As we adjust to the cooler climes it is nice to have a glass or two of a bold red around to take the chill off the day (or night).  This weekend we will be tasting two domestic wines that fit the bill but don’t break the budget.  Stop on in and give them a try.

2017 Pomum Columbia Valley Red Wine  $15
44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot.
This elegant red is blended from Bordeaux varieties sourced from Konnowac Vineyard near the Columbia River. The wine sings with notes of red fruit and plum with herbs and cedar.  A great value.

2019 Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Merlot  $20
A big shouldered Napa Merlot with aromas of blackberry, cassis and black currant with hints of black tea leaves, Asian spice and graphite. Full-bodied entry with layers of blueberry, spiced boysenberry and mocha all coupled to well-integrated, rich tannins that give way to a rich, round, smooth finish.
Was $30, Now $20

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday 12-6PM
Tuesdays starting Thanksgiving Week

2016 Vina Zorzal, Rey Noble Garnacha  $12
90% Grenache, 10% Tempranillo
From the Rioja’s little brother to the east, Navarra, comes a garnacha (aka grenache) with a splash of tempranillo.  Rey Noble is the noble king, hence the blue heart on the bottle.  The wine has aromas of fresh red fruits, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, gooseberries, dog-rose, fruit candies and violet flowers.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM
Tuesdays starting Thanksgiving Week

Two wines from Calabria & Campania

We must be dreaming of a vacation.  After sipping Corsican red on Thursday and Friday, we decided be needed to open some wine from Southern Italy for the weekend.  We are going to open the bottles on Saturday and see how long they last.  Most likely Patrick will be pouring them on Sunday as well.

2020 Statti, Lamezia Rosso  $15
40% Gaglioppo, 40% Greco Nero, 20% Magliocco
From Calabria, this indigenous red blend evokes violet nuances, with small black fruit predominating, followed by hints of spices. Good structure with fine elegant tannins and a long persistent finish.

2019 Mastroberardino, Mastro Aglianico  $16
From Campania, the Mastro is fresh, youthful red has notes of strawberry, cherry, blackberry, and violet flowers. The palate is smooth, medium-bodied, with red fruits on the palate and a fruity finish.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

We’re chasing away the grey with a little sip of red from Corsica.  Stop by the shop and have a taste.

2020 Santa Giulietta, Vin de Corse Rouge  $15
40% Niellucciu,35% Grenache, 25% Syrah
This Corsican red show notes of red fruits and spices on the nose. Round and smooth palate, dominated by flavors of ripe fruits. Soft and elegant finish.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6

and they’re not scary at all.

Orange Wine for Halloween and the rest of the year.

While the kids are snatching up the candy stop into the shop and have a sip of Orange wine this weekend. 

Orange Wines are made by leaving white or blush grapes in contact with the juice after they are crushed.  Some only stay that way for a few days, others sit on the skins for several months.  The result is a different animal altogether with the astringent aspects of the skins playing off the fruit of the juice.  Hitting that in-between space of being fuller bodied than a white wine, but not overwhelming like a red wine, skin-contact wines can pair beautifully with appetizers with cheese, risotto, pasta, and light roasted meats.

We’ll be sampling two of these this weekend:

Saturday:
2021 Bonny Doon, Le Cigare Orange  $15
80% Grenache Blanc, 10% Grenache, 10% Orange Muscat
Doon’s long skin contact Orange Wine:  Aromas of fresh peaches, citrus, bergamot.  It has a textured and vibrant palate with peach, apricot and citrus peel.

Sunday:
2018 Klet Brda, Krasno  $20
40% Ribillo Gialla, 30% Malvasia, 30% Sauvigonnasse
Krasno is the highest village in Brda, with a long wine tradition and an abundance of excellent sites.  This Orange Wine sits sur lie for 6 months. The fresh and elegant white blend has an impressively mineral, full taste and delicate aromas of ripe white fruit, spices and wildflowers.

Happy Halloween!

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Madrona businesses will be handing out candy on Saturday the 29^th.  Bring your little goblins and have then come gobble up the neighborhood.  We just might have something ghoulish for the parents as well.

Get Ready for Halloween
The Day of the Dead is coming right up, but the wine of the dead has already arrived.  We have two wines from Vinos de los Muertos, a winery in New Mexico, on the shelf right now just waiting to be taken home for your Halloween party.

Vinos de los Muertos, Blanco Dulce Sweet White  $11
Moscato
From New Mexico a sweet, aromatic, white blend composed of Moscato. Lovely with flavors of light minerals, white flowers, honey, pears and nectarine. Refreshing & full of festive flavors!
11.0% alcohol by volume

Vinos de los Muertos, La Sangre Dry Red  $11
Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Ruby Red
New Mexico
A dry red blend composed primarily of Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and Ruby Red with notes of violets, cherries, fruit and spice. Lightly peppery with cherry accents and light leather.
12.5% alcohol by volume

Open for tasting this Thursday!
2018 Casas del Toqui, Reserva Carmenere (Barrel Series)  $15
Chile
Carmenere (a minor Bordeaux grape) thrives in Chile.  Aromas and flavors of roasted red pepper, grilled pumpkin, blackened pepita, and mole negro with a satiny, bright, fruity medium body and a smooth, medium-length finish revealing notes of mango and licorice with moderate oak flavor.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

As we transition from smoke and sun to crisp air and showers, we’ll be opening a couple of bottles with Fall in mind.  Stop and have a taste.

Saturday is Saumur

2018 Domanine des Ormes, Saumur  $17
Cabernet Franc
The nose on this Saumur is beautifully complex, with notes of ripe blackberries, fresh underbrush, green bell pepper and truffles, with the freshness of ripe strawberries. On the mid-palate, the wine is like a bowl of berries, with a dark concentration of fruits, firm structure and silky-soft tannins with a finish that is as long as the Loire River itself.

The Tears of Christ on Sunday

2015 Vini Iovine, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio  $14
80% Piedirosso, 20% Aglianico
A southern Italian red from the hillsides of the Volcano.   This lighter red has red berry, vinous aromas. It is dry, harmonic, and velvety on the palate.
Was $19; Now $14

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Come decide for yourself.

We were poking around the back room and found what we thought was more of the 2017 vintage of this our great little Burgundy “value” was in fact instead form the quite good 2014 vintage.  While this was never meant to be a long-aging cellar wine, the question arises, “How does it taste?”  Today you can find out for yourself.  We will have a bottle open for tasting for the curious of mind.  Brave the smoke and come check it out.

2014 Chanson Pere & Fils Bourgogne Rouge  $15
Pinot Noir
Super “everyday” Burgundy   Aromas of ripe berries (raspberries and cherries) mixed with licorice. Well-structured. Deep and tight texture. Well-integrated tannins.
Was $22 Now $15

Older reviews:
Ripe, yet fresh, restrained and silky red Burgundy from a high-quality vintage.

This wine is fresh, crisp with acidity and an attractive zingy character. It has a lift and brightness along with hints of yellow fruits and a touch of spice. 2016 Wine Enthusiast

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Here are two things that we are excited about this weekend.

First: Mark & I are happy to welcome Patrick Tefft to our team at Madrona Wine.  Patrick lives in the neighborhood, has frequented our shop pretty much from the time we opened, and knows a thing or two about a good glass of wine.  He’ll be holding down the fort on the weekends at the shop.  Stop in and say hi.

Second:  We have returned to having a bottle open to sample as you browse the shop.  While we aren’t back quite yet to our pre-covid Saturday events, it is nice to be able to offer a taste of some of the new things that have arrived at the store.  This Saturday it’s a great deal on an old-vine Beaujolais.  A perfect match to our smokey Fall weather.

2019 Henry Fessy, Beaujolais Villages Vieilles Vignes  $13
This old vine Gamay shows raspberry, red-apple, licorice and mushroom aromas. It’s medium-bodied with sleek tannins, bright acidity and earthy undertones.

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6PM

Thursday requires a good Tuscan red.

2021 Martoccia, Poggio Apricale  $18
Sangiovese Grosso
Poggio Apricale is the everyday offering from high altitude Brunello producer, Luca Brunelli. This ripe, unoaked rosso supplies terrific “grip” for such a freshly-styled wine. Aromas of morello cherry, sage, blackberry fill the glass, along with a supple, approachable mid-palate.  Organic

Shop Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 12-6pm