This Saturday we’ll be pouring some great wines from two Washington wineries.  Kestral started in 1999.  Their Kestrel View Estate vineyard 1200′ up the Rattlesnake Slope is home to old plantings of Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec dating back to 1972.  Alexandria Nicole  focuses on small lots of hand-crafted wine from our their Destiny Ridge Estate Vineyard located high above the bluffs on the Columbia River, near the town of Paterson, in the Horse Heaven Hills.

2011 Alexandria Nicole, A Squared Rosé $12
96% Pinot Gris, 2% Mourvedre, 2% Syrah
This very pretty, salmon color Rosé boasts a bright bouquet of watermelon, strawberry, and raspberry. The palate starts out broad and fruit filled with cherry, rhubarb and hints of spice which lead to a crisp, yet lingering finish.

2012 Alexandria Nicole, Shepard’s Mark $19
65% Roussanne, 20% Marsanne, 15% Viognier,
A stainless steel aged Rhone blend, Shepard’s Mark comes from all estate fruit.  This unique and flavorful white wine boasts floral notes of lavender, layered with pineapple, bosc pear, lemon zest, all leading into a delicious mix of citrus and white peach, and a viscous yet crisp mouth-feel that lingers to a refreshing finish.

2009 Kestrel, Sangiovese $20
This estate grown Sangiovese employs a number of different techniques to increase color and intensity.  The vines are fan trained to spread the fruit out and improves exposure to sun, with only one bud per spur, and one cluster per shoot, reducing the yield   At crush they draw off about 20% of the juice, this intensifies the color and flavors of the remaining wine by increasing the skin to juice ratio, making it darker and richer in body and structure.  The wine has aromas of cherry, cassis, blackberry, blueberry and dried herbs, with notes of vanilla, cedar and leather, intertwined with the dark cherry and blackberry.

2010 Kestrel, Tribute Red $20
52% Mourvedre, 44% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Sangiovese 
The Tribute commemorates Kestrel’s founder John Walker.   The Merlot lends strength and structure while the Mourvedre introduces beauty and elegance.  The wine ages in 30% new French and American oak for 18 months.  It is full of ripe dark fruits such as cherry, currant and elderberry accompanied by tobacco, dried herbs, cedar, vanilla, spice and currant jam.  

2011 Kestrel, Cabernet Sauvignon  $21
84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 1% Syrah
The grapes for this cab are 72% Kestrel View Estate Vineyards, 17% Olsen Estate Vineyards and 11% McKinley Springs Vineyard. They age twenty-two months in small French, Hungarian and American oak barrels.  The wine is filled with dark fruit such as Van cherries, boysenberries, elk heart plums, black currants, spice, dried herbs, cigar, coffee and smoke. This expansive and generous wine is full bodied, dense, with firm tannins and a lingering finish.

When Ernst Loosen took over his family estate of ungrafted vines averaging 60 years old in some of the Mozel’s best-rated vineyards, he dramatically reduced the crop size, stopped all chemical fertilization, And he turned to gentler cellar practices that would allow the wine to develop its full potential with a minimum of technological meddling.  Later he took over the historic J.L. Wolf estate In the Pfalz, Where the wines are more full-bodied, with higher alcohol and pure flavors of ripe fruit and stone.  Come by on Saturday when we’ll be pouring some excellent value wines from the Doctor as well as one of his more developed world class Rieslings.

2012 Ernst Loosen,  Villa Wolf, Pinot Noir Rosé   $12
The Pfalz is a very warm and sunny region, often called “the Tuscany of Germany,” so all of the Pinot varieties do well here. The Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rosé is a true rosé, made with a brief maceration before pressing to extract color. It is light and refreshing, with deliciously bright berry and fruit flavors and a clean, zippy finish.

2012 Ernst Loosen Villa Wolf,  Pinot Gris $13
Pinot Gris was first identified in the Pfalz region. Villa Wolf Pinot Gris is made in a full-bodied, dry style with fresh, unoaked fruit and a crisp texture. Half of each vintage is made in large, neutral oak casks for depth and complexity. The other half is done in stainless steel to preserve freshness and enhance the vibrant fruit.

2011 Ernst Loosen Red Slate Dry Riesling  $16
Made from red slate estate vineyards in Erden and Ürzig, this dry Riesling has an intense minerality that is warm and enveloping. It has floral, spicy, citrus blossom aromas and harmonious flavors with a full, expansive texture. A very expressive wine that is an excellent introduction to the Mosel.

2007 Ernst Loosen Erdener Treppchen Spätlese Riesling  $32
Erdener Treppchen Spätlese is from a truly “grand cru” vineyard in the village of Erden. Stone steps are built into this vineyard’s steep hillside to reach the vines. The iron-infused, red slate soil produces wines that are muscular and complex, with an intense mineral finish. Wines from Erdener Treppchen are more like a powerful, hard-body rock climber than the graceful ballet dancer. They benefit greatly from a few years in the bottle developing more nuance as they age.  The 2007 is showing signs honeysuckle, melon and a bit of diesel. 

2011 Ernst Loosen Villa Wolf Dornfelder  $10
Dornfelder is a crossing developed in 1955 at the Weinsberg Wine School, and was named after the founder. About 20,262 acres (8,200 hectares) of Dornfelder are planted throughout Germany, accounting for 8% of the total vineyard area. Villa Wolf Dornfelder is a fruity, medium-bodied red wine with flavors of plums and cherries balanced by velvety tannins.

Sunday:
We’ll have two pleasing French wines open for tasting all day.
As well as the artist reception for:

Portraits: Man & Beasts
Eden Hopkins
Laura Grover
from 3 to 5pm  
Stop in and meet the artists. 

This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely Italians.

2010 Tola Catarratto            ($13)
A Sicilian white grape that has a big round mouthfeel, with flavors of grapefruit and apricot.

2011 Corbanelli Rosso Toscana    ($9)
90% Sangiovese, 10% Trebbiano
An old school style Tuscan red where they blend a bit of white grapes (trebbiano) in with the Sangiovese. A lighter body, nice fresh fruit, summery red.

Penedès in the northeast of Spain is considered one of the country’s best wine-producing regions best-known for its Cava, fresh Grenache and highly-regarded, oak-aged reds. In the shadow of the Pyrenees, Penedés is distinctly Catalan, a very food and wine loving culture.  Stop by on Saturday and try some delicious wines from the region.  

2009 Jané Ventura, Reserva de la Música Brut  $15
32% Macabeo, 38% Xarel·lo, 30% Parellada 
Jané Ventura is a family winery in Lower Penedès with a tradition that dates back to 1914. Their distinct Cava has a delicate and aromatic herb and floral aroma and rich creamy palate reminiscent fennel, white flowers and citrusy orange peel jam.  It has silky small bubbles with a wide entry and a long, subtle flowery and toasty finish.

2011 Jané Ventura, Bianco Selecció $13
72% Old Xarel lo vines, 14% Macabeo, 8% Grenache Blanc, 6% Malvasia de Sitges 
The Bianco Selecció is made using a cold-temperature skin maceration to achieve higher aromatic expression and more structure on the palate. The must is then fermented at low temperature in inox vats and spends 3 months “sur lie”. The nose is elegant and complex, showing stone fruit (peaches) tropical fruit (bananas) and white fruit (yellow plumbs). The flavor is elegant and creamy with white flower reminiscences and a long and persistent finish.

2012 Pardas, Rupestris  $17 
81% Xarel lo, 6% Red Xarello, 13% Malvasia de Sitges.
Ramon Parera and Jordi Arnan, oenologist and agronomist respectively, farm more than 40 hectares of organic vineyards in the Alt Penedes.  Their Rupestris has at first sniff citrus fruit followed by Sant Joan pear and ripe melon, quince, soft hazelnut and a feeling of dawn in a Mediterranean landscape: aromas of lavender, weaver’s broom and dried cuttings.  Beyond the fruit, we find the minerality of the soil where the vines thrive in, quite a lot of flint. Pears, apricots and peaches overlay a marked acidic background and provide an excellent tension across the palate which carries over the depth of the fruit towards an electric fresh and slightly bitter aftertaste. One of them likes to wax poetic.

2011 Finca Viladellops, Garnatxa $13
Grenacha
Viladellops is a large organically farmed estate located in the town of the same name 45 km from Barcelona.  The Garnatxa is made from the freshest and fruitiest wines of the harvest.  It has a fresh and fruity aroma of Picota cherry. It is long in the mouth but at the same time it is tasty and rich in clear fruit flavors.

2008 Pardas Negra Franc  $21
60% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Sumoll — Organic.
Made with more continental varietals, the Negra Franc is serious and intense and very fragrant wine with a very present balsamic background, aromas reminiscent of black pepper, fresh plums and grilled peppers along with hints of candied oranges and pencil lead.  It seduces the palate by growing and becoming more ample giving way to plenty fleshy black fruit. Quite a persistence of tannins fills the entire mouth.  A fine long and elegant finish with just the right amount of acidity reverberates and defines the sensation.  They get quite excited describing their wines.

This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely Spanish wines.

2011 Viña Vilano Verdejo    ($10)
Bodegas Viña Vilano is located in the village of Pedrosa de Duero, province of Burgos, internationally regarded as the most privileged wine-growing region within the Designation of Origin of Ribera del Duero, with 300 hectares of vineyards dating back to its foundation in 1957. A tasty Verdejo with a good mix of tropical fruits and herbal notes. Quaffable.

2007 El Quintanal Joven    ($10)
Tempranillo
Ribera Del Duero
A ripe and fruity old vine Tempranillo was once young but now has a good bit of bottle age on it after 3 months in oak. Still robust. Excellent for appetizers, pastas and red meats.
Was $12 now $10

This Saturday we’re pouring some wonderful everyday wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Côtes du Rhône. The wines are diverse and delicious, fit a wide variety of occasions. It’s a great reminder that French wine need not be about big names and high prices. Take a break from your Saturday and give them a try.

2010 Chateau Haut-Mongeat, Graves de Vayres Blanc $11
65% Semillon / 30% Muscadelle / 5% Sauvignon Blanc
Haut-Mongeat is made by Isabelle Bouchon who runs her third generation family farm in this small appellation of Entre deux Mers. The wine is fresh and lively with a palate-cleansing racy acidity and bright, ripe fruit. The bouquet is highly aromatic with abundant notes of apple, pear, pineapple, and flowers. 

2011 Domaine Garnier & Fils, Petit Chablis $14  
Chardonnay
The work of two brothers, Garnier’s Petit Chablis is made from grapes harvested from a small single vineyard with soil of sandy clay and limestone. After a five month fermentation, the wine is aged for six months in large steel tanks, which maintains its citrus freshness. There is nothing petit about this unoaked Chardonnay except the price. Its crisp, aromas of flowers and cut grass blend with undertones of chalk and white stones. The generous, rich texture on the palate reveals a slight burst of candied lemon and tastes of citrus and subtle herbs with lots of good fruit and good minerality. 

2010 Chateau Brethous, Bordeaux Clairet $10
50% Cabernet Sauvignon / 50% Cabernet Franc 
Brethous is a small bio-dynamically farmed vineyard. Their Clairet is could be called a dark rose or a light Bordeaux. Either way the wine is loaded with fruit and shows a broad pallet of flavors: Strawberry, raspberry, plus hints of apple, pear, mango and passion fruit. It can be served at room temperature or slightly chilled.

2010 Nicolas Croze Notre Dame de Mélinas, Côtes du Rhône $15   
40% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Carignan, 10% Cinsault
Nicolas Croze comes from an estate in the Ardeche, between the north and the south Rhône. The wine comes from a single vineyard and is aged 18 months in large tanks. It is full and rich and shows aromas of cherry and plum with a hint of pepper with depth and power and has a smooth long finish.

2010 Les Hauts de Plaisance, Haut Medoc $14
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
A second wine of Château Pontoise Cabarrus, the Hauts de Plaisance is a great deal on a full Cabernet dominate Bordeaux that has more stuffing than most at its price. The wine has a complex aromatic nose of red fruit, berries, coffee, and spice with a delicious balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity this wine tastes of cherry and blackberry, and a hint of coffee and chocolate.

Picking Petit Chablis

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.