Boise Coop Wine Shop

Monday Tasting: Mostly German

• July 21, 2010
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Doug Krenik, Master Sommelier will be pouring wines from his exclusive portfolio. Doug is the Midwest Regional Manager for Loosen Bros., USA. Over the past twenty years, he has been associated with almost every aspect of the wine business; importing his own wines, working for local distributors in both sales and education, and directing the wine program of the prestigious Flagstaff House Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. He completed the rigorous Master Sommelier Diploma Exam in February 2006. Doug is also a Certified Wine Educator (CWE) through the Society of Wine Educators.

2008 Villa Wolf Pinot Gris, $11.99
The Villa Wolf label is used for a value-priced line of varietal wines that combine J.L. Wolf estate-grown fruit with grapes from contracted growers. These are exceptionally affordable, classic Pfalz wines from traditional varieties. Pinot Gris has a very long tradition in the Pfalz region. In fact, it was here that the variety was first identified. Villa Wolf Pinot Gris is made in a full-bodied, dry style with refreshing, unoaked fruit and a crackling texture.
2008 Dr Loosen Riesling, “Dr. L,” QBA, $11.99
Dr. L comes exclusively from traditional vineyards with steep slopes and slate soil. This introductory, non-estate wine embodies the elegant and racy style of classic Mosel Riesling. By working closely with growers on long-term contract, brothers Ernst and Thomas Loosen are able to assure excellent quality in every vintage. Ranked #62 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 for 2009.
2008 Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett Estate, “Blue Slate,” $19.50
Kabinett is the lightest and most delicate style of Riesling in Germany. It is produced from the earliest picking in the best vineyard sites. This estate grown Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett embodies the racy, mineral-driven style of steep, blue slate vineyards in the famous middle Mosel villages of Bernkastel, Graach and Wehlen. Dr. Loosen Rieslings from these villages are some of the most elegant white wines in the world, with fine density and subtle power. Clean, crisp, distinctive Riesling Kabinett from Ernst Loosen, one of Germany’s most celebrated winemakers. An elegant aperitif wine, this is also an excellent partner for seafood, spicy Asian cuisine and lighter dishes that emphasize fresh ingredients.
2008 Dr. Loosen Riesling Spätlese Ürziger Würzgarten, $28.50
Blazing red and insanely steep, the Ürziger Würzgarten (ERTS-ih-ger VERTS-gar-ten) vineyard fills the picturesque amphitheater formed by this dramatic bend in the river. Although it’s directly adjacent to the vineyards of Erden, it produces a completely different kind of wine, with exotic, spicy aromas and a mesmerizing earthiness. No other vineyard on the Mosel produces wines so bursting with tropical fruit flavors. The estate’s oldest vines are found here.
2008 J. Christopher Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $28.50
A collabrotive effort between Oregonian, Jay Somers and the German Ernst Loosen, J. Christopher Wines is a small winery located in the Northern Willamette Valley. Their wines are hand crafted in small lots and are sourced from some of the best vineyards in Oregon. They specialize in Pinot Noir from the Dundee Hills made in the traditional style of Burgundy. This wine, from the exciting 2008 vintage, presents bright, focused aromas of earth, raspberry and toast, following through with dark fruit and smoky black cherries on the palate, with a sweet, lingering finish. Supported by outstanding structure, the wine leave an overall impression of focus, purity and elegance.

Join Doug this Monday, July 26 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm for a free taste of this special quintet of wines.

It’s a One Month Only Sale

• July 19, 2010
• 1 Comment

Summer Sipper 6-pack Sale

Save on Selected Summer Wines all Month Long

15% Off

When you buy 6 or more

Mix & Match

New Wines on Sale Every Week

And get a free Boise Co-op Wine Shop Tote with purchase

It’s like Christmas in July

An Intriguing Quartet

• June 23, 2010
• 2 Comments

2007 Gordon Brothers Sauvignon Blanc, $7.99
Gordon Brothers Family Vineyard is located in the heart of the Columbia Valley in Washington State. In 1980, Jeff Gordon, along with his wife, Vicki and brother Bill decided to plant wine grapes on a sagebrush-covered slope overlooking the Snake River in southeastern Washington’s Columbia Valley. In 1985, he released his first small lot of Chardonnay wine produced from their estate vines and today the Gordon Brothers brand is growing in both production and acclaim. This Sauvignon Blanc offers delightful aromas of citrus, melon and mango. Flavors of lime, pink grapefruit and melon are prominent on the palate. This clean, crisp, slightly tart wine is very versatile in food pairings. It is delightful with seafood, baked fish and fowl and is your perfect appetizer-friendly wine.

2009 Riff Pinot Grigio, $11.49
Riff (German for reef) is produced from grapes grown in vineyards located on the slopes of the Alpine Dolomite foothills, abundant in the prized alluvial dolomite, a limestone made of fossil deposits from an ancient ocean that covered the region over four million years ago. It is a nécogiant project created by, but independent from, the Alois Lageder estate wines. This top value Pinot Grigio reflects the expertise of acclaimed winegrower Alois Lageder, and the wines he selected from vineyard sources in the “Tre Venezie” acknowledged as one of Italy’s prime regions for quality white wines. Grapes from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia give riff Pinot Grigio its aromatics, those from the Veneto give it body and texture and those from Trentino-Alto Adige provide steely intensity.

2008 Heartland Shiraz, $12.99
Heartland Wines was created by a small group of leading South Australian wine professionals, including Ben Glaetzer & Vicki Arnold from Glaetzer. All are all good friends and share a passion for making great wine. Heartland wines are made with fruit from mature vineyards in the Limestone Coast and Langhorne Creek in South Australia. The Wine Advocate rated it a very good 88 points saying the wine “… emits an attractive perfume of violets, incense, meat and blueberry leading to a fleshy, ripe, sweetly fruited Shiraz with a bit of underlying structure and 1-2 years of aging potential although there is no reason to delay gratification.”

2008 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, $18.99
Tamarack Cellars was founded in 1998 by Ron and Jamie Coleman as the 14th winery in the Walla Walla Valley. The Firehouse red is an eclectic blend of Northwest grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Sangiovese, you get the idea. The wine is on 40% new oak barrels, mostly French and American oak with a compliment of Eastern European oak for 16 months. Tastes like really, really good red wine. Which varietal is lending which notes? Who cares? Rounded, lush, layered and lovely, the ultimate food wine, pairing well with everything from pasta and pizza to grilled meat and roasted chicken. Bright raspberry, currant, mocha, a touch of pepper spice, soft tannins and a lingering finish . . . year in and year out, like partying with an old friend.

Midweek Italian Tasting

• June 16, 2010
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Take a break this Wednesday, June 16 and drop by the Co-op Wine Shop for a free Italian Wine Tasting. Carrie Omenga from Dalla Terra™ will be pouring samples of six different wines. Dalla Terra™ (of the earth in Italian) Winery Direct® is a direct importer of a limited selection of Italy’s finest wines. “Winery Direct” is economical and consumer-friendly, putting quality wines on American wine lovers’ tables at affordable prices. This efficient method of shipping, distributing and marketing wine, which bypasses the national importer, allows distributors to buy directly from the producer. As a result, Dalla Terra’s wines usually cost less than those of comparable quality. Here’s the line-up:

2007 Alois Lageder Pinot Bianco, $13.99
The eponymous Alois Lageder winery was founded over 150 years ago in Alto Adige, Italy’s most northern wine growing region. Here Alois Lageder grows grapes on steep Dolomite slopes with varied micro-climates that provide distinct vineyard sites. This wine has a brilliant straw yellow color with a green tint. Very fine, fruity (apples, peaches), forward varietal aroma. Pronounced, clean, elegant, grapey flavor, light to medium-bodied with a fresh mouth-watering finish.

2006 Alois Lageder Chardonnay, $14.99
The aroma is delicate with pronounced notes of subtropical fruit, quite intense flavor and a good, medium-bodied structure, coupled with lively acidity. Serve as an aperitif, with starters, salads, all types of seafood (fish and shellfish), chicken, pasta.

2008 Inama Vin Soave, $15.99
With vineyard holdings almost exclusively on the Monte Foscarino, in the heart of the Soave Classico district, there was little choice but to specialize in the production of quality wines. Giuseppe Inama, who gradually acquired a total of thirty hectares in the most enviable sites, founded the estate in the 1960s. Stefano, Giuseppe’s son, assumed control of winemaking in 1992. This beautiful Soave offers an elegant nose of sweet field flowers: camomile, elder flower, iris. Pleasant on the palate with sweet almond on the finish.

2008 Li Veli Passmonte, $11.50
Li Veli highlights the Salento region’s principal native varietals, including the red varieties Negroamaro, rimitivo and Aleatico, which are made into powerful, inky-dark wines of great character and elegance. The Passmonte is 100% Negroamaro with a dense ruby red ruby red color. It is immediately intense on the nose with marked aromas of ripe and fleshy red fruits, notably cherries followed by spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. In the mouth it is full, powerful, smooth and very long, with a well defined acid streak which makes it fresh and pleasing.

2007 Avignonesi Rosso di Toscana, $13.99
In 1309 pope Clement V transferred the papal residence from Rome to Avignon, France. In 1377, when pope Gregory XI moved the papal residence back to Rome, some noble families of Avignon left France to follow him. It was at that time, in Italy, that one of those families became known as Avignonesi – probably to simplify an otherwise difficult, foreign name. It is not known exactly when Avignonesi’s cellars were built, but they are doubtless among the most ancient in Italy. Palazzo Avignonesi was built according to a design by Jacopo Barozzi (called Vignola) in the second half of the XVI century and it has always been the cellars’ seat. This lovely red is a blend of equal parts Prugnolo Gentile, Cabernet and Merlot with with a bouquet reminiscent of wild fruits, spices and grass. The taste is round and harmonious with smooth tannins that make for the ideal complement to even the most hearty dishes.

2008 Badia a Coltibouno Chianti Classico Roberto Stucchi, $13.99
After WWII Piero Stucchi Prinetti transformed Coltibuono into a modern estate, selling instead of cellaring its best Chiantis and creating international branding for the Coltibuono name, as well as promoting Tuscan extra virgin olive oil. A devotion to Badia and a respect for its history guides the current, seventh generation family members. This wine, made from selected Sangiovese vineyards, is the result of a collaboration with a small number of local producers, located in the best Chianti Classico micro-zones. It is intense and fruit-forward, ready for drinking immediately, but over time it gains an added complexity. Forest berries, spices, leather, moist earth and dried plum mark the nose. It’s soft and round in the mouth, with well-balanced acidity and clean and persistent aftertaste.

Join Carrie in the Wine Shop on Wednesday, June 16 from 5 to 7 pm for a free taste of all these exciting wines.

Special Wednesday Tasting

• June 8, 2010
• No Comments

Matt Roberts, the Northwest Regional Manager for Epicurean, an importer for Australian wines, will be in the Wine Shop this Wednesday, June 9 from 4 to 6 pm. Epicurean Wines aims to lead a shift that is happening at the smaller end of the Australian wine industry. While ripeness is a distinct characteristic of warm climate wines, many producers are striving to keep it in balance, producing seriously ambitious wines. At the high end, it is about harnessing the power of Australia without sacrificing balance, while at the lower end of the pricing spectrum, it is possible to produce wines of exceptional varietal character. See for yourself if they have succeeded as Roberts offers a free taste of five different wines.

2008 Heartland Stickleback, $11.49
Heartland Wines was created by a small group of leading South Australian wine professionals, including Ben Glaetzer & Vicki Arnold from Glaetzer. All are good friends and share a passion for making great wine. Heartland wines are made with fruit from mature vineyards in the Limestone Coast and Langhorne Creek in South Australia. Stickleback is their value priced label and this whit is a blend of 46% Verdelho, 24% Semillon, 23% Viognier & 18% Pinot Gris. Each variety was harvested and processed separately. All components were cool-fermented in stainless steel with no oak contact. The wine was bottled early to retain maximum freshness and attractive aromatics. On the palate, the Verdelho adds natural richness and acidity. The Viognier gives lusciousness to the mid palate. Semillon the vibrancy and citrus zestiness and the tannin of the Pinot Gris gives firmness and structure.

2008 Heartland Stickleback Red, $11.49
The red is a blend of 61% Shiraz, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Dolcetto and 5% Lagrein. Each batch was fermented on skins for 5 days before pressing and underwent malolactic fermentation in 2 and 3-year old oak barrels. All ferments were kept cool to enhance the aromatics and to keep the tannins soft and unobtrusive. A great value that scored a solid 88 points from the Wine Advocate with this write-up: “…displays an alluring perfume of cedar, tobacco, earth notes, black currant, and blueberry. Layered on the palate with some complex flavors, this attractive blend over-delivers for its humble price…”

2006 Epicurean McLaren Vale Bistro Grenache, $12.99
Bistro Grenache is made in a less serious style with bright fresh fruit flavors that make it an easy quaffer. The grapes were sourced and the wine made by Stephen Pannell who has access to some of the best vineyard sites in McLaren Vale. The wine hasn’t seen a lick of oak allowing the vibrant fruit character of the Grenache to shine through.


2008 Charles Cimicky ‘Trumps’ Shiraz, $17.99
Charles Cimicky is fastidious. The winery is completely air-conditioned and individually temperature-controlled tanks are employed in the making of all Cimicky wines. Updated technology includes the use of a membrane press and rotary fermenters. The Cimickys also have their own bottling and packaging line which is a rarity in a winery of this size. The winery and vineyards are located 1 kilometer along the picturesque hermann Thumm Drive in Lyndoch, on the very floor of the Valley, surrounded by the beautiful Barossa Ranges. Apart from minor drip irrigation in January and February, the vines are dry grown, cover-cropped and organically fertilized. This 2008 Shiraz is made with grapes from 63 year old vines. It scored an impressive 91 points in the Wine Advocate which described it as “…A glass-coating purple color, it displays a smoky, toasty, spicy nose leading to a fruit-filled, succulent Shiraz with a bit of underlying structure. This lengthy effort will evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years.”

2006 Kaesler Stonehorse GSM, $16.99
The Kaesler Vineyards were established in 1893. The family sprung from Silesian pioneers who  came to the Barossa Valley in the 1840s. They cleared the scrub and in 1893 planted out the entire holding with Shiraz, Grenache, and Mataro (Mourvedre). The gnarled, dry-grown vines still remain and provide the backbone of the intense wines produced here. This blend of almost equal parts of Grenache and Shiraz with 11 percent Mouvedre was rated 90 points in Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar with the following description: “…Deeply concentrated dark berry flavors verge on liqueur-like but are given verve by tangy minerality … Velvety in texture … Offers an attractive blend of richness and vivacity….”