This Sunday we are celebrating the National French Holiday with a rosé and a red. It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. Festivities and official ceremonies are held all over France. The oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe is held on the morning of 14 July, on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic, French officials and foreign guests.

Come toast the Revolution!

2011 Coer Estérelle    Provence Rosé ($11)
A nice Provence Rosé at a good price. Aromas of rose petal, strawberry, fresh herbs are followed by light peach, apricot and tangerine peel flavors. Was $16 now $11

2010 Domaine Olivier Hillaire Côtes du Rhône
($15)
Vieilles Vignes
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah
Domaine Oliver Hilaire is a small 23 acre estate in France’s southern Rhône Valley just across the Rhône River from Châteaunuef du Pape. Their CDR shows an intense nose of garrigue, blackberries and anise. Medium-to-full-bodied, with low acidity, medium sweet tannins, and a touch of earthiness. Was $18 now $15

This Saturday we’ll be traipsing the Italian countryside from Friuli to Sicily as well as Lazio, Maremma and Campania. It’s a lot of ground to cover, but the reward is five great wines to sample. It’s worth the journey.   Meander on in and join us.

2011 Principe Pallavicini Frascati   $12 
50% Malvasia (Bianca di Candia), 30% Malvasia del Lazio, 20% Trebbiano
A white wine from the overlooked area of Lazio, Frascati grows in the Alban hills south of Rome. The bouquet is fairly intense, with greenish herbal accents mingled with minerality and some gunflint, and underlying airiness.  On the palate it’s bright, with clean warm lemony fruit supported by clean sour acidity that flows into a clean tart finish.

2011 Purato Cataratto Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliane $11
60% Catarratto and 40% Pinot Grigio.
From Sicily, this blend of Pinot Grigio with Cataratto a more local indigenous grape is made from organic grapes and is about as eco-friendly as they can get it (The label is made from recycled paper and vegetable ink, the bottle is made from 85% recycled glass and the cartons are made from recycled cardboard.) The wine has intense aromas of both citrus and tropical fruit.

2011 Bastianich Friulano Adriatico $18
100% (Tocai) Friulano
Friulano is an indigenous grape variety grown in Friuli for hundreds of years. The Bastianich is a classic Friulano, medium bodied with ripe, luscious pear flavors carried by a refreshing mineral flavor and zesty, mouthwatering acidity.

La Mozza, Morelolino di Scansamo I Perazzi $17
85% Morellino (the local name for Sangiovese in Maremma), 5% Syrah, 5% Alicante, 2% Colorino, 3% Ciliegiolo
I Perazzi, was created to be unlike most typical Morellino di Scansano. The blend, which includes Mediterranean varieties, is more expressive and better demonstrates the potential of Maremma’s terroir. I Perazzi is named after the pear like fruit that grow on the estate. The wines juicy dark fruit mingles with spice and licorice on the palate. The bright, ripe cherry and soft texture makes this a natural match with fresh Mediterranean flavors and dishes

2007 Terradora di Paolo, Taurasi $30
100% Aglianico
Aglianico is a native Italian varietal that is widely used in Campania. It is of extremely ancient origin and some experts argue that it was cultivated in the early period of Roman history and was introduced to Italy by the Greeks. Teurasi, like Barolo for Nebbiolo and Brunello for Sangiovesse, are the best expressions of the grape. The wine is aged in small French oak barrels for 18 months. After blending it matures in large oak barrels for 12 months and then in bottle for a further 8-12 months. The Teradora has a pronounced and complex bouquet with hints of cherry, fruits of the forest, spicy scents of violet and tobacco and a suggestion of minerals. Elegant, smooth, velvety and intense it displays characteristic hints of plums, black cherries, black pepper and tar. It is full bodied and austere on the palate with balanced tannins and acidity. It easily will continue to age and develop for more than a decade.

This Sunday we are featuring the wines from the House of
Independent Producers which is the pet project of Christophe Hedges of Hedges Family Estate. The back label sports a compelling mission statement: To capture terroir in its most raw form and to preserve the integrity of the wine world by rebelling against the 100 point rating system. A wine of sustainable and environmentally friendly farming. No advertising.

Come taste for yourself.

2011 Independent Producers La Bourgeoisie    ($13)
Chardonnay
Dionysus Vineyard
The Independent Producers Chardonnay is as close to a Chablis style white as you can find on the west coast. The wine sees no oak, and is a true definition of terroir winemaking, highlighting the beautiful vineyards of Sagemoor Farms, specifically the Dionysus Vineyard. Crisp and refreshing and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Sustainable.

2011 Independent Producers La Bourgeoisie    ($13)
Merlot
Bacchus Vineyard
With minimal winemaking intervention, Merlots ability to display grace, some say better than that of Pinot Noir, is unmatched. This single vineyard unoaked Merlot is soft and full and comes with a font library and a Manifesto. Sustainable.

All our suppliers are slacking off or at the beach with a 5 day weekend — so we decided to put together this Saturdays tasting on our own. No theme, No pitch, just tasty good wine that we like and that we’d like to share with you. They are all very tasty and good values.

2012 Vieux Clocher Côtes du Rhône Blanc $10
Grenache Blanc, Clairette
A good floral nose of lilac and honeysuckle followed by a limy zest attack and a melon flavored finish. Forget about Chardonnay, there is a lot of other white wine out there.

2012 Château De Flaugergues Les Comtes Rosé $14
60% Grencache, 40% Syrah
The Flaugergues is a dry and herbal Rosé from the Languedoc. It’s summer, what more do you need?

2009 Pasquale Pelissero Crosa $12
Dolcetto d’ Alba
The Pelissero is a smooth and silky Dolcetto with lots of ripe dark fruit. It is a great BBQ wine or something to just sip in the shade. It’s on a little bit of a deal — Was $15 Now $12

2006 Tenuta Mormoraia Chianti Colli Senesi $17
Sangiovese
A nicely developed Sangioveseiwith notes of cherry, tobacco, and spice. This is a pretty serious wine for the money.

2008 Triennes, St. Auguste, Provence $18
Syrah , Cabernet, Merlot
This is the winery’s flagship wine from a selection of their best cuvées of Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot. The wine is a rich dark purple with bright ruby highlights, and has alluring aromas of ripe black cherries, nutmeg and clove. It is full and concentrated. Compare to any Washington $20 wine from the same grapes and see what you think — actually any $40 wine for that matter. It’s sustainably farmed so you can feel good about drinking too.

Some people have the luck. Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini owns not one but four estates in Tuscany each producing quality wine from their own sub regions. This Saturday we’ll be pouring some of these fine wines for three of the wineries. Ignazio Crivelli Visconti (Elisabetta’s nephew) will join us to tell us more about the wineries unique differences.

2011 Doga delle Clavule, Vermentino $12
This Vermentino grows in the soft hills of Maremma benefiting from the sea breezes and from the light reflected by the Tirreno sea. The wine has scents of wild flowers and a hint of yellow peach. The flavor is savory with good structure.

2009 Borgo Scopeto Chianti Classico $14
90% Sangiovese, 5%Merlot, 5% Colorino
From Chianti Classico the wine ages in oak barrels for 12 months and 5 in the bottle. It has an intense bouquet with hints of soft black fruits with vanilla and cocoa. The palate is dry, firmly structured with a good harmony between fruit and tannins.

2010 Borgo Scopeto, Borgonero $20
60% Sangiovese, 20% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
The name Borgonero comes from a former farming settlement on the estate and the wine is a Supertuscan with great personality and elegance, selected from the best of the vineyards. The wine is aged for 18-24 months in durmast casks of 30 hl and 8 months in the bottle. It is intense with notes of leather and tobacco, full round fruit and velvety tannins.

2007 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino $36
Brunello di Montalcino is perhaps the finest region for growing Sangiovese and the price usually reflects it. The Caparzo is a refreshing exception. It matures for 36 months in Slavonia and French oak barrels of medium capacity 30-50 Hl. The bouquet is penetrating, very full and varied, reminiscent of wild berries. The flavors are dry, warm, full-bodied, harmonious, delicate and austere at the same time.

The Abbazia di Novacella, located in the northern-most winegrowing region on the southern side of the Alps was founded in 1142 by the Bishop of Brixen. The mineral-rich soils, the elevation (1,970 ft – 2,950 ft) and the cool climate are all factors which explain the intense aromas and flavors as well as fruity, mouth-watering acidity found in the white Valle Isarco valley grapes. The long drawn-out ripening period extending well into the autumn is crucial to the development of the reds. Stop by after work on Thursday and try these delicious wines.

2011 Sylvaner $18
An elegant, full-bodied white wine, greenish yellow in color; fresh fruit on the nose with a rich concentrated palate of honey and ripe apple, and hints of tropical fruit cut by refreshing acidity on the finish.

2011 Kerner $18
An aromatic white wine which has become a specialty of the Eisack Valley: pale straw yellow with green reflexes, apple and peach fruit on the nose with a hint of mango, ripe and full on the palate, its opulence cut by crisp acidity.

2011 Schiava (Edel Vernatch) $13
Bright pale ruby, fruity on the nose, with aromas reminiscent of summer fruits and cherry; succulent, gentle and fruity on the palate with soft, unobtrusive tannins and mild supple acidity.

2010 Lagrien $18
Intensely deep in color, almost black tinged with purple. Very open on the nose with concentrated aromas of violets, blackberries and black cherries all meshed with savory flavors, coffee and dark chocolate; supple youthful tannins and superb length.

This Sunday it’s a knock down rosé taste off pitting the Feisty French against the New World Americans. Representing France is:

2011 R. Dubois & Fils Rosé    ($10)
Pinot Noir
Sister and brother Béatrice and Raphaël Dubois have been running the estate together since 2006, winegrower in Burgundy for nine generations. Today, the young generation of the family shows an unusual collaboration between Béatrice, who, being a winemaker, takes care of the vinification with passion and Raphaël who is responsible for the vineyard and the wine marketing. The vineyard covers today 23.5 hectares. A succulent pink to hold us over until the boats come in. Was $15 now $10

Weighing in for the Americans we have:

2011 Sorter Vineyards North Valley Rosé    ($13)
80% Pinot Noir, 16% Chardonnay, 4% Gewürztraminer
A somewhat odd blend of grapes for a rosé, but it totally works. Nice strawberry flavors mixed with a bit of spiciness from the Gewürztraminer. Sustainable.

This Saturday we’ll be featuring some new wines from Corsica that have recently arrived on these shores. Corsica became French in 1769, but still retains some Italian winemaking traditions. Nielluccio, the local version of Sangiovesse, is the common red grape, but it more Corse than Tuscan. We’ll also be trying two new vintages from James Calmes, an ambitious Oenologist from the Languedoc who excels at making fresh and distinct wine at very affordable price. And lastly we’ll be trying a classic Northern Rhone Syrah by Francois Tardy from the great 2010 vintage. Three winemakers, three regions, five great values — Come see what it’s all about.

2011 Jerome Calmes Les Perles Picpoul $9
Picpoul which translates as “lip stinger” is the Muscadet of the South of France. The Les Perles, made by Jérôme Calmes, a very innovative oenologist, has fresh and fine aromas of grapefruit, exotic fruit and lime flavors that wake up your mouth.

2012 Clos Venturi, Domaine Vico, Vin de Corse Rosé $15
70% Nielluccio (Sangiovese ) and 30% Grenache
Founded in 1901, Domaine Vico is one of the oldest estates in Corsica. Located in the middle of the island, the soils are a unique mix of sandstone, shale and schiste. The 2012 Vico Rosé sports a pretty nose of ripe strawberry and cantaloupe. The fruit is very ripe due and plump with plenty of minerality to lend balance.

2010 Jerome Calmes, Les Capucin, Coteaux du Languedoc $10
75% Syrah 25% Grenache
The vineyards for Les Capucin are situated at 200 meters in the foothills of the Caroux Mountains in Languedoc. During the nights of end of summer, the altitude and proximity of mountains give coolness as a contrast to the high temperatures of the day and schistous soil helps to avoid water stress. The place is perfect for Syrah, and makes the Capucin an outstanding value with lots of dark fruit, full mouth, fine tannins, fresh aromas, and good balance

2012 Clos Venturi, Domaine Vico, Vin de Corse Rouge $15
80% Nielluccio, 20% Syrah
The vines for the Rouge range from 25 to 75 years old. In Corsica the Nielluccio is a local relative of Sangiovesse, but take on a different expression on these Island soils. The Vico is a distinct robust red with aromas of licorice, pepper, and raspberry and a supple, fruity palate.

2010 Francois Tardy, Les Champs Fourne, Crozes Hermitage $24
Francois Tardy, an organic grape farmer, makes intense, slightly wild, authentic, delicious Syrah. This fine-value Crozes comes from his younger (5-10 year old) vines. Its bright, bold berry fruit mixes with game and spice. The wine has good acidity, modest tannins, almost no oak.

And don’t forget our Rosé Taste-Off between the US and France this Sunday from 11-5. We will be comparing and contrasting these two lovelies:

Representing France is:

2011 R. Dubois & Fils Rosé    ($10)
Pinot Noir
Sister and brother Béatrice and Raphaël Dubois have been running the estate together since 2006, winegrower in Burgundy for nine generations. Today, the young generation of the family shows an unusual collaboration between Béatrice, who, being a winemaker, takes care of the vinification with passion and Raphaël who is responsible for the vineyard and the wine marketing. The vineyard covers today 23.5 hectares. A succulent pink to hold us over until the boats come in. Was $15 now $10

Weighing in for the Americans we have:

2011 Sorter Vineyards North Valley Rosé    ($13)
80% Pinot Noir, 16% Chardonnay, 4% Gewürztraminer
A somewhat odd blend of grapes for a rosé, but it totally works. Nice strawberry flavors mixed with a bit of spiciness from the Gewürztraminer. Sustainable.

Round four of our Sunday Sippers Series. This week we head to Italy to the Terre Margaritelli winery. Since 1870, the Margaritelli family has tended 52 hectares in the center of Umbria between Perugia and Assisi in the noted wine region of Torgiano, one of the first Italian DOCs. Around thirty hectares are for regular production and market, while the other 22 hectares consist of experimental vines. The winery recently built an experimental wine laboratory which will work with small quantities of diverse varietals to test the production of each and to optimize the process of vinification, in relation to the specifications unique to the territory of Torgiano. But that’s all just background for this Sunday Sipper tasting. We will be featuring one of their whites and one of their reds.

2010 Terre Margaritelli Roccascossa    ($9)
70% Sangiovese, 10% Canajolo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
From Umbria, a fresh all stainless Sangiovese blend. Was $12 now $9
Organic

2011 Terre Margaritelli Pietramala        ($10)
85% Trebbiano, 15% Grechetto
From Torgiano, a small hill town in the heart of Umbria, the Pietramala has Meyer lemon, salt-water stream, and green olive aromas. Grassy aromas and good body. Was $12 now $10
Organic

The wines of Austria are perfect for summer weather. The varietals have a personality all their own. The whites are crisp and lively and the reds fresh with clean pure fruit. This Saturday we’ll have a cross section of these wines (along with a fine Riesling from Alsace) open to taste. They’ll make you want to Yodel.

2011 Der Pollerhof, Gruner Veltliner 1 ltr $14
Erwin Poller, the current wine maker from this long standing Austrian wine making family is completely hands-on and involved in every aspect of the winemaking, to assure the purity and terroir driven quality of his wines. He uses sustainable methods in the vineyards and hand harvests. In the Cellar the grapes are hand selected three times before being gently pressed. Erwin has created his own yeast culture for use in his wines. The result is a refreshing, crisp and dry wine with wonderful aromas of apples and citrus fruit.

2011 Chateau D’Orschwihr, Riesling Bollenberg $16
Château d’Orschwihr dates back to 1049, but the current owners the Hartmann family didn’t acquire the Château until 1854. Their estate Riesling is a highly aromatic wine, grown on thin limestone soil on the Bollenberg in Alsace. 2011 was a vintage of high fruit and nice concentration. The bouquet is expressive with aromas of lime and grapefruit. On the palate it is well structured with an elegant backbone of ripe acidity and an almost luscious after taste.

2010 Andau, Zweiglet $16
Andau is a winery making wines from the town with the same name. Andau has more sunny days and warmer temperatures than anywhere else in Austria. Located on the Hungarian border, the climate is perfect for making very ripe and bold red and dessert wines. The Zweigelt is aged 12 months in used oak casks and is full-bodied, with hints of dark cherries, spice and chocolate.

2010 Weninger, Franz $17
Blaufranckisch /Merlot
The Weninger family owns vineyards in and around Horitschon in the Mittelburgenland, as well as two estates in Hungary. Since taking over the family estate in 1982, Franz Weninger has been a shining star among Austrian red wine producers. The vineyards are certified organic with an average of 40 year old vines, and are made bio-dynamically without modern oenological intervention. The wine has intense fruit aromas, of ripe red berries, and cherry along with a juicy body and an elegant, structured finish.

2008 Meinhard Forstreiter, St Laurent $27
The Forstreiter family has been making wine since 1868, but it has been the current owner and winemaker, Meinhard Forstreiter, who has brought the vineyard to a new level of quality and reputation. The vineyard is situated in Krems-Hollenburg in the Kremstal, along the right bank of the Danube River, across from the Wachau. There has been wine production in and around Hollenburg since the Roman Empire. The St Laurent is from 50 year old vines. The wine has aromas of dark berries, bitter chocolate, herbs with coffee roast aromas. Its body is well rounded with soft tannins, ripe fruit and beautifully balanced acidity.