May favors new growth in the garden.  It also favors new releases from local wineries.  This Saturday our local Locus Wines will be at the shop pouring their new releases.  The grapes may be from the east side of the mountains but their base is on Madrona drive and their inspiration is in the Côtes du Rhône and the south of France.  Stop by and see how they sort it out.
 
2016 Locus Modo White  $14
50% Semillon, 50% Sauvignon Blanc
A Bordeaux style blend from our Local Locus guys.  The Semillon rounds out the grassiness of the Sauvignon Blanc.  An easy drinking combination.

2016 Locus Rosé  $15
40% Cinsault, 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre
Locus’ Rosé hangs on to the rich Washington fruit flavors while not losing its crisp freshness. 

2014 Locus Modo Red  $15
59% Merlot, 25% Malbec, 15% Syrah
A everyday drinker from our local winemakers. The Modo has good dark fruit and smooth tannins that is easy to drink but still with something to chew on.

2015 Locus Sud  $20
84% Grenache, 16% Syrah
From Naches Heights and Rattlesnake Hills AVAs, Locus’s Sud is a smooth drinking southern Rhone blend focusing more on spice and structure and restrained ripeness.

2014 Locus Yakima Valley Red  $25
40% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre
A clean dark fruited Rhône Style blend from our neighbors down the street. The 2014 is beefed up this year with a good dose of Mourvèdre.

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.

Sprouts are poking up and buds are breaking out all over Madrona.  While we enjoy the Spring renewal, here at Madrona Wine we be enjoying some new releases and new arrivals all weekend.

Saturday we have a lineup of Home Grown Wines from the Great State of Washington.  Like the asparagus, these wines have just recently poked their heads above ground.
2015 Waitsburg Cellars, Chenin Blanc Cheninieres  $18
2016 Underground Wine Project Mr. Pink Rosé  $12
2015 Ross Andrew, Glaze Cabernet Sauvignon  $15
2015 Isenhower Cellars, Cabernet Franc  $20
2014 Underground Wine Project Idle Hands  $33

Sunday, we have Dos Neuvo Vinos Rojos de España  Spring has brought these wines in on the last boat.

2015 Monteabellon, Avaniel, Ribera del Duero  $10
Tempranillo
Surprisingly complex and spicy, the wine has an attractive nose of spice box, blueberry and blackberry. This is followed by a medium-bodied wine with a supple texture.

2015 Capcanes, Mas Picosa  $14
70% Grenache, 30% Syrah
A juicy Catalan Red aromas of Kirch, spicy cake; ripe and nicely concentrated; very Garnacha in character; a lot fruit; medium finish with ripe, sweet tannins and nicely fresh. Organic

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.

Saturday, we are casting our eye closer to home and pouring a lineup of Washington Wines from the great state of Washington.  Not only are these wine delicious, they also out perform their price.  A rarity, but it can be done.  Stop in and see what we have uncovered in our own backyard.

2015 Waitsburg Cellars, Chenin Blanc Cheninieres  $18
The brain child of Wine Critic Paul Gregutt, Waitsberg Cellars makes this Chenin Blanc in a dry, unoaked style, with no malolactic fermentation. The wine shows delicate and detailed scents of jasmine and lily flowers, gooseberry, green melon and citrus, followed by lighter flavors of apple and pear.

2016 Underground Wine Project Mr. Pink Rosé  $12
Sangiovese
The Underground Wine Project is a collaboration between Sleight of Hand Cellars and Mark Ryan Winery.  With a nod to Reservoirs Dogs, their Sangiovese Rosé has aromas of herb, cherry and mineral. The palate is dry with generous tart cherry flavors.

2015 Ross Andrew, Glaze Cabernet Sauvignon  $15
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot
An everyday drinker from Ross Andrews, the Glaze is sourced  from the central Columbia Valley and the Horse Heaven Hills.  Tell-tale Cabernet aromatics blending nicely with a touch of chocolate and orange peel.  The palate has just enough structure to let you know this is Cabernet Sauvignon, but not so much that it needs time in the cellar.

2015 Isenhower Cellars, Cabernet Franc  $20
Based out of Walla Walla, Isenhower Cellars was founded in 1999 which passes for old school these days.  The wine is a juicy, well balanced and structured Cabernet Franc with aromatics of herbs and fresh plowed wet earth, dark cherries, bay leaf, and wood smoke.

2014 Underground Wine Project Idle Hands  $33
90% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
A big Red Mountain Syrah, the Idle Hands has ripe notes of Bing cherries, cola, and raspberry liqueur intermix nicely with subtle notes of vanilla from barrel aging. The wine is full-bodied and lush in texture, with more red fruits and the classic peppery spicy, note.

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.

Saturday we are tasting our way around Veneto in the northeast of Italy at the foothills of the alps that produces a wide variety of wines.
2015 Inama Soave $14
2016 Maculan Rosato $15
2013 Tenuta Sant Antonio Monti Garbi Ripasso $15
2014 Maculan Brentino  $15
2012 Tedeschi, San Rocco Ripasso $23

Sunday we’ll be tasting two more wines from Italy.  A fresh white from the Friuli and a bold Super Tuscan from, well, Tuscany.

2015 Ronco dei Tassi Cormons, Fruilano $17
Tocai Friulano, also known as Sauvignonasse is a grape variety most famous for its role in the white wines of Friuli, in northeastern Italy. The wines are lively and fruit-driven with notes of citrus and almond, and often a touch of minerality. Medium intensity and structure that give a bouquet of anise, peach and yogurt and that mouth affects for long persistence.

2012 Poggio Bonelli Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggiassai  $30
75% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon
Full-bodied and intense, with a complex fruity and spicy bouquet with notes of ripe red fruit and pepper; soft, soothing, balanced. The wine is aged for 16-18 months in barrique. It racked up 94pts from  Wine Spectator and got Tre Beccheri from Gambero Rosso. Come see if it lives up to all the praise.

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 Veneto region in north-eastern Italy is protected from the harsh northern European climate by the Alps, the foothills of which form the Veneto’s northern extremes. These cooler climes are well-suited to white varieties like Garganega (the main grape for Soave wines), while the warmer Adriatic coastal plains, river valleys, and Garda Lake zone are the places where the renowned Valpolicella, Amarone and Merlot and Cabernet reds thrive.  Stop by on Saturday as we traipse around this terrain and wet our whistles in its waters.
 
2015 Inama Soave $14
Garganega
The Inama estate, founded in 1960, grows Garganega on 17 hectares of basaltic lava.  This Soave has an elegant nose of sweet field flowers, Chamomile, Elder, and Iris.  The mineral palate is fresh with sweet almond on the finish.
 
2016 Maculan Rosato $15
100% Merlot
For three generations the Maculan family has been making wine in Breganze, an enchanting village, set like a small jewel at the foot of the Alps in the Veneto region. The high plains of Asiago offer natural protection and create an extremely mild climate that favors the cultivation of vines and olives.  Their Rosato made from Merlot has intense and fruity aromas of peaches and lychee and with white flower petals. On the palate, it is fuller-bodied and silky, with a lovely, lingering acidity.
 
2013 Tenuta Sant Antonio Monti Garbi Ripasso $15
70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina, 5% Oseleta
The vineyards of Tenuta Sant’Antonio lie on the Monti Garbi whose harsh and impervious soil favors good grapes. This Ripasso has aromas of red fruit and cherries. The flavors are slightly sweetish, soft yet powerful, fresh, and full-flavored with a trace of tannin and a spicy aftertaste.
 
2014 Maculan Brentino  $15
55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon
Brenta is the main river near Breganze, and is also the name for a basket (backpack style) that was traditionally used to deliver wine. Deep ruby-red with garnet hues, the Brentino offers seductive aromas of blackberries and dark cherries, along with hints of cedar and forest due to the year spent aging in French barriques. On the palate, the wine is dry, full-bodied, and harmoniously balanced with firm tannic structure and a persistent finish.
 
2012 Tedeschi, San Rocco Ripasso $23
30% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 10% Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara, Dindarella.
The grapes for the San Rocco come from vineyards on the Moraine Hills in the Valpolicella area.  Made in the Ripasso style the wine is ample and complex: notes of cherry, raspberry and red currant give freshness to the wine.  The wine is warm and round. The after-taste confirms the character of the bouquet with a long-lasting and persistent flavor.

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 is Easter Weekend in Madrona, with lots of egg hunting and bunny rabbits. Here at Madrona Wine we’ll be hopping around to taste an assemblage of wines to match up with whatever Easter feast you have going.

Saturday, we are bouncing all over Europe, win wines from Spain, France, Germany and Italy.
Torre Oria, Cava $10 ($15 for 1.5ltr. !!!)
2015 Granville-Lacoste, Graves Blanc $18
2015 Weingut Hexamer, Quarzit Riesling $17
2015 Ca’ del Baio Langhe Nebbiolo $14
2015 Domaine Durban, Beaumes de Venise Rouge $19
2013 Corte alla Flora, Pugnitello Toscana $29

Sunday, we’re staying closer to home and pouring two Northwest wines from some not so typical varietals.  Both at a great savings.

2009 Airlie Marchal Foch  $10
This early ripening hybrid grape makes a dark red from the Willamette Valley. The 2009 shows lots of blackberry pie flavors, cardamon spice, and dry light finish. Drink it up now.
Was $18 now $10

2012 Covington Cellars Petite Sirah  $20
There is nothing “petite” about this wine. Not a ray of light gets through this dark, inky-purple, glass staining liquid elixir. A rich blackberry flavor combines with notes of black pepper, licorice, smoked meats, and dry dark chocolate.
Normally $40 –Special Price $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.

Why stay in one place? This Saturday we’ll be hopping around all over “yourup“, taking in the sights of the old world and stopping at some favorite wineries. It’s “Spring Break” Madrona Wine style. Hop along with us as we hit a little bit of Spain, France, Germany and Italy.

Torre Oria, Cava $10 ($15 for 1.5ltr.)
Macabeo
Torre Oria ups the ante on value. Their crisp entry sparkler has a floral bouquet of wild flowers and berries and abundant fine bubbles. On the palate, it has flavors of peaches, tropical fruits and flowers.

2015 Granville-Lacoste, Graves Blanc $18
75% Sémillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle
This blend is a little different than the more Sauvignon dominated wines of most Graves. The Semillon offers texture and minerality with a ripe, almost tropical stone fruit quality on the palate, while the grassy, citrusy aromatics are all Sauvignon Blanc. It is a full, clean and fresh Bordeaux Blanc.

2015 Weingut Hexamer, Quarzit Riesling $17
Harald Hexamer’s dedication is seen both his work in the vineyards and in the cellars. The “Quarzit” always comes from a special parcel in Rheingrafenberg that is mostly all quartzite with steep (55°) south-east facing slopes. Usually the wine is harvested at high Spätlese level. When tasting the wines, one sees the purity of the vineyards, the intensity of minerality and remarkable clarity. They’re steely, acid-driven, clean and transparent.

2015 Ca’ del Baio Langhe Nebbiolo $14
Ca’ del Baio is better known for their Barbarescos, owner Giulio Grasso was named “Viticulturist of the Year” by the Gambero Rosso in 2016. But their young-vine Nebbiolo producer shows raspberry, high-toned grapey essence, and hints of earth and stands out as an achievement on its own.

2015 Domaine Durban, Beaumes de Venise Rouge $19
70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre
Located on the hillsides of Beaumes-de-Venise, is best known for its sweet white wine. However, their lighter and elegant Rhone Red has pretty notes of cherry, violets, and spice that will win you over.

2013 Corte alla Flora, Pugnitello Toscana $29
Most of the top wines from the Tuscany region of Italy are made from Sangiovese. However, Pugnitello, another indigenous red Tuscan grape, also deserves attention. Pugnitello means ‘little fist’ and refers to the grape’s tight bunches on the vines. It lost favor in the mid-20th century to Sangiovese partly because of its low yields. The vine produces small grapes with thick skins. They have intense dark color with ample tannins and good acid. The wine has a beautiful deep red color. The nose of ripe fruit has notes of blueberry and sensations of cloves and tobacco. In the mouth, it is velvety with sensations that recall the berries and surprisingly balance between structure and acidity.

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.

While the sun plays hide and seek with the showers this weekend, we at Madrona Wine are casting our glances and glasses to the Mediterranean,

Saturday we are touring Spain following the breezes from the Atlantic and the Mediterranean as well as the wind through Rioja Alta and Catalonia.
2015 K5 Arginano, Pilota Txakolina  $19
2015 Vina Reboreda,  Godello   $13
2012 Bodegas Martinez Corta, Cepas Antiguas Rioja, Selección Privada $12
2014 Grifoll Declara, Tossals Junior, Montsant $12
2013 Terrer d’Aubert, Tarragona $30

Sunday we are easing into Italy.  We’ll be pouring two easy quaffers from the big boot.  While both these wines are well made with underlying complexities, the main focus here is on simple enjoyment.   

2013 Giacomelli Paduletti  $10
60% Vermentino, 30% Trebbiano, 10% Malvasia
A more inland wine from Cinqua Tera, this Lugurian white has Acacia, honey and aromatic herb aromas along with a yellow plum, wisteria flowers and mint flavor. Was $14 now $10

2014 Scarpetta Squadra Rosso  $10
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 10% Merlot
An easy quaffer from Sicily, medium-bodied with ripe red fruits and hints of cinnamon. The Squadra tastes old-world and very modern at the same time.

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.