Stop by the shop after work Thursday for a special tasting of wines from the south of France. These delicious and diverse wines are a match for any meal and are a great start to the holiday season. We’ll have a few snacks to go with the wines, stop on by for a little appetizer to your evening.
 
Dubard, Crémant Brut $18
70% Semillon, 15% Sauvignon, 15% Muscadelle
Dubard’s Crémant de Bordeaux comes from a small vineyard in Côtes-de-Francs. The winemaking follows the Traditional Method, done in caves dating back to the Middle Ages. The wine has intense notes of white peach, pear, a warm toasty brioche and a pleasantly lingering richness.
 
2011 Domaine Galtier, Languedoc Tradition Blanc $12
30% Roussanne, 50% Grenache Blanc, 10% Rolle, 10% Viognier
Domaine Galtier is a typical mas (farm) surrounded by garrigue (scrubland) with its square tower built in the middle of the 17th century under the reign of Louis XIV. Its owners Lise & Jean Carbonne are both from wine-growing families. They farm by lutte raisonnée, a form of sustainable viticulture that practices organic methods. The Blanc has a warm bouquet with floral perfumes (honeysuckle, eucalyptus) and candied citrus fruit peel (citron and orange) that is rich, balanced and expressive.
 
2009 Château Galtier, St. Chinian L’Obstinée Rouge $15
60% Syrah & 40% Grenache. 30 to 35 years old vines.
Gautier’s estate St Chinian has a generous, soft nose with complex aromas of ripe blackcurrant, cherry and white pepper followed by a creamy palate with plenty of body, fine tannins with a spicy finish.
 
2008 Domaine Aime, Minervois La Livinière, Cuvée Au Gré du Vent Rouge, $22
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah
Domaine Aime is run by a 4^th generation wine-growing family in Minervois La Livinière, a small AOC is nestled in the foothills of the Montagne Noire. The Cuvée Au Gré has powerful, complex aromas packed with red and black fruits, the mouth feel is silky and round, and the tannins are melted imparting the wine with a delicate, refined (lace like) finish lingering with fruity notes.
 
2010 Domaine Labranche Laffont, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh $23 – 500ml
100% Petit Manseng
Labranche Laffont, at northern limit of Madiran, is run by Christine Dupuy who combines innovative techniques in the cellar with sustainable vinicultural practices. His Vic-Bilh has concentrated aromas are reminiscent of confectionary, fruits (oven baked apple, pear, and apricot) and honey with notes of vanilla and praline. The wine is supple, and round on the palate. The aromas grow even more distinct as one savors the wine. It has a long, harmonious finish with an added note of yellow fruits.

Saturday we will be pouring a great line up of French wines guaranteed to tickle the palate. Gathered from the very diverse regions of cool Loire, the warmer southern Rhône, and the sunny Languedoc, the flavors flow together to make a very tasty tasting. Stop by and savor.
 
Chateau Moncontour, Cremant de Loire Brut Rosé $20
98% Cabernet Franc, 2% Chenin Blanc
Located in Vouvray, Château Moncontour is one of the oldest wineries in the Loire Valley. A traditional method Sparkler from the Loire, the Moncoutour Rosé ages 12 months before disgorgement and release. The wine is fresh and crisp with red fruit and citrus aromas.
 
2010 Chateau Moncontour, Jovly Vouvray $14
One of Moncontours still wines, the Jovly is an off dry Chenin blended from 3 different vineyards. Its floral bouquet has notes of honey and acacia that are more flavorful than sweet.
 
2010 Domaine Des Homs, La Tersande $10
80% Grenache, 20% Syrah
Domaine des Homs occupies the site of a roman farm where vines and olive trees were cultivated. The 20 hectare domaine in Minervois, has been owned by the de Crozals family for three generations which they farm all organically. The Grenache for the Tersande undergoes carbonic maceration giving it silky tannins and full fruit.
 
2010 Andrieux & Fils, Vacqueras, Cuvee André $22
75% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah
A small family owned Negociant Eleveur, Andrieux makes an array of wines from the major regions in Rhone Valley. From older vines, the Vacqueras has violet, plum and mineral aromas followed by chewy cherry, black current, pepper and sandalwood notes.
 
2007 Andrieux & Fils, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise $18 — 375ml
At 15% this lighter desert wine has fresh aromas of pears and grapefruit with a touch of honey. The flavors open up into apricot and pear with a long and lingering finish. It’s a tasty way to end any evening.

Come by this Saturday and check out a great line up of wines from Tuscany, where Sangiovese is King and they have been making it into classic wine for generation on generation. The wines we’ll be tasting are fantastically delicious but don’t cost a fortune. The kind of wines we like to drink on a regular basis. Come join us.

2011 Antonio Sanguineti Vermentino $13
Antonio Sanguineti, known for racing European cars, and listening to opera as he zooms down the autostrada, also makes some fine wine. “A truly great wine slows life down just a bit and allows us to enjoy it more.” His Vermentino is a classic Tuscan white wine that is zesty, clean, and aromatic.

2009 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina $17
95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo
Selvapiana is a 5th generation wine making estate on the Rufina making traditional styled Chianti that can age beautifully. After blending, the wine is refined in French oak casks for 10 months, followed by an additional 3 months in bottle before release. “This wine is bright and juicy, redolent of black cherries, sweet spices and earth”.

2009 Selvapiana, Petrognano, Pomino Rosso $20
60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. 
Selvapiana’s Super-Tuscan ages for 18 months; the Sangiovese in large 20hl-casks, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in 5hl-barrels, then bottle-aged for 6 months. The Petrogano has aromas of dark cherries and herbs (from the Sangiovese) and rich fruit and dark chocolate notes (from the cabernet) through the finish, with steely tannins, solid structure and ageability.

2007 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano $28
85% Prugnolo Gentile(Sangiovesse) 15% Colorino, Canaiolo and Merlot 
Each region of Tuscany has its own expression of Sangiovesse. This Montepulciano from Poliziano is faithfully expressive of its deep Tuscan roots. Aromas of berries and cherries combine with leather and tobacco notes followed by full and chewy tannins.

Cleto Chiarli, Lambrusco di Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Centenario Amabile $12
We are going to end with a classic Italian red bubbly from just north of Tuscany. Chiarli is the oldest wine producer in Emilia-Romagna and a pioneer in the making of Lambrusco. The wine is made from ancient Lambrusco Grasparossa vines cultivated on the hills surrounding the village of Castelvetro. The wine is a deep ruby red with a thick froth, fruity flavors and a pleasing bitter note.

Saturday, October 27^th — 2pm

Come by this Saturday when we will be pouring some tasty wines from Oregon and Washington. The Northwest is bursting with great wine and we’ve rounded up these examples that have great quality and are modestly priced. Come wet your whistle. Local oenophile Steven Brown will be on hand to tell you all about them.

2011 Anne Amie Pinot Gris $18
From Yamhill-Carlton and the Chehalem Mountains the grapes for Anne Amie’s showcase the heart of the Willamette Valley. The cooler 2011 vintage was great for white wines. Their Pinot Gris has intensely aromatic floral notes that give way to a palate of Asian pear, Meyer lemon and rose petal. The body is balanced and crisp,

2008 Vista Hills Winery, Treehouse Pinot Noir $20
Vista Hills is a 40 acre estate in Oregon’s Dundee hills that uses a consortium of winemakers. The 2009 Treehouse was produced by Dave Petterson at Panther Creek Cellars who also manages Vista Hills. The Treehouse Pinot Noir offers an earthy nose with notes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, plum and nutmeg on the palate. Round tannins provide sturdy length and structure. It is a good example of Oregon Pinot at a great price.

2008 Cana’s Feast Brico Red $15
Located in Carlton Oregon, Cana’s Feast specializes in Italian varietals. The fruit for the Brico red comes from Coyote Canyon, Ciel du Cheval vineyards in Columbia Valley. This Sangiovese-predominant blend is a full-bodied and lively wine with zesty Old World appeal that is complemented with a rich and full palate more often expressed in the New World.

2008 St. Laurent Winery, Syrah $16
Fruit growers who expanded out into grapes and then wine, the folks at St Laurent make some tasty Washington wines at quite reasonable prices. The Syrah comes from their Wahluke Slope vineyard which they sustainably farm. Bright and flavorful, this Syrah has a juicy mouthful of dark blackberry and raspberry with hints of spice. It was barrel aged for 18 months mostly in French oak with 21% of that being new.

2008 Bunnell Family Cellars, Mourvedre $36

After winemaking at Chateau Ste. Michelle, Beringer and Kendall-Jackson, Ron Bunnell turned his hand to making his own wine. Bunnell specializes in small handmade lots of wine from Rhône Valley grape varieties. The Mourvedre, from Northridge Vineyard on Wahluke Slope, has aromas of white pepper and grapefruit pith, soft tannins, complex flavors of cassis and Rainier cherries, white pepper, star anise with a hint of grapefruit rind.

A few of the things we love in wine are small producers, older vines, sustainable practices, and great quality value. These all play second fiddle to pure hedonic pleasure, but there is no reason to not have it all. This Saturday we’re tasting some wonderful French wines that fill the whole bill. They come to us from Wine Traditions, a small but discerning importer who specializes in all the above. Come discover them for yourself.

2011 Château Magneau, Graves Blanc $14
45% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillion, 15% Muscadelle
Château Magneau has been run by the Ardurat family since before the reign of Henri IV. Its 30 year old Bordeaux vines are sustainably farmed without chemicals. Muscadelle used in a small proportion gives the wine an extroverted and inviting bouquet. Semillon offers both ripe stone fruit flavors and a rich texture on the palate. Sauvignon Blanc adds melon and citric flavors and provides a clean citric finish to the wine. The result is a full bodied wine with a nice progression of mixed fruit, clean citrus and rich texture.

2011 Domaine Les Grands Crays, Viré-Clessé $20
Clos du Chateau ,Chardonnay
In Viré-Clessé in the Haut-Maconnais, Dominique Terrier farms 20 hectares of vineyards, sending 25% of his crop to the local co-op and vinifing the rest himself. Clos du Chateau comes from the estate’s upper parcels (average age 40 years). The soils are very stony with some veins of flint and very little topsoil. Vinification is done using indigenous yeasts. The wine then rests sur lie until bottling. The Clos has a big voluptuous body with herbal and mineral notes throughout and a clean citrus core. It’s an amazing Burgundy for the money.

2009 Château Jouclary, Cabardès $12
Merlot, Syrah, Grenache
Cabardès gets influences from both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean creating a unique clime allowing it to grow these differently suited varietals. Merlot supplies the backbone of the wine, while the old vine Grenache and Syrah from the stony upper hillside contribute ripe flavors and warmth on the palate. The wine has fine mineral aromas and deep dark fruit.

2002 Chateau Guerosse, St. Emilion Grand Cru $30
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc 
Chateau Gueyrosse has slightly under 5 hectares vineyards of 40 year old vines that they farm without any chemicals. Yields are kept exceptionally low. It undergoes a long maceration of 3 to 5 weeks. The wine is aged in tank for 1 to 3 months and then in older barrels for 18 more. The 2002 is showing lovely fruity aromas, and a good full structured body with a long finish. It is aged and ready to drink.

2008 Loupiac- Gaudiet, Loupiac $16 / 500ml
80% Semilon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc
Château Loupiac-Gaudiet dates from the 15th century in the village of Loupiac directly across from the appellations of Barsac and Sauternes. Harvesting is done in stages to allow botrytis to fully affect the grapes and concentrate the sugars. The wine is one of delicate flavors and pristine balance. It is a lovely desert wine with good fruit and noble rot at a better price than a Sauterne.

Saturday, October 13^th, 2pm
This Saturday we have a great line up of intense and intriguing wines from the diverse regions of Spain. Come get a taste of Cataluña, La Mancha and of course Rioja. They’re diverse and delicious.

Mas Fi, Cava, $10
40% xarel-lo, 35% Macabeo, 25% Parellada
Mas Fi is a family run estate winery in Vilafranca del Penedès. The Cava is an elegant and balanced sparkling wine. Undergoing second fermentation in this bottle, it is aged for 10 months providing its fine bubbles and complex and structured palate. There are notes of white flowers and citrus on the nose, with fresh stone fruits and pleasant creamy flavors in the mouth.

2011 Gramona, Gessami, $17
40% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Muscat Alexandria, 35% Muscat Frontignan, 10% Gewürztraminer
The Gessami is made for sustainably farmed 35 to 50 year old vines in Penedès by a family estate known for their Cava. This wild blended white has a very floral bouquet of roses, jasmine and spice, along with fennel, apricots and earthy forest notes.

2008 Bodegas Almanseñas, La Huella de Adaras $12
65% Grenacha, 30% Monastrell, 10% Syrah
This sustainably farmed, estate Bodegas in La Mancha sits at 25oo feet on the Almansa plateau. The wine is aged for 12 months in Stainless steel tanks followed by 6 months in oak barrels. The La Huella has notes of smoke and underbrush along with leathery dark fruit and a good finish.

2009 Celler Cal Pla, Black Slate Porrera, $20
60% Garnacha and 40% Carinena,
From Priorat, the Black Slate ages for two years in neutral oak barrels to soften and concentrate the wine. “Intense blackberry, cassis and licorice on the nose. Powerful and densely packed, with a structured impression to its dark cherry, black fruits and spices. Finishes weighty, sweet and long, with silky tannins and an echo of licorice.” — International Wine Cellar

2006 Orben, $35
97% Tempranillo & 3% Graciano
Orben’s high altitude vineyards are located in the Rioja Alavesa in scattered small parcels of slopes and micro valleys heavily influence by the Atlantic breezes. The vines average 60 years old and are organically farmed.. The wine is aged for 15 months in fine grain French barrels. “It offers up a superb kinky, sexy perfume of toasty oak, pencil lead, leather, black cherry, and blackberry. Rich and elegant on the palate, it has layers of succulent fruit, well-concealed tannins, impeccable balance and a 45-second finish. So loaded that it can be enjoyed now, it will nevertheless age effortlessly for 4-6 years and drink well through 2026.” – Wine Advocate 93pts.

Crush is in full swing in Washington with the grapes coming in and starting their wonderful transformation into wine. To celebrate, this Saturday we’ll be pouring a fine line up of local juice, showing off just a little of the state’s depth and variety. Come have a toast to the Harvest.

Windfall Winery, Asian Pear Wine  $14
Windfall Winery is the brainchild of San Juan Island-based Larry Soll who put his science background and love of making fruit wines into the creation of AP. The pear wine, at a mellow 12% alcohol, is aged in oak for two months. This gives AP a more wine-like taste and feel on the tongue. It retains some of the exotic flavors of its Asian pear origins, but has citrus notes and subtle oak overtones.
 
2010 ShootingStar, Aligoté   $14
Shooting Star is the work of Sonoma winemaker Jed Steele, who seeing unique possibilities in Washington fruit, headed north. Aligoté is the fourth most planted wine grape variety in the world, but not widely known as itself.   It is cold tolerant and in Washington State, where cold winters are a fact of life, it has found a happy home. The grapes for the ShootingStar come from a two acre vineyard in Sunnyside. The Aligoté is barrel fermented in older oak barrels. 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.

2011 Baer, Shard   $18
Baer Winery, one of the early innovators of Woodinville, makes some complex and compelling wines. The cooler fall of 2011 was great for white wines, and the Shard is showing that to great advantage. All stainless with no oak contact and no malolactic fermentation, the Shard is an excellent food wine; the acid is balanced by creaminess, with notes of crisp pear and apple.

ShootingStar, Blue Franc $13
Lemberger
Blau Frankisch, literally blue grape from France is another name for our local Lemberger. The Blue Franc receives little, or no, oak aging. The wine is clean, crisp, and unpretentious with tons of fruit, including warm berry pie, complementing the traces of pepper, almond, cherry and cinnamon with soft tannins and a medium body.

2009 Baer, Arctos $45
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot
A very serious Washington Bordeaux style blend, the Arctos sees 19 months in French oak barrels, 88% of which are new. Like the Shard, this is all single vineyard, Stillwater creek fruit. A blend to be reckoned with, the next evolution of Arctos is bolder than before. Structured, with lots of tannins it is concentrated and fleshy, the finish is plush and long carried on the nose by ripe blackberry and cassis, followed by espresso and roasted herb.

The different vineyards of France are known for their distinct terroir, the taste of the soil, climate and place. Saturday we’ll be pouring a diverse and tasty selection of wines from the Loire, Languedoc, Gascogne, and the right back of Bordeaux, all uniquely different and distinctively French. It is a kaleidoscope of flavor concentrated into a pleasant little corner of the weekend. Come join us.
 
2009 Domaine du Margalleau, Vouvray Brut $18
Chenin Blanc
Winemaker Jean-Michel Pieaux reserves the best of his Chenin crop for this bountiful, dazzlingly fresh sparkling wine, performing a single disgorgement following a full year of aging on fine lees. The wine is impressively complex and rich on the tongue, with notes of warm honey, lemon curd and white flowers show on the nose; the mouth delivers flavors of almonds and citrus, with savory hints of graham cracker.
 
2011 Domaine Sainte Rose, Coquille d’oc blanc $12
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Viognier
Domaine Sainte Rose is a family owned and run boutique winery near Servian in the Languedoc. The Coquille D’Oc White is a deliciously drinkable blend, fresh, zingy citrus fruit flavors and wonderfully peachy aromatics combine with a surprisingly rich finish.
 
2011 Chateau Pellehaut, Harmonie de Gascogne Rosé  $10
Tannat, Merlot,
Pellehaut, from the roman pila haut (high point), is owned by the Béraut family. Gaston Béraut oversees the domaine, which also includes cattle, wheat and sunflowers. His Rosé is bled from the Les Marcottes cuvee. It is bright, fruity and clean, dry and light but full of big flavors of cherry and strawberry and pineapple with a subtle hint of spice.
 
2008 Domaine Sainte Rose, La Garrigue $13
Syrah, Grenache
The garrigue is the landscape of the Languedoc. It is a wild and arid yet fragrant and delicate mix of Mediterranean flora. The flavors and aromas of thewine are reminiscent of the garrigue. It is a wine of enormous character, which has inspired rather a cult following. Scents of the garrigue such as aromatic thyme and sage mingle with jammy, red fruit and spicy, black pepper.
 
2009 Chateau Mangot Saint Emilion $26
85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. 6% Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a new vintage of one of our stalwart favorites. The Mangot estate covers some 37 hectares in a single stretch in Saint Etienne De Lisse. Its hillside terraces face due south and are sustainably farmed. The wine is aged in separate batches for 14 months in French oak, 40% of which is new. The Mangot has full aromas of cedar, minerals, licorice and an earthy note, followed by dry tannins and lots of dark fruit flavors that are concentrated, rounded and full on the palate.