Stop by after work on Thursday when we’ll be pouring a lineup of great wines from Spain. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to show off these great wines, so we fit in into the middle of the week. The wines are favorites of the critics and we like them as well. Drop in and have a bite of tapas, and check them out.
 
2011 Bodegas La Cana, Albarino $15
The La Cana comes from the most northern part of the Rias Baixas near the Atlantic Ocean. The vines are planted in the pergola system, traditional for this area, in Sandy soil. The wine is partially barrel fermented and rests sur lie. “Mineral, lemon zest, baking spices, and floral notes inform the nose of this round, smooth textured, savory white, with excellent volume and length.” WA 90pts”
 
2010 Bodegas Iluce, Rio Madre, Rioja, Graciano $10
Graciano is used in Rioja to add floral bouquet and complexity to their blends. Rarely is it used on its own. The Rio Madre lets the grape shine in its own right. From 20 year old vines, the wine is deep with exuberant aromas and luscious flavors of blackberries and cherries tell you this is not a Tempranillo. Not to be missed.
 
2010 Bodegas Atalaya, Laya $10
70% Grenache Tintoria, 30% Monastrell
From high altitude vines in Almansa comes this dark fruited , rich Spanish blend. Garnacha Tintorera is known for its deep color and here it coats the glass and imparts aromas of brooding black fruits, licorice, espresso, and pepper. Dense, savory, rich, round and succulent, it’s a lot of wine for the money.

2009 Bodegas Can Blau, Monsant $16
40% Carñena, 40% Syrah, 20% Garnacha
The Monsant appellation in Spain is shaped like a horseshoe surrounding Priorat. Can Blau’s estate there consists of acres of vineyards with an average age of 35 years. “Wood smoke, spice box, incense, lavender, black cherry and plum aromas are followed by a mouth-filling, round, dense wine with outstanding grip and length. It over-delivers in a big way.” WA 90pts
 
2007 Bodegas Muga, Rioja, Reserva $25
70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo and Graciano.
Muga was founded by Aurora Cano and her husband Isaac in 1932, although the family were growers and did not commence winemaking themselves until the 1960s. Under Aurora’s son, Isaac Jr. Muga fostered a reputation for high quality, classic Rioja wine sourced from an almost incalculable number of tiny parcels. The Reserva is a traditional styled Rioja, aged for 6 months in wooden vats before spending 2 years in 60% new French and American oak. It has rich layered fruit that is smooth-textured and concentrated with notes of smoked meats and tobacco. WA 92pts

We search the world to fine great wines at good prices!! Well no, actually we search our distributor’s catalogs to find delicious little beauties. This Saturday we’ll be pouring a lineup of just such things. None are from here. All are from there (Veneto) and there (Mendoza), and there (Marche) and there (Gascony). It’s a bit short on theme, but long on flavor. Come join us.
 
2010 Tenuta Santa Maria Alla Pieve Soave Lepia        $15
Garganega
Tenuta Santa Maria is Bertani ‘s (of Amarone fame) private project. The Lepia is full and rich with flavors and aromas of pears and peaches with a hint of almond and nice minerality.
 
2005 Cantina Valdadige, Terra Dei Forti, Enantio        $13
Terra dei forti DOC is a small area between Veneto and Trenton, in a valley shaped by the glaciers of the Quaternary and carved by the river Adige. Enantio is an indigenous grape that was found growing abandoned in the forests of Veneto, then recued and replanted in the sandy soils of the local vineyards where Philoxera doesn’t affect the vines. The grapes are picked at a level of slight super-maturation and left on the skins for an extended period and then left to age in barrels for 15 to 18 months. The wine is ripe, dark and complex with wild berry flavors and a noted spiciness and a smoky note.

2010 Plaimont La coURtine Côtes de Gascogne        $10
60% Tannat, 40% Merlot
From a cooperative in the Southwest of France that has a very odd idea of what makes an attractive label. But inside the bottle is a dark and leathery wine with the Merlot smoothing out the edges of the Tannat.

2009 Melipal, Malbec                           $13
Melipal is a modern family run winery in Argentina producing high quality wines. Their Malbec comes from a blend of their estate organic vineyards and Las Nazarenas a vineyard with 80 year old vines. All the grapes are sustainably farmed and fermented with natural yeasts. The Melipal has lots of dark fruit and spiciness and stands out above others at this price.
Was $16, Now $13

2010 Marotti Campi Rubico Lacrima di Morro d’Alba     $20
Lacrima is a little known red variety frown in the Marche on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Morro d’Alba is the name of the village which grows the approximately 150 acres of the grape. The wine is very floral with rose and violet notes along with its bright fruit. The palate is a smooth, velvety, dry and pleasantly tannic.

Witness Tree Vineyard is a 100-acre estate in the Eola Hills of the Willamette Valley named for an ancient oak which towers over the vineyard. Steven Westby is the winemaker and vineyard manager for Witness Tree and can often be found on a tractor or out walking the vineyard, checking on the crop. His use of low yields in the vineyard and minimal handling in the winery create wines of depth, elegance, concentration, and character. This Saturday we’ll be tasting the wines from Witness Tree along with one from Steve’s own label Elemental Cellars. Come give them a sip.
 
2010 Witness Tree Pinot Blanc $16
Pinot Blanc is grown in very small quantities in the Willamette Valley. Witness tree has two and a half acres in production. This limited bottling offers delightful fruit flavors reminiscent of apple and pear, balanced beautifully by a crisp refreshing acidity.
 
2010 Witness Tree Chardonnay $15
The Witness Tree Chardonnay is a blend of estate-grown Davis 108 clone, coupled with a bit of Dijon clone fruit farmed at the Stand Sure Vineyard. Upon opening the wine brings intense aromas of pineapples, mangos and other juicy tropical fruits. As it is a cooler vintage, the acidity is a bit higher-toned, yet in complete balance with fruit and alcohol content. In the mouth the wine shows exceedingly vibrant acidity balanced by a rich, very full mouth-feel of more tropical fruit, butterscotch and a kiss of toasted French oak
 
2010 Witness Tree Chainsaw Pinot Noir $20
The 2010 Chainsaw presents aromas of fresh berries, dried herbs and barnyard. It maintains a pure, clean mouth feel with a core of fresh red fruits. Ripe strawberries, Bing and black cherries, along with subtle notes of currant are accentuated by more herbal nuances such as thyme, savory and sweet marjoram.
 
2009 Witness Tree Dolcetto Remari $20
The Dolcetto comes from a 1.6 acre site exhibiting big grapey, sassy flavors! Its considerable “slurpy factor” makes it a wonderful cocktail wine, while its natural acidity gives it the power to pair exceptionally well with all kinds of cuisine. It is an interesting twist on the Piedmonte varietal.
 
2006 Elemental Cellars, Deux Vert Vineyard Syrah $20
This wine from Elemental Cellars comes from old vine Syrah (for Oregon –planted in 1995) by Deux Vert Vineyard owners Mike and Patty Green in the middle of Pinot Noir country. The wine is co-fermented with Viognier. It has fascinating, deeply complex Syrah notes of smoky violets and bacon, mineral, coffee and leather notes with vibrant berry fruit.

Southard is a family owned and operated winery located a few miles north of Selah, Washington. They excel at Rhone Style Rhône cultivars from the Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, and Wahluke Slope AVAs. This Saturday we’ll be pouring a great line up of their wines. The wines are all boutique, hands on, small production creations. Scott Southard, the winemaker and kingpin of the operation will be here to tell you all about them. Come join us.

2010 Columbia Valley White $15
Two thirds Viognier, one third Roussanne
This humbly-labeled white is a revelation. In the mouth it has the style and sleekness of fine Burgundy, with flavors running through a spectrum of herb, citrus and tree fruits. Polished and seductive. 413 cases

2008 Elephant Mountain Vineyard Viognier $20
Citrus, orange blossom, and peach flavors predominate in this Viognier. The wine is made in a restrained style yet shows a chewy texture and long finish. 130 cases

2010 Columbia Valley Red $15
Syrah/Mouvedre
The Columbia Valley Red is a dry and mineraly blend with notes of blackberries, cherries and black pepper.
 
2010 Sugarloaf Vineyard Red Wine $20
61% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 12% Cinsault and 9% Counoise.
This bone dry, southern Rhône-style red blend has elegant and detailed flavors of light berry and Bing cherry are dusted with cocoa accents. 206 cases

2009 Lawrence Vineyard Syrah $25
The star of the show. You can pay four times as much for comparable Royal Slope projects, or grab this jewel. Dark and bloody, this fascinating Syrah masterfully mixes layer upon layer of detail. Red meat, black olive, cassis and earth roll across the tongue, while hints of floral scents and chocolate linger in the nose. 337 cases

It is the Dog Days of August, with some being yipping pups and other panting beasts. To beat the canine stupor we rounded up a number of specials that will break up the doldrums and enliven the most dogged torpor. Come check them out, because like the summer, they won’t last forever.
 
2008 Weingut Felsner Alte Reben Grüner Veltliner
Was $27 now $15
Manfred Felsner cultivates 38 acres of vineyard sites in Kremstal using environmentally friendly farming. The grapes are highly selected using multiple passes of picking at harvest. The old vines on the estate, dating back a couple of generations, bring depth and complexity to the wine. The Alte Reben is a single vineyard Grüner that is clean and elegant, with the typical crisp varietal character and weight.

2008 Cave des Vignerons de Buxy, Rully Plantenay
Was $20 now $12
The Plantenay is a fine Chardonnay from this Burgundian collective of growers. The grapes for this Rully were grown with lutte raisonnée or ‘reasoned struggle’, a practice that uses chemicals less often and less aggressively than conventional growers The wine offers aromatic complexity with pineapple, apricot and floral notes held together by fine acidity and good minerality.
 
2008 Domaine Didier Tripoz, Pouilly Fuissé, Vieilles Vignes
Was $30 now $16
Catherine and Didier Tripoz took over this flagging domaine in the 1990s and have worked hard to restore it to glory. The 10 hectares of vineyard are situated to the south of the Maconnais region, close to the great vineyards of Pouilly-Fuissé. The grapes for for their Pouilly Fuissé come from older Chardonnay vines.   The wine is fruit driven with apple and citrus flavors and a long elegant finish. It sees no oak ageing, and is crisp and refreshing.
 
2006 Vereinigte Hospitien Piesporter Goldtröopfchen Riesling Kabinett
Was $25 now $12
Vereingte is one of the United Hospitien a group of traditional wineries in the Mosel set up to provide financial security for the old, sick and disabled people of the region. The wine cellar of the winery United hospices located in an old Roman walls dating from 330 AD and is the oldest wine cellars in Germany. The Goldtröopfchen or gold droplets is a dryer Riesling with appealing fruity flavors of citrus and spicy acid and mineral notes.
 
2010 Cantine Pirovano Këssel Lagrein Trentino
Was $11 now $9
From up in Trentino in Northeast Italy, this lighter alcohol (12.5%) Lagrein has intense aromas of blackberry and sour cherry along with Violets and Tobacco notes along with soft fruit flavors of cherry and plum. It is a great versatile food wine.
 
2008 Maude Pinot Noir
Was $32 now $16
This Central Otago Pinot is fermented traditionally in open topped tanks with a portion of whole bunch included in each fermenter using indigenous yeasts. The wine is hand plunged for a month for tannin development prior to gentle pressing through a basket press, then matured in French barriques for 10 months before bottling. The Maude has a dark and brooding nose of mulberry, plum pie and ripe blackberries along with wild thyme, violets and toasty chocolate. It has good concentration of fruit flavors coupled with strong yet supple tannins.

It is the dog days of Summer, but we have something to beat the heat. This Saturday will be pouring an intriguing line up of Italian wines that will tantalize the brain and sooth the spirit. These are no common pizza wines. We have a crisp Tocai, A horsey Tuscan blend, a monkish Schiava and a sparling Bonarda. Come and get refreshed.

2010 Sferracavallo, Pinot Grigio, Umbria $10
This Pinot Gris comes from hillside vineyards with chalky limestone and volcanic soil that surround Orvietto. The wine is crisp, fresh with a good spicy note.

2011 Bastianich Friulano Adriatico $18
100% (Tocai) Friulano
Friuli-Venezia Giulia lies in the far northeast corner of Italy. Bastianich’s vineyards there sit in two distinct zones. The original vineyard in Buttrio/Premariacco is influenced by the warmth of the sea and is famous for producing wines of great power. The second property, in Cividale del Friuli, is influenced by the bora, or north wind. With cooler nights, the wines are much more aromatic. Both areas share similar soil, ponca, the crumbly sandstone gives the wines their signature mineral backbone. The Adriatico is medium bodied with ripe, luscious pear flavors carried by a refreshing mineral flavor and zesty, mouthwatering acidity.

2010 San Felice Cantrada $10
50% Merlot, 40% Sangiovesse, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
This red wine was created for the Contrade of Siena to be served at their traditional banquets during the days of the Palio (a yearly horse race). Fresh, and fruity, the Contrada is a robust Tuscan food wine with scents of ripe cherries and violet, soft tannins and big bright fruit combined with a balanced acidity.

2010 Kalterersee Auslese ( Schiava) Alto Adige $17
Schiava (also known as Trollinger, Vernatsch or Kalterersee)
Novacella is an Augustinian monastery founded in 1147. Today the monks still make wine to support the monastery. This Northern alpine Italian red is light and fresh with aromas reminiscent of red summer fruits and cherry; succulent, gentle and fruity on the palate with soft, unobtrusive tannins, mild but refreshing acidity and a typical hint of almond on the finish.

2010 Castekki du Luzzano Bonarda Oltrepo Pavese Frizante $20
100% Croatina (Bonarda)
This Bonarda Frizzante is a sparkling red wine familiar in the north of Italy. The estate lies on a hill that borders the regions of Emilia Romagna and Lombardy. The wine possesses plenty of fruit, intense aromas of raspberry and a dry palate of great elegance. Fresh and unusual.

This Saturday we are heading to the other end of the earth and exploring the wines of South Africa. The warm climate blended with cool breezes off the ocean come together to make for great grape growing. Each region excels in different varietals and we’ve found some excellent examples to show that off. Take a break from the Seafair frenzy and come tour the Cape.

2011 Badenhorst, Secateurs Chenin Blanc, Swartland $14
Badenhorst is a family estate in Swartland growing old bush vines that are bio dynamically farmed. The Chenin is full-bodied yet discreet and inviting, with herbal, floral and citrus flavors.

2011 Southern Right, Sauvignon Blanc Walker Bay

The estate is located only 3 kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean and the cool breezes that come in off the ocean make this the coolest region for wine production in South Africa. The blanc has full aromas of lime and gooseberry and a touch of mineral along with flavors of lemon and pineapple.

2011 Boekenhoutskloof, Wolftrap Red, Franschoek $10

65% Syrah, 32% Mourvedre & 3% Viognier

The wine gets its name from the early settlers in the Franschhoek valley (where the Boekenhoutskloof winery is located) who built Wolftraps. The only problem is, there have never actually ever been any wolves in or around the region. The reds were fermented using selected Rhone strain yeasts. French oak matured with Viognier blended prior to bottling. Egg white fined. The wine has a spicy profile with ripe black fruit and violets with soft tannins, good density and a hint of oak.

2009 Spice Route, Chakalaka, Swartland $20

37% Syrah, 21% Mourvedre, 18% Carignan, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Grenache and 4% Tannat

Swartland’s deep red soils sustain these unirrigated bush vines through the long warm summers. The harsh condition is tempered by cool Atlantic breezes rolling in overnight. The wine has initial smoky cloves and savory notes that give way to a plum and black cherry nose with hints of sweet oak spice.

2010 Fairview, Pinotage Paarl $15

The Fairview Pinotage is sourced from a number of different vineyards in the coastal region of Paarl. It is a classic example of this uniquely South African varietal. The wine is big and earthy with smoky aromas and lots of dark ripe fruit.