is traditionally vinifed in large Slavonian oak barrels. Bright red cherries, soft tannins, and mouthwatering acidity make this a perfect everyday red, clean and focused with great balance. 12.5% alcohol by volume
 
For Sunday the lineup will be:
 
2010 Cantine di Marzo, Fiano di Avelino    ($9)
A Campania aromatic white notes of pear & white flowers like  jasmine and lily.  Was $16 now $9.  12.5% alcohol by volume
 
2008 Casa Contini, Biferno Reserva DOC    ($12)
Montepulciano and Aglianico
From Molise, this reserva spends 3 years in barrel.  It is rich and plummy, with a smoky blackberry, chestnut, and peppery-sweet aroma that delights the senses.  13% alcohol by volume

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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.

We are open this evening until 7PM, Christmas Eve (Wednesday) 12-7, closed Christmas, but open again on Friday from 12-7, Saturday from 11-7, Sunday 11-5.

For New Year’s Week we are open 12-7 Monday-Wednesday, closed Thursday for New Year’s Day, then back open on Friday.

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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.

Show your love this holiday season with the gift of wine be it red, white, bubbles, or dessert. From single special occasion bottles to magnums and larger.

Or better yet, give them wines of the month from Madrona Wine Merchants. Choose from 3, 6 or 12 packs – your choice red/white/mixed and they can switch the mix at any time. At the beginning of each month we charge your card and send your gift recipient an email that their box is ready. Comes with tasting notes.

You get:

• A hand-picked selection of intriguing wines waiting to be discovered
• 10% off your wine club selections
• A ready supply of delicious wines just waiting for a pull of the cork

We have several wine club levels to suit your palate and pocket:

Everyday Exploration:

Good quality wines that don’t require a special occasion. This selection gives you wine for good, everyday drinking. These selections from all over the world are meant to go with food. If you buy two or three bottles a week at the grocery store, we promise you that you’ll drink better with this club level! Your choice of either six or twelve bottles a month. Choices all red, all white or anything in between.

6 bottle selection: $50 – $75 plus tax

12 bottle selection: $100 – $150 plus tax

Saturday Night Collection:

Looking for something other than “Wednesday Wine”? The Saturday Night Collection Wine Club gives you three wines a month (or six) that are a cut above the everyday.  Good for fine meals, cellaring or special occasions.

3 bottle selection: $75 – $135 plus tax

6 bottle selection: $150 – $270 plus tax

Mel’s All Week Mix:

Mel’s All Week mix is a combination of our Everyday Explorer and Saturday Night samplings. Named for one of our customers, Mel’s All Week Mix offers two bottles from the Saturday Night Special and four bottles from the Everyday Explorer so you have bottles for special occasions and bottles for everyday.

6 bottle selection: $110 – $120 plus tax

What the heck – while you are at it, sign up for yourself as well so you can compare notes.

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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.