Our shop has been open nearly four and a half years now and when we first started putting together the wine collection, admittedly my knowledge of the Northwest appellations could be held in a thimble.

Since that time we have tried a lot of wines from our great Northwest wineries, and when I say a lot I would estimate that we taste with our distributors 20 or more wines each and every week. Not all of them are produced in Idaho, Washington and Oregon but given the proximity to these great growing regions it is easily the majority of what we see.

Each time we taste we take notes on flavor profiles, aromatics, structure, the cooperage the winemakers employ and the harvest conditions sugar and acid levels they seek out and why.

Occasionally we even get "deep in the weeds" of winemaking and talk about yeast strains the winemakers use. While this appeals to our "wine geek" proclivities it also helps us better understand what we and our customers prefer.

What I have begun to notice about my own palate though is my attraction to specific appellations.

Specifically, I have begun to identify two growing regions I really like, Red Mountain and the Wahluke Slope.

Red Mountain is a steep slope not far from Benton City that faces southwest, and is one of the smallest growing regions in the state. The varietals grown there are pretty typical for the entire state including Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec, and Rhone varietal Syrah. The appeal for me is the firm dusty tannin the region develops along with dark stone fruit flavors and lush palate. While winemaking clearly affects these profiles as well many of these characteristics especially the tannin can be picked up in just about every glass of wine we try that is sourced from Red Mountain.

The other area that we become more fond of every time we try wine from there is the Wahluke Slope.

We just finished hosting Justin Neufeld winemaker from Gilbert Cellars in Yakima, Gilbert gets much of their fruit from Wahluke and listening to Justin explain the geology of the region really illustrated for us why we like wines made from grapes grown in this area.

The geology dates back to pre-historic times and the Missoula flood that deposited a deep layer of basalt gravel that was then covered by sand as the flood drained and winds came. This produces well drained soils that are perfect for cultivating wine grapes. The drainage quality develops complexity of flavors in the grapes and therefore the wine and this depth and complexity is what appeals so much to my palate. It is also one of the warmest and driest regions in the state giving growers the ability to control grape flavors and characteristics with irrigation or the lack of it. The Wahluke Slope is planted with a similar assortment of varietals as Red Mountain but also includes other Rhone varietals Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault.

While the appeal of the Wahluke Slope had begun to make it clear, tasting through the full portfolio of Gilbert wines really cemented its stature in my mind, or should I say my palate. Each of the wines we tasted showed depth of flavors spanning tastes from dark stone fruits like plums to blackberries and raspberries through ripe cherry notes.

In Justin's capable winemaking hands the wines further developed compelling aromatics that encompass the same fruits but also bring out floral essence, subtle earthiness and smokiness. In addition to making the wine for Gilbert Justin also manages the vineyards for this fifth generation farming family from the Yakima area. This gives him tremendous control over the final product in the bottle, but without the "raw material" quality developed by the natural conditions in this AVA this combination of characteristics might not be possible.

For wine consumers this presents all of us with another tool to best select the wines we will enjoy the most. When you shop for wine talk to us or your favorite wine professional about the appellation where the grapes are grown and you will likely start to notice that in addition to preferences in varietals, and winemakers you will find some areas you like better than others. Armed with this additional data you can then fine tune your selection so your overall wine drinking experience is elevated to new heights.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and writes frequently for the online version of Coeur d'Alene Magazine at www.cdamagazine.com. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com.