We are rustling like falling leaves at Madrona Wine with three events swirling around this weekend.  Come help us rake it all up. 

Saturday we’re pouring some regional specialties from Italy. 
DOC — Denominazione di Origine Controllata (controlled designation of origin), and DOCG — Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (controlled and guaranteed designation of origin) designations require that the wines follow the standards and traditions of where they are from.  And we have some from more obscure regions like Cesanese del Piglio and Castelli di Jesi and some famous ones like Franciacorta (Italy’s equivalent to Champagne) and Barolo.  The cork on the Franciacorta pops at 2.

Sunday we are pouring two more wins from the south of Italy.

2014 Menhir Negroamaro    $9
A big shouldered southern Italian red with full fruit and bitter undertones.

2011 Fondo Filara Syrah      $10
A Sicilian Syrah, this wine bears the characteristic scents of jam and spices, with a full-bodied, velvety smooth and lingering taste.

Also on Sunday we are having the Artist Reception for our new show.  Regional Influences – Original Pastel Paintings by Barbara Noonan.  The works looks great on our walls and Barbra will be on hand from 3 to 5.

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.

This Saturday we are featuring wines from some of Italy’s most and least explored vineyards.  These wines are brought to us (and the rest of Seattle) by Gianpietro Ottolini.  GP manages to source some great wines from his native country, whether it is from more obscure regions like Cesanese del Piglio and Castelli di Jesi or just great values from Franciacorta, Alba and Barolo.  Obscure or famous we think you’ll find something to like.   Come give them a try.

2014 Cantina Filodivino, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC $14
From the Marche, Filodivino’s Verdicchio comes from an organically farmed vineyard of 30-40 year old vines.  The wine has aromas of acacia blossom, chamomile and peach.  Delicate citrus and mineral notes tag along a generous mouthfeel that finishes with a subtle savory touch.

Antica Fratta, Brut Franciacorta DOCG $25
90% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Nero
In the rolling foot his of the Alps, Franciacorta is to Italy what Champagne is to France.  The best bubbles come from there with the calcareous soils producing complex mineraled wines.  The Antica Fratta is blended out of a library of base wines and then aged 2 years in bottle. It is an elegantly fresh, vivacious and full wine characterized by pleasing aromas of fresh fruit, wild blossoms and subtle bread crust.

2012 Terenzi, Cesanese del Piglio, Velobra DOCG $14
95% Cesanese, 5% Sangiovese
From Lazio, Velobra is a single vineyard planted in 1960 with the local grape Cesanese.  The wine has notes of black pepper, wild flowers, red berries and forest floor aromatics with mineral and plum undertones.

2012 Terre Del Barolo, Nebbiolo di Alba DOC $13
Terre del Barolo is a collective winery located in the heart of Barolo sourcing fruit from its 400 members.  As a result they can produce some quality Nebbiolo at an amazing price.  The Nebbiolo di Alba ages for 12 months in large Slavonian Oak barrels.  The wine has the characteristic aromas of leather, rose petals, cherry and forest floor.  The wine has medium-firm tannins and a lingering spicy finish.

2010 Bricco Giubellini, Barolo DOCG $37
This Barolo comes from a 1.778 h78 acre Estate located at 1700feet on one of the highest hills of Montorte d’Alba.  The wine ages 24 months in French barrels and the rests for 6 months in stainless before bottling.  After bottling it is aged for another year before release.  The Giubellini is packed with cherry, spice, rose, and leather notes.  It is powerful and generous with succulent fruit and balsamic undertones and a complex lingering finish.  Drink it now or lay it down and watch it improve with age.

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.

Guy Saget Estates is a family owned and managed Loire Valley winery, now in its 8th generation. Quality and respect of nature have always been the philosophy of Vignobles Guy Saget. Brought up in the vineyards, the Saget brothers; Jean-Louis and Christian, learned from a very young age to love and respect the soil. Vignobles Guy Saget sources two-thirds of the production in the Loire Valley from their estates with the remainder from long-term relationships with families of vine growers.

2014 Guy Saget La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc    ($11)
Clean refreshing with a good length the taste is a whirlwind of freshness, complexity, finesse and ends with notes of ripe melon. Ideally pairs with goat cheese or as an aperitif. 12.5% alcohol by volume.

2014 Guy Saget La Petite Perriere Rosé                ($14)
Easy going, fresh and clean with a soft, silky texture. Graceful strawberry and melon notes. Made in a round, refreshing style perfect for all day enjoyment.

2012 Guy Saget La Petite Perriere Pinot Noir        ($14)
“The result is a delightful and refreshing pinot, with red berry fruit and a hint of tannins and oak. In one respect, it’s almost Beaujolais in style, but without the grapiness.” Wine Curmudgeon 12.5 alcohol by volume

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 a wet and windy weekend in Madrona.  But we are pouring a line of wines to keep the damp out and ward off the wind.

Saturday, before the ghouls, ghosts and goblins descend upon us, we’ll be tasting some wines to brace us for the shorter days and longer nights that lay ahead.  We have a Pinot Gris from Oregon’s newest AVA, A complex Sauv Blanc from Sancere, An ancient grape from Alto Adige, a Petit Verdot that is anything but Petit, and a big bold red from Portugal. It starts at 2pm. Brave the weather and come try them.

Sunday, after we turn the clocks back, we are featuring 3 wines from Guy Saget.This 8th generation family run Loire winery make solid wines at affordable prices. That is 11 to 5, with someone to tell you maore about the wines and the winery from 1 to 4.

2014 Guy Saget La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc        $11
Clean refreshing with a good length the taste is a whirlwind of freshness, complexity, finesse and ends with notes of ripe melon.

2014 Guy Saget La Petite Perriere Rosé                             $14
Easy going, fresh and clean with a soft, silky texture. Graceful strawberry and melon notes.

2012 Guy Saget La Petite Perriere Pinot Noir                    $14
A delightful and refreshing pinot, with red berry fruit and a hint of tannins and oak. In one respect, it’s almost Beaujolais in style, but without the grapiness.

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.

Halloween is here, and besides bringing ghouls, ghosts and goblins, it also marks a shift in our thirsts towards richer, fuller wines.  The meals get heartier and the wines need to stand up to them.  Saturday we’re pouring wines to brace us for the shorter days and longer nights that lay ahead.  We have a Pinot Gris from Oregon’s newest AVA, a complex Sauvignon Blanc from Sancere, an ancient grape from Alto Adige, a Petit Verdot that is anything but Petit, and a big bold red from Portugal. 
 
2014 Brandborg, Pinot Gris $15
Brandboug is located in the Umpqua Valley in Elkton (Oregon’s newest AVA) on the main Umpqua River which flows through a valley opening to the Pacific only 36 miles away.  This geography allows for a very strong marine influence with daily sea breezes and fog penetrating into the valley. This gives Elkton its unique climate – cool, maritime and temperate.  The Pinot Gris has fresh fruit flavors; green mango, green apple and pineapple.  The acidity keeps it fresh and crisp.
 
2014 Pierre Riffault, Sancere $20
Sauvignon Blanc
This Sancerre is vinified in tank with the lees being regularly stirred for more body, aroma and favors. A blend of two terroirs; the “caillottes” give fruit and freshness, while flinty soils lend minerality.  The wine shows aromas of fern, hawthorn, flowers, white fruits, and grapefruit zest. The unctuous mouth feel has ripe fruit character with intermingling notes of citrus zest and minerals.
 
2010 Roeno, Enantio Terradeiforti DOC  $15
Roeno is a family estate between Verona and Trento in the Alto Adige.  The grape Enantio dates back in the area to at least the 1^st century AD.  The Roeno spends 15 months in oak barrels, 6 month in stainless steel tanks before bottling.  The wine has a complex bouquet of red berries, spices with a soft tobacco and incense notes.
 
2012 Bonair, Petit Verdot $22
Bonair has been “quietly producing fine wines since 1985” in the town of Zilla in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA.  This Petit Verdot is estate-grown. The vines produced a very small crop of highly concentrated fruit with cool nights allowing the grapes to retain great acidity.  The wine was aged 2 years in new French barrels.  Blackberry and cherry aromas greet the nose with layers of vanilla from the integrated French oak.
 
2012 Prats & Symington, Post Scriptum de Chryseia  $26
45% Touriga Nacional, 54% Touriga Franc, 1% other
Chryseia, meaning “golden” in Greek, is crafted by the Symington family (Port producers since 1882) and Bruno Prats (former owner of Cos d’Estournel). The 2012 Post Scriptum de Chryseia is aged for 13 months 400-liter French oak. It has aromas of plums and attractive resinous notes. Lush and mouth-filling with satisfying pure and compact black fruits, displaying undertones of mineral and spice, underscored by fine 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.

Sicily is calling, are you answering? This Sunday we will have two supple Sicilian for sipping. Since 1500 B.C. wine has produced in Sicily and while the vintages we will open aren’t that old, they are ready to drink today. Stop in for a sip of Sicily.

2013 Fondo Filara Catarratto ($10)
Catarratto is Sicily’s most widely grown white grape. The wine has a fresh and concentrated bouquet with notes of bread crust, honey and a sweet almond finish.
13% alcohol by volume.

2012 Nicosia Frapatto ($10)
Created from an ancient grape variety typical of southeastern Sicily, this wine is distinctive for its pleasantly fragrant bouquet of fresh red fruits, raspberries and blueberries, while its taste is both lively and soft. 13% alcohol by volume

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 a bit cooler, but we are having lovely Fall weather here in Madrona.  So to warn off the chill we are heading to sunnier places for our weekend tastings.

Saturday we are sipping our way around Spain, skipping from a light and familiar Rioja to a bold and exotic Extremadura and stopping at sundry places in between.  It starts at 2pm.

Sunday we’ll be sliding into Sicily. Since 1500 B.C. wine has produced in Sicily and while the vintages we will open aren’t that old, they are ready to drink today. Stop in for a sip. 11 to 5pm.

2013 Fondo Filara Catarratto $10
Catarratto is Sicily’s most widely grown white grape.  The wine has a fresh and concentrated bouquet with notes of bread crust, honey and a sweet almond finish.

2012 Nicosia Frapatto $10
Created from an ancient grape variety typical of southeastern Sicily, this wine is distinctive for its pleasantly fragrant bouquet of fresh red fruits, raspberries and blueberries, while its taste is both lively.

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.

Spanish wine making straddles two worlds.  The vineyards have often been tended by the same families for generations, while the wineries are being refitted with modern new equipment.  This Saturday we’ll see how the wines blend the two together as we taste our way thorough Rueda, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat and Exremaddura.  Come taste along.
 
2014 Bodegas Pingón, Carramimbre Verdejo  $12
From Rueda this traditional Verdejo shows true varietal aromas of stone fruit (peach) and the fennel notes. Its flavorsome palate shows white fruit notes and a long and balanced finish.
 
2011 Vina Cerrada Rioja, Crianza $13
95% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano
A good introduction to Rioja, the Cerrada Crianza has attractive varietal aromas of red berries, fresh strawberry leaf and some hints of spice. It is rounded and soft in the mouth, with a medium bodied palate stacked with crunchy red berry and hedgerow fruit leading into an elegantly smooth, caressing finish.
 
2012 Valdecampana, Ribera del Duero Crianza $15
Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero plays a darker more tannic foil to Riojas brighter fruit.  The Valdecampana is no exception.  It is a dark and chewy Tempranillo with notes of blackberry, tobacco and roasted vanilla bean.
 
2012 Castell d’ Or, Esplugen Priorat  $19
Garnacha, Cariñena & Cabernet Sauvignon
Castell d’ Or’s estate is centuries- old in Bellmunt del Priorat. The rocky terrain that characterizes the Priorat region, together with the dry climate, generates a wine of great intensity and a rich structure in taste and aromas to the wines.  Ripe fruit aromas, deep and complex fragrances and toast notes lead off this mineraled big structured red.  The wine has good concentration, with a long pleasant finish. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 10 months.
 
2007 Marques de Valdueza, Gran Vino Extremadura $32
38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Syrah, 15% Merlot
The Valdueza 18 hectares estate has been managed for generation by the same family.  Each vineyard is vinified separately before being aged in French oak.  The nose of the Gran Vino is intense, fruity (strawberry, blackcurrant, blackberry cream), floral and resinous (red pepper), spicy (black pepper and cloves) and empyreumatic (coffee, smoked, roasted). It is dense, tasty and with a great balance that highlights freshness. The tannins are silky and well integrated.  It is a wine with personality.

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.