Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

It looks like another grey weekend here in Madrona.  That’s why Madrona Wine is hitting the beaches (several of them in fact.)

Saturday we are tasting wines from Coastal Regions, starting with British Bubbles from Brighton on to Rías Baixas in Spain, Provence in the south of France, and onto island of Lipardi off the coast of Sicily.  The bubbles start at 2.
Digby Fine English NV Brut $46
2015 La Canna Albariño $16
2015 Bargemone,  Rose $16
2014 Mas de Gourgonnier, les Baux de Provence, Rouge  $22
2014 Caravaglio, Rosso di Munti, Isola di Salina, Sicily  $25

Sunday we are pouring two easy drinking reds that are also easy on the wallet. 

2010 Bodegas Ayuso, Estola Reserva $10
75% Tempranillo, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon
Another great bargain from La Mancha, the Estola is a  juicy blend of fruit and spice blended together with oak aging all for very small price.

2013 Pamplin, Red IQ  $15
Pamplin’s second label that kicks out a good bit of Washington juice for the money.  This Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominant blend comes from some top-quality vineyards including Seven Hills, Canoe Ridge, Wallula, Tapteil and Champoux.  Aromas of herb, berry, cherry and toasty spices give way to clearly high-quality barrel aged fruit.   “It’s a No-Brainer.”

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

We’re dreaming of spring, this weekend here in Madrona, but the forecast seems to say we have to wait a while.  We’re also dreaming of good wine, and there is no need to wait for that.

Saturday we are pouring five Bonne Française focused round the south of France.  Come see how good these French beauties are.
2014 M. Chapoutier, La Ciboise Luberon Blanc  $13
2014 Louis Latour, Valmoissine Pinot Noir  $14
2013 M. Chapoutier, La Cibois Luberon Rouge $13
2014 Hecht & Bannier Languedoc Rouge  $12
2012 Chateau Saint-Sulpice, Bordeaux Rouge  $19

Sunday, The Rosés Are Arriving! It Must Be Spring!
It’s Old World versus New World with some of the first arrivals of the 2016 Rosé Season. Either off the boat, or over the mountains, come try some fresh wines just in time for the change of seasons.

2016 Clos des Lumieres Cotes du Rhone Rosé  $10
40% Cinsault, 30% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre
Fresh off the boat the 2016’s are starting to land. Strawberry and citrus aromas followed up by strawberry and cherry flavors with spiciness, and pink grapefruit.

2016 Underground Wine Project Mr. Pink  Sangiovese Rosé $13
The new vingtage from the two bad boys Trey Busch and Mark Ryan. Crisp and floral. 

Sunday is also the Artist Reception for our new show of Drawings by Sam Birchman. 

Stop by from 3 to 5 and meet the artist and see the new show.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

We started out assembling a Saturday tasting of Chapoutier’s Southern French wines, but then a Pinot Noir from Latour showed up on the neighborhood, and then we wanted to throw in an organic Languedoc Red from H&B and then of course what is a French tasting without a solid Bordeaux.  Come by the shop this Saturday and see how Bonne they are.
 
2014 M. Chapoutier, La Ciboise Luberon Blanc  $13
Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino, Roussanne
Chapoutier is known for his Northern Rhone wine which fetch a pretty penny.  But his vineyards in the South are great values.  The Luberon Blanc is a dry white with aromas of white blossom, lemons and exotic fruits. Good balance between the freshness and roundness with great length.  13% alcohol by volume
 
2014 Louis Latour, Valmoissine Pinot Noir  $14
The Burgundy Kingpin makes this full and supple Pinot from his vineyards in Provence.  It’s not Burgundy, just good drinkable juice for the money. 13% alcohol by volume
 
2013 M. Chapoutier, La Cibois Luberon Rouge $13
Grenache, Syrah
A supple southern French red, La Cibois has complex and delicate with spicy notes (nutmeg and peppered) and black fruit aromas. The wine is well-balanced on the palate with black fruit (blueberry, blackberry and blackcurrant) flavor.  13% alcohol by volume
 
2014 Hecht & Bannier Languedoc Rouge  $12
Syrah, Grenache and Carignan
A great everyday Languedoc red with notes of red fruits and then, spicy and peppery shades.  Organic

2012 Chateau Saint-Sulpice, Bordeaux Rouge  $19
70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc
The Saint Sulpice has a classic bouquet of blackberry and pencil shavings, ripe & warm on the palate, gentle tannins.  The winemaking is directed by owner Pierre Duberge and his son, Christophe, who take pride in producing a soft, fruity wine with a spicy aroma typical of the Merlot dominated reds of the “right bank”.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

The weather can’t seem to make up its mind this weekend here in Madrona.  Is it sunny or cloudy?  Will ti rain or is it snow?  While things here atmospherically sort themselves out, Here at Madrona Wine we’re sipping in sunnier places.

Saturday, it is summer in Chile and we’ll be pouring five wines from boutique, artisan wineries from that country. These wines just arrived in Seattle and show off Chile’s diverse viticulture.
2015 Maurizio Garibaldi, Mako $18
Sauvignon Blanc
2015 Andes Plateau, 500 Cordillera de Los Andes $15
95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc   
2013 Puente Austral, Grand Reserva $14
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah
2014 Clos de Luz, Massa 1945  $19
Carmenere
2011 Blu  $30
92% Carrignan, 8% Syrah

Sunday we’ll be tasting two wines from the El Coto winery in Rioja. El Coto was founded in 1970 and its first bottling was released in 1975. El Coto’s 1,200 acres of estate vineyards are located in all three subzones of Rioja: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa focusing on the specific character of each region.  This Sunday we’ll be sampling their fresh Viura based Bianco and their beautifully developed Reserva from 2005.  Age has its beauty. 

2015 El Coto Rioja Blanco $12
Viura
The El Coto Blanco is intensely aromatic, well balanced, with body and the fruit has a refreshing tart character. Pleasant acidity combines perfectly with an exquisite aftertaste of flowers, fruit and fine herbs.

2005 Coto de Imaz Rioja Reserva $20
Tempranillo, Graciano
Aged for 18 months in American oak, this Reserva has a fragrant nose of cedar, rose petal, cherry, and cassis that jumps from the glass, on the palate it displays an elegant personality, good concentration, savory flavors, and smooth structure. Was $25 now $20

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

From every wine region, there are wines that never make it out of the local and into the export world, let alone into Seattle.  But every so often we get lucky.  This Saturday we’ll be pouring wines from five artisan wineries from Chile.  They are brought to us by Francesca Bravo a current Seattleite who wanted to bring these boutique wines from her native Chile to the Northwest. 
 
2015 Maurizio Garibaldi, Mako $18
Sauvignon Blanc
Maurizio Garibaldi is the third generation in his family to devote themselves to wine making. Two years ago, after accumulating experiences in various wineries in Chile, New Zealand, Portugal and France, he started his own project.  His Mako is an explosively expressive Sauvignon Blanc full of citrus, citrus and salt.
 
2015 Andes Plateau,  500 Cordillera de Los Andes $15
95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc   
Andes Plateau, refers not just about the altitude of the vineyards (500 meters) but also to the mountains themselves.  The Cabernet Sauvignon is fermented in stainless steel tanks, while the Syrah and the Cab Franc are fermented in open tanks to facilitate “Pigeage” (foot crushing).  The result is an elegant wine with red fruits, spices and black pepper notes and a good tannin structure.
 
2013 Puente Austral, Grand Reserva $14
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah
When Gabriel Edwards, took over his family’s vineyards (planted in 1945 by his grandmother Luz) in the Almahue Valley, he wanted to make his own wine.  The vineyards are ungrafted, non-clonal and organic and are mowed by sheep and plowed by horse.  The vinification is as natural as possible, with native yeasts and aging in used barrels that allow the fruit aromas to persist.
 
2014 Clos de Luz, Massa 1945  $19
Carmenere
Gabriel Edwards’ Massal 1945 Carménère comes from the oldest plots of the Almahue Valley.  The wine was fermented with natural yeasts and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels of different uses.  It has an expressive nose, fresh red fruit aromas, spicy notes such as black pepper and bitter chocolate.  It is balanced and elegant with a velvety texture, a round mid palate and a long finish.
 
2011 Blu  $30
92% Carrignan, 8% Syrah
Bluwines is a small family project born in 2010 to Paola Poblete, a Chilean oenologist, and her husband Ulf Bergman. The idea was to make a good wine, with a lot of dedication and care, but also to enjoy it.  They focus on Carignan which comes from 50-year-old vineyards in Cauquenes, Maule Valley, about 20-25 km from the coast.  The wine has complex aromas of red fruit and spices, full smooth tannins and a lingering finish.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

We got a little taste of Spring this week here in Madrona.  And while it is only Presidents day weekend, longer days and warmer weather are on its way back soon.  IN the mean time we are tasting a wine variety of wines from Italy guaranteed to warm the insides if not the out.  Stop by the shop and check them out.  And don’t forget to pick up bubbles for the Oscars.

Saturday,we’ll be tasting five Italian varietals of distinct character gathered from the different regions of the countryside. 
2013 Viticoltori Alto Adige, San Pietro Pinot Bianco  
2014 Bisci,  Verdicchio di Matelica
2014 Mantellassi, Maestrale Ciliegiolo  
2009 Maria Caterina Dei, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 
2011 Salvatore Molettieri, Irpinia Aglianico, Cinque Querce

Sunday, we are tasting a pair of wines from Friuli. 

2015 Vigna del Lauro Pinot Grigio $13
From the terraced vineyards of Collio in Northeast Friuli, This PG is fresh and fruity with tones of pear and apple with a rich and smooth body.

2015 Vigna del Lauro Cabernet Franc $13
A Cabernet Franc from Northeast Italy. This CF has aromas of cherry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry, soft tannins and fresh herbal notes.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.

Italy has more grape varietals than any other country which makes it endlessly interesting to try new wines.  This Saturday we’ll be pour just five varietals, but they each have their distinct character.  Come join us as we sip through Pinot Bianco, Verdicchio, Ciliegiolo, Sangiovese and Aglianico.
 
2013 Viticoltori Alto Adige, San Pietro Pinot Bianco $13 
Viticoltori Alto Adige is a co-operative of six wineries in Veneto. Their Pinot Blanc is aged in stainless steel and delivers crisp and clean flavors of peach and apple, supple complexity and a hint of minerality.
 
2014 Bisci,  Verdicchio di Matelica  $17
Bisci’s vineyards in the Marche region have 30-year-old vines and are organically farmed. The resulting wine shows lovely floral and green apple characters with a nice acidity and minerality that linger to an elegant finish.
 
2014 Mantellassi, Maestrale Ciliegiolo $10 
The Maestrale or Mistral wind comes from France, passing over Corsica and reaches Italy blowing through the pine forests of the coast and bringing light floral scents that flood the Mantellassi vineyards in Tuscany.  The Maestrale Ciliegiolo is a lighter fresh red with aromas of a flowery bouquet and wild berries, cherry and raspberry. The flavor is pleasant, fresh, balanced, fruity and persistent.
 
2009 Maria Caterina Dei, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano  $20
Sangiovese
Maria Caterina Dei’s estate at the foot of Montepulciano extends over 44 hectares and is divided between the hamlets of Bossona, Martiera, La Ciarlana and La Pioggia.  The Vino Nobile has a rich texture. Refined aromas of cherry and plum follow through to a full-bodied palate, with soft, round tannins and a flavorful finish. 
 
2011 Salvatore Molettieri, Irpinia Aglianico, Cinque Querce $18
Molerieri’s “Cinque Querce” vineyard is the Cru of their estate in Campagna with a selection of local Aglianico clones.  Some of the vines are pre-phylloxera and ungrafted.  The wine spends 18 months in barriques and in large oak casks, then 6 months in bottle before release in order to soften up the muscular Aglianico.  It has an intense and deep nose with spicy notes of nutmeg, elegant balsamic nuances that mingle with ripe marasca cherry, cloves and cocoa notes. The palate is warm, full, supple, and long with complex aromatic persistence and tightly knit tannins. There is a long finish of ripe fruit and coffee toasting.

Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.