Saturday we are roaming the Rhône whose villages offer up complex variations on a theme.  The wines range from excellent quaffers for everyday drinking to complexly layered wines for better occasions.  Come roam the Rhône with us.
 
2015 Domaine Montmartel, Côtes du Rhône Blanc $11
Viognier, Roussane, Clairette
Domaine Montmartel has vineyards located in the villages of Visan, Valréas, Tulette and Saint Maurice. The owner, Damien Marres, over the last few years has been converting his entire estate to organic farming. This fresh CDR Blanc has a deliciously aromatic nose with notes of apricot, white peach, violets and exotic fruits. It is generous on the palate, and ends on a delicious and fresh finish
 
2014 Marrenon, Doria Luberon Blanc $15
60% Vermentino, 30% Grenache Blanc, 10% Roussane
The Doria comes from Marrenon’s estate in Luberon at the far south of the Rhône.  Its nose is intense and complex with ripe orchard fruits and an understated but elegant and fresh floral bouquet.  It develops honey, lemon and roasted nuts flavors onto its good finish.
 
2013 Domaine Notre Dame de Pallières, Rasteau $15
75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault
Notre Dame des Pallières is a very old family estate run by brothers Jean-Pierre and Claude Roux.  The old vines run deep in the chalky-clayey subsoil and are subject to the Trignon valley microclimate. The grapes are harvested by hand and crafted following traditional winemaking methods, including complete de-stemming. They plant grass between every second row to reduce yields, use organic fertilizer and avoid chemical treatments. They see organic farming as “inevitable” for themselves and their clients, although they still use systemic treatments in difficult years.  Their Rasteau has an intense and heady nose of blackberry, embellished with white pepper, cocoa and toast. Its palate offers ripe fruit and spicy, enduring tannins.
 
2013 The Domaine de Fayolle, Crozes Hemitage $20
Syrah
The Domaine de Fayolle is a 4^th generation family winery in the northern Rhône.  The vineyard is planted to old vines, with an average age of around forty years in the commune of Crozes-Hermitage mainly on the better hill slopes rather than the flatter land at the opposite side of the appellation. They are organically farmed.  The wine has nutty, black raisin, prune aromas. The fruit swells on the palate to a clear finish with chalky tannin.
 
2012 Domaine Pignan Chateauneuf du Pape $37
64% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 13% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault and 6% other varieties
Pignan is a 5^th generation family estate with vines that are 60-years-old on average with some as old as 100 years.  The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape has pretty strawberry, crushed flower, licorice and rose-petal aromas and flavors, medium-bodied with richness and depth, and a forward, delicious and silky character.

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.

There is a lot going on the next eight days at Madrona Wine as we fall back into the winter half of Daylight Saving.

First--Stock up on Bubbles this weekend so you can celebrate Tuesday night and Toast the First Woman President of the United States.

Second — SAVE THE DATE — Next Sunday (eight days from now on the 13th) we are having a Special Burgundy Tasting at 5:30.  The cost is $20 and space is limited and full details are coming soon.

Third — -This Saturday (today) We are tasting a range of Spanish Deliciousness!  Shrug off the weekend showers and come join us.
2015 Txomin Etxaniz, Getaria Txakoli
Llopant, Cava Brut Reserva 
2014 Triton, Tinta di Torro  
2014 Juan Gil, Monastrell
2005 Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserva

Fourth — This Sunday we are squandering our extra hour with an over the top Vermouth tasting with FIVE VERMOUTHS!!!  We tried this fantastic line of Vermouth from Alessio and jumped at the chance to pour them for you. Our distributor will be here to tell you all about them from 2 to 4, but they will be open for tasting all day from 11-5.  These are great in cocktails but complex enough to drink on their own.
Alessio Bianco  $27
Alessio Vermouth Bianco is an historic variation of Italian Sweet Vermouth, regarded as a “Vino di Moda” (fashion wine). Vermouth Blanc was made with a similar recipe as traditional sweet vermouth, but was filtered to be completely clear and was sometimes referred to as “Semi-sweet”. Warm spices and mild bitterness are tempered with a bright, crisp citrus finish. Enjoy chilled on its own or as an alternative to traditional Italian Sweet Vermouths in your favorite classic cocktails.
Alessio Rosso $27
A complex traditional Sweet Style Vermouth.
Alessio Chinato Vermouth  $30 Full bottle, $22 — 375ml
Alessio Vermouth Chinato is also based on a classic recipe from the late 19th century combined with the additional bittering of Cinchona bark and more than 25 other balancing herbs, including Grande and Petite Wormwood, and reflects an almost-lost style of bitter vermouth.
Alessio Vino Chinato  $40
Alessio Vino Chinato is highlighted by bold red and black fruit aromas and youthful tannins with added herbal notes from aromatic herbs and a balanced bitter finish of Cinchona bark. Alessio Vino Chinato is an elegant and robust aperitif for use in any cocktail requiring a classic Italian Sweet Vermouth and can also be enjoyed chilled on its own before a meal, or after and is exceptional when paired with chocolate or sharp and blue cheeses.
Tempis Fugit Kina L’Aero D’Or  $37
Kina L’Aéro d’Or reflects an Alps-Provence style with white wine made from the Piedmont-grown Cortese grape infused with cinchona bark, orange peel, wormwood and other exotic spices. It has a beautiful deep golden hue with an aroma of quince and fine marmalade, and a complex, mildly bitter taste that teases the tongue as its well-balanced sweetness prolongs the finish. Kina Aéro d’Or is absolutely spectacular in classic cocktails such as the 20th Century, Vesper or Corpse Reviver #2 and will easily find its way into many more cocktails of your own.

There is no reason not to have a great weekend.

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 wines of Spain range from fresh and crisp to full with layers of age.  This Saturday we’ll be tasting our way through this spectrum of Spanish deliciousness.  Come and join us.

2015 Txomin Etxaniz, Getaria Txakoli $20
Txomin Etxaniz has 35 hectares of sloped vineyards in Getaria in the heart of Basque country.  They grow two native types of grape; Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza.  “The grapes have to see the vista,” said Ernesto Txueka, whose family has run Txomin for generations.  The wines are fermented in steel tanks and kept cold to capture carbon dioxide, which accounts for the fizziness. The Getaria is fresh and tangy, with a slightly chalky mineral and lemon flavors.
 
Llopant, Cava Brut Reserva  $18
40% Xarel·lo, 30%Parellada, 30% Macabello
The Llopart family is one of the oldest Cava producers in Spain with the first Cava made in 1887. In the 1950s took quality to new levels by launching a range of ‘craft cavas’ which spend at least 18monts on the lees.  The Brut Reserva has a delicate mousse, creamy texture and a clean aroma of white fruit. It is soft and fresh on the palate with a lingering acidity.  Organic.
 
2014 Triton, Tinta di Torro  $15
Tempranillo
Owned by the Gil family, Triton is located near Zamora in the historic area known as de la Tierra del Vino, “the Land of Wine”.  The Triton is a big old vine Tempranillo with dense aromas of surprisingly red fruits—dried pomegranate, cranberry, and cherry—with a fruit-leather quality join hints of crème de cassis, roast meat, licorice, and brush.  The flavors are dark, with blueberry, black cherry, and touches of florality and almost peppery spice.
 
2014 Juan Gil, Monastrell $16
From the Gil estate in Jumilla, these old vineyards’ chalky and stony soils with poor nutrients are ideal for the growing of the Monastrell.  This big shouldered old vine Monastrell sees 12 months in French oak barrels.  It is rich without being jammy, structured without being too tannic.  It has aromas of ripe currant, red berries and smoked notes, with a huge mouthful of crème-de-cassis concentration.
 
2005 Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserva $35
98% Tempranillo, 2% Graciano
Since 1870, a period spanning five generations, this family winery has been growing vines and making wine in La Rioja. Made in Rioja’s traditional style, The Gran Reserva has a stylish perfume of cedar, earth, mineral, violets, and blackberry. On the palate, it reveals its elegant personality with red and black fruit flavors.  It is a richly balanced wine with everything working in harmony silky smooth, with a long 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.

It’s Halloween Weekend here in Madrona and we expect to see lots of ghosts and spirits floating through the streets (we even have a goblin running for president this year.)  We will be open on Monday from 4 to 6:30 to hand out treats to the kids and parents that come on by.  (Don’t ask what costume Mark is wearing.  It is a surprise.)  But before that we have a full weekend of wine tasting to get to.

Saturday, we are tasting BORDEAUX!  It includes 2 wines from the great 2010 Vintage and an older 2008 Lannesan.  We’re very excited.
 2014 Château Lestrille Capmartine,  Entre Deux Mers
2011 Château Senilhac la Prade,  Haut Medoc 
2010 Château Lyonnat, Lussac St Emilion 
2008 Château Lanessan Haut Medoc
2010 Château Cantemerle, Les Allées, Haut Medoc 

Sunday, we head to the south of France and tasting a good all year round rosé and a red Côte du Rhône that just arrived at the shop.
2015 Castel des Maures Provence Rosé  $14
50% Grenache, 50% Cinsault
This wine is dry and fruity with a clear focused character. The taste of red fruit dominates. On the palate, it has a long, lingering finish.
2013 Allegret Laudun, Côtes du Rhône Villages  $13
52% Grenache, 48% Syrah
Laudun is a lesser known Village from the Southern Rhone, The Allegret overdelivers for the money. It is elegant and complex and with a fine minerality, lovely concentration.  Tannins are melted and the finish is round.

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.

One of our favorite words, Bordeaux offers some of the best values in France as well as some of the best quality.  This Saturday we are showing off a bit of both.  We’ll be tasting several everyday drinkers as well as a couple wines more worthy of serious attention.  All of them have pricing that is down to earth. 
 
2014 Château Lestrille Capmartine,  Entre Deux Mers  $11
85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Muscadelle
A crisp every day white from Entre Deux Mers, the Lestrille is zesty with bold citric fruits, pink grapefruit, and a lovely creamy texture. 
 
2011 Château Senilhac la Prade,  Haut Medoc  $11
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Château Senilhac is a small estate not far from Saint Estephe, which dates back to the 19th century, belonging since 1938 to the Grassin family.  The wine is a soft, supple, fruit-forward styled Haut-Médoc with berries, soft tannins and low acidity. 
 
2011 Château Lyonnat, Lussac St. Emilion  $14 
85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc
A long standing family estate, Lyonnat has 79 acres in this satellite of St. Emilion  The wine sees 18 months in new oak barrels.  It is a classic right bank Bordeaux with good aging potential.  Notes of cedar and loam in addition to abundant black cherry and black currant fruit and very elegant and blended tannins.  Was $18 Now $14
 
2008 Château Lanessan Haut Medoc  $28
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
The Lanessan vineyard has belonged to the Bouteiller family since the 18th century.  Adjoining the AOC Saint-Julien, the vineyard is 45 hectares of 40-year-old vines.  We have been lucky to carry several of their older vintages.  The 2008 has expressive aromas of ripe, candied cherry, licorice and fresh tobacco.  The body seems firm at first but flesh out with marvelous fruit with good richness. 
 
2010 Château Cantemerle, Les Allées, Haut Medoc  $27
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot
Les Allées is the second label of this 5th growth Chateau.  Cantemerle has 94 hectares of vineyards, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petit Verdot (4%). The 2010 is drinking great and ready now.  It has wonderful fruit intensity with currants and blueberries on the nose and palate. The body is full with firm tannins and a fresh 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.

One of our favorite words, Bordeaux offers some of the best values in France as well as some of the best quality.  This Saturday we are showing off a bit of both.  We’ll be tasting several everyday drinkers as well as a couple wines more worthy of serious attention.  All of them have pricing that is down to earth. 
 
2014 Château Lestrille Capmartine,  Entre Deux Mers  $11
85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Muscadelle
A crisp every day white from Entre Deux Mers , the Lestrille is zesty with bold citric fruits, pink grapefruit, and a lovely creamy texture. 
 
2011 Château Senilhac la Prade,  Haut Medoc  $11
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Château Senilhac is a small estate not far from Saint Estephe, which dates back to the 19th century, belonging since 1938 to the Grassin family.  The wine is a soft, supple, fruit-forward styled Haut-Médoc with berries, soft tannins and low acidity. 
 
2011 Château Lyonnat, Lussac St. Emilion  $14 
85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc
A long standing family estate, Lyonnat has 79 acres in this satellite of St. Emilion  The wine sees 18 months in new oak barrels.  It is a classic right bank Bordeaux with good aging potential.  Notes of cedar and loam in addition to abundant black cherry and black currant fruit and very elegant and blended tannins.  Was $18 Now $14
 
2008 Château Lanessan Haut Medoc  $28
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
The Lanessan vineyard has belonged to the Bouteiller family since the 18th century.  Adjoining the AOC Saint-Julien, the vineyard is 45 hectares of 40-year-old vines.  We have been lucky to carry several of their older vintages.  The 2008 has expressive aromas of ripe, candied cherry, licorice and fresh tobacco.  The body seems firm at first but flesh out with marvelous fruit with good richness. 
 
2010 Château Cantemerle, Les Allées, Haut Medoc  $27
87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot
Les Allées is the second label of this 5th growth Chateau.  Cantemerle has 94 hectares of vineyards, planted with Cab Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petit Verdot (4%). The 2010 is drinking great and ready now.  It has wonderful fruit intensity with currants and blueberries on the nose and palate. The body is full with firm tannins and a fresh 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.

After a week of wet weather and blustery politics, we are looking forward to a calm Fall weekend here at Madrona Wine.   And we have a tasting line up to match the leaves that are dotting the sidewalk.  Take some time to slip on in and see what we got going.

Saturday, we’re pouring wines from Piedmont and that means a bit of Arneis, Barbera, Dolcetto and a good dose of Nebbiolo including one of our favorite words — Barolo.
2014 Fratelli Povero, Roero Arneis
2014 Giá Langhe Rosso
2014 Giacomo Borgogno, Dolcetto
2010 Poderi dei Ginepri Nervi, Spana
2011 Casa E. di Mirafiore, Barolo  

Sunday we’re featuring a duo of South African wines from Boekenhoutskloof  winery in the Franschhoek valley.  We’ll be pouring their Wolftrap wines.  Both of which are outstanding values. (Come make Mark pronounce the winery’s name.)

2013 Boekenhoutskloof, Wolftrap White  $10
60% Viognier, 21% Chenin Blanc, 19% Grenache Blanc
This unusual blend of Viognier (spice), Chenin Blanc (melon) and Grenache Blanc (white peach), contributes to an intriguing and harmonious quaffing experience. Components were fermented and aged partially in French oak before blending and bottling.

2014 Boekenhoutskloof,Wolftrap Red  $10
65% Syrah, 32% Mourvèdre, 3% Viognier
The wine has a spicy profile with ripe black fruit and violets with soft tannins, good density and a just a hint of oak.

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.

Piedmontese wines range from the light and easy to the complex and serious.  This Saturday we’re tasting an array of wines from Piedmont that show off the diversity of the region.  Come with us as we stroll through the vineyards.
 
2014 Fratelli Povero, Roero Arneis  $14
A classic Peidmontese white with an intense and fresh bouquet, and dry flavors of fresh hay, the pippin apple, almond and pineapple.

2014 Giá Langhe Rosso   $18 — 1 liter
Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo
The Giá is an easy going Langhe Rosso in a liter bottle meant for everyday enjoyment.  The wine has intense red fruit and violet aromas that make your mouth water for the first sip which is pleasantly dry, smooth and perfectly balanced.  This young wine shines with ripened plums and cherries. The palate is fruity, and smooth with a focus on dark red fruits accompanied by subtle notes of licorice, earthiness, and spice

2014 Giacomo Borgogno, Dolcetto   $20
 Founded in 1761 Borgogno it is one of the oldest cellars in Piedmont. The grapes used in Borgogno wines come from the Grand Cru vineyards of Barolo. Their vineyards are in Cannubi, Liste, Fossati, Cannubi San Lorenzo and San Pietro Delle Viole.   Their Docetto is a classic Piemontese wine with aromas of dark wild berries, plum and earth notes. It has a good backbone structure yet is refined and fresh on the palate.
 
2010 Poderi dei Ginepri Nervi, Spana  $22
Nebbiolo
Nervi was founded in 1906 and includes 24 hectares of Nebbiolo in the Gattinara DOCG of northern Piedmont.  Their concentrated yet elegant Nebbiolo offers classic aromas and flavors of dried rose petals, tar and red cherry fruit. Made in a traditional style, this wine is beautifully balanced by grainy tannins and mouthwatering acidity.

2011 Casa E. di Mirafiore, Barolo  $40
The winery, located within the Fontanafredda village Serralunga d’Alba in Piedmont, was founded in the 1870s by King Vittorio Emanuel II of Savoy and named for his son Emanuele, Count of Mirafiore. The name was lost from the estate in the 1940s and passed through several owners until Oscar Farinetti, owner of Fontanafredda, bought the Mirafiore name once again. Classic Nebbiolo aromas of red berry, leather, crushed flower and a balsamic note unfold in the glass. The full-bodied palate doles out juicy black cherry, licorice and tobacco alongside firm, refined tannins.

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.