Our sunny Fall weather has taken a turn to the more familiar grey this weekend.  The seasons are changing and here in Madrona the flower baskets are coming down and the Halloween decor is starting to pop up (If you want to take one of the baskets home and put it where it won’t freeze, they’ll be giving them away on  Monday between 1pm and 2pm).  Rain or Shine we’ll be pouring some great wines at the shop this weekend.

Sunday we are featuring two Portuguese wines from Casa Santos Lima.  The Confidential wines are amazing values.  

2013 Santos Lima Confidential Branco      $9
A blend of 10 different local & international grape varieties, this Portuguese white is a  nice lemony citrus wine with notes of thyme and lavender. 12.5% alcohol by volume

2012 Santos Lima Confidential Tinto  $9
A steal of a little Portuguese red that delivers a lot for a little. Nice delicate scents of berries, with underlying tobacco, well integrated acidity with a palate of berries and a soft finish. 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.

Casa Santos Lima has been a family business for many generations and was founded by Joaquim Santos Lima, who, by the turn of 19th century, was among the greatest producers and exporters of Portuguese wines. Maria João Santos Lima and José Luís Santos Lima Oliveira da Silva, granddaughter and great grandson of the founder, have been leading Casa Santos Lima since 1990, replanting most of the vines and modernizing all its productive structure.

2013 Casa Santos Lima Confidential Branco    ($9)
A blend of 10 different local & international grape varieties, this Portuguese white is a nice lemony citrus wine with notes of thyme and lavender. 12.5% alcohol by volume

2012 Casa Santos Lima Confidential Tinto    ($9)
A steal of a little Portuguese red that delivers a lot for a little. Nice delicate scents of berries, with underlying tobacco, well integrated acidity with a palate of berries. With a soft finish. 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.

It is no secret that we love French wines.  We never tire of them.  So it is no surprise when they pop up at our Saturday tastings.  This Saturday we’re pulling the corks on five French wines to usher in the Fall season.  From Loire to Lirac, they are delicious.
 
2010 Jean-Francois Merrieau, Touraine “Bulles” $20
80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Chardonnay
Loire sparkling wines are often a great value.  This one is organically grown and aged on the lees for 18-20 months. The wines low dosage results in a refreshing, crisp wine, with a bright nose of apple and pears with hints of citrus. The palate is creamy and rich and the finish is juicy and long with lots of depth and a pretty label.
 
2014 Domaine de la Fruitiere, Chardonnay  $12
Not a Burgundy, the Fruitiere is 100% Chardonnay from granite, mica, and clay soils in Muscadet. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks for 8 months before release. It is rich and crisp at the same time, with an underlying mineral backbone.
 
2013 Domaine Lafage, Côtes Catalanes Rouge, Cuvée Nicolas  $15
100% Grenache
Jean-Marc and Eliane Lafage’s estate includes vineyards spread throughout the Roussillon.  The Cuvee Nicolas, from higher elevation sites in the Aspres region, is an impressive Grenache.  It offers layers of kirsch, underbrush, licorice and serious floral notes in its medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless profile.
 
2014 Domaine La Garrique, Côtes du Rhône, Cuvée Romaine $17
65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah
Cuvee Romaine is essentially declassified Vacqueyras from 60- to 90-year-old vines. Aged in concrete, it is a quintessential Provencal fruit bomb offering abundant notes of black cherries, black currants, roasted Provencal herbs, licorice, incense and background earth. It possesses a medium to full body, and a ripe, fleshy, hedonistic personality.
 
2012 Marcoux Lorentine, Lirac  $25
50% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 25% Mourvèdre
Lorentine lies in the heart of the Lirac appellation on the red clay, limestone and galet-rich soils of Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres.  This Lirac   was fermented using wild yeasts and raised in concrete and old wooden barrels.  It’s wildly perfumed and then velvet-smooth on the palate, with layers of compact, red and blue fruits, as well as hints of wild herbs, fresh anise and dark spices. The very fine, nutty tannins give the wine great poise and shape. There is real depth here, and yet it’s subtle and surprisingly elegant too, with not an ounce of excess fat.

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 a beautiful October weekend in Madrona.  Wine making is well underway up and down the west coast and the mushrooms are poking their heads up all over.  But this weekend at the wine shop we’ll be focusing on the rewards of past harvests.

Saturday we’re popping the corks on some well-structured and simple delicious wines out of California.  We think we’ve come up with a selection of solid wines that outperform their price tags.  But don’t take our word for it.  Come see for yourself.  The cork comes out of the Anderson Valley Brut at 2pm.

Sunday we’re featuring a couple of wines from an old favorite.Cháteau Coujan has been in the Guy family since 1868. The vineyards are located on hillsides at an altitude of 140 meters and grow in the sandy, gravelly soil of a very rare fossilized coral island, a former atoll of the Helvetien Sea. This unique land offers excellent drainage and allows vines to develop very deep roots.  

2014 Domaine de Coujan, Cépage Rolle         $11
Vin de Pays Coteau de Murviel
The new vintage of this 100% Rolle (Vermentino) from southern France. Nice full fruit with notes of melon and citrus. 13% alcohol by volume

 2013 Chateau Coujan, Saint Chinian    $11
40% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 25% Syrah, 10% Cinsault
A great price for a Saint Chinian red.  The Coujan has right combination of earth, spice and dark fruit. 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.

Although we sometimes forget it here in Washington, California is the largest producer of wine in the United States, with an ocean of two buck chuck on one end and the mountainy peaks of Dominus and Screaming Eagle on the other.  And like most things, the sweet spot is in the middle.  Join us Saturday and taste 5 wines from Cali that perform above their price tags.  We think these wines are tremendous values.  And after a sip we think you’ll agree. 
 
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley Brut  $25
Champagne’s Louis Roederer started this California extension in Mendocino County’s cool, fog-shrouded Anderson Valley.  Their brut is made of a blend of estate grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay “This bubbly brings a rich buttery Chardonnay flavor, smooth texture, lively effervescence and rather full body. It smells like toast and butter, and tastes ripe and appley. Intense buttery flavors stay with you on the aftertaste.” Wine Enthusiast
Also comes in 1.5 L for $55 & 375ml for $13
 
2013 Quivera, Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc  $15
The Quivira estate comprises four distinct vineyards within the Dry Creek AVA in Sonoma County. The estate has a total of 93 acres of organically farmed vines. The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc melds Old World &New World style. It’s round and plump, yet finishes with cleansing acidity. Notes of herbs and some signature grassiness are apparent on entry, flowing into flavors of tropical fruits, lime and gooseberries.
 
2014 Neyers, Sage Canyon Cuvee $23
45% Carignan, 25% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah
Neyers two estates in Napa Valley (Sage Canyon and Conn Valley Ranch) along with some purchased fruit from select smaller growers throughout the state provide the fruit for this wine. Some very old vine (120 years) Carignan anchors this very complex Rhone style red that drinks amazingly well for the money. It is rich, layered and delicious.
 
2012 Carpe Diem, Cabernet Sauvignon $28
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Christian Moueix, who owns both Chateau Pétrus in Bordeaux and Dominus in Napa Valley, also makes this moderately priced Napa Valley Cabernet.  Carpe Diem has impeccable balance; a silky texture; soft, rounded tannins; and, underneath it all, beautiful Napa Valley fruit.
 
2014 Neyers Vista, Luna Zinfandel   $23
The Vista Luna Vineyard sits on an outcropping of quartz, a unique phenomenon that is important to the development of the vines, their maturation, and the flavors developed by the grapes. The vineyard is planted to a non-clonal selection of Zinfandel so the clusters are small, as are the berries. Ripening is even, and the alcohol levels in the finished wine are low.  The wine is 100% ‘heirloom’ Zinfandel, fermented using native wild yeast, and aged 10 months in neutral French oak barrels. It is bottled without being fined or filtered.  It has aromas of black fruit, a vibrant flavor and a great stony minerality layered with the fruit. It’s complex without being overwhelming.

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.

September 26^th,

This Saturday we are pouring Indie Wines, a small importer that specializes in “Natural Wines”. All these wines are made by small producers, are hand harvested, organic and or bio-dynamic, with an emphasis on low SO2 and natural yeasts. As a result they don’t taste quite the same as the same grapes are used by the large commercial wineries that you find on the grocery store shelf. These wine are bursting with complexity and individuality just like the people who make them. Leave your preconceptions at home and come taste these distinct wines.

2013 Jean Christophe Garnier, Chenin La Roche $27

After 10 years as a sommelier, Jean Christophe turned his attention to wine making and bought a small vineyard in the Loire and makes his wines using an old apple press slowly extracting (10 to 12 hours) the essence from the grapes. His La Roche Chenin Blanc is a beautiful thing. Concentrated apple peel and pear skin, straw and honey, chamomile and citrus are just a few of the flavors that spring to mind. Fermented in old oak barrels and aged for a year, this is a sophisticated, incomparable wine.

2013 Omero Cellars, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $22

Omero is a small family owned vineyard and winery located in Oregon’s Ribbon Ridge AVA with 26 acres The estate is farmed consciously with the health and natural cycle of the vineyard and its ecosystem in mind with a focus on maintaining the natural bio-diversity of the land through minimal intervention, native cover crops and the integration of livestock. The 2013 is a lighter bodied, fresh Pinot with rose petal and cherry aromas, bright fruit and a refreshing finish.

2014 Cantina del Indie, Vino al Popolo Lange Rosso $15

50% Nebbiolo 20% Barbera 30% Dolcetto

Made especially for Indy Wines the Lange Rosso is aged in both stainless and barrel, this Lange red is a balanced and great tasting food wine. “The Barbara brings the acidity and bright fruit, the Nebbiolo brings the tannins and the aromatics, and the Dolcetto brings the softness and rounds out the blend.”

2013 La Torre alle Tolfe, Chianti $17

Sangiovese 80%, Canaiolo 10%, Colorino 10%

La Torre alle Tolfe dates back to 1316, and they have been making wine since then. Sergio Lo Jacono took over the wine-making and running of the estate in 2002 and converted the agriculture on the estate to organic immediately upon arrival. The cellar has also remained the same, except for the fact that the wines are now made with natural yeasts. The cellar is still filled with cement tanks and old botti where the Chianti is aged. This is a young and yeasty rustic Chianti with chiseled fruit and lots of character.

2012 Chateau La Baronne Corbieres Les Lanes Rouge $19

60% Grenache, 40% Carignan

La Baronne, cultivates some of the oldest Carignan vines of the Languedoc dating back to 1892. The Les Lanes is an attractive, fresh Corbières, full of fruit and charm. Rich and appealing, goes with friends & roast beef or grilled farmhouse poultry.

2pm

The Equinox is approaching, that pivotal point where the day equals the night.  The weather this last week has been echoing the season, switching back and forth between sun and rain. September is like wine, balance is everything.  And this weekend we are putting on a balancing act as we taste our way through Bordeaux.

Saturday we will be jumping back and forth across the Dordogne river as we sip our way through some Bordelaise Beauties. In the Right Bank, Merlot dominates the vineyards, in the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon plays a larger role. Come find out which side you are on.   We have two fine examples form the excellent 2010 vintage that you won’t want to miss.  We start at 2pm.

Sunday, we are pitting two right bank blends up against each other.  We’ll taste two Merlot heavy blends, one from France, and one from California. Who will win this Merlot smack down – come see which side of the pond offers the most pleasure.  11 to 5.

2011 Château De Fontenille, Bordeaux  $14
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet
A good basic Bordeaux with red fruit aromas, a clean and sturdy palate with a long lingering of flavors.

2014 Bonny Doon $$&*#!! Merlot  $11
76% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 2% Grenache & Mourvedre
A riff on the movie Sideways, this Doonish blend is as playful as the back label and the wine maker himself.

Sunday is also the Artist Reception for our new show Blurred Edges / Distant Dreams by Jeanne Waters.  Come meet the artist and talk to her about her work from 3 to 5.

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.

Bordeaux is the largest wine growing area in France, producing excellent everyday drinking wine as well as some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world  The villages are divided by the Dordogne river.  In the Right Bank, Merlot dominates the vineyards, in the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon plays a larger role.  Join us on Saturday as we taste through a delicious cross section of the region including two examples from the great 2010 vintage. 
 
2012 Château d’Argendens, Blanc $15
65% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Semillon 
Château d’Argadens in named in reference to the noble family which founded the estate in the thirteenth century. Today the vineyards produce two solid Bordeaux of consistent value.  The Blanc has complex aromas of citrus fruit and boxwood, underpinned by notes that tend more towards vanilla and roasted almonds. The palate has an elegant, fruit-forward attack from the Sauvignon and a perfectly balanced, crunchy palate.
 
2011 Château d’Argendens, Rouge $16
63% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc 
The d’Argendens Rouge is from 30 year old vines and ages for 14 months in French oak barrels (30% new).  It is a modern Bordeaux with lots of concentrated fruit and an attractive, supple balance.  The rather complex nose combines ripe red fruits with vanilla and cocoa-like notes. The front-of-palate is ample and generous, with a perceptible but remarkably well integrated tannic base. The harmonious alliance of fruit and tannin make this an elegant wine of great finesse.
 
2010 Château Mangot, St Emilion Grand Cru $30
85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon
Château Mangot is situated on a superb hillside limestone outcropping. This classic Right Bank 28-hectare organically-farmed vineyard is planted with vines averaging 40 years of age, primarily Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  The wine ages in oak barrels (40% new) from 12 to 16 months. The 2010 has an immediately flattering nose of warm plums and other ripe fruits, spices, and wood; bright, fruit-driven, fleshy palate; long in the mouth with fine tannins.
 
2010 Château Peyrabon, Haut Medoc $34
59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot
Situated in the Left Bank Haut-Medoc, Chateau Peyrabon is a 50 hectare estate of gravel soils which the Cabernet Sauvignon loves.  The wine is aged in barrel (22% new) for 14 months.  The wine is a succulent and solid Bordeaux from a great vintage.  “Some roasted herbs, damp earth, interwoven with red and black currants, cherries and spice box are all present in this classic Bordeaux, which exhibits medium body, good density and plenty of balance and elegance.”  Wine Advocate
 
Château d’Orignac, Pineau des Charentes  $34
Pineau des Charantes is a sweet aperitif made by blending year old cognac with grape must that is about to ferment. Château d’Orignac is made Merlot and Cabernet grapes and is aged in oak barrels for around four to five years.  The result is a fragrant, fruity fortified wine that is great as an aperitif or an accompaniment for dessert. It should be served well-chilled to truly appreciate the zip of apricots poached in syrup and delicate caramel and honey 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.

It is another beautiful September weekend in Madrona.  The sun is out, the temperatures are in the mid 70’s, and at Madrona Wine the cooler is packed with “it’s still the season” rosés.  We also have a full line up of wine tasting set to match the lovely weather.

Saturday we are pouring a sampling of Southern French wines from Gérard Bertrand.  Gérard has his fingers all over the Laguedoc & Roussillon making a cornucopia of wines from the area.  We’ll pop the cork on his Crémant de Limoux starting at 2.

Sunday we’ll be tasting some exotic Italians from two lesser known DOCs (Denominazione de Origine Controllata) from regions of Italy — One from Biferno, a region of Molise, and one Südriol, a region in the Alto Adige.  While both regions are somewhat obscure, they both over deliver in quality and they will be open all day 11-5.

2008 Casa Contini, Biferno Reserva DOC $12
A blend of 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.

2011 Castelfeder, Rieder Lagrein, Südriol DOC $15
From the Alto Adige the Rieder has fresh aromas of wild berries & violets along with rich notes of cherry and tobacco.

Come enjoy the weekend with us.

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.

Gérard Bertrand is a leading producer in the South of France.  As a wine-grower and owner of thirteen estates, he has acquired a unique expertise in the terroirs of Languedoc-Roussillon.  The grapes are cultivated using sustainable methods, most organic and or bio-dynamic.  Brought up in the Languedoc vineyards, Gérard Bertrand is committed to sharing the characteristics and exceptional diversity of each of the terroirs of this region which produces sparkling wines, reds, whites, rosés, varietal wines or appellation wines.  This Saturday we’ll be tasting a slice from this cornucopia. 
 
Crémant de Limoux, Cuvée Thomas Jefferson $15
70% Chardonnay, 15% Chenin Blanc, 10% Mauzac, 5%pinot noir
This crisp bubbly wine has aromas of white flowers and white fruit, a fresh and lively opening, with enjoyably smooth, indulgent bubbles forming delicate foam. Notes of dry and grilled fruit emerge in the long-lasting finish.
 
2010 Muscato, IGP Pays d’Oc $13
A blend of the Muscat d’Alexandrie and Muscat Petit Grain varieties, this cuvée comes from vines with limited yields giving the wine a rare quality and great complexity. This wine offers a bouquet boasting aromas of orange blossom, apricot and peach. Its highly expressive flavors give it astonishing freshness enhanced by great aromatic presence.  10% alcohol.
 
2010 Pic Saint Loup, Coteaux du Languedoc $15
Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache
The village of Pic Saint-Loup is a mountain peak in the Coteaux du Languedoc known for its distinct terroir. Flanked by limestone cliffs, with optimal sunlight exposure and light winds, these soils produce rich, concentrated wines with elegant notes of ripe dark fruit (blackcurrant and blackberry) and hints of thyme and spices. The wine has floral aromas of thyme and red fruit in the nose, nuanced with delicate hints of licorice, black olive tapenade and cherry brandy, mineral freshness and elegant tannins.
 
2011 Château Hospitalet, La Reserve, La Clape Rouge $18
40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre
Situated on the coast, Château de l’Hospitalet looks down on the Mediterranean from a height of a hundred meters.  The vineyard enjoys exceptional climatic conditions: the quantity of sunshine and the heat stored during the day by the limestone and released to the grapes at night, the Mediterranean influence reduces temperature differences and the altitude which counteracts the summer heat.  Aromas of spices and red fruit (strawberry) lead to fine, silky tannins which enhance the fruity freshness of the wine. 
 
2009 Banyuls, Vin Doux Naturel $17
Grenache, Grenache Gris
Located on the slopes of the Pyrenees in Roussillon, Banyuls is a kaleidoscope of sea, mountains, sunshine and wind. The vines open to the generous climate and produce expressive, quintessential, rich, powerful, elegant and aristocratic wines.  The Grenache based dessert wines of the region are exceptional with aromas of very ripe red and black fruit and full and well-balanced flavors of blackcurrant and blackberry, backed by distinctive woody 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.