This Saturday we’re pouring French wines from small producers, mostly organic, all hand harvested, from low yield vineyards, using mostly indigenous yeast with minimal intervention in the winemaking.  All things that make a difference when the wine hits the glass.  Come taste for yourself.

Domaine Rosier, Blanquette de Limoux “Cuvée Jean Philippe” Brut $15
90% Mauzac, 10% Chardonnay
Domaine Rosier is located in the upper Limoux Valley in the foothills of the Pyrénées.  Clay and chalk dominate the vineyard’s terraces, which are situated on steep slopes. The Blanquette has a subtle bead-of-light bubbles that carry delicate floral aromas and scents of acacia and green apple. The flavor is pleasant and fruity showing peach notes and a rich texture.

2012 Pouchaud Larquey Entre deux Mers $14
60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillion
This domaine has been farmed organically since 1961, making it one of the first organic domaines in Bordeaux.   Traditional, meticulous pruning restricts yields far below the allowed tonnage for the region. The vines are hand harvested and indigenous yeasts start the fermentation.  This Entre-Deux-Mers is a pure expression of finely-etched minerality supported by rich, deep fruit flavors, touch of smoke and refreshing herbaceousness.

2010 Pierre Chauvin Anjou Rouge “Les Tournailles’ $14
75% Cabernet Franc, 25% Grolleau
From organic, 30 year old vines, the Tournailles distinctive notes of pickling spices and cigar box cedar on the nose. On the palate pencil led and green pepper are enticingly present with an underlayer of minerality drawn from the stony clay laden soils of Anjou.

2010 Domaine Aubai Mema, Liverna $12
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Grenache Noir, 10% Merlot
The Domaine Aubaï Mema is located in Aubais, a midieval village just south of Nimes, in the Languedoc. In the past, the villagers were proud to say that they were from Aubais itself (Aubaï Mema in Provençal), not just the surrounding county.  The Liverna has aromas of cocoa and ripe red fruit. In the mouth it is round and full and melted, fine-textured, anchored by bracing tannins. 

2010 Domine les Clos de Caveau, Vacqueyras, Carmin Brillant $32
70% Syrah, 30%Grenache
The red clay, limestone, and the famous galets roulés, or rounded stones, impart a terrific intensity and depth to the wines of Clos de Caveau.  Given the aridity of the soil, the vines here are naturally prone to lower yields, giving the wine its concentration and power.  The Carmin is macerated for nearly three months.  Its impressively perfumed nose offers a suave bouquet of red berries, garrigue, anise and fruit cake. Opulent, sweet, expansive and mouth-filling, the lush red berry fruit builds in intensity before coating the entire palate. These flavors are enlivened by baking spices, herbs and gentle tannins.  “This Vacqueyras Carmin Brillant, is among the most concentrated wines I tasted from this vintage. A singular effort that must be admired, with extracts and density levels off the charts.” –-Robert Parker

The weather has changed again and again and again over the last week. If you aren’t celebrating 420 in a different way, or ieven if you are drop in for that Sunday Sipper. This Sunday we are tasting a French Rosé and a Washington Red.

2012 Domaine Amido Tavel Les Amandines    ($12)
65% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 5% Clairette
Richly colored rosé with cherry, strawberry and a touch of almond flower flavors. Lots of freshness on the palate, and with enough body to match wonderfully with cold pork roast, chicken salad and most picnic fare. Was $17 now $12

2012 Abbey Page Cabernet Sauvignon    ($11)
A fresh and fruit forward Cabernet from Columbia Valley at a great price.

Saturday we’re pouring new wines from Spain.  Some are new releases, some are new to town, some are new to the shop.  All express the diversity of Spanish wine making.  Come try these delicious wines from Penedès, Bierzo, Toro, and Navarra.  

Naveran Cava Brut Reserva $15 
50% Xarello, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada
The Naveran is an estate-bottled vintage Cava from Organically grown vines. Xarello contributes body, Macabeo gives aromatic intensity and Parellada lends acidity to the wine. This grower Cava that spends 18 months on its lees after fermentation in the bottle to achieve greater depth, complexity and the fine, delicate and long lasting bubbles.  It has strong aromas of yeast and smoke, and a supple, tasty palate, with well-integrated bubbles, good acidity and freshness.

2013 Armas de Guerra Mencia Rosé  $12
From a new farmer’s cooperative in Bierzo, Armas de Guerra has come out of the gate with some great and reasonably priced wines.  Their Rosé has dry floral aromas with crisp, tropical flavors like mango, papaya and lime.

2012 Armas de Guerra, Mencia Tinto $12
The red wine from Armas de Guerra is all Mencia.  It has lots of dry dark fruit and a pleasant finish.

2010 Cal Banca Toro $15
Tinto di Toro (Tempranillo)
Cal Blanca, “white chalk” in English, refers to the chalky, calcareous limestone soils found on the estate.  The vines are head pruned in the traditional manner, dry farmed (no irrigation), and tended using organic viticulture. The wine displays violet and graphite aromas along with cassis, candied plum, licorice and smoky minerals and spicy dark fruit flavors. It finishes sweet and long, with gentle tannins adding grip.

2009 Barón de Magaña  $23
Navarra
35% Merlot, 35% Cabernet, 20% Tempranillo, 10% Syrah

Barón de Magaña comes from a vineyard in Navarra started 45 years ago from cuttings from Château Petrus (yup, that’s Bordeaux).  Southern Navarra has limestone soil that imparts characters of minerality and acidity to the vines in keeping with their heritage.   The Barón possesses a Bordeaux like personality.  The wine was aged 14 months in 70% new oak. It boasts abundant notes of sweet mulberries, white chocolate and black currant fruit, incense, vanillin, mocha and a hint of espresso. It is a complex, modern-styled, Spanish red offering loads of fruit, medium to full body, and terrific balance as well as purity.

There are many reasons for a wine’s price to drop.  Sometimes it is just the next vintage is on the way.  Sometimes it is that the wine is just bad.  And it is hard to tell the difference without pulling the cork.  Mark & I love a deal and as a result we pull a lot of corks. Stop by on Saturday as we’ll be pouring some our current bargains.  We’ve tried them and think they are pretty good.  But don’t take our word for it.  Come find out for yourself.  Howie Mandel will not be here.

NV Le Cris des Roches Blanc de Blanc Brut  $9
Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Chardonnay
This Cry of the Rocks in made from Ugni Blanc, Colombard, and a little Chardonnay from the southwest and Languedoc.  Secondary fermentation is done in closed vat.  This was created specifically for the local importer so it started at a good price which now gets even better.  Stock up for those brunches, and parties.
Was $12 now $9

2011 Domaine Didier Tripoz, Bourgogne, Vieilles Vignes  $13 
This old vine Chardonnay has a toasty nose, creamy body, light mineral notes and soft apple and citrus fruit. 
Was $18 now $13

2008 Philippe Garrey, Mercury Blanc, La Changnee  $15
From a bio dynamic producer, this crisp and bright Chardonnay wine has light toasty aromas, Meyer lemon and Key lime citrus fruit and a slatey mineral finish.  We have a very small amount of this.
Was $30 now $15

2009 Barone Ricasoli, Campo Ceni  $10
Made from Sangiovese with a small amount of Merlot, aged 6 months in barriques, the Campo Ceni is a light and delicious red from a regarded Classico producer. It has fruity notes of black cherries and strawberries and the spices. The wine is soft, rich, warm and lingering to the palate.  
Was $17 now $10

2007 Quinta da La Rosa Reserva  $20
Touriga Nacional with some Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz, from the older dry stone terraced vineyards at La Rosa.  This is winery’s flagship wine beside their ports.  Extremely aromatic and concentrated, its present tannins are enveloped by sweet seductive, black cherry fruit. We got the last of this.
Was $35 now $20

2005 Bodegas Ramiros Cóndita  $20 
This big and serious old vine Tempranillo is from Eduardo Garcia, the son of Vega Sicilia’s winemaker.  An unmistakable toasty nose with lots of berry and plum fruit, smooth grainy tannins and chocolate and blackberry finish.  It is the last of this one too.
Was $30 now $20

Vive la France! This Sunday we are tasting two French sippers. Come chase your red, white, rose, and blues away.

2011 L’Ermitage Rosé    ($9)
40% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 20% Mouvedre
A fresh and fruity Rosé with a little earthy herbaceous note. Was $11 now $9
13% alcohol by volume

2011 Coteaux Des Travers Cairanne    ($13)
60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah
A rich and silky Village Rhône with Classic garrique aromas, dark berry fruit and a lurking earthiness from all that Mourvedre. Was $18 now $13

April Showers bring new wine releases along with the blossoms.  This Saturday we’ll be pouring some new wines from Sleight of Hand Cellars’ Renegade Wines from Walla Walla and Roots Winery out of the Willamette.  It is a fresh and spring-like lineup that will make you bloom.

2013 Sleight of Hand, Renegade Rose $11
79% Syrah, 14% Cinsault, 7% Counoise
The grapes were pressed directly after harvesting, and the juice was drained to stainless steel tanks, where the wine was fermented at a cool temperature to retain the fresh fruit characters of the final product. It has wonderful aromas of fresh pomegranates and citrus, some sweet red berries, and even rhubarb. This wine will be the perfect pairing with a fresh beet salad and crumbled goat cheese, or grilled salmon on your deck. 

2011 Roots, Melon de Bourgogne
Roots is a 7 acre estate in the Yamhill-Carlton district of the Willamette. Run by Chris Berg, Roots is an under the radar star of Oregon Pinot.  Their Mellon de Bourgogne (otherwise known as Muscadet) sourced from Deux Vert vineyard picks up a bit more body than its European cousin, but retains the that crisp freshness that goes great with shellfish.

2012 Roots, Klee Pinot Noir $20
In homage to one of Chris’ favorite artists Klee (named after Paul Klee), is a fresh and imaginative Pinot Noir. The grapes are sourced from various vineyards, and at $20 is an amazing value for the Willamette. 

2012 Sleight of Hand, Renegade Red $11
40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
The Red drinks like a Washington State Cabernet-based blend, with lots of red and black fruits, scents of loamy minerality, and fine grained tannins that are matched with balanced acidity.

2012 Sleight of Hand, Renegade Mourvedre $16
Only 4 barrels, or 98 cases of this wine, were made. Mourvedre is normally a minor blending grape in the Rhone Valley, but here in Washington (especially off The Rocks area in Walla Walla), it is worthy of being bottled on its own.

With the sun at least partially out we head to Spain for a couple of lovely sunny Spanish wines. Until 5pm today we will be tasting:

2013 Armas de Guerra Mencia Rosé    ($12)
One of the more deliciously distinct Rosés to come into town. Dry, floral aromas with crisp tropical flavors like mango, papaya and lime. The perfect wine for a litle gardening.
13% alcohol by volume

2010 Ramón Bilboa Rioja Crianza    ($10)
Tempranillo
A great price on a very fruity Rioja with 14 months in barrel and 8 in bottle before release. Lots of fruit, vanilla, and spice.

Stop on in, say hello, and sip a bit.

This Saturday we’ll be doing a little compare and contrast of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir pitting the home team up against a couple of European stalwarts.  Come discover the beauty and strengths of both worlds.

2013 Lorelle Pinot Grigio  $10
Lorelle is the second label for J. Albin Winery of Hillsboro, Orogon. John Albin has been growing pinot noir from his estate Laurel Vineyard since 1981 and is the former winemaker/vineyard manager for King Estate.  The Grigio is an outstanding value at $10.  The new vintage has just been released.  Come and see what it’s like.

2010 Diehl, Grauer Burgunder 1 ltr.  $12
Weingut Diehl sits at the foot of the Württemberge Mountains amid the picturesque countryside, surrounded by vineyards and a fascinating view of the Stuttgart basin.  The Diehls started making their own wine rather than selling their grapes in 1972.  They use selective hand picking and a gentle winemaking, which blends tradition and modern enology.  The Grauer Burgunder is all Pinot Gris and a world apart.

2012 Mas de Boislauzon, Chaussynette Rosé  $9
Grenache, Syrah 
Every match off needs an intermission.  This Rosé from a 5th generation Chateau Neuf du Papes winemaking family should prove a great diversion. With the 2013 vintage of Rosés rolling into the market we are finding some 2012 wines left at a great prices.  Was $15 now $9 

2012 Lorelle Pinot Noir  $15
It is hard to beat the Lorelle Pinot Noir for value.  This solid, fresh and clean Pinot is from the exceptional 2012 vintage in the Willamette drinks amazingly well without being overly simple.  

2011 Domaine Camus-Bruchon, Savigny-Pimentiers Vieilles Vignes $40
Lucien Camus-Bruchon, his wife Bernadette and their son Guillaume farm some 9.2 hectares of vines, mostly Pinot Noir.  Lucien took over from his father in 1971 and he’s the sixth generation, son Bill is the 7th.  This Vieilles Vignes bottling comes from a single vineyard of 89 year old vines.  It is a beautiful Pinot with sweet cherry aromas, dry, firm fruit and elegance and minerality with an impressive length and depth on the finish.  It is a classic Burgundy.

Far away in the deep upper reaches of a land known as Ballard, Matt Gubitosa toils away in small carefully organized cellar, slowly crafting the wines called ANIMALE.  The wines are intense and full flavored made from select vineyards in Eastern Washington where well-drained soils, cool nights, low yields, small berry size, limited irrigation, and late harvests result in special grapes that make unusually complex wines.  Grapes you won’t find in your typical CMS Washington blend.  Come by on Saturday, meet Matt, and try the new wines of his 2011 vintage.

2011 Dolcetto – Columbia Valley $25
This Piedmontese grape finds a new home on Waluke Slope.  It shows intense cherry aromas and flavors with a soft but lingering finish.  24 cases produced

2011 Cabernet Franc – Yakima Valley $25
Inspired by the great reds of the Loire Valley, the Cab Franc is elegant and spicy with notes of chocolate, clove, and fresh berries and suggestions of citrus peel.  24 cases produced

2011 Tempranillo – Yakima Valley $25
This classic Spanish varietal takes on a new persona in Prosser.  The Tempranillo is tangy and lithe, complex and intriguing 24 cases produced

2011 Petite Sirah –  Yakima Valley $26
From a vineyard in Sunnyside planted especially for ANIMALE, the 2011 Petite Sirah is a muscular wine with burly tannins lurking beneath its dark full fruit. 24 cases produced

2011 Carmenere – Red Mountain $25
This interesting and intense “lost grape” of Bordeaux that was reborn in Chile also shows up to state a claim in Red Mountain.  The Carm has saturated red/black color and flavors of fresh berries, mixed herbs, tobacco and roasted red peppers.  It is full bodied and vigorous with a lengthy finish. 32 cases produced

Chile is a long, narrow country dominated by the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Its vineyards cover an 800-mile stretch of land with a range of varied and diverse micro climates from the hotter and drier regions in the north to the wetter and cooler regions in the south. Chile has a long viticulture history from the 16th century when the Spanish brought vinifera with them.  In the 19th century, French varieties were planted.  Stop by on Saturday as we tour the vineyards.

2012 Undurraga, U Chardonnay/Riesling  $10  (Central Valley)
85% Chardonnay, 15% Riesling
Don Francisco Undurraga, an enterprising man in the 19th century, was one of the pioneers of winemaking in Chile and founder of Viña Undurraga with plants he brought over personally from France and Germany.  Today Undruuaga has expanded its holding into most of Chile’s wine regions. For this wine the Riesling underwent twice weekly lees resuspension for 3 months, while 20% of the Chardonnay was aged with oak .The blend is a wine smooth rich bodied wine with a bit of spiciness.

2011 Leyd a Pinot Noir  $14 (Lyeda Valley)
Viña Leyda is located at the west side of the Coastal Mountain Range of Chile, just 7 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean.  They pioneered viniculture in this valley, creating the new designation of origin, D.O. which is named after them. The Pinot Noir is made in a fruit driven style showing its cold climate influence. Aromas of blueberries and strawberries mingle with earthy mineral and herbaceous notes.  

2011 Undurraga Aliwen Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere   $14 (Rapel Valley)
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Carménère 
Carménère a almost forgotten Bordeaux varietal has thrived in Chile.  The Aliwen ages nine months in French and American oak. Notes of ripe fruit, spices and oak perfectly blend delivering a wonderful aroma. The wine has great body, sweet tannins and a long elegant finish.

2010 Cousiño-Macul, Finis Terrai $26  (Maipo Valley)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah
Founded in 1856, Cousiño Macul is the only winery in Chile amongst those established in the 19th century that continues in the hands of the original founding family.   The Finis Terrai offers a complex nose, in which notes of wild berries, blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry can be felt, as well as a subtle French oak aroma, in perfect balance with the fruit. In the mouth plum and strawberry, accompanied by a slight sweetness, principally from the merlot, can be found. It’s intense, balanced and round, with ripe tannins and a long finish.

2009 Undurraga, Terrior Hunter Syrah  $20  (Limarí)
The Terroir Hunter is Undurraga’s to make wines best suited to each region.  This savory, meaty Syrah is made in tiny quantities and hails from the remote region of Limarí near the Atacama desert in the north of Chile where the semi-arid, cool climate with alluvial terraces of calcareous soils makes bright and mineraled Syrah, This wine has key notes of black pepper, smoke, and tar that accent the wine’s plush and concentrated core of black fruit.