These elegant artisanal ciders were developed by maitre liquoriste Deirdre Heekin of Eden Ice Cider Company in West Charleston, VT.

Eden Sparkling Dry Cider                                    ($9 for 375ml)
Eden Sparkling Dry Cider is made with locally grown apples, including traditional heirloom and cider varieties. 50% of the blend is Kingston Black, a classic British cider variety.  The cider is fermented and aged in French oak puncheons for a year, then bottled with a secondary fermentation that is created with additional juice rather than sugar. After another 6 months each bottle is hand-disgorged in a careful process that removes the yeast but retains the vibrant natural effervescence of the in-bottle fermentation.  The finished cider has 8.5% alcohol as a result of using true cider variety apples that have higher beginning sugar levels than typical dessert apples. Eden Sparkling Dry is full-flavored, tannic, clean and very dry with a champagne-like mouth feel and bright acidity. It is a wonderful accompaniment to food, including barbecue, cheeses, grilled fish and especially oysters! 

ORLEANS HERBAL                         ($30)
CIDER INFUSED WITH HERBS
100% Vermont grown fruit and herbs.
No added sugar, coloring or flavoring of any kind. Using our Northern winter cold to concentrate fresh-pressed cider from Vermont apples, we fermented the concentrate to make a pure dry wine infused with a special blend of Vermont-grown herbs. A refreshing, aromatic wine, the Orleans Herbal has delicate apple flavor and white floral, honey, and anise notes. Serve over ice with a twist of lime, or use it in cocktails. 15.5% alcohol by volume.

ORLEANS BITTER                        ($35)
CIDER WITH RED CURRANT AND BITTERS
100% Vermont grown apples and herbs.
Traditional and heirloom varieties of apples, infused with red currant and blended with dandelion, gentian and angelica bitters. Using our Northern winter cold to concentrate fresh-pressed cider, we fermented the concentrate to make a pure dry cider, and then infused it with red currant and blended it with dandelion, gentian and angelica bitters from Urban Moonshine in Burlington, Vermont. Orleans Bitter is perfect for making classic cocktails such as Negronis, Manhattans and Americanos. It may also be used as an aperitif over ice by itself or with sparkling water (or wine). 16% 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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.

This Saturday we’ll be presenting some wines that speak to their origins.  They come to us from importer Eric Solomon who has developed a talent for finding unique and value packed wines. Such local varieties as Bobal,
Mencia and Listan Negro, talk loudly of their place. The wines speak for themselves and we think you’ll leave singing their praises.
 
2013 Conreria d ‘Scala Dei, Black Slate, la Morera Blanc $20
93% Garnatxa Blanca 7% Pedro Ximenes
From the highest altitude, coolest vineyards located in Priorat, the la Morera is left on its leas over winter, a technique that helps to impart a lovely creaminess to the wine.  The black slate has notes of orange blossom, citrus, crushed stone, and honeycomb, and a noteworthy richness on the palate.  
 
2011 Cuartro Passo Bierzo  $13
Mencía
100% Mencía elaborated from grapes chosen from the over 80-year-old vines from the slated lands located in the high areas of the Bierzo region.  The Cuatro Passo sees two months of oak and possesses many layers of flavor and complexity with notes of black plum and cherry, hints of tobacco, and a touch of bittersweet chocolate.
 
2012 Cherubino Valsangiacomo, Bobal de SanJuan  $12
Utiel Requena is a growing zone located within the province of Valencia where Bobal is the major native grape.  The Cherubino comes from 60 to 80-year-old vines, and is aged four months in concrete, leaving just the fruit to show through.  It shows blueberry and sweet and sour cherry fruit intermixed with notions of chalk and strawberries.
 
2012 Casa Castillo Monastrell  $12
From Jumilla, Casa Castillo’s Monastrell (100% Mourvedre) comes from old vines and ages six months in neutral French oak barrels.  The wine has “complex aromas of red berry liqueur, cherry pit and floral pastilles. Smooth, expansive black raspberry and cherry compote flavors are energized by tangy acidity. The floral note recurs on the finish, which features silky tannins and a late note of cracked pepper.”
 
2012 Suertes del Marques 7 Fuentes   $21
90% Listan Negro, 10% Tintilla (Trousseau)
From the Canary Islands, 7 Fuentes means 7 fountains and is a blend of several plots (Los Geranios, Los Pasitos, and El Montijo) in the Valle de la Orotava.  This is Suertes’ entry level red – they refer to it as their village wine.  The wine has Asian spice-accented red berries and white pepper on the nose.  Its juicy raspberry and bitter cherry flavors are underscored by a zesty mineral quality and subtle tannic grip.

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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.

This time of year the question arises what to serve with Thanksgiving Dinner.  There is advice in every newspaper and magazine you happen to open.  What goes with such an array of flavors?  Well the truth is that it is more wine than they would have you think.  Sure a few wines might not be the best choices but a vast number of wines fit the bill just fine.  Stop by the shop this Saturday when we’ll be pouring a flight of wines that we think will match your meal to a tee.

Case Bianche Prosecco Superiore DOCG Cognegliano Valdobbiadene Extra Dry  $16
There is never a wrong time for bubbles and the Case Bianche is a very high quality Prosecco that has all the right letters. DOCG.  It is round and supple with a dry-yet-fruity medium body, tangy green apple and mineral notes.

2013 L’Ecole  Chennin Blanc  $16
From our home boys in Walla Walla, this fresh and vibrant Chenin Blanc shows abundant expressive aromatics of jasmine, passion fruit, and orange blossom with flavors of star fruit and apple on a balanced, crisp mineral finish.  They have produced this old vine, crisp and aromatic Vouvray-style Chenin Blanc since 1987.

2012 Soléna, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Grand Cuvee $24
The Grand Cuvee is a combination of vineyards from though out the Willamette including Domaine Danielle Laurent (Yamhill-Carlton), Grand Cru Estates (Yamhill-Carlton) Hyland (McMinnville), Zena Crown (Eola-Amity Hills), Willakia (Eola-Amity Hills), Bailey (Chahalem) and Monk’s Gate (Yamhill-Carlton). It has a full fruity nose with a hint of violet. The brightness shows up front the vivacity of the fruit with layers of black and red cherry. The structure is round with just enough tannin on a light creamy coffee roast finish.

2011 Giralamo Russo, a Rina Etna Rosso $25
Nerrello Mascalese
Russo’s a Rina is a truly delicious wine grown on the north slopes of Mt Etna.  It has a nose of red fruits, pepper and wild flowers along with flavors of cherry, pomegranate, red current and a smoldering hint of smoke.  One sip and you’re hooked.

2011 Soos Creek Sundance, Columbia Valley Red Wine $20 
38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 15% Syrah, 13% Cabernet Franc
Sundance Red Wine uses fruit from the Charbonneau and Ciel du Cheval Vineyards.  The wine is medium bodied, with a delicious purity of fruit with cornucopia of flavor nuances — juicy cherry, raspberry, herb, spice box and cedar 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. No matter what day you stop by we always have something open to sample.