Boise Coop Wine Shop

Kenwood Vineyards

• December 1, 2011
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Kenwood Vineyards was founded in 1970 when wine enthusiasts from the San Francisco Bay Area refurbished and modernized the former Pagani Brothers Winery, originally established in 1906. The winery produces classic varietal wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon and has earned the reputation of producing consistent, quality wines. Kenwood Vineyards sits on a beautiful, twenty-two acre-producing estate. The winery also produces wines from fruit sourced from some of Sonoma County’s best vineyards.

A veteran of more than 25 vintages in the wine business Pat Henderson is currently Senior Winemaker at Kenwood Vineyards in the Sonoma Valley. In addition to his work at Kenwood, he is also a winemaking instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College where he has taught since 1991. A graduate of the Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California at Davis Pat supplemented his formal education by apprenticing at five different wineries while he was still going to school. After graduation he worked in both the Napa and Sonoma valleys before taking his first position as head winemaker at Hedges Cellars in Washington State in 1995.

Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé

• November 17, 2011
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It’s the first wine from this year’s bounty, made from grapes that were hanging on the vine just a few weeks before. Think of it as a celebration of the new harvest, and a great way to kick-off your Turkey Day feast. We are talking Nouveau Beaujolais, of course, that fun and fruity quaff that’s always released on the third Thursday of November. This year that date comes on the 17th, and you’ll find three different bottlings available at your Boise Co-op Wine Shop (from Dubouef, Drouhin and Mommesin. We’ll be pouring samples of all three, all day, every day until Thanksgiving.

Great Holiday Wines

• November 16, 2011
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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.

Morandé Premium Wines of Chile

• November 9, 2011
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Vina Morandé was founded in 1996, in wine terms they are but an infant. However, some infants are born a little unique! Morandé wines are derived from such a category. Under the sterling stewardship of founder Pablo Morandé, they have jumped light years in terms of producing wines of immense character and quality. They have always sought to produce wines with identity, with results that are specific to the vintage and enhanced by their particular terroirs. All of this is supported by the knowledge, experience and technology they have acquired over the years. The constant desire to find areas that best reflect the aromas and flavors of each grape variety has led Vina Morandé to diversify their fruit production between different valleys within Chilean territory. Here is a description of their varied vineyards:

Casablanca (545 acres) / The main geographical feature of this valley is the influence of the sea, entering from the Pacific Ocean and producing a morning mist that acts as a temperature moderator. This characteristic favors the best possible development of the vineyard, while requiring special treatment in order to achieve the desired ripeness. The varieties that grow best in this zone are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Maipo (532 acres) / This valley is the one with the greatest wine producing tradition in Chile and is the most famous worldwide. It has a temperate climate with a dry, hot summer. It is a zone that is almost frost-free and the rainfall is concentrated between April and September. The soils are alluvial in origin, stony, with good drainage and average fertility. Its climatic conditions favour the development of red wine varieties, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon.

Rapel (317 acres) / The valley has a warm climate with a high concentration of rainfall in the winter months, frosts in spring and high temperatures in the summer. Its climate helps red varieties to develop best. Although most of the planting corresponds to Cabernet Sauvignon, the main varieties identified with this valley are Merlot, Carmenère and Syrah.

Curicó (62 acres) / This zone has a sub-humid Mediterranean climate, influenced by the Pacific anticyclone. It is characterised by its strongly marked seasons, with rainy winters and dry summers, cloudless and sunny. The breadth of the thermal range, so necessary to obtain optimum quality, spans 20º C, allowing the adaptation of a number of varieties. The wines have a high concentration of fruit, with Sauvignon Blanc being the most representative.

Maule (112 acres) / The climate of this region can be defined as sub-humid Mediterranean, though it is recognised as the valley with greatest climatic diversity of all the different areas. The rainfall is heavy and concentrated in winter and temperatures tend to be low, with greater thermal variation between day and night. The soils are alluvial and volcanic in origin. The main varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère.

Here are the wines we’ll be tasting this weekend:

2010 Pionero Chardonnay 2010, $8.49
Ripe peach and roasted hazelnut aromas with fresh tropical fruit flavors, that are superbly balanced with a long, round finish

2007 Reserva Carmenère, $11.49
Wild blackberry, blueberry aromas are backed by a touch of green pepper. This is a superbly balanced wine with a long, velvety finish.

2003 Gran Reserva Syrah, $16.99
Opens with red fruits, dried cherry, cinnamon, black chocolate and intriguing touches of ash. A complex wine with soft, ripe tannins

2007 Edicion Limitada Cabernet Franc, $23.50
Filled with black cherry fruit aromas laced with candied fruit and coffee. Again, balance is the hallmark on the palate where ripe fruit flavors play against smooth tannins.

2008 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, $12.49
Prepared with grapes affected by noble rot, harvested late and selected by hand. In the winery a second selection takes place, first by clusters, to separate out those that have gray rot, and then grape by grape. The wine offers a golden yellow color with greenish tones, together with a particular sweetness and aromas of vanilla and honey.

Something for Everybody

• October 27, 2011
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With reds from Spain, Australia, Italy and California and a white from the Santa Lucia Highlands, it’s an intriguing mix of wines this time around.

2009 Morgan Pinot Gris, $14.99
In the early 1980s, long before the Santa Lucia Highlands became an official appellation, Dan Morgan Lee was already sourcing fruit from vineyards in the area for his new Morgan label. In 1996, he and his wife Donna Lee invested in their vision, purchasing and planting a 65 acre property in the northern end of the newly named, still not well known AVA. The cool climate of the Santa Lucia Highlands is perfectly suited for Pinot Gris. Rated coolest (Zone 1) on the UC Davis scale, the region is comparable to Alsace in France. The R & D Franscioni Vineyard is directly across the road from Rosella’s Vineyard. Here the influence of nearby Monterey Bay enables slow, gentle ripening. Morgan Pinot Gris is a limited production gem that is snatched-up quickly by long-time fans. Mango, banana and white peach aromas give a graceful, appealing nose. Rich fruit flavors and bright, balancing acidity make this wine a natural pairing with shellfish, ceviche, and bold pesto dishes. A Pinot Gris with more subtlety and complexity than most wines in this category, it deliciously demonstrates the talents of the Morgan winemaking team and the Santa Lucia Highlands A.V.A.

2010 Bodega Martinez Cepas Antiguas Tempranillo, $12.49
For three generations the Martínez family has been committed to sustainable organic vitculture of their 225 acres of 40-100 year old head-pruned vines, located within the Najerilla river valley in the heart of Rioja Alta. In 2006 the family constructed a new state-of-the-art winemaking facility. The grapes hand harvested from 40 year old vines in the Rioja Alta undergo whole berry fermentation. The result is a wine with black fruit aromas of plum and blueberry, followed by a rich and velvety palate and a lingering, refreshing finish.

2008 Alpha Box & Dice, Tarot Grenache, $11.99
Alpha Box & Dice is former Red Heads Studio’s head winemaker Justin Lane’s new winery. Based right in the heart of McLaren Vale, just down the road from his former digs, Justin is sourcing fruit from some of the oldest and best vineyards, primarily in the Vale but also in other parts of South Australia and making some of the most interesting blends from that fruit. His Tarot Grenache is stainless steel fermented and sees no oak. The result is a refreshing wine with a spicy bouquet and bright flavors of plum and spice.

2008 Dievole Chianti, $12.49
Located in the heart of Tuscany, near the fabled town of Siena, in the Etruscan hamlet of Vagliagli, is the home of the over 1000 acre fenced private Dievole Estate. Dievole began producing wine in 1090. To put this in perspective, 1090 was the year when Chinese discovered gunpowder, when Pope Urban II ordered the Crusaders to the Holy Land and when Viking Leif Erikson set sail for North America. Dievole vineyards are the perfect alliance between tradition and scientific technical innovation. Viticulture in Dievole means revealing the area’s extraordinary potential. It also means creating the perfect plant production balance and making the most of the “divine valley”, as Dievole’s etymology suggests. This Chianti is a blend dominated by 85 percent Sangiovese and offers the characteristic plum and cherry fruit flavors balanced by good acidity and persistent smooth tannins.

2009 Deloach Cabernet Sauvignon
DeLoach Vineyards has been a pioneering producer in the Russian River Valley since 1975. They strive to produce distinctive wines that spotlight unique terroirs in a socially and environmentally responsible way, practicing sustainable viticulture and minimally intrusive winemaking. Their 2009 California Cabernet Sauvignon was made from carefully selected Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown throughout California. The select lots of wine were blended to develop complexity and true varietal character, while retaining an approachable, fruit-forward style that is appealing both at the dinner table and al fresco. This easy-to-drink Cabernet is classic in style. Aromas of black currant intermingle with fresh herbs, sure to entice. On the palate, lush, mouth-watering Santa Rosa plums mix with spicy black pepper, as the taste of rich caramel fills your palate. While soft upon entry, this well-balanced Cabernet firms up for a long, lasting finish.

2010 Heron Pinot Noir, $11.99
Heron owns no vineyards but they source grapes from some of the top growing regions of the world. Their original wine was a groundbreaking Merlot value from St. Chinian in southwest France. Today they make wine in California, France and Spain focusing on the purity of fruit. Their goal is to make high quality, approachable and affordable wines. This 2010 Pinot is an elegant combination of sustainably farmed grapes from several of California’s cool, marine influence micro-climates. Nine months in a mix of new, one and two year old French oak barrels results in a smooth wine with a definite finesse. It has dark cherry and blueberry flavors and aromas, nicely balanced and well structured.