Wondering what to drink with your dinner on a weeknight?  Here are a pair of recent arrivals that are teaming up to fill the after work doldrums.

Domaine Couron is family-run estate that lies in the tiny hamlet of Saint Marcel d’Ardeche.  Wine has been grown here since antiquity.  Parcels are terraced at Couron, with one higher in elevation than the next.  Using sustainable and practicing organic farming techniques, Jean-Luc and Marie-Lise Dorthe craft, with loving hands, wines on land once cultivated by the Romans.

2021 Domaine Couron Ardeche Rosé  $10
100% Grenache
A bright, bountiful bouquet of fresh strawberries and watermelon with notes of citrus zest. Fresh, with great freshness and complexity. Full-flavored, but light-bodied mélange from light framboise and strawberry.

2019 Domaine Couron Maraselan  $11
Marselan is a cross of Cab Sauv and Grenache and this one from the Ardeche is savory and layered with black plum, dark wild berries and sweet earth.  It matches up with a wide range of food for everyday drinking.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

This weekend we continue with a few more wines from the Northern Rhone.  The vineyards are small and the prices can be as steep as the hillsides they are planted on.  The Northern Rhone is much cooler than its Southern neighbor and the Syrah are truly distinct and the whites full and rich.

2020 Yves Cuilleron, Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, Les Rouses $33
100% Marsanne
Aromas of fresh citrus and orchard fruits are joined by minerals and florals. Round and velvety on the palate, offering ripe pear, orange and honey flavors that show very good clarity and floral lift. The pear and floral notes carry through the supple, clinging finish, which leaves a hint of fresh fig behind

2019 Domaine Belle, Crozes Hermitage, Les Pierrelles  $25
Syrah
The Les Pierrelles comes from sandy, pebbly soils and spent 14 months in 2- to 5-year-old barrels. Saturated purple/ruby-colored, with beautiful notes of blackberries, pepper, ground herbs, and hints of minerality, it hits the palate with a rounded, supple, elegant texture that carries terrific depth and richness. It’s a beautiful Crozes that will keep for 7-8 years, probably longer

2020 Chevalier, Crozes-Hermitage, Les Voleyses  $26
Syrah
The Voleyses Cuvée is made from younger vine fruit and aged in stainless steel.  Fragrant nose of blackberries, plums, a hint of leather. Layers of fruit roll over the plate, very soft and appealing. Chewy texture, earthy finish.

2018 Domaine des Pierres Seches, Saint Joseph  $46
Syrah
A stunning Saint-Joseph that captures the heart and soul of this appellation — indeed, it hails from villages that make up the southern part of Saint-Joseph, its original borders, where fruit is riper, earthy and very profound. Winemaker Sylvain Gauthier selects fruit from mostly older vines for this gem of a northern Syrah. Aromas of red and black fruit, licorice, soy, crushed stones, lots of peppery spice. Medium-bodied, juicy, fine-grained tannins. Very long

2019 Domaine Vincent Paris, Cornas Granit 30  $45
Syrah
This Cornas Granit 30 designation refers to the soil, the approximate age of the vines, and the slope on which they are planted.  Aromas are a cloud of camphor, black pepper, lillies, gravel, roasted plums, smoked meat. It leads with pure dark fruit with a smoky mid-palate, and a savory, mineral finish. The tannins have a gentle grip. Prime northern Rhône Syrah with just enough force to reel you in.  Organic, Biodyanmic.

2019 Francois & Fils, Cote Rotie  $77
97% Syrah, 3% Viognier
This intense Côte-Rôtie has aromas of black fruits and violets. The tannins of great finesse offer a full and round substance to an already ample and tasty mouth.  Ready to drink now or leave to evolve in the cellar.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

2014 Jaboulet, Crozes Hermitage la Mule Blanche  $20
50% Marsanne, 50% Roussanne
Aged in 15% new French oak, with the balance in stainless steel and concrete eggs. Offering up lots of buttered citrus, lychee nut and white flowers, it’s medium-bodied, fresh and lively, if not racy on the palate. Possessing solid fruit and the overriding elegance that’s become the hallmark of the estate. Biodynamic
Was $35 Now $20

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Woodinville certainly has a lot of wineries for a place that doesn’t grow any grapes.  But even though the grapes are trucked across the Cascades, some good juice comes out of there.  Here are a few we have on the shelves at the moment.  Gorman is really made up in Maltby in Snohomish County (another place that doesn’t grow many grapes) but their tasting room is in Woodinville, so we included them here just to be sociable.

2020 Lauren Ashton, Rosé  $15
53% Mourvèdre, 47% Grenache
Provence style rosé from Columbia Valley.  Opening with strawberry and raspberry notes and essence of citrus zest on the palate and a lightly spiced finish
Was $20 Now $15

2021 Gorman, 42, 39, 56 Rosé  $15
A racy blend primarily made of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Counoise and Mourvedre.  Zesty, aromatic and refreshing.

2020 Sparkman, Kindred Grenache  $20
This neutral barrel aged Washington Grenache shows off the fruit and spice notes without muddying up the flavors.

2020 Gorman Winery, The Devil Makes Three  $20
Cabernet Sauvignon
From Red Mountain fruit this Cab is aged for 9 months in once used French oak. Moderate Oak notes makes this full Red Mountain red intriguing with cigar Box aromas, raspberry chocolate with a kiss of sea salts.

2017 Ashton Troy, Cabernet Sauvignon  $18
Lauren Ashton’s 2^nd label.  The Ashton Troy Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley AVA is rich and full-bodied, with an elegant tannin structure. It opens with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, and ripe plum and is followed by hints of spiciness and minerality.
Was $30 Now $18

2020 Darby, Purple Haze  $20
Cabernet, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Franc, Syrah
Hazy on details but not on flavor, the sum is greater than its parts.  Dense and rich, with a muscular mix of dark currant, cherry, and plum with a hint of cedar.  Aged in 30% new French oak for 18 months

2015 Finn Hill, Merveille  $15
Stillwater Creek Vineyard Merlot
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, Vivant  $18
Malbec
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
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Berlucchi, Franciacorta Cuvée Imperiale Brut  $20
90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero
Rich and lingering and complex with floral and fruit notes, and subtle fragrance of yeast and crusty bread. The palate is clean-cut and full-bodied with appealing, emphatic fruity notes and fine acidity.  Organic
Was $30 Now $20

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Here are a few suggestions to help you through the 4^th of July weekend and its inevitable barbeques.  Have a safe and laid back 4^th.

2019 Henri Bourgeois, Petit Bourgeouis Rosé de Pinot Noir  $12
Fresh, with a notable savory streak amid the white cherry and peach flavors. A light stony echo adds zing on the finish.”  Vegan
Was $15 Now $12

2021 Laroche, La Chevaliere Rosé  $13
Grenache, Syrah
An aromatic Languedoc pink with the aromas of fresh raspberries and exotic fruits. It continues on the palate with the delicious flavors of red berries and cherries and its fine freshness in the finish

2018 Benton Lane, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir  $20
Vibrant notes of tart cranberry awaken the palate balanced by warm winter spices, currants and dark cherries.

2013 La Basia, Marzemino Le Morene  $10
Garda
A rustic Red from Lake Garda in northern Italy.  This Marzemino displays its typical aromas of violets, plums, blackberries, and herbs with a forthright deliciousness. Both chewy and refreshing.  Does it age well?  Find out.
Was $18 Now $10

2020 Luchetti, Lacrima di Morro D’alba  $12
This wine explodes out of the glass with a heady bouquet of exotic Eastern flowers and wild strawberries and pomegranate. The palate features wild berry compote, hints of roses, violets and geranium, and a note of peppercorns.

2018 Prunus, Private Selection  $12
80% Jaen, 10% Tinta Roriz, 5% Alfrocheiro Preto, 5% Touriga Nacional
Dao
Crisp, juicy style with lots of fresh fruit – cool damson, ripe strawberry, red cherry and raspberry, with plenty of spice and weight coming through on the pallet. Really silky and drinkable, with brilliant local character.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

2021 Annibals, Var Rosé  $22
40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cinsault, 10% Rolle
Produced from low-yielding vines, this wine has density from a long soaking of the grapes before fermentation.  It has an exuberant nose of raspberry, lime, mint, and warm sand. And a rich palate of strawberries and blueberries, with a crystalline minerality that lends freshness heading into the persistent red-berried finish.  Organic

2010 Château de Chantegrive, Graves  $38
50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet  Sauvignon
Expressive, nuanced nose combines redcurrant, plum, cured tobacco, flowers and spices. Supple, sweet and spicy, with rather soft, inviting red fruit and dusty spice flavors accented by fresh herbs. Finishes with a good tannic spine.

2012 Florent Rouve Vin Jaune  $56
Savagnin
Cotes du Jura
This iconic Savagnin spent 6 years in barrique casks ‘sous voile’ and as a result has beautiful golden color, intense aromas and flavors of nuts, saffron, nutmeg and ripe citrus fruit.   — 620 ml
15% alcohol by volume

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Orange Wines are made by leaving white or blush grapes in contact with the juice after they are crushed.  Some only stay that way for a few days, others sit on the skins for several months.  The result is a different animal altogether with the astringent aspects of the skins playing off the fruit of the juice.  Chill one down and find a nice spot in the shade.

2021 Bonny Doon, Le Cigare Orange  $15
80% Grenache Blanc, 10% Grenache, 10% Orange Muscat
Doon’s long skin contact “Orange Wine:  Aromas of fresh peaches, citrus, bergamot.  It has a textured and vibrant palate with peach, apricot and citrus peel.
10.5% alcohol by volume

2020 Esencia Rural, Pampaneo  $18
Airen
A Spanish Orange Wine fermented 3 months on the skins bringing out the apple peel like tannins.  A yeasty & cloudy glass of fun(k).  Biodynamic
12.5% alcohol by volume

2018 L’Archetipo Litrotto Bianco  $19  1 liter
Marchione, Verdeca Fiano, Falanghina
Scents of citrus, yellow fruits and aromatic herbs are wrapped in a marine and Mediterranean breath. The taste is fresh and delicate.  Organic/Biodynamic 
12.5% alcohol by volume

2018 Klet Brda Krasno  $20
40% Ribillo Gialla, 30% Malvasia, 30% Sauvigonnasse
Krasno is the highest village in Brda, with a long wine tradition and an abundance of excellent sites.  This Orange Wine sits sur lie for 6 months.  The fresh and elegant white blend has an impressively mineral, full taste and delicate aromas of ripe white fruit, spices and wildflowers.
13% alcohol by volume

2020 Peaceful Living, Calcarius Orange Wine Puglia  $26  1 liter
Falanghina
A funky, cloudy liter of skin contact white from an organic farmer in southern Italy. Falanghina grown on limestone soils, given 5 days of maceration on the skins developing into a deeply hued orange wine. Fermented with indigenous yeast, no filtering or fining and a small addition of sulfites at bottling only.  Organic
11% alcohol by volume

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

We have a few deals in the shop from the sunny South.

2020 Silverado, Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc $20
Blended with 7% Sémillon and stainless-steel fermented, this is a sleek, acid-driven white. It offers a tart layer of grapefruit that builds to a richer core of pear and vanilla candy. Cohesive and complex, it is an enjoyable wine.
A deal 1 liter for $20

2019 Rutherford Hill, Napa Valley Merlot  $20
A big shouldered Napa Merlot with aromas of blackberry, cassis and black currant with hints of black tea leaves, Asian spice and graphite. Full- bodied entry with layers of blueberry, spiced boysenberry and mocha all coupled to well-integrated, rich tannins that give way to a rich, round, smooth finish.
Was $30, Now $20

2019 Experience, Napa Cabernet  $27
92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 2% Malbec
A plush, forward Napa Cab to enjoy with life, now! The winery’s tasting note: “Intense ruby in color, this Cabernet opens with a lovely bouquet of forward fruit, soft notes of oak from the barrel fermentation, some anise and a hint of mocha. Ripe black fruit unfolds on the palate offering cassis, blackberry and black cherry. The finish is long and lingering with a smooth rich texture.”
Napa Cab for under $30

2018 Duckhorn, Paraduxx  $35
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Zinfandel, 10% Petit Verdot, 6% Petite Sirah, 6% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec
Deep, dark and luxurious, this wine offers alluring aromas of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, currant and cocoa powder, with underlying hints of saddle leather, cinnamon and clove. The voluptuous dark berry notes are echoed on the palate where they are framed by supple tannins and sophisticated layers of anise, vanilla, sweet tobacco leaf and fresh-cracked black pepper, all of which carry the wine to a juicy dark berry finish.
Was $50, Now $35

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

It’s a long weekend Packed with Juneteenth, Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice.  It’s time to crack open a nice bottle or two of Red and Barbecue in the Summer rain.

2018 Nuiton Beaunoy, Bourgogne Cote d’Or  $25
Pinot Noir
Ready to drink Burgundy from a Cote d’Or cooperative.  Aroma of red berries – cherries, redcurrants and dark berries -blackberries, blackcurrants. Lively acidity with a pretty moreish mouthfeel!

2019 Domaine des Gaudets, Morgon Cote du Py  $23
Gamay
From a granite-based vineyard. Spice, strawberries, hints at evergreen pour from the glass and fill the room with their beautiful scents. The palate is full and rounded with firm tannins partnering the black-cherry fruit.

2020 Chateau Pierre Bise, Schistes Anjou Villages  $23
70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
A mineral heavy Cab Franc from The Anjou.  Organic

2018 Audebert, Bourgueil  $21
Cabernet Franc
Purity and earthen tones are the key here. Red fruits of black raspberry and cherry meld perfectly with the chalky tones of the soil from which this old vine Cabernet Franc is grown. A lovely citrusy finish tidy’s up a long palate of pure excellence.

2017 Fattoria di Basciano, Il Corto  $25
90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vigna Il Corto is the flagship Tuscan red for Chianti winemaker Paolo Masi at his century old Fattoria di Basciano estate.  Intense and complex bouquet, with berry and cherry aromas and flavors, and well-integrated hints of vanilla. On the palate, it is full-bodied, with velvety ripe tannins, and a long finish.

2019 Remo Farina, Valpolicella Superiore Classico Ripasso  $20
Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara
Partially raisined on the vines, the Ripasso has fragrance of pepper, fruit marmalade (cherries, prunes) and spices, licorice and ginger.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM