This Tuesday we’re having a special tasting of wines from Castillo de Feliciana a new winery in Walla Walla that takes inspiration from their Spanish roots and are dedicated to the enjoyment of the simple pleasures of life. Kara Castillo will be here to talk about the wine and her family’s project. Take a break and come join us.

2011 Pinot Grigio                $16
95% Pinot Grigio, Upland Vineyard 5% Chardonnay, Wallula Vineyard
A fresh pour of this wine brings aromatics of ripe pear, granny smith apple, and layered notes of tropical pineapple. On the palate, the wine is characterized by a light body, crisp acidity, with complementing flavors of citrus zest and pear.

2011 Tempranillo Rosé             $18
100% Tempranillo, Rosebud Vineyard, Wahluke Slope
This Rosé was made in the traditional style with 18 hours of skin contact. The berries were then taken to the basket press for gentle extraction. Complex aromas of cherry blossom, stone fruits, strawberry, and citrus zest entice the olfactory senses. A full-bodied mouthfeel sets the stage for an array of fruit flavors including strawberry rhubarb and peach. The flavors linger in a lasting finish.

Tempranillo- Non-Vintage         $18
100% Tempranillo, Rosebud Vineyard, Whaluke Slope
Tempranillo is the noble grape of Spain. It has spread throughout the world and feels right in the arid region of the Pacific Northwest. This Tempranillo has notes of raspberry jam that mix with spicy notes of black pepper. On the palate notes of mocha are balanced with fresh acidity, bold tannins, and a mouth coating finish.

2009 Miercoles                $20
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot
90% Cockburn Vineyard, Walla Walla 10% Phinny Hill, Horse Heaven Hills
This dinner wine brings the refreshing nose of red fruits and vanilla. An aroma similar to standing in a strawberry field develops as the wine opens in the glass. Upon tasting, a round supple feel is balanced with a crisp acidity that fades with mellow intensity.

2009 Malbec                $38
90% Malbec 10% Cabernet Sauvignon Phinny Hill Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills
The 2009 Malbec offers intrigue with a deep violet color, an inviting aroma filled with the bouquet of blackberry, chocolate, cassis, and laced with a hint of tobacco. On the palate, a full body is completed with soft tannins that intermingle with dark fruit, oak, and spice.

It is Garage Sale Saturday here in Madrona with lots of people parting with treasures and lots of others scouring the neighborhood for jewels and bargains. We’ve been doing a little local treasure hunting ourselves, so after you have exhausted the sales stop by the shop and refresh yourself with the great local wines we’ll have open for tasting. It is a sure thing that you’ll find something treasures among them.
 
Pick up a map to the garage sales at the shop on Friday afternoon, or at Café Verite. And be sure to hit the whole block sale at 29^th & Pike Saturday morning.
 
2011 Northwest Wine Academy Rosé $10
51% Nebbiolo, 15% Cinsault, 11% Cabernet Franc
The NW wine Academy is made in the wine making program at South Seattle Community College. The grapes for this refreshing rosé mainly come from Gilbert Vineyards on Waluke Slope. The wine has a good balance between soft fruit notes, herbal undertones and good acidity.
 
2010 Cedergreen Cellars Sauvignon Blanc $14
This unoaked Sauv. Blanc from Kevin Cedergreen is in the full bodied New Zealand style, a little grassy with lots of ripe fruit. It is great food wine that pairs well with Caesar Salad, grilled fish, spicy foods and of course scallops.
 
2010 J. Scott Cellars Roussanne $18
72% Oregon and 28% Washington.
This cross border blend of Roussanne has pretty aromatics, lots of dry fruit and citrus flavors and is rich in the mouth. It is unoaked and undergoes no malolactic fermentation. It is also a favorite at St Clouds.
 
2008 J.Scott Cellars Syrah $19
J. Scott located in Eugene pulls fruit from both Washington and Oregon to make his wines. The grapes for his Syrah come from Oregon’s Rogue Valley, a warmer micro climate than the Willamette. The wine is spicy and full bodied and drinks much better than its unassuming price.
 
2009 Angel Vine Zinfandel $19
Angel Vines Estate vineyard is located in Oregon’s Eola-Amity hills and of course is planted in Pinot Noir, but they source grapes of a darker nature out of Washington. Their 2009 Zinfandel comes for Stonetree Vineyard on Waluke Slope.   The wine has good round blackberry fruit and a supple spicy body.

Can’t make the tastings, but still want to explore new and unique wines? Consider joining our wine club, Madrona Wines Monthly. Each month we put together a diverse assortment of wines for our club members. It doesn’t get any easier to find something new. Check out our website for more details.

Southern France has so many things we love in wine — independent family run estates, distinct terroir, abundant grape varieties, and excellent quality for their price. The appellations of the Languedoc, Roussillon, and Provence are strung out like little jewels along the Mediterranean. Stop by on Saturday as we check out a few of these gems.
 
2010 Domaine des Cassagnoles, Cotes de Gasgogne $10
50% Colombard, 40% Ugni Blanc,10% Gros Manseng
Domaine des Cassagnoles is situated in the heart of the Gascony, where the Cardeillac family has produced wine for several centuries.Gilles Baumann and Janine Cardeillac took up residence at the family farm in 1974 and started making their own wine instead of using the grapes for Armagnac. The wine shows fresh lime, grapefruit and other citrus notes offered in a light-bodied, fresh, zesty style.
 
2010 Val de Salis, Viognier, Vin d’Pays d’oc $10
Viognier from 15 to 20 years old vines
Between the Corbières and Minervois, Val de Salis sits on an ancient wetlands amidst the hills and mountains of the Languedoc, cut off from the sea during the uplift that raised the Pyrenees. This brackish lake, with its unpleasant and unhealthy climate, was drained under Louis XIV, at the end of the 17th C, and the land was steadily reclaimed and planted during the French Second Empire. Val de Salis has been in the Gau family for more than 100 years. The vineyards are flooded at the end of each winter, an ancestral technique which allows the vines to be grown on their own rootstock and uniquely protected from phylloxera. The wine has an intense and very complex nose of pineapple, lichees, peaches and apricots. Full-bodied and flavorful on the palate.
 
2009 Chateau D’Oupia, Minervois Tradition $12
60% Carignan (from 100 years old vineyards), 30% Syrah and 10% Grenache.
15 years ago André Iché switched from selling the wine from his terraced hillside vineyards in Minervios to négociants and turned to bottling it himself. Since then D’Ooupia has become a standard of value. The Tradition is aromatic, full and densely colored, with a long finish of dark fruits that are elegant and balanced. It drinks well young and can age up to 5-7 years.
 
L’Oustal, Blanc K 10 $17
100% Carignan from 100 year old vines
L’Oustal is a naturaly farmed estate in the Languedoc. The grapes for the K10 come from a blend of their vineyards in Minervois and St Chinian. “Toasted pecan and walnut; dark chocolate; ripe blackberry and cassis; and maritime saline and alkaline minerality combine for complex appeal and terrific value. I suspect this will be lovely for at least the next 3-4 years.” 90pts WA
 
2009 La Bastide Blanche, Bandol $28
Mourvedre, with a bit of Cinsault/Grenache
La Bastide Blanche is just outside of Castellet, a pretty village in Provence that has been a center of grape cultivation for millenia. The estate is run by the two Bronzo brothers who purchased the vineyards in 1972 Their Bandol shows intense black-fruit aromas and a rich spicy herby flavors along with deep earthy notes. Find out why Bandol is the King of the South.

Stop by after work on Thursday, as we have a special mid-week tasting with new local importer Barrique Imports. We’ve picked up a few of their wines and we’re taking this opportunity to show them off. We’ll have these delicious wines for you to try, plus some special appetizers from our friends at Locosho. Drop by and check it out.
 
2010 Château Chênaie, Cuvée Conviction, AOC Faugères $16
80% Roussanne, 20% Rolle
The Chabberts are a 5th generation wine growing family, their estate vineyard is located in the Southeast of Faugères, nestled in the schistous slopes of the foothills of the Montagne Noire in the Languedoc. The wine has aromas of flowers, apricot and a touch of honey on the end. The palate is fine round with a good balance and pleasant finish.
 
2010 Clos d’Espinous, Corbières $18
40% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 30% Syrah
A rough and rugged Old vine Carignan from a small estate in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The grapes are grown with environmentally sustainable methods and certified Agriculture Biologique, France’s equivalent of Organic certification. The wine has a smoky and deep red berry nose, with a mouthful of boysenberry and spice, with ripe tannins.
 
2008 Chateau Fontaynes Cahors Cuvèe Dorian$12
Malbec
This powerful 100% Malbec is grown on the ‘second’ and ‘third tier’ (some of the best terroir in Cahors) of the banks of the River Lot, where it winds its way past the medieval village. The wine has nice fruit up front and a big mouthfeel, and a lot more complexity than any Argentinian Malbec at this price.
 
2006 Domingo Molina, Malbec $20
From hand-harvested grapes from Yacochuya vineyards at 6,400 feet above sea level, this Malbec reflects the high altitude microclimate and the unique soil of the Cafayate region in Salta. The wine is an intense deep purple red wine, with good structure and balance, and a good example of how an Argentinian Malbec can develop if given a little time.

Stop in this Saturday and try some captivating wines from the northern regions of Italy. We’ll be tasting wines from Lombardy, Alto Adige, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna, made from unique grapes such as Edelvernatsch, Wildbacher, and Bombino Bianco. It is not your typical Italian tasting. Come discover something new.
 
2010 Campodelsole San Pascasio, Emilia-Romagna $13
Bombino Bianco
Campodelsole is a Modern state of the art winery located amongst the vineyards at the foot of mount Bertinoro, a region that has grown grapes since Roman times. The Bombino Bianco, a local variant of Trebbiano, comes from an old family vineyard. The wine ages six months in stainless steel tanks, with small percentage aged in oak barriques. It is crisp yet full bodied with rich fruit flavors of citrus, mango, and melon.
 
2010 Erste & Neue, Edelvernatsch, Alto Adige $11
Erste & Neue is a collective of growers in the Kaltern region of the South Tyrolean Alps where they grow the grape Edelvernatsch. The wine is distinct and refreshing lighter bodied red, with a fine fruity bouquet with light almond tones. It is fruity with light acidity on the palate, and is a great match for lighter dishes.
 
2004 Tenuta Col Sandago, Wildbacher Colli Trevigiani IGT, Veneto $27
Wildbacher is a very old dark-skinned grape originally from Austria that was transplanted centuries ago to Marca Trevigiana in the Veneto. It is named after the district in which it was originally grown, Wildbach, which literally means “wild stream”. Its yields are extremely low, which lead to its near extinction in the mid 1900s, a period when the mass production ruled the wine industry. Tenuta Col Sandago is the only winery to produce a 100% Wildbacher. The wine is aged for 20 months in 500 liter barrels. It has aromas of small red berries and spices and herbal notes. The body is full with robust tannins and good acidity and a strong personality. It is truly unique and one of a kind.
 
2008 Umberto Cesari, Sangiovese di Romagna Reserva $19
This estate grown Sangiovese from Emilia-Romagna is aged for two years in barrel before release. The wine is aromatic with notes of dark fruit and violets. The flavor is full rich and dry with mouth filling tannins.
  
2005 Vinicola Nera, Sforzato Valtellina DOCG, Lombardy $40
Chiavennasca, (Nebbiolo)
This local Nebbiolo is grown on the terraced lands at the base of the Rhaetic foothills in Valtellina, where it has been grown since the 16th century. The grapes for the Sforzato are dried on mats like Amarone for several months and then pressed in February after the fruit has been concentrated. It is then aged for two years in large oak barrels. The wine has an intense bouquet with hints of violets, spice, plum preserves and raisins. It has a dry and savory flavor with lots of structure and complex fruit with an aftertaste of toasted hazelnuts and licorice. The Sforzato will get better and better with age.