Weekend in Italy
It has been a wet week here in Madrona, but the sun is returning for at least a brief appearance this weekend.  To celebrate we are sending our palates to Italy. Come taste along with us.

Friday
2018 Sant’Elena Rive Alte Pinot Grigio  $15
Friuli Isonzo
Pinot Grigio isn’t known for long aging, but the good stuff can and here we are. Still amazingly fresh and enticing, despite five years of bottle age. Focused and concentrated, with a nose of candied lemon and almond. Juicy, fresh, and clean on the palate, with a light texture and notes of apple, melon, and herbs, supported by a backbone of chalky minerality and leading to a lightly saline finish.
Was $20, now $15

Saturday
2018 Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre  $20
Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Sangiovese
Allegreni’s Ripasso like blend is a beautiful red with lots of rich, ripe fruit, showing blackberry, walnut, dried,-fruit, fig and black-truffle aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied, layered and chewy but ever so well-crafted and polished.

Sunday—Yes, We are OPEN Sundays Again!!
2015 Poggio Alle Sughere Morellino di Scansano  $14
90% Sangiovesse, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
A Tuscan red from Maremma, aromas of sweet violet, raspberry and pomegranate typical of the Mediterranean scrub.  On the palate it is warm, with mineral earthiness, has good acidity and alcoholic content, lingering with marked and balanced tannins.

Fall Shop Hours
Tuesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Tall and dark and rich and lovely
The wine from Irpinia is pouring
And when she passes
Each one she passes goes, “Ah”

It is a wet week here in Madrona, and we need a wine to brighten the grey.  Today we are pouring an Aglianico from Campania to cheer things up.  Come give it a try.

2020
Mastroberardino, Irpinia Aglianico  $20
A big southern Italian red with intense aromas of black cherry, wild blackberry, violet and spices. Elegant and soft on the palate, with notes of berries and strawberry jam.
12.5% alcohol by volume

New Fall Hours
Starting this coming weekend we are back to six days a week.
Tuesday thru Sunday
Noon to 6pm

The Equinox has arrived and it is time to move into Fall.  Time to break out the red wines and savor the evening light.
It is also harvest time here in Washington and to celebrate that we are pouring some great deals from Finn Hill.  Stock up on these bargains as you prepare for the long nights.

Friday we’ll be pouring three wines:

2016 Finn Hill, Merveille Merlot  $15
Stillwater Creek Vineyard
Aromas of red currant, dried cherry and toasty oak, the latter an indicator of the 21 months in 100% new French barrels.  On the palate is where it comes alive with more cherry and currant flavors with dusty tannins and age-worthy pomegranate acidity.
Was $30 now $15

2016 Finn Hill, Pavé Grenache  $18
This is all Rocks District fruit.  The nose of this Walla Walla red begins with a delicate aroma suggesting minerals and dark, sweet flowers, with later aromas of citris rind, grapefruit and licorice root.  The palate is supple and juicy with flavors of ripe blood orange, boysenberry, black currant and concord grape.
Was $30 now $18

2017 Finn Hill, L’Abîme Syrah  $18
Red Mountain
In the glass, this Red Mountain Syrah offers fresh blueberry and blackberry and explodes on the palate with graphite, cedar, jasmine tea. The lingering finish brings notes of sage brush and wet stones.
Was $30 now $18

Saturday we’ll pop the cork on an old favorite and perhaps have a little surprise to go along with it.

2016 Finn Hill, Vivant Malbec $18
Rosebud Vineyards
The 2016 vintage exhibits an inky purple-magenta color and wafts perfumed aromas of crushed black and red berries on wet gravel, with hints of molasses and bay leaf. The pour delivers predominant fruit notes of blackberry, boysenberry, red currant, and blueberry. The finish brings mellow plum-skin acidity and tannin.
Was $30, now $18

Shop Hours
Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6PM

Looking for your not too common weeknight wine?  Look no farther.  Today we are pouring a new red from Romania.  It is not your mid-week merlot.  Come sink your teeth into it.

2021 Domaine Vinarte, Castel Bolovanu, Novac $15
The Novac grape is a cross of the variety Negru Vartos and Saperavi. This one from the Castel Bolovanu displays a whole “fruit basket” (blueberries, ripe cherries), complemented by fine shades of chocolate and a lot of liveliness.

Shop Hours
Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6PM

With origins dating back to the 16th century, more recently, the brothers Dominique and Laurent Courbis run their estate With Select parcels in St-Joseph and Cornas. The Courbis-style offers wines filled with intense aromas and concentrated fruit with great purity and length. This is achieved by a combination of meticulous and sustainable vineyard work undertaken to attain perfectly ripe, healthy, concentrated grapes together with fermenting in tanks and aging in barriques. The wines emphasize the expression of fruit while highlighting the specific character of the various St-Joseph and Cornas vineyard origins.

This weekend we’ll be tasting two of their wines with some special pricing.  Why go to Woodinville when you can taste fantastic Syrah in Madrona?

Friday
2017 Domaine Courbis, “L’Aube” Syrah  $16
100% Syrah
Rhône
This Syrah delivers a beam of dark currant and cherry fruit, steeped with bay leaf, white pepper and singed cast iron accents. Dark and winey through the finish, with a lingering iron note.  This is unfiltered and leaves a bit of sediment in the last glass. 13.5% alcohol by volume
Was $25, Now $16

Saturday
2017 Domaine Courbis, Saint-Joseph  $30
100% Syrah
The juicy, fruit-forward 2017 Saint Joseph is a tasty mouthful of Syrah. Aged in older barrels, it offers up masses of ripe cherries, tinged with just a bit of black olive. It’s medium to full-bodied, velvety and even close to silky on the finish. 13.5% alcohol by volume
Was $38, Now $30

Current Shop Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 12-6PM

We are getting the week rolling with this tasty little Grenache blend from a Châteauneuf du Pape winery.  It is their Vin de France not the Châteauneuf (come on, it is only Tuesday).

2021 Domaine Pères de L’église, Le Espirit de Pères   $14
80% Grencahe, 20% Cinsault
Vin de France
This unoaked, fresh, yet substantial red feels like something you might be served in a carafe at a patio restaurant in Avignon – brimming with vibrant black fruit and bursting with delicately spicy, typically Rhône Valley herbaceousness.
Biodynamic

Shop Hours
Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6PM

The kids may be back in school, but they don’t drink wine anyway.  It is still time to enjoy some fresh rosé and crisp whites. Stop by the shop and have a sip.  We’ll wrap up the week with a Chianti Reserva, because, well, why not?

Thursday
2021 Château de Montfaucon, Lirac Rosé  $15
30% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 25% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan, 10% Clairette
A punchy, “intense” rosé, whose beguiling nose evokes grenadine and English candy. A round attack, just the right amount of sweetness, a fine zesty tension and a long persistence on the tangy red fruits.
Was $20, Now $15

Friday
2022 Paşaeli, Yapincak Dry White  $18
100% Yapincak (pronounced Yap-in-jack)
This native grape is grown exclusively on the European side of Turkey, called Thrace, near coastal villages. The nose is aromatic with rich notes of lemon, quince and linden. Lovely citrus on the palate–bright and crisp and full in the mouth with a pleasant acidity and minerality.
12.5% alcohol by volume

Saturday
2019 San Felice, “Il Grigio” Chianti Classico Reserva  $25
100% Sangiovese
This Reserva is flush with savory black licorice, fresh leather, and kirsch. It has impeccable balance and length between its concentrated core of sweet fruit, with ripe tannins, warming spice, and notes of blood orange, cherry compote, and cedar.

Shop Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 12-6pm
Closed Monday-Tuesday

Labor Day is over.  It is time to get back to tasting some hard working wines.  Stop by the shop today as we’ll be pouring Le Bétoulin Gascogne Rouge . A blue collar wine if there ever was one.

2020 Domaine de Pajot, Le Bétoulin Gascogne Rouge  $13
70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc
This ain’t Bordeaux. This Côte de Gascogne is light and fruity with floral aromas, dark fruits and spicy notes. Soft mouthfeel with flavors of crushed red fruits and spice with freshness and elegant tannins.
Organic

Shop Hours
Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6PM

It is a long weekend as we change gears from August to September.  Over the next few days, we’ll be pouring some good value wines to reward all your labors.  We will also be open this Sunday to make sure your thirst is quenched.  We will be closed Monday the 4^th.

Friday — A great deal on French Rosé
2021 Domaine de la Jousselinière, Loire Rosé  $10
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau, & Gamay
With three centuries of winegrowing tradition, the Chon family has been active in Loire, and oversee over 60 hectares of vines.  This rosé is from estate-grown grapes fermented in stainless steel tanks.  Fresh, tangy, dry and light, with loads of red fruits and crisp acidity.
Was $14 Now $10

Saturday – Two Basque Deals
2022 Gañeta Getariako, Txakolina  $16
75% Hondarrabi Zuri and 25% Hondarrabi Beltza
Slightly effervescent, briny, incredibly dry and lively this crisp Basque white gives aromas of ginger and limes. The palate delivers more limes, grapefruit and mint with excellent balance.
Was $20 Now $16

2020 Celler Piñol, Raig de Raïm Garnatxa Negra  $14
75% Garnacha, 15% Cariñena, 10% Syrah
A fruity wine with intense aroma of red fruits with fine toasted oak notes, a touch of jam and balsamic herbs. In the mouth it is tasty, honeyed, with a certain meatiness, fruit and oak very well melted, spicy and with a balsamic background and black licorice.
Was $18 Now $14

Sunday – Lovely Bubbles
Je T’Aime, Cremant de Limoux Brut  $15
65% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin, 15% Pinot Noir
aromas of fresh and vivid mixed with white flowers, peach, green apple and citrus fruits.
Was $20 Now $15

LABOR DAY WEEKEND HOURS
FRIDAY/SATURDAY/SUNDAY – YES, SUNDAY
12-6PM

Montepulciano d’Abruzzois a standard staple with a slice. But this one from Passomadama goes way beyond that. It is a fresh, fruity, versitle wine that would go with a number of weeknight dishes. Or you might want to just have a glass or two by itself. We’ll be pouring it today. Stop in and have a sip.

2019 Passomadama, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo $13

A juicy pulciano! It has an aroma of red berry fruits with a structured, full and soft taste with sweet and velvety tannins.

12.5% alcohol by volume

Summer Shop Hours

Tuesday – Saturday, 12-6pm