Boise Coop Wine Shop

Great Holiday Wines

• November 16, 2011

We’re featuring a quintet of wines from Sun Valley’s Tastevin; a true Champagne, an unusual and very food friendly Italian white, an exceptional buy on a Oregon Pinot, a traditional Chianti and a user friendly red from France. The one thing they have in common is that they are all great choices for the upcoming festivities.
Duval-Leroy NV Brut, $27.00
Champagne Duval-Leroy was founded in 1859 when two Champagne families came together to share their interests. Since its creation, Duval-Leroy has been located in Vertus, in the heart of “La Cote des Blancs.” Currently the House cultivates about 500 acres, much of which is devoted to production of high quality Chardonnay grapes. The predominance of Chardonnay in the elaboration of the cuvees gives a finesse, lightness and elegance to DUVAL-LEROY champagnes. Headed by Carol DUVAL-LEROY since 1991, the company is one of the few remaining 100% family-owned Champagne firms and is ranked in the 15 top Champagne houses. Their non-vintage brut is a perennial favorite among wine critics, having made the Wine Spectator‘s Top 100 list an impressive three times. The current release was rated 92 points by that publication with the following description: “An elegant wine, with a delicate grain and subtle, citrusy acidity. Offers flavors of yellow apple, clementine and licorice snap, with hints of marzipan and coconut and a fresh, creamy finish. Drink now through 2018.” An amazing value in a true Champagne.

2010 LaValentina Pecorino, $13.99
Fattoria La Valentina was founded in 1990 in Spoltore, a village nestled amongst Pescara hills on the central coast of the Adriatic. Following initial research in the Santa Teresa vineyard, the winery’s objective and passion became the quest for quality and the desire to promote the Abruzzese DOCs. The unique features of the region’s microclimate, combined with vines well-suited to the land, give the wines their distinctive qualities. The nearby forests, mountains and the Adriatic sea are all determining factors in expressing the vine’s originality. The grape here is Pecorino, and it is fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the freshness and aromatics of this variety. The wine is a clear, rich, straw-yellow color. It has a fresh, intense, bouquet, rich in minerals, with hints of hawthorn, exotic fruits and honey. On the palate it is be fresh, full-bodied, dry and honest. The fruity notes are harmoniously balanced by the body and the acidity. It is pleasantly persistent and distinguishes itself by its freshness and softness.

2009 J.K. Carriere “Provocoteur” Pinot Noir, $24.00
J.K. Carriere has been crafting classically structured, high-acid, smooth-tannin Pinot Noir (and a bit of Chardonnay) for the past twelve years, first from a 100-year-old barn and now from its new winery on Parrett Mountain in Oregon wine country. Winemaker owner Jim Prosser has come to understand Pinot noir from the messy grape cellar end of things and learned the trade by working for eight great producers in four countries including: Erath, Domaine Drouhin, Brick House and Chehalem in Oregon; Villa Maria in New Zealand; Tarra Warra and T’Gallant in Australia; and Domaine Georges Roumier in Burgundy. A Friday night party with friends is the province of his “Provocateur” Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Sometimes you just want good wine for a great price, but you really do want good wine. This wallet-friendly Pinot noir has more than enough verve to pull friends away from the other bottles on the counter.

2008 Badia Coltibouno Estate Chianti, $19.50
Badia a Coltibuono is about one thousand years old but its prehistory takes us back to Estrucan times and beyond. As we know it today, Badia a Coltibuono (which means Abbey of the Good Harvest), dates from the middle of the eleventh century. In 1051 the monks of the Vallombrosan Order, a Tuscan reform of the Benedictines, founded the Abbey and also began planting the first vineyards in the Upper Chianti area. Over the centuries they extended their vast land holdings to include many thousands of acres and developed a flourishing wine production and commerce. In 1810, when Tuscany was under Napoleonic rule, the monks were forced to leave Coltibuono and the monastery was secularized. The estate was first sold by lottery and then in 1846, Coltibuono was bought by Guido Giuntini, a Florentine banker and great grandfather of Piero Stucchi-Prinetti, the present owner. Under the guidance of Piero Stucchi Prinetti, the estate grew and built a solid reputation in Italy and abroad through the high quality of its products. This wine, with ICEA organic certification from 2003, is the result of absolutely natural production methods using hand-picked organically grown Sangiovese and Canaiolo grapes from the vineyards at Badia a Coltibuono. It offers aromas of iris, violet, tobacco, black pepper and cherry. The taste is well balanced, tightly knit with supple tannins, mineral notes, and a mouth cleansing fresh acidity. This is Chianti at its classic best.

2010 Domaine du Pre Baron Gamay, $14.99
Covering an area of ​​95 acres, Domaine du Pre Baron is located in Oisly, one of the best vineyard sites of Touraine, in the heart of the Loire. Guy and Jean Luc Mardon are the proprietors here, and they strive to strike a balance between between traditional vineyard and winemaking practices, and utilizing the tools provided by modern technology. Their Gamay is light, fresh and easy drinking. It’s filled with red fruit aromas and bright berry flavors that should appeal to a wide variety of tastes.