The days are short, they sky is cloudy, there is a nip in the air, it’s time to PARTY. This Saturday we are featuring some wines to help get the Holiday Season going. We’ve got some wines that will go with a big Thanksgiving meal as well as a little impromptu get together. Drop by and join us.

2015 Torii Mor Pinot Gris $15
Torii Mor made their first wine in 1993, which makes them old school for the Willamette Valley. Their Pinot Gris is a blend from Kraemer Vineyard; near Silverton, Willamette Valley appellation and Olson Vineyard; in the Dundee Hills. This Pinot Gris has refreshing acidity, framed by pear notes and delicate anise notes. Juicy and mouth-filling, this wine has a long-lasting finish.

2014 Torii Mor, Pinot Noir Willamette Valley $20
A blend of 12 vineyards, Torii Mor’s Noir has rich aromas of fresh raspberries, sweet and plump dark cherries and fresh, delicate mushrooms. The flavors are fresh, with an amount of sweet darker cherries; the mid palate carries on that velvet-fruity goodness to a long, enjoyable aftertaste of pure Oregon Pinot Noir.

2016 Allegrini,Valpolicella $15
65% Corvina/Corvione, 30% Rondinella, 5% Molinara
From Allegini, one of the big wigs of Veneto winemaking, this wine is Classic Valpolicello without trying to be Ripasso. It shows fragrant fruit with prominent notes of cherries, echoed by fresher hints of pepper and aromatic herbs, typical of Corvina and Corvinone, the historic varietals of this appellation.

2013 Allegrini, Palazzo della Torre $19
70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella, 5% Sangiovese
Allegrini owns this estate where they make this baby Amarone. The vineyard surrounds Villa della Torre, a splendid masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. A small percentage of the harvested grapes are left to dry out until December and then added to the previously vinified fresh grapes. The result is a velvety, well-balanced red wine that proffers mature, pulpy fruit.

2014 The Underground Wine Project, Devil’s Playground Cabernet $30
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah
The Underground Wine Project is a collaboration between Washington wine makers Mark McNeilly (Mark Ryan Winery) and Trey Busch (Sleight of Hand Cellars). Their Devil’s Playground shows pure Red Mountain Cabernet character, with loads of ripe red fruits, currants, cocoa nibs, and spicy tobacco. This dense Cabernet is already immediately and undeniably delicious. It has the stuffing and tannin profile to age for at least a decade, but don’t feel bad if you crack a bottle open sooner than later.

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.

The temperatures have dipped this weekend in Madrona as we head into Daylight Saving time.  So bundle up and come to the shop where we have a full weekend of fantastic French wines to try.  And Sunday morning don’t for get to Fall back.

Saturday we are featuring five French wines that are green as well as being delicious.  They are all organic, biodynamic and created with respect for the environment.  And you don’t want to miss the Champagne.  The cork pops at 2pm.
Liebart-Regnier, Champagne Brut  – $42
2015 Domaine le Croisille, Croizillon Cahors – $14
2015 Domaine de l’Olivette, Coteaux de la Cabrerisse Rouge – $13
2015 Domaine Turenne,  Cuvee Bastien $16
2015 Domaine Melody,  Crozes Hermitage Premier Regard $29

Sunday we have two more French reds to try.

2012 Gonnet Rasteau, La Mado  $12
80% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Highly aromatic with lovely concentration of fruit on the palate, and a great price. Was $15 now $12

2016 La Chanteleuserie Bourgueil  $15
Cabernet Franc
A classic dry Cabernet Franc from the Loire with dark berry fruit and red steak minerality.

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 featuring five French wines that are green as well as being delicious.  These wines are all organic, biodynamic and created with respect for the environment.  They also taste great otherwise we wouldn’t bother.  The cork pops on the Champagne at 2pm.
 
Liebart-Regnier, Champagne Brut  $42
70% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay
Liebart-Regnier is a small grower Champagne founded in 1960.  The estate is a designated HVE grower (High Environmental Value), they use a diverse strategy in the vineyards to avoid chemicals and pesticides.  The brut spends 3 years on the lees and has 8 grams dosage.  With its lively mousse, this is a bright wine, fruity and stylish. Citrus dominates, along with pink grapefruit that is shot through with lime. There is just a light, more mineral, texture with a dry, crisp aftertaste.
 
2015 Domaine le Croisille, Croizillon Cahors $14
100% Malbec
Chateau les Croisille began on 30 hectares of abandoned land that was cleared by Cecile and Bernard Croisille in 1979. Joined by their two sons, the property takes advantage of the sandy, red clay soils to grow the regions famed Malbec. The estate is certified organic and biodynamic. The wine offers aromas of black fruit with hints of violet, licorice and incense.  It finishes with dry mineral tannins.
 
2015 Domaine de l’Olivette, Coteaux de la Cabrerisse Rouge $13
40% Grenache, 40% Merlot, 20% Syrah
This estate is located in the heart of the French “Midi” near Carcassonne and about 20 miles from the Mediterranean Sea at a height of 100-180 meters and surrounded by 500 hectares of scrubland, which lets them organically farm its 82 hectares within its own ecosystem of flora and fauna, without risk of drift or disease from neighboring properties. The wine has fresh fruit of raspberry and blackberries with a touch of licorice. 
 
2015 Domaine Turenne, Cuvee Bastien $16
50% Mouvedre, 30% Carignan, 20% Syrah
This Organic and biodynamic estate in Provence is handpicked, spontaneous fermented, and bottled with no filtration.  Like a baby Bandol the wine shows a lot of character and structure.  Aromas of black berries and spices lead to complex roasted notes of cocoa, coffee and animal character.
 
2015 Domaine Melody, Crozes Hermitage “Premier Regard $29
Syrah
Until 2010 Denis Larivière sold these grapes to Cave de Tain.  Since then no herbicides have been applied to the vineyards.  The wine has a tangy nose of red and black fruits with a vanilla oak touch and spice undertones. The delicate attack leads into a lush, rich, structured palate delivering more tight knit black berry fruits and broad and fluid tannins that are emphasized towards the 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.

We’re busy getting ready for Halloween this weekend here in Madrona.  Tuesday, we will be open from 4 to 6 to hand out candy to the kids and maybe a taste of something for the adults.  But first we have some wine we have to try.

Satuday we have five diverse wines from the corners of Italy.
2014 Noelia Ricci IGT Bianco Forli Bro $18
2015 Tenuta La Pergola Monferrato Rosso “Il Gocetto”   $12
2014 Noelia Ricci, Sangiovese Superiore Romagna, Il Sangiovese  $18
2013  De Vescovi Ulzbach Teroldigo Rotaliano $18
2014 Cos, Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG $40

Sunday we pair off with two reds from the South of France.  Come see how Côtes du Rhône stacks up against Costieres de Nimes.

2016 Domaine des Pasquiers Côtes du Rhône          $10
75% Grenache, 25% Syrah
A great little entry Rhone wine with more dark fruit and structure than you expect for the money.

2015 Mas de Bressades Costieres de Nimes               $15
45% Syrah, 55% Grenache
A very earthy, gamey Southern French blend with sweet cherry and dark berry notes, lots of spice, violets, and licorice with a smooth texture and medium body.

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.

Champagne
Sunday, November 5^th
5:30 pm
$25 (plus tax)

 
Some nights you just need something to make the candles brighter and the night a little less gloomy.  It’s Fall.  It’s Champagne.  Sunday, November 5th we’re having a special Champagne Tasting It beat back the dark.  These wines are all small production, all grower and all delicious. The tasting starts at 5:30pm after we close the shop. We’ll have some special appetizers to go with and still get you home for Sunday dinner.  Space is limited so contact us if you want to attend.
 
2011 Thierry Triolet,  Brut Vieilles Vignes  $52
100% Chardonnay
Triolet’s Vieilles Vignes is vintage Champagne produced only in the best years. Made entirely from Chardonnay from one parcel of vines that are at least 40 years old, this cuvée evolves beautifully over time. The wine has complex layers of toasty, creaminess that lingers on to a smooth finish.  Dosage is 9 grams
 
José Michel,  Pinot Meunier  $48
José Michel is a small but renown grower in Moussy, a village just south of Épernay, who is noted for Pinot Meunier-dominated Champagne. Pure Meunier, this surprising wine unveils the subtle and fruity perfumes as well  as  a beautiful aromatic complexity of the grape.  Mainly from the 2015 vintage with some older stock blended in to balance the cuvée, it is fruity, aromatic, flowery on the nose.  The palate is full-bodied, and with moderate acidity.  Dosage 10 grams

2006 R. Dumont & Fils, Brut, Blanc de Noir  $57
Pinot Noir
The Dumont family estate is situated in Champignol-lez-Mondeville, a village in the southern Champagne region of the Aube, the Dumonts have owned vineyards in this area for over two hundred years and today three Dumont brothers work together to produce champagne exclusively from their own 22 hectares. The 2006 Blanc de Noir is from one of their most ancient plots.  The wine has aromas of chalky minerality and notes of honey, praline and mocha.  The flavor is slightly saline with dry red fruit and a creamy coco tinged body.  6 grams dosage
 
2010 José Michel, Special Club  $70
50% Meunier,  50% Chardonnay
Elegant aromatic complexity with superb finesse, rose hints  with hazelnut and grilled almond.  Superb, full rich  volume,  generous  and  unctuous,  with undertones  of  toasted  bread  aroma,  stewed  yellow-fleshed  fruit with a slight floral touch. 10 grams dosage

R. Dumont & Fils, Brut Rosé $48
Pinot Noir
This Pinot Noir is from the parts of the vineyard with darker skinned grapes. Fermentation starts as a red wine, but the juice is removed from the contact with the skin as soon as there is a balance in the color, the tannin and the aroma extraction.  The wine is mainly from the 2013 vintage.  It has aromas of red current and cherry with a full mouthfeel and a fresh finish.  11 grams dosage

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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 got a full dose of wet and grey this week in Madrona plunging us into an Autumn state of mind.  This weekend we have a full line up of Rainy Day Reds and Wet Weather Whites to keep away the blues.  Don’t forget to take your vitamin D.

Saturday we have some great Languedoc wines from Paul Mas.  These are great tasting wines priced for everyday drinking.
Coté Mas, Cremant de Limoux Brut “St Hilaire” $17
2015 Picpoul de Pinet $14
2015 Grenache Syrah Mourvedre  $15
2015 Malbec  $15

Sunday we are breaking out a pair of South African wines from the Wolftrap.  These are a standard stock on our shelves and it is nice to get a chance to revisit them.

2016 Wolftrap Boekenhoutskloof White $10
42% Viognier, 37% Chenin Blanc, 21% Grenache Blanc
This unusual blend of Viognier (spice), Chenin Blanc (melon) and Grenache Blanc (white peach), contributes to an intriguing and harmonious quaffing experience. Components were fermented and aged partially in French oak before blending and bottling.

2015 Wolftrap Boekenhoutskloof Red  $10
67% Syrah, 31% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier
Franschoek
The wine has a spicy profile with ripe black fruit and violets with soft tannins, good density and a just a hint of oak.

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.

Château Paul Mas wines showcase the terroir, complexity and style of Languedoc.  Located between Pézenas and Montpellier, about 10km from the Mediterranean, the vineyards are cooled by the Mistral and the Tramontane winds in an exceptional setting surrounded by olive trees and pine forest, oak trees and orchards.  Jean-Claude Mas is the fourth-generation grape grower and first-generation winemaker.  Since taking the helm of the family winery in 2000, he has started sourcing grapes from twelve privately owned estates and premier growers in the Languedoc as well as those from his own vineyard.  This Saturday we’ll have selection of his wines open to try.
 
Coté Mas, Cremant de Limoux Brut “St Hilaire” $17
60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin, 10% Pinot Noir, 10% Mauzac
This sparkling Limoux has an intense and refined nose of honey, acacia and crystallized lemon leading the way to a harmonious palate of citrus fruits. 
 
2015 Picpoul de Pinet $14
The Mas Picpoul de Pinet has delicate scents of white flowers and fresh herbs frame the core notes of green apple and lime zest. Refreshing and easy drinking, ample acidity lifts the melon pith and citrus peel flavors that flesh out the medium-weight palate, finishing clean.
 
2015 Carignan Vieilles Vignes $14
Taken from the highest altitude of the Paul Mas vineyards with a southeast facing slope, this old vine Carignan is all spice and blackberry on the nose with subtle background notes of cocoa and tasty oak. The palate is lush and full with dark fruit and licorice intermingled with velvety tannins.
 
2015 Grenache Syrah Mourvedre $15
35% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre
From Les Cés vineyard in the upper Hérault Valley, this GSM has aromas of blackberry followed by truffle and mocha, violets. It. Blackcurrant flavors on the mid palate and licorice flavors on the finish with full bodied velvety tannins. 
 
2015 Malbec $15
90% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc
This Malbec comes from 19 year-old vines panted in gravely soils.  The wine is powerful and complex with aromas of ripe plum, blackcurrant and mocha combined with spicy notes. Medium to full-bodied, this Malbec reveals ripe tannins supported by a good fruit concentration and layers of sweet spices and vanilla.

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.

At Madrona Wine we tell the weather by watching the chalk on the A-board in front of the shop.  Crisp means clear, Streaky means showers and Washed Off means rain.  The chalk should be crisp all weekend at Madrona Wine so there is no reason not to walk on up and try some great wines.

Saturday we have a special Spanish lineup of old vine wines.
2016 Huguet de Can Feixes, Blanco Selecció  $15
2014 Familia Montaña, Rioja Crianza  $12
2014 Huguet de Can Feixes,  Negre Selecció   $15
2015 Descendientes de Jose Palacios, Pétalos de Bierzos  $ 22
2014 Hernando y Sourdais, Antidoto, Ribera del Duero,  $25

Sunday we have a pair of wines from Piedmont.
Riva Leone was wine trader who operated in the hills around Alba in the 19th and 20th centuries who was well known in the region as a very extravagant character. Whenever a wine especially pleased him during a tasting, he would shout out “Marca Leone!”, an expression typical for the time meaning “highest or best quality”.  Today’s wines are named in his honor.

2015 Riva Leone, Gavi  $14
Cortesse
The Leone Gavi displays green apple aroma with vanilla flavors and mineral notes.  Crisp and refreshing.

2015 Riva Leone Barbera $11
Fresh, with mature plum scents this easy drinking Barbera is great with dinner or by itself.

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’s a typical Fall weekend in Madrona.  We have a bit of clouds, a bit of sun, some gusts of wind, and of course some showers.  Throughout all that we will be pouring some very sunny samplings at the shop all weekend.  Stretch the legs and come see what we got.

Saturday is Portugal, and there wines are truly surprising.  The Luis Pato wines are not to be missed.
2016 Luis Pato Vinhas Velahs Branco  $17
NV Luis Pato Baga Bruto Rosé  $15
2015 Casa Santos Lima, Cigarra Tinto  $10
2014 Quinta dos Roques, Vinho Tinto  $15
2001 Porto Rocha, Colheita   375ml $15  750ml $30

Sunday the sun comes out in Washington state.  We’ll be featuring two wines from Jed Steele, made with two unusual Washington varieties.

2014 Shooting Star Aligote  $12
The wine is crisp and clean, a wine with a nice balance of fruit and acidity. Flinty, mineral elements mix with a light floral hint on the nose, followed with the suggestion of tart/sweet apple on the palette.

2013 Shooting Star Blue Franc $12
From the Lemberger grape (an odd name sometimes referred to by its ancient name: Blau Frankisch, literally “blue grape from France) this is a very nice wine, full of berry fruit flavors and great color but with little tannin or harshness.

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.

The two most famous wines from Portugal are Vinho Verde and Ruby Port, but between those extremes there are a variety of delicious offerings.  Stop by this Saturday as we taste through some unique and interesting wines from Bairrada, Dao, and the Douro.  It’s a trip you won’t want to miss.

2016 Luis Pato Vinhas Velahs Branco  $17
40% Bical, 40% Cerceal, 20% Sercialnho
The Pato family has been producing wine at Quinta do Ribeirinho since the eighteen century. João Pato started to bottle the wine from his vineyards in 1970, becoming the first winegrower in Bairrada region after its demarcation. His son Luis Pato took over the winery in.  The Velahs Branco is a very complex Portuguese white produced from Bical grapes in clay-limestone terroir and Cercial and Sercialinho in sandy terroir.  The wine has flavors of melon, tropical fruits, spice and light toastiness, with a still-young acidity.

NV Luis Pato Baga Bruto Rosé  $15
Truly unique, this delicious, subtle pink sparkler is made from the Baga grape .  It has a fresh, fruity nose with a subtle herby edge. The palate is quite zippy but there’s some breadth here.

2015 Casa Santos Lima, Cigarra Tinto  $10
Castelao, Camarate, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Miuda
The cigarra is an aromatic red with lively notes of raspberry, cherry and cassis on the nose and palate. Its four month maturation in oak barriques lends delicate hints of spice making this an easy drinking lighter red.

2014 Quinta dos Roques, Vinho Tinto  $15
50% Touriga Nacional, 25% Jaen, 15% Alfrocheiro, 10% Tinta Roriz
One of the Dao’s leading estates, the Quinta dos Roques’ vineyards are known for a smoky schistose minerality. The Vinho Tinto blossoms with air to reveal notes of cassis, rosemary, cured meat and smoky soil. Aged in used oak for nine months, the Tinto stains the palate with notes of blackberries, game and subtle spice. It finishes long and distinctive with reprises of the smoky schistose minerals.

2001 Porto Rocha, Colheita   375ml $15  750ml $30
In 1850 António da Rocha Leão established his own Portuguese House among the famous British Port Wine Lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia across the Douro River from Oporto. Aged in small casks until they are mature, tawny ports are a golden color with layers of aromas and flavors. The 2001 has exuberant aromas with dried fruits suggestions, especially nuts and soft chocolate notes. The flavor is smooth and delicate with a perfect balance between the dried fruits and the wine’s structure as well as a delightfully long 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.