Inside we are pouring four Spanish wines from Frontaura starting at 2pm. Scroll down for the whole list.
Two Reds And A White.Kosher Wines For Passover.
With Passover arriving at sundown tonight (7:48pm in Seattle), Madrona Wine Merchants is happy to offer two Kosher red wines and one Kosher white. We are open until 7pm tonight for that last minute shopping.
2008 Golan Heights Winery Sion Creek White $15
Sauvignon Blanc, White Riesling and Gewurztraminer
From Galilee, this white has nuances of wild flowers and fresh herbs.
2008 Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon $10
From Vin de Pays d’Oc, this French red has light cassis aromas and flavors, a soft mouth feel and a long finish.
2010 Yarden Mount Hermon $16
Galilee Bordeaux-style Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc)
Emphasis on fresh red fruits, such as raspberries and cherries, but includes hints of fresh herbs and black pepper.
Not around the family tonight? Check out the Wall Street Journal article on Techie Seders.
Bodega Palacio de Los Frontaura Y Victoria
Saturday, April 7th
2pm
Bodega Palacio de Los Frontaura Y Victoria is a family-owned winery located in the town of Villabuena del Puente, in the D.O. Toro in Spain. The estate specializes in Tinta de Toro, the native variety Tempranillo. They also have vineyards in Ribera del Duero. The wines are big and bold blending the tradition of the region with modern wine making techniques. This Saturday we’ll be pouring some of these full bodied wines. Lucia Ramos Pérez from the winery will be on hand to tell us more about them. Come give them a try.
2010 Vega Murillo, Toro Verdejo $12
Different sweet notes of ripe fruit can be distinguished of good intensity. More intense and complex notes appear which are identified with touches of papaya, cherimoya and quince pulp, lightly floral (roses). In the background, golden apple and pear. On the palate is dry but with great softness in the mouth. The finish is round and full-bodied.
2010 Vega Murillo, Tinto, Toro Tempranillo $12
Cherry and berry flavors are sweetened with notes of vanilla in this fresh, soft red. Light leaf and licorice flavors add interest, and crisp acidity keeps it all lively.
2010 Nexus Cosecha, Ribera del Duero Tempranillo $20
In appearance this wine is cherry red in color with medium high robe. On the nose the aromas are very intense, predominating aromatic qualities of balsamic and fruity notes with hints of menthol. On the palate is balanced, long and intense with pleasant and refine tannins which lend complexity to the wine. A fresh, intense and well-structured wine.
2007 Dominio de Valdelacasa, Toro Tempranillo $20
Intense red in color, attractive on the nose, it displays aromas of compoted fruits, fresh almonds, white flowers with mineral graphite notes. Fresh, expressive and harmonic on the palate, this wine reveals a perfectly mature and attuned tannin that reminds us of red fruits and licorice with the subtle coconut of its sojourn in the barrels.
April Wine Club Wine
The April Madrona Wines Monthly selections have been chosen. Your wines will be ready to pick up starting Wednesday, April 4th at noon. Not a member of our wine club? It’s easy to join, just click here for more information.
6 Reds
2000 Gran Oristan , La Mancha $12
Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon
No Quixotic adventure, this Cab. Sauv. and Tempranillo blend sees 24 months in barrel and you can count the years in bottle. Not as good as the grand reserva wines from Rioja but nowhere near the price either.
2009 Chateau Barrabaque, Cannon Fronsac, Cuvée Antoine $14
A great tasting, ready to drink Bordeaux from 2009. The Antoine has lots of dark fruit and dry tannins. Barrabaque, let’s see, what food to have with it?
2004 Nicolis, Testal del Veronese IGT $14
94% Corvina, 3% Merlot, 3% Cabernet
The grapes picked from the end rows of the estate where they get riper and are dried for 3 weeks before fermentation, concentrating the flavors, then blended with a little Cabernet and Merlot. It is aged 16 months in barrel. The wine has a bouquet of red fruit, with hints of sweet spice and vanilla. The palate is complex and full, with soft tannins and lots of dried plum and cherry.
2009 Sainte Eugenie Corbiers $12
40% old vine Carignan with the rest being a blend of Grenache and Syrah (25-46 year old vines). The Eugenie is vinified for 9 month in barrels varietal by varietal, then blended placed in small casks for up to 15 months before bottling. The result is a complex and clean wine. The red fruits burst from the glass with mild hints of toast and spice that continue through the impeccably balanced finish.
2010 Franco Serra Barbera d’Alba $10
A fresh and refreshing Barbera with lots of solid cherry fruit.
2010 Domaine Magellan Le Fruit Défendu $12
100% Cinsaut
A fresh and lighter red from one of the minor Rhône blending grapes.
1 White and 1 Pink
2011 Gilbert Cellars Rosé of Mourvedre $13
A dry local pink that actually does a great job of imitating the French. Nicely layered floral notes and good acidity.
2011 Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc $11
The 2011 is fairly full bodied, with a grassy nose and a mix of citrus flavors and a long, lingering finish.
5 More Reds
2010 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon $10
Colchagua Valley
Very fruity with a slightly spicy finish.
2009 Viña Gormaz Tempranillo $10
Ribera del Duero
50 year old vines. Unoaked. Pair with cheeses, grilled meats, poultry.
2009 Château Roc de Segur Bordeaux $10
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc
Roc de Segur Bordeaux Rouge has a nose full of spice (cinnamon, cocoa and clove) and savory herbs (rosemary and thyme) immediately upfront. The fresh fruit gains a lead over some time with sweet cassis and blackberry. Framing the fruit is an empty cigar box aroma, where old tobacco is just lingering through the walls of the cedar package.
2007 Clerico Visadi $13
Langhe Dolcetto
A big dense and tannic Dolcetto drops down in price as it switches distributors. A wine for those who like to chew their wines. Lots of smoke, tar and pencil lead.
2009 Les Perles Syrah $9
Pays d’Oc
A great example of what the Languedoc can do with this varietal. Ripe roses on the nose with peppery red marionberry fruit in the mouth and jammy, mouthcoating tannins with length on the finish. Not complex, but oh-so delicious!
Sunny Outside, Pouring Inside.
Swing by the shop and see what we are tasting today:
2009 Château Haut-Colombier Blaye $15
90% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc
Côtes de Bordeaux
30 year old vines aged in 1/3 new oak, all for 15 bucks. Pencil lead, leather and dark fruit. Tasting good now and should get better.
Bordeaux — Red and Ready, Saturday, March 31st, 2pm
This Saturday we have a great line up of Bordeaux that should not be missed. Some are from the big and early drinking 2009 vintage and some are from earlier vintages that are starting to stretch out a bit and strut their stuff. If you are a fan of leather, black current and pencil lead you won’t want to miss it.
2007 Château Moulin de Mallet Bordeaux $10
80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc
Family-owned since 1898, Moulin de Mallet sits high up on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Dordogne Valley facing the slopes of Saint Émillion. The estate has been modernized and the vineyard is run by Mr. Couderc and his viticulturist and oenologist son. The Mallet is vat-aged, and displays a whole array of fresh, red and black fruit aromas of black currant, blackberry and cherry.
2006 Château Mayne-Vieil, Fronsac $16
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
From 40 year old vines, this Fronsac spends 3 weeks on its skins before aging in tanks for 18 months. The Mayne-Vieil is a very concentrated wine that showcases the fruit, with lots of earthy aromas, tart red fruits flavors and riper plum with a silky tannin finish.
2009 Château Sorbey, Medoc $16
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot.
Chateau Sorbey is the second label of Chateau Julien of the Haut-Medoc and Chateau Cap Leon in Listrac. The Sorbey is from the same vineyards as the wines of Chateau Julien. It has a rich ruby color with notes of red and black fruits and some spice from oak aging.
2009 Château Cap León Veyrin, Listrac-Medoc, Cru Bourgeois $30
55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot.
Chateau Cap Leon Veyrin with Chateau Julien and Chateau Bibian is owned by the Meyre family who have managed the estate since 1810. Today Alain and Maryse Meyre run the Château together with their children Julien and Nathalie. The wine comes from 30 year old vines and is aged in oak barrels for 12 months. The Cap León Veyrin has aromas of red fruit, cassis and blackberries with notes of vanilla and licorice. It tastes great now but should develop over the coming years.
2006 Château Mangot, St Émillion Grand Cru $30
85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. 6% Cabernet Sauvignon
The Mangot estate covers some 37 hectares in a single stretch in Saint Etienne De Lisse. Its hillside terraces face due south and are sustainably farmed. The wine is aged in separate batches for 14 months in French oak, 40% of which is new. The Mangot has full aromas of cedar, minerals, licorice and an earthy note, followed by dry tannins and lots of dark fruit flavors that are concentrated, rounded and full on the palate.
Intriguing Italians, Saturday, March 24th, 2 pm
Saturday we’ll be pouring some fascinating and delicious wines from a local Italian importer. We’ve picked through their portfolio and found some really distinct and fantastic wines at great prices. The come from Veneto, Abruzzo, and Tuscany. We’ve tried them all and Saturday you can try them too. We’re sure you like them.Alvise Lanciere Prosecco Extra Dry Doc $14 From Veneto the Lanciere Prosecco is dry and crisp with fruit notes of apples and citrus with a savory tang. 2010 Vestini Pecorino IGT $10 2004 Nicolis, Testal del Veronese IGT $14 2001 Sant’ Appiano, Monteloro $19 2008 Tenuta Monteti, Caburnio $27 |
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March (Madness) Markdowns
Deliciousness at a Discount
Saturday, March 17th
2pm
Saturday we’ll be tasting a whole line up of new wines that come to us at really great prices. It makes for an odd assortment, but if you don’t mind jumping around the world a bit, you’ll find something that fits your palette. All these wines drink much better than their current prices. Come take advantage it. We’ll be pouring:
2009 West Cape Chardonnay, Styx Gully Was $18 now $10
A cooler climate, single-vineyard Chardonnay from Western Australia, the Styx Gully is a modest 12.5% alcohol, all French oak-aged with no malolactic fermentation. It has good citrus and mineral notes.
2008 Pascal Granger Julienas Was $17 now $13
This cru Beaujolais Gamay from old vine fruit is classic in style with dry cherry fruit, a medium body and a snappy acidity.
2008 Villa Tomino, Baglio Curatolo Was $16 now $13
The Baglio Curatolo is a single vineyard Nero d’Avola from an old Sicilian winery. The wine has a big bouquet of blackberry and dried plums along with chocolate and leather notes.
2001 Campo Nuble, Rioja Reserva Was $20 now $15
Tempranillo 90% and 10% Grenache
A well-aged Rioja that is still hanging around after most 2001s are gone. The wine has spicy and toasty aromas along with full cherry fruit on the palate and smooth finish.
2000 Tilenus, Bierzo, Pagos de Posada Was $30 now $18
The Tilenus wines are made from Mencia an indigenous grape from Bierzo in Spain.
The Pagos de Posada is made from old vines that undergo an extremely long maceration. It is built for the long haul and is drinking great. An elegant, vibrant wine made grown in a steep vineyard planted in decomposed slate (75-100 year old vines), this is a Burgundian-styled red offering notes of blackberries, raspberries, graphite, and minerals. Elegant, precise, and fragrant with medium body as well as beautifully pure fruit, it was aged completely in French oak casks, of which 70% were new. –WA
The Secrets of St Clouds Revealed
An Evening with Gage Tschyekovsky
Wine Steward and Bartender Extraordinaire
Sunday March 18th
5:00 to 6:30
$12 plus tax
Sunday the 18th we get Gage out from behind his bar to talk about wine, food pairing and what he looks for in choosing St. Clouds’ wine list.
We’ll be pouring some jewels from the list to punctuate his remarks.
We’ll also have an assortment of St. Clouds appetizers to freshen your palate.
We’ll be tasting:
J. Scott Cellars Roussanne
Trio Vintners Zinfandel
Animale Petite Sirah
Tridente Prieto Picudo
As well as Perucchi Vermouth
Come join us for a fun evening.
Some Very Special Wine
2010 Bouchard Pere & Fils
Bourgogne
Last week we got to sample the 2010 Burgundies from Bouchard. It looks to be a very nice vintage. The wines are showing good fruit, but with more structure and acidity than the 2009s. A select few of our favorites (adjusted for price to quality) were:
Beaune Clos de la Mousse 1er cru.
The wine has dark fruit aromas with light toasty notes. It is both rustic and refined with a earthiness on the finish.
Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot 1er cru.
The wine has bright fruit and spicy aromas followed by a big opulent mouthfeel.
Nuits Saint Georges Les Cailles 1er cru.
This wine has everything going for it. Intense notes of black berry fruit blended with some touches of oak and brine, and a bit of earthiness on the finish.
Le Corton Grand Cru
The Corton has an intense bouquet full of fruit and spice and a full and rich mouthfeel and a long finish.
These all are wines that will take 5 to 10 years to fully develop. It pays to plan ahead.
These and the other Bouchard wines (also wonderful and also available) are now just being offered for presale. They will arrive in June. For those who want to order now, we are offering them at a special presale price. No minimum order required. Other discounts don’t apply. Wines need to be paid for at time of order.
All the other Bouchard Cuvées are also offered for presale.
Please inquire if you have a favorite you are interested in. For more info visit http://www.bouchard-pereetfils.com/home/
Presale Pricing
Beaune Clos de la Mousse $41 (regularly $54)
Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot $63 (regularly $82)
Nuits Saint Georges Les Cailles $84 (regularly $110)
Le Corton $85 (regularly $111)
Orders need to be received by Thursday, March 22nd.