Swing on by and pick up that bottle for dinner, and sample what we have open. The perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Northwest Wine DiscoveriesSaturday, January 7th, 2-4 pm
The Washington wineries are sprouting up so fast that it is hard sometimes to keep up, but you got to try. Stop by this Saturday when we’ll be pouring some of our favorite new discoveries from the local viniculture. We’ll be featuring wines from our local South Seattle Community College’s wine making program as well as a new rich and thick Syrah from Woodinville and an excellent desert wine from Airfield Estates in Prosser. Come give them a try. We think you’ll like what we have found.
2010 Northwest Wine Academy Riesling $12
The NW Wine academy wines are made by the Wine Technology Program is on the campus of South Seattle Community College but you’d never know it. It is a good dry concentrated Riesling that would put many local Rieslings to shame. The grapes come from Den Hoed Vineyard in Yakama Valley.
2009 Northwest Wine Academy Zinfandel $12
This is a little leaner style of Zin compared to California cousins, but the NWA has nice spice notes as well as good clean fruit flavors. The fruit comes from Alderwood vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills.
2009 Northwest Wine Academy Cabernet Sauvignon $12
A blend of three vineyards — Den Hoed, Pontin, and Red Haven Vineyard (on Red Mountain) the NWA Cab Sauv comes in at a hard working price.
2009 Robert Ramsay, McKinley Springs Syrah $25
92% Syrah, 5% Viognier, 3% Mourvedre
From his winery in Woodinville, Bob Ramsay produces this rich and deep Northern Rhone inspired Syrah. All from McKinley Springs fruit the wine has notes of anise, cherry and smoky notes wrapped in a soft blanket of French Oak.
2010 Airfield Estates Late Harvest Riesling 375ml. $13
It’s a hit. The 2010 Runway Late Harvest Riesling was made with 50-60% botrytis infected fruit and finished with 15% residual sugar. Peaches, tropical fruits, honey, and botrytis aromas lead to a viscous, vibrant wine with superb natural acidity that frames the fruit brilliantly. This wine is all about pleasure — 92 pts Wine Advocate.
Category: Tasting Notes, Tastings & Events /
Words To Live By…
An amusing article in the Wall Street Journal from New Year’s Eve:
Here’s to a Very Good Year: 10 Wine Resolutions
(click on the title to get the entire article)
- Drink less, drink better
- Drink more Riesling
- Don’t drink the wine at charity benefits
- Drink more Chenin Blanc
- More grower Champagne
- Give Beaujolais a chance
- Beware of bargains when buying older wines
- Don’t forget the Bordeaux
- Try to get this nasty Burgundy habit under control
- Carpe diem (open the good stuff now – and drink it)
Category: What We've Been Tasting /
Today’s Pour
2008 Cabriz
Alfrocheiro, Tinot Roiz, Touriga Nacional
Dão
90 points Wine Spectator and #42 in Top 100 Wines of 2011: “A well-structured, muscular red, with a touch of Asian spice to the wild plum and dried raspberry flavors. Beef and mineral notes mark the finish. Distinctive, with a very sauvage allure. Drink now through 2015.” — And only ten bucks.
Category: Tasting Notes /
What’s Pouring Friday.Come On In.
2009 L’Ecole No, 41, Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon $35
A new release of this wine. The 2008 was #41 on Wine Spectators top 100 list. The 2009 promises to be even better. With an elegant, old world structure, this sophisticated Cabernet shows aromas of dark fruit, earth, and fresh herbs. A seamless core of blackberry, plum, and dark cherry mingle with notes of tobacco and leather on a dusty tannin, richly structured finish. Come try it with us.
Category: Tastings & Events /
What’s Pouring Today?Come Check It Out.
2009 Tamarack Cellars, Firehouse Red $17
Columbia Valley
59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah, 12% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 5% Sangiovese, 2% Zinfandel, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenere.
Tamarack’s ever popular Red blend is a consistent hit. Pretty notes of vanilla, blackberry, cherry and rose petals. On the palate, caramel and jammy black fruit. Well-balanced, with soft tannins and a bright acidity, leading into a lengthy, smooth finish.
Category: Tastings & Events /
Wednesday Tasters
We are running around like busy Santa’s Elves this week at Madrona Wine, but we still have time to open a few bottles for everyone to try. Today (Wednesday) we’ll be pouring:
2007 Grange Philippe Cabernet Franc Languedoc $12
Nice floral notes (violets) over dry soft fruit make this a pretty appealing wine from the South of France where all the good deals are.
2009 Enclos du Petit Chein Cheverny Blanc $10
90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Chardonnay More tropical flavors than you would expect in a Cheverney. This wine is from a warm vintage, but it still has some nice mineral notes. Was $13, but now a bit less.
Category: In The Beginning /
Today We Are Tasting The ’04 Nicolis Testral.
94% Corvina, 3% Merlot, 3% Cabernet
A Super Veronesse? The grapes are dried for 3 weeks before fermentation, concentrating the flavors — lots of dried plum and cherry.
Was $20, Now $14
Category: In The Beginning /
Sunday Feature: Damilano Barolo
For our Special Sunday Bottle this week we have:
2006 Damilano, Barolo Lecinquevigne — $35
The Lecinquevigne as the name suggests consists of Nebbiolo from five vineyards. The Nebbiolo vines range in age from 30 to 50 years old. The wine has an intense fragrance of rose, leather, tobacco, and subtle hints of violet and tar with flavors of dark cherry with a long smooth finish. Like all Barolo the wine ages for 24 months in barrel before being bottled.
Stop in and have a sample.
Category: In The Beginning /