Boise Coop Wine Shop

Four Different Wine Regions

• June 8, 2010

2008 George Duboeuf Macon-Village, $9.99
This is good, clean, solid Macon Villages, from noted Beaujolais producer Georges Duboeuf. It is a lovely white Burgundy made from 100 percent Chardonnay grapes and tastes the way many feel Chardonnay is meant to taste The rich, medium-bodied wine is un-oaked to preserve its freshness and offers aromas of white blossom (honeysuckle and acacia), lime, pear, apple cider and spice. On the palate, citrus notes emerge, joined by bright green apple and melon, honey, almonds, balanced acidity and a crisp, clean, lingering finish.

2008 Panther Creek Pinot Gris, $13.49
Panther Creek Cellars, located in McMinnville, Oregon, has been producing ultra-premium wines since 1986. They are made from grapes grown at some of Oregon’s finest vineyards. The goal is simple: each wine should express the personality of its vintage and character of its vineyard as clearly as possible. A great example is this Pinot Gris that is light in color but bold in flavor. This wine is bright and refreshing with pink grapefruit, lime, orange zest and lovely floral characteristics on the nose. Minerality, green fruits and grassy notes balance out the tropical components (peach, kiwi, more grapefruit) on the palate while the acidity and viscosity create a lush mouthfeel and persistent finish.

2005 Ramon Bilbao Crianza, $11.49
Bodegas Ramón Bilbao is situated in a privileged location: Haro, in Rioja Alta, a paradise where Rioja’s emblematic grape variety, Tempranillo, best grows. This is a land irrigated by the River Ebro, offering unbeatable conditions for grapes to grow and ripen. It has heterogeneous soils, with a limited availability of nutrients, shallow and well-drained, with a water deficit at key times. This wine is 100 percent Tempranillo with intense aromas of ripe black berries accompanied with balsamic touches reminiscent of coconut and licorice. It is fresh and pleasant in the mouth with a velvety texture, lively fruit flavors and a touch of smoke, all with a nicely persistent finish.

2007 Three Rivers Red Blend, $13.49
The name Three Rivers represents the three most prominent rivers in the appellations from which the winery sources its grapes-the Columbia, Snake, and Walla Walla Rivers. Winemaker Holly Turner has been fortunate to have worked with fruit from nearly all parts of the vast Columbia Valley Appellation, thus developing a winemaking philosophy which is well suited to the area. Holly strongly believes that the blending of grapes from several different vineyards will most often result in the most superb wines possible. That philosophy is nicely illustrated in this red with its unmistakable notes of juicy red plum, bramble berries, cranberries and sweet baking spices. Flavors of ripe berry, cherry and plum are balanced by soft, supple tannins and a generous, yet approachable mouth feel.