Our Christmas wish list
Like so many holidays throughout the year Christmas is a great “wine holiday,” there is much diversity of food, and fun pairings to go with all of them. Our gatherings whether big or small feature close friends and family just those we want to share a great bottle of wine …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The 'HTFs' have landed
The last year has seen some extraordinary additions to the wine “list” available to wine consumers and those of us in the business as well. In the 9 years, the dinner party has been opened I can’t recall a year when we have gained access to more “Hard to Find” …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Challenge your palate
There is our oft noted whole big world of wine out there. While we all have our favorites those go to bottles that we like on a regular basis our fun has many times come when we challenge our own palates, this is when we find new favorites and also …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Wine without food
From our winemaker dinners to our tasting notes that go with our wine club we tend to focus on wine and food pairing. How each can make the other and together better. We recently received a question from one of our regular readers though, “What if food is not a …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Our Thanksgiving recommendations
We almost always have Thanksgiving at our home. It is one of those meals I love to cook and an occasion when Mary always creates a beautiful “tablescape.” The coziness of the cool fall day, the celebration of a purely American holiday, and a meal steeped in tradition but with …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Vintage still matters
The growing conditions in any given year can vary wildly by region and versus previous or subsequent years. We understand too though the argument of buying producer over vintage. There are some wineries and winemakers who figure out a way to make good wine no matter how challenging the conditions. …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The power of wine
Long before we ever had the glimmer of an idea of opening the dinner party Mary and I entertained. A lot. The inspiration for the shop was commentary from our guests that “you guys throw the best dinner parties.” It was a great compliment, and we very much enjoyed doing …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Big wineries versus small wineries
Which is better big or small? The answer when it comes to production sizes of wineries like most things in life is complicated. The most accurate response is it depends. And the most important determining factor in the answer is your own palate. All of you have read it enough …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The crowd pleasers
Here are our fall finds that are priced a bit more gently, and are more economical for the large gatherings of family and friends we have during the fall and winter holidays. The wines we wrote about last week are all fabulous but whether you are serving a crowd or …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Fall finds the special occasion category
Fall is a great time of year for wine consumers and wine retailers. The combination of fall releases and our distributor partners working hard on their portfolios results in us finding many new things to put on our shelves. And if it is on our shelves it is available for …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
A great example of getaway exploring
We just returned from a weekend in Montana. We used Whitefish as our “base camp” for a great hike in Glacier National Park. This is one of our favorite annual fall “getaways.” The summer crowds have lessened and while you miss out on some of the park services which close …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Into the lion's den
One of the many services that the omnipresent Google offer is something called Google Alerts. Anytime your company is mentioned in the news you can sign up, for a fee I’m certain, to receive an alert that it was mentioned and in what publication. I have been aware of the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Trying something new - just once
Last week we attended Opera Coeur d’Alene’s production of The Barber of Seville. Mary and I have long been fans of opera in general, but we especially have loved opera here in our own town. The caliber of performers and the opera performances here is truly extraordinary. We have found …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The things we learn from wine
The majority of wine writing is focused on things to learn about wine. How is this vintage versus that vintage, what are the differences between varietals, growing regions and winemaking styles, and what we think and feel about individual bottles? Occasionally though we learn things from wine. At wine events …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
And so it begins
And away we go! The start of the 2016 wine grape harvest is here. All in all it has been a pretty good growing year across the appellations of the Western U.S. Grape growers and winemakers alike that we have talked to over the past couple of weeks are all …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Our fall 2016 lineup
By the time this column “hits” the paper, and the paper lands on your doorstep, it will be September 4th, and we will be in the Labor Day holiday weekend. While this means we are about to enter the fall season, it also means we are about to start our …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Wine and Rock & Roll
A couple of months back I was having a conversation in the shop with one of our customers, Steve. He is a fascinating guy, always has a smile on his face, always seems like he doesn’t have a care in the world even when he does. In addition to his …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Tasting in the Willamette
Mary and I just returned from the Oregon Coast after a Lancaster family reunion. We broke away from our time with family to go and visit a couple of our favorite producers in the Willamette Valley, a premier wine region that I am mildly embarrassed to admit we have never …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
National IPA Day and International Beer Day
Sunday, Aug. 7 will be a day for beer drinkers of all tastes and appreciation levels to celebrate. It is both National IPA Day here in the States and International Beer Day. So for this week, we are going to leave our normal wine commentary and talk a bit about …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Serious wine
Walk into any wine shop and you will find that far more “real estate” is dedicated to red wine selections than to white and rosé choices. But why? We have talked to friends and customers about this trend, and Mary and I spend time discussing it.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Wine tasting etiquette
Tasting in Wine Country and in local shops has changed some over the years. Events are often more elaborate, and both wineries and retail stores like ours invest a fair amount of time, energy and capital in creating an experience that is educational and rewarding. In many Wine Country areas, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Ninety percent
Whether it is beer wine or food, what we taste is more accurately described as what we smell. The fact is that the human palate really contributes little to what we taste, limited to four flavors, sweet, sour, salt and bitter are the only flavors delivered over the palate. Ninety …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Sage advice
As many of you know from joining us this past weekend, we just held some events with owner, winemaker, local boy, brother and brother-in-law John Lancaster of Skylark Wine Company. It has been nearly two years since I had a chance to spend this kind of time with John, and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Bottle counts
When you read ads in newspapers or hear them on radio or television, you are bombarded with bottle counts. This big box store has “8,000 wines” this shop has “thousands of wines,” that grocery store has “more to choose from” than anyone. The claims are as meaningless as they are …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Holding on to the best of Wine Country
Wine seems to be filled with contradictions. How can the finished fermented product taste so luscious and at times sweet, and yet there is no sugar left in the wine? How do we embrace all of the great new wines we taste regularly, while still holding on to our old …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Building your collection for now and tomorrow
Shortly after each of us begins to drink wine many of us start to think about collecting wine. We find bottlings we are enamored with and think how nice it would be to have some around. Whether it be for a special occasion, or just a special mood, it occurs …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Celebrating Maryhill
While many of you know of our weekly “work” tasting wine with winemakers, distributors, importers and others on our endless quest to find the best wines for our customers, from time to time we also receive packages of wine to review. We recently received a three-pack to taste and review …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The annual rosé article
Memorial Day is this coming weekend, which makes it time to fire up the grill and start sampling the annual crop of newly released dry rosé. There is no better summer wine! Thankfully, the days of the cloying and sweet white Zinfandels and other sweet pink wines are far in …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Vines and vintages, weather and rain
We have written many times about the preferences of winemakers and growers alike, which simply put are that a long slow dry and warm growing season is always better than any year involving cold and wet. We talk to our winery and farming friends regularly, and this opinion is about …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Wine at its simplest
Virtually everything we enjoy today started off in a simpler form before evolving to what we know now. Wine has been around since biblical times, perhaps even longer. It started out as a very basic reaction: yeast consumed the sugar in grapes during fermentation, and created a grape-based alcohol (not …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Spring finds
We have had a great run of tasting new wine over the last couple of months, with many visits from winemakers, importers, and other wine professionals. We have found new favorites and rediscovered some “old friends,” many of which we have added to the shelves, and even more that we …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
The expanding reach of northwest wines
Back in the late 1970s, when the California wine industry was in its infancy, there was a wine competition held in France where wines from California were tasted blind and judged versus a lineup of French Premier and Grand Cru wines. The competition, the results and the “tsunami” of change …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Washington's wine is growing up
Every appellation has gone through it. The best go through it sooner rather than later and also go through it multiple times revisiting the issue of terroir driven winemaking. Oregon has yet to go through it as they continue to overemphasize terroir driven acid levels in their Pinot Noir. California …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS AGO
Is it sweet?
Sweet wine versus dry wine is one of least understood and potentially most confusing aspects of wine. Much of this comes from the way our taste buds and our brain work together. Fruit is sweet. Take a bite of most any fruit — from berries to peaches and apples and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS AGO
The '600 pound gorilla'
For several years the United States has topped the world rankings in total wine consumption. In 2015, the US represented 11.5 percent of the consumption of all wine consumed worldwide, topping off at nearly 3.5 million 9-liter cases (a case being 12 750ml bottles for the 9L total). While the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS AGO
The winery experience
Our time living in Sonoma was a special part of our lives, we reminisce about it frequently. Our time working at wineries though, Mary at Chateau St. Jean and me at Balletto Vineyards, was extraordinarily valuable. Being right there, where it all happens, witnessing everything from vineyard operations to winemaking …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS AGO
Five things to drink this holiday weekend
While Easter weekend is not as much of a wine holiday as others during the year, it is nonetheless the start of spring in many ways. We still gather with friends and family for brunch or a nice holiday dinner. Here are five wines that we will have around our …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS AGO
Avoiding the 'onlys'
The worlds of wine (and for that matter beer are rich with choices, as we always say, trying all the different varietals and styles of wine is the most fun for us. And try we do, nothing goes in the shop without us tasting it first. The same goes for …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Rain and grapes
Local and national news coverage is still replete with stories of the massive and unrelenting drought in California. Just last year we heard from grape growers in Washington of their concerns that irrigation water would be cut to vineyards in parts of the state if the winter rains and snowpack …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Experiencing the European wines of 2011
The struggles of domestic winemakers in 2010 and 2011 are well documented. Both years were cool, wet and rain shortened at harvest. 2010 also included a four day heat wave that destroyed the last hopes for many winemakers, as they were approaching an already questionable crush. While 2010 still produced …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Witnessing greatness
We had the opportunity the other night to watch the movie Ali starring Will Smith. I reflected on the greatness portrayed in the movie.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Answers on oak treatments and wine temperatures
We love it when we get questions from our readers.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Embracing diversity
Diversity is a hot topic these days, but for most wine consumers it never really has been all that controversial. As regular readers know trying all the different wines we have available in North Idaho is my favorite part of the adventure. From the somewhat predictable and familiar big muscular …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Sometimes you just need to give it a chance
We watched a movie last night. It was one of those films that I describe as “artsy,” great cast but no beautiful stars, no slick sets or great special effects, and no rousing score from John Williams. It is the type of movie I usually blow past on the guide, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Turning the page on the calendar
This year with the way the holidays fell, we even managed a three-day weekend, which was wonderful. We had the time to host a dinner party of our own, catch up on things that needed attention at home after an intense few weeks, and in general relax and regroup. Also, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Bargains at any time of the year!
Our regular feedback from readers splits pretty much down the middle. About half of you say “you should really do more recommendation columns,” and the other half says “you know, you kind of do too many recommendation columns.” We appreciate all the feedback we get from folks, but this tells …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The best use of 'best of' lists
In my mailbox last night was the most recent installment of the Wine Spectator top 100 list. This is one of the most anticipated rankings of wines when it is released each December. For good reason. The number of reviews annually in the Spectator is exhaustive, and the top 100 …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Six things to drink this year at Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is flat-out our favorite holiday for wine and food pairing. Our opulent national meal for the last Thursday of November offers so many choices for pairings, we get a bit of the proverbial “kid in a candy store” syndrome each year, as we try to choose what will be …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Familiar, yet always innovative
The lines of food and wine are always intersecting, and in the best of circumstances they do so in wonderful ways. For most wine lovers it is just impossible to reflect on their favorite food and dining experiences and not factor in that bottle they had that paired perfectly. A …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The wines that make you go ahh
I recently returned from a weeklong business trip, and the first night home as I was cooking dinner, I walked through our home and sighed, “Ahh,” thinking it is always good to get back home. There are wines for all wine consumers that elicit the same reaction, that feeling of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
And they're off! 2015's harvest summary
It’s that time of year again, when we can hear the collective exhale of winemakers and grape growers from around the wine regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Harvest is finished. If there are grapes still hanging at this point, they are being held for potential desert wine production or will …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The making of great dessert wine
Dessert wines are perhaps one of the most misunderstood creations in the wine world. The assumption from Moscato to Sauterne to ice wine is that they are overly sweet, lack balance and are high alcohol. Assumptions that are understandable — given some of the not-so-great dessert wines that are on …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Our favorite wines for this fall
We have often written how much our wine tastes change with the weather. As fall approaches — albeit slowly this year — foods become more hearty. Along with it, our wine tastes shift to more full-bodied, richer wines that complement the food we are eating, but also go well at …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Wine Camp 2015: Part 2
We began the tale of our 2015 Wine Camp to Walla Walla in last week's column. Here is part two and day 2 of all things wine with our wonderful customers and friends spent in the heart of Washington Wine Country.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Wine Camp 2015: Part 1
We just returned from our Wine Camp 2015 trip, and what a grand time we had. This year, 29 friends who also happen to be customers traveled with us to Walla Walla for two days of all things wine. We visited (what were for us) new wineries and also spent …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Our fall lineup
Despite the relentless heat, fall is approaching, and along with it we will resume our wonderful and successful partnership with Fleur de Sel in Post Falls on winemaker dinners. And what a lineup it is! Since we first started working with Fleur de Sel on our dinners two years ago, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Updates on the 'wine economy'
Oil prices continue to decline and the stock market had a tough week. China appears to no longer be growing, and much of Europe remains in the economic doldrums. As wine is a worldwide product in both supply and demand, it seems a good time to update wine consumers on …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The truth about rose
In the seven-plus years since we have opened the dinner party, we have gladly seen the perception of rose change. As these things usually go, sales trends have responded. We have a steady and growing following for pink wine, made in the traditional bone-dry style that has been around for …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
How early is early?
We are fast approaching the 2015 wine grape harvest in the appellations of the western United States, perhaps even faster than we would expect, so it seems an appropriate time to check in with growers and winemakers on their expectations for the vintage. With all the warm dry conditions we …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
At the beginning
For some of us it was just a thought, for others there was little choice, and for a couple of us it might have been complete happenstance, but for most all of us wine is a journey. While a journey through wine never really ends for many of us, like …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The Boise wine experience
We just returned from a weekend in Boise. We hosted two couples there for a weekend of wine dinners and wine tastings that these generous folks purchased at the Hospice of North Idaho fundraiser last February. It was my first time in Boise, and the best descriptor of our weekend …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Through a friend's eyes
Long before we opened the store, we had the chance to spend some great time getting to know wine countries around the world. We visited Alsace, the Rhone Valley and Beaune in Bugundy, Tuscany and Venice. We visited Santa Barbara wine country, Napa and the Central Coast, all in California, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Closure Q & A
As I might have predicted, the column on Talbott Winery and the Stelvin closure generated quite a lot of interest, opinion, and a few questions. Along with some other questions we have received recently, it seemed an appropriate time to answer as many as possible.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
A cool and uneven start
The 2015 wine grape growing season is still very young, and as we always say this early in our vintage preview, much can transpire between now and harvest. Despite this early look, though, there have already been some surprises - especially when we look to the south to the appellations …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
A passionate advocate
This past week we had the pleasure of spending some time with Dan Karlsen, head winemaker - or as he likes to call himself, "wine producer" - for Talbott Vineyards, located near Monterey California. Dan refers to himself as the "producer," as he more firmly believes that the winemaker is …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Wines with a purpose
Winemakers and other wine professionals are a generous lot. We have frequently written of a long list of winemakers and winery owners from those in our own enological "neighborhood" to the group in California and Oregon, those along the East Coast, from the Old World appellations of Europe and the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The summer reds of 2015
Food off the grill, summer picnics on the beach or your own backyard deck, and late suppers outside, summer is here and our diets move to lighter foods. Along the same lines, as the days lengthen and the temperatures warm, we see our tastes in wine change, too. Barbecue and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Drought and other questions
After my recent trip to Napa, I received questions from readers and customers about the state of wine country, from the arsenic lawsuit to the effects of the drought on wine production. There is nothing like spending time with folks up and down the "chain of command" at wineries - …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The ageing of white wines
Many stereotypes and assumptions are based in fact. Some are not. The assumptions that white wines are not age worthy would fall into the latter category. The determination of how well any wine ages has virtually everything to do with how the wine is made and the grapes are harvested …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Notes from Napa
I just recently completed my first trip to the Napa Valley since we moved to North Idaho to open the shop nearly eight years ago. It won't be that long before I go back. Northern California wine country remains one of the truly beautiful places, and "the valley" seemed vibrant …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
An icon passes
I was just down in the Napa Valley on business last week. I went down to see wineries and winemakers, try some new things, reacquaint myself with old favorites, and see what the new trends are in the cradle of all things wine. I had lunch scheduled too with our …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Spring and summer whites
A couple of weeks back we wrote of the great crop of rose wines to be enjoyed in the warm spring (and warmer summer) days. We will follow up a couple of weeks from now with great light bodied reds to be enjoyed as our gatherings move outdoors. Here now …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Fun with wine lists
As wine professionals, we get to try a lot of great new wine every week. But even with regular visits to the shop from distributors, importers and winemakers, there are still more wines we have yet to try. Jonathan Oberlander from J. Scott Winery had a great way of breaking …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO
Wine Extravaganza 2015
The name says it all. Just like springs past for several years now downtown Coeur d'Alene, the Coeur d'Alene Resort and many shops and restaurants around town will be hosting two days of wine events the weekend of April 24th. This annual event is truly one of the best chances …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS AGO
Trends in blends
Blended wines have been gaining popularity for several years. Whites and reds that are not full varietal appeal to consumers, as most times they are smoother and offer complexity from the varietal combinations. For winemakers, the exercise of blending wines is the means to accentuate their favorite things about their …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS AGO
Spring visits
Spring is an interesting time at wineries. It is one of the few real down times. Just about all of the wine from the previous year’s harvest has been “barreled down,” and some unoaked whites and rosès may already be bottled. Vines have been pruned and cut back. So, save …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Wine conflicts
I was asked this past week to take a look at a wine book to see if we might want to sell it here in the shop. We declined, primarily because much of the information was dated. The book had been published almost 10 years ago, did not have a …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The Cabernet article
The statistics still show that Cabernet and Chardonnay are the two most purchased and consumed varietals domestically. As we mentioned last week, covering all of the great Chardonnay in one article is challenging, and similarly with Cabernet - that task is daunting. The varietal grows well in Washington state and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Is wine intimidating?
One of the most common things we hear from new customers at our shop goes something like this: "I really don't know much about wine, and I am going to a friend's home for dinner tonight, and they are really into wine. I don't know what to bring." Many of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
A 'dust-up' in the wine world
Recently, iconic importer Kermit Lynch out of California was profiled in the New York Times Magazine. Kermit has been importing great European wines since the 1970s - his palate is extraordinary and beyond challenge, as are his wine knowledge and the caliber of wine he traffics in. A contemporary of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Terroir: The good parts and the not-so-good parts
Terroir is defined as the set of special characteristics of the geography, geology and climate of a certain place that interact with the genetics of a plant, influencing the flavors of that plant. In short, it is what makes wine grapes from one region taste different and unique from those …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
More reader questions
We were honored this past week to host Gordy Venneri, owner/winemaker at Walla Walla Vintners, for a winemaker dinner at Scratch and a tasting the following day here at the shop. As always, Gordy did a great job - he is an entertaining speaker and possesses passion-driven knowledge that spans …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
That time of year
A widely agreed upon axiom of the wine industry is that the most expensive "bubbles" you will buy are in the fourth and first quarters of each year. With the Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and other holidays in the fourth and Valentine's Day in the first quarter, the theory is …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
What it costs to bring you a bottle of wine
Wine comes at all prices, from the quite inexpensive to what many of us cannot imagine paying for a single bottle of wine. But the question is, how does that price break down and who gets what piece?
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The really big collectors
Wine is a thing of passion for many of us and a thing of a whole lot of passion for a few of us, and many times those who are most passionate about wine spend a fair amount of time and capital putting together really big wine collections. Most collectors …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Wine talk
We recently held a wine dinner at the Clark House with Bryan Hinschberger of Amphora Distributing, whom we talked about last week. The staff at the Clark House was fabulous to work with and the meal was not only delicious, well-paired and well-presented, but the evening was flawlessly timed. Despite …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The knowledge difference
The difference between knowledge and information spans every subject, but when it comes to certain subjects like wine, the gap between the two is even more important. In today's environment, information is everywhere and can be accessed at any time via most any electronic device, but in many cases is …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Crop and vintage updates
We are approaching and in some cases have already arrived at the "white knuckle" point in the growing season for winemakers and wine grape farmers alike, harvest, so while we write often about the wine grape crop and vintage notes it seems appropriate to do so again. While the growing …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Grape mis-understandings
As wine consumers we all have perceptions of wines whether it be from bottle shape, color, varietal name, manufacturer or any number of the factors that go into winemaking including the marketing decisions. Sometimes those perceptions and resulting reservations about a wine are well founded and simply related to our …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
In only a few places
Huge wine lists or wine selections can be too much and become just a jumble of information, and without knowledge and guidance to just the right bottle can be overwhelming and of little use to the average wine consumer. In only a few places though when you have the guidance …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The tough question
The most important thing to know about wine is what you like and what you don't. Everyone's palate is different and responds to different flavors and profiles of the wine. There is the tough question that comes with those preferences though. We get the question from distributors, winemakers and toughest …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The best preserve and other questions
One of the most frequent questions we are asked from readers and customers alike is, "What is the best way to preserve a bottle of wine after it is opened?" The issue comes up more frequently than ever as 1 spouse may drink red and the other white, or one …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Rhone rising
We just recently tried a really great Syrah from Alexandria Nicole Winery out of Prosser Washington called Jet Black. We loved the wine, and as we always do we asked the distributor how the wine was received by other wine professionals around town. Her response was somewhat predictable; she said …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Buy producers, not vintages, but...
This past week we hosted a dinner at Fleur de Sel in Post Falls featuring wines from Kermit Lynch imports. The featured wines were mostly from Burgundy and featured some of the very highest end bottlings including Grand and Premier Cru selections from some of the most storied producers in …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
The best ideas
As we have written many times we try a lot of wine on a weekly basis, and we mean a lot! The normal week will be anywhere between 30 and 50 wines, some are new to us and the market others are the just released vintages of wines we know …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Another summer of bargains
The "WinEconomy" like the overall economy continues to improve, consumers seem less price driven and sensitive and overall sales continue to rise. Within the "Wineconomy" though some trends are unmistakable. Imports continue to be very affordable in some cases downright cheap! Domestically produced wines increasingly occupy the premium and super-premium …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Le catastrophe
Vouvray is an appellation within the Loire Valley in France. This relatively small growing area is known for producing some of the truly great Chenin Blanc made. In "the States" most producers who make varietal Chenin Blanc ferment it dry resulting in a crisp and zippy white wine. In Vouvray …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Winemaking talent
Over the past five plus years we have had the honor and privilege to work with some of the most talented winemakers from many of the North American Appellations. We have done tastings and winemaker dinners with these creative geniuses from Oregon, Idaho, Washington state, and many of the growing …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Serving size
As wine consumers everywhere know size matters and whether we are talking about the normal size of a glass pour or the many size formats of wine bottles a bit of definition helps. We are all familiar with the standard wine bottle size of 750ml, but what of the alternatives …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Vintage check
Bud break has happened in California and is happening as you read in Washington State and some of the other more northern appellations here in the States. Flowering has even occurred in some places so that means it is time to get our first glimpse of the coming 2013 vintage …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Our summer list
Over the years we have written the wine column we have heard from readers about half of which want us to do more specific wine recommendations and the other half who think we should not make recommendations at all. We try our best to take all of this advice in …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The perfect pairing
Much of the enjoyment and passion many of us feel for wine is driven by the powerful memories we have of some of our earliest wine experiences. We had dinner just last night with one of our most knowledgeable and sophisticated wine appreciating friends. We talked of our time living …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Age worthy
With a special occasion last week we had the opportunity to try a couple of older vintages of wines we have consumed over many vintages, one a 1995 Bald Mountain Zinfandel from a ranch that straddles the Sonoma and Napa County line in California and the other a 2008 Querciabella …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
The most common question
Wine is a subject that generates interest and passion for many of us, so it is predictable that whether it be here in the shop, via email, or just when we are out in public we get a lot of questions. While the questions asked span a wide range there …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Of costs and corkage
Like many in our local wine consuming community I read a letter to the editor in this week's "Press" regarding corkage fees at restaurants with great interest. It generated quite the buzz too as I was asked about it by more than a handful of folks. I do not know …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Art and science and passion
The process of creating great wine is one that requires equal doses of art and science. The best winemakers we have encountered over the years we have been involved in the wine business balance these two key and constantly shifting "ingredients" to craft delicious wines. Each time they approach a …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO
When an appellation falls
We are very fortunate as wine consumers here in North Idaho as we continue to taste and have access to wines from new and different appellations, or growing areas. In the last 5 plus years since we have opened our shop we have seen wines from Portugal, Lebanon and Greece …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO
Innovations and answers
Innovations in the world of wine happen constantly and while some improve the quality and affordability of wine, others are intended to aid the economics and functionality of the industry. Both are reasonable and expected but at times they have unintended consequences for wine consumers.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO
Restraint and Balance: What it really means
In reviewing and describing wines for both our column here in The Press and for customers in the shop, we frequently talk about restraint and balance in winemaking. Much of this is based on what our palates prefer as wine consumers and less about a quality judgment. We taste wines …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO
A happy Easter
Easter is a holiday that celebrates much in the Christian religions but also much about the time of year representing for many of us the start of spring.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO
The good doctor
Over the last several years we have been fortunate to work with many winemakers, winery owners, importers, and distributors on our monthly events like winemaker dinners and wine tastings. We have hosted some of the biggest names in the wine business and some of those just emerging to prominence and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Spring
After the short winter days and the long winter storms we always look forward to this time of year, not just for those lengthening days and sunny skies but because of all the great new wines that release in the spring. Wineries typically release their new vintages, new projects and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
The right one
We always enjoy and have long advocated for increasing choices in all things wine.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
It's not all in the shape
We attended a lovely dinner party last week that was a celebration of a friend's 50th birthday. There were a total of 10 folks, all of whom brought wine, so as you can imagine there was quite an array of wines and wine bottles of varying shapes. In the interlude …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
What makes wine country wine country
Recently we traveled over to the west side of Washington State to see some winemakers. We also did some wine tasting and picked up some bottles as well. Those we visited had tasting rooms in Woodinville, and there was even one full-blown winery facility in a residential neighborhood in Marysville. …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Why Europe matters
Recent press by both large and small news organizations has talked about the influx of and dropping prices on European wines. Driven by shrinking wine consumption in the "old world" and increased competition from around the globe, we are seeing producers in France, Italy and Spain increasingly target the U.S. …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Trends
Every year around this time Mary heads off to the market to find the latest in merchandise for the shop for the coming spring and summer season. Every few years she goes to the market in New York, widely regarded as one of the best show in the States, and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Spring release
While new wines are constantly available on the market wineries typically release their new vintages in groups in the spring, and again in the fall. As the spring of 2013 approaches these new release wines are being eagerly anticipated as many reds from the troubled 2010 vintage will start to …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The Unrepresented
The passing of proposition 1183 in Washington State and the possibility of any similar legislation here in Idaho bring with it a host of side effects and unintended consequences. The most unfortunate one to us is the number of small wineries that are left unrepresented. This causes a narrowing of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Some of the best surprises
As wine shop owners and wine consumers, we have tasted a lot of wine over the last five years. I mean, a lot. We have tasted countless wines in all kinds of formats from blind tasting during the judging for the North Idaho Wine Rodeo, to weekly tastings with distributors, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Enjoy wine without allergies
In the couple of years now that we have been writing articles for the Coeur d'Alene Press we have never repeated an article - although reviewing past themes and trends in the wine world is inevitable. Of all of the articles, though, the one we wrote on wine allergies resulted …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
The benefits of stability
The world of wine is impacted by economic factors specific to the industry, what I refer to as the "wineconomy," and is also influenced by the general economic forces that affect each of us. After the last few years of turmoil in the overall economy and tough years in the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
The year in wine review and preview
At the end of the year the press is full of reviews of the previous year and all that has occurred, coupled with a look forward on what to expect. As the wine industry in North Idaho has continued to evolve a similar retrospective, and prospective will provide wine consumers …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Your perfect Christmas wine
Like we always say the wine you choose for your holiday gatherings is very personal like all things wine related. What you and your family like, what you will be serving, whether it is a full blown dinner or just a party where wine will be served as an aperitif …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The wine of our past
For all of us there was a very clearly remembered start to our interest and appreciation of wine, that seminal moment when we first tasted it and started down the evolutionary path for our knowledge and our palates. We all joke frequently about some of those wines that started the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
'Moving the needle'
Since we first opened the shop nearly five years ago, we have hosted many wine tastings and winemaker dinners with our restaurant partners and winemakers from all over the wine producing regions of the United States and with some great importers of old world wines. We have found that some …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Remembering 'why' you liked a wine
Every year around this time, when we gather with good friends and family we always delve into our personal library to pull out some of our old favorites and share them with those closest to us. This year our Thanksgiving gathering was smaller than normal just me, Mary and another …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Behind the Chutes 2012
As we all know the third annual Winter Wine Rodeo is coming up next week on Saturday, Dec. 1 from 3-7 p.m. Like the previous events this year's will have all of the same great wine, food and vendors we have come to expect. Nearly 100 wines being sampled by …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Reader's wine questions
Through the combination of our public events and readers and customers coming into the shop we get quite a few questions on all things wine, from winemaking to grape growing. Here are some of the ones we have gotten recently.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Stocking up for the holidays
It is that time of year again when big gatherings of friends and family are a great idea, and along with these events comes the opportunity to try new wines to pair with our favorite holiday fare. The meals are robust, just like the crowds around our tables, and whether …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The dinner party goes to France
Recently we were approached by Connie Tompkins, owner of local travel agency A Travel Resource, to lead a wine tour to France. As you might imagine we accepted without pause and started to contact some of our favorite winemakers there to put together a trip to see them and taste …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Winter Wine Rodeo III
Pour lists are being compiled, restaurants and vendors are committing, layout of the room is near completion, which can mean only one thing... The third annual Winter Wine Rodeo is scheduled and will be the biggest and best gathering of food and wine yet. It is sometimes hard for us …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The lesser appellations
We have written much of the tough vintages of 2010 and 2011, however as we continue to taste the red wines from these vintages specifically from California there is a bright spot emerging, albeit small it is a bright spot nonetheless. The big problems in these years were the early …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The collective sigh
That collective sigh of relief that is audible to most every wine consumer is coming from grape growers and winemakers around the appellations of the western U.S. After two unbelievably tough years of poor quality harvests and extremely low tonnage of usable wine grape stock, it appears at least for …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The making of a destination
Owning a wine shop is great - we get exposed to new wines, get to meet winemakers all the time and learn much about the process and product they develop. We see the strategy behind their mostly artistic endeavors and when we travel to wine country it is like visiting …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
It's all about the wine
As the transition to synthetic closures on wine bottles whether they be the twist cap Stelvin, or any number of synthetic and even glass "corks" continues for many the debate still rages over the implications of a bottle sealed with something other than real cork. We have long felt that …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The perfect temperature
The frequently stated consensus in the wine world is that here in the states we drink our white wine too cold and our red wine too warm. So what is the perfect temperature for consuming your favorite varietal? Like so much of your wine experience the answer is personal and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Napa's high end
The Napa Valley is perhaps the most iconic and well known wine region here in the States. It is in fact the birthplace in many ways of the American wine industry, with some of the best known wine dating back decades. Over the history of Napa some of the highest …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Wine technology
Like most everything in our world technology has influenced wine from the growing of the grapes to winemaking to how it is served and sold. The lion's share of these changes are positive for the business of wine and for wine consumers, especially the advances in how wine is stored …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Varietal Emergence II
As we wrote earlier in the summer we have been pleasantly surprised at the demand for some previously over-looked wines, varietals and producers. Part of this trend has demonstrated its strength most notably though with some unusual varietals being requested more often, and garnering high marks from many consumers.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The 2012 winners are...
When this article runs in the Coeur d'Alene Press on Wednesday we will be just a few short hours away from the tasting on Wednesday evening. So here are the results of the judging for the 2012 North Idaho Wine Rodeo!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Judging completed - on to the tasting
This past week the four judges for the North Idaho Wine Rodeo, Eric Cook, Jill Kausen, Chris Cates and I completed the evaluation of over 200 entries to this year's competition. As always with this event and frankly any blind tasting or judging of wines, some familiar faces as well …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Vintage 2012 preview
As August opens we enter the phase of the wine grape vintage when winemakers start to wring their hands and grape growers start to look at long term weather forecasts and anxiously eye their crop on a daily basis, watching for the desired progress. The anxiety level for all in …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
A summer full of French whites
We have frequently talked about how wine tastes change with the seasons, richer more full bodied wines appeal in the fall and winter, and generally speaking as the weather warms folks prefer lighter bodied reds and crisper whites. This summer has been really warm (we are not complaining!) we love …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Wine Rodeo 2012
Each year at this time the four judges for the North Idaho Wine Rodeo commercial wine competition gather to start judging the hundreds of wines entered from around the world. This year the judging panel has a new addition - Jill Kausen of Possibilities on Sherman Avenue. Jill's experience in …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Taste, taste, taste
Mary and I affectionately refer to tasting wine many times as "homework." For us while it really isn't work at all it is a big part of the job, as we never feel comfortable or confident recommending a wine to a customer if we have not tried it first regardless …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Trends and blends
Within the last couple of weeks I had the opportunity to have lunch with Cary Daste. Cary is one of my favorite people in the wine business and the consummate "pro" with many years of experience in an industry that knows plenty of ups and downs. Cary now has his …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
The simplest pairs
Summer is here, or at least it is trying to be here, and when the seasons change we find that our taste in food and wine and the pairings we have with them changes quite a lot. We fire up the grill, dine outside with family and friends, and seek …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Why you should buy wine like a collector
We frequently hear two things from even our best customers about buying wine from a wine shop; first, it takes an extra stop, and second that wine from a wine shop is more expensive than from a grocery store. The first one is absolutely true, we are an extra stop. …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
The French opportunity
We have written much lately of the benefits offered by European wines given the tough recent vintages here in North America. These benefits are about to come to the fore in a big way here in North Idaho in conjunction with a visit from one of the premier French wine …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
The world of blends
We have always said the art of blending wine is the hallmark of a great winemaker. In today's wine world for reasons from economics to the goal of differentiating one's offerings it is truer than ever. There are many differences in blended wines based on appellation, style and any number …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
... Without historical context
The history of wine dates back to virtually the start of civilization which is replete with mentions of fermented grape juice in the days of the Roman Empire, the birth of Christianity and even further back.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Spirited wines
Grappa, brandy, port, and other forms of digestifs and aperitifs are all made from wine or wine byproducts and for those of us who occasionally enjoy a glass before or after dinner find them to be delicious. There is one big difference between wine and these however, in that most …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Solutions for divergent tastes
Wine choices in general and more specifically here in North Idaho continue to expand, notwithstanding some of the current supply disruptions from the implementation of initiative 1183 in neighboring Washington. As our choices expand it is only natural that our palates and desires to have new and different wines does …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Touring and tasting trends
As the wine industry in North America continues to mature there are clear trends that are emerging at wineries in all of the appellations with respect to how the wineries are choosing to cover the costs of exposing their wines to the consuming public. Every wine country worldwide has its …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Looking to Europe
We have written many times recently of the troubled 2010 and 2011 wine grape vintages here in North America, and while there are exceptions many of the wines we have tasted are not very good. Recently we have tried the 2010 Skylark Pinot Blanc and the 2011 Skylark Pink Belly …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
We start again!
The first of many communications went out this past week to winemakers, winery owners, distributors and judges announcing the start of the third annual and 2012 version of the North Idaho Wine Rodeo.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO
The passionate drink
After writing a weekly column for more than two years now one of the conversations that I've had frequently with readers is the passion that wine brings out in all of us as wine enthusiasts and consumers. Not the kind of passion that politics, or talking about our favorite sports …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO
Alcohol deregulation, the wine industry
I have been asked many times now by customers and readers about my feelings on proposition 1183 in Washington state and its effect on the wine industry and the prospects of a similar law here in Idaho.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO
Lunch with Abeja
This past week I was honored to have lunch with John Abbott, co-owner and winemaker for Abeja Winery in Walla Walla. What a treat for me to have some extended time with one of the great talents in Washington state winemaking. I have long enjoyed the Abeja wines, and find …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO
Early results
Within the last month or so we have begun to see the early results of the troubled 2010 vintage so here's an update on what we are seeing or more accurately tasting. Since the 2010s have started to be released we have tasted some pretty dreadful wines. One of the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO
Appellation matters
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.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Ideal conditions
We have talked much about the difficult growing conditions that existed during the 2010 and 2011 vintages for the wine grape growing appellations in the Western U.S., from cooler than normal overall growing seasons to sudden heat spikes late in the year, to rain leading into harvest and sudden freezes.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Varietal emergence
We have often written that trying new varietals and wine produced by new wineries is great fun for us, and the reason we don't turn down the opportunity to try new things with our distributors. It is rare though when we get to see firsthand a new varietal being embraced …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
The families of the Appellation Wine Company
Niven, Graff, Smith, Rosenthal - some of the families that are part of the Appellation Wine Company, a grouping of third and fourth generation grape growing families from the central coast of California that produce a wide ranging and delicious assortment of wines. Scott Woodward from AWC was in town …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Wine questions
Here are some reader questions that have come up recently with answers that may be helpful for all wine consumers.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Wedding trends
The troubled economy we have experienced over the last few years has created a trend in wedding planning and more specifically in wine consumption at the "big event." The general trend that has emerged is couples planning their rehearsal dinners, ceremonies and receptions at private venues like backyards, lakefront homes …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Now more than ever, vintage matters
It always has, but vintage now really does matter in every purchase you make as a wine consumer. Beyond the quality differences of harvest years there are a number of other factors that affect the aromatics, flavor and your own personal feelings about any particular wine. We have covered the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
A review of Woodhouse Wine Cellars
This past weekend we held a winemaker dinner and also a tasting with Woodhouse Wine Cellars and Jason Colyer. As retailers and as consumers we are always looking for a consistent producer of well priced and good wines that does a number of different things by meeting varying tastes and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
How to open a bottle of wine
My feeling is that the choice of a wine opener or corkscrew is as personal as the choice of wine itself, and while the movement to screw caps (also known as a "Stelvin") is simplifying the process, at times you still need to open a bottle the old-fashioned way. The …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Our California Hall of Fame
After having the chance to taste with Gordy Veneri of Walla Walla Vintners a couple of weeks ago we started to think about all of the great winemakers we have gotten to know over the years through our experience working in wineries and since opening the dinner party. Getting to …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Tasting with an old Friend
Around since 1995 Walla Walla Vintners continues to be one of the most popular wineries, producing some of the most popular red wines from the Northwest. Under the steady guidance of co-owners and co-winemakers Gordy Venneri and Miles Anderson, the winery continues to produce small lots of limited varietal selection …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Old World vs. New World wines
While the wine you choose to purchase and drink always does and should come down to selecting wines you like, there are very clear differences between wines produced in the old world appellations of Europe and those from the new world, including those made here in the U.S. As we …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Great holiday wines for 2011
As we approach the Christmas and New Year's holidays it is always good to have a "go to" list of wines to choose from whether they be for your own large gatherings or those you may be attending at friend's or family's homes. When with large groups it is always …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Wine flaws, how to detect them and what to do then
I first wrote this article and The Press published it nearly two years ago. Wine flaws though are one of those things that many of us as wine consumers experience, and without recognizing them as flaws many just think it is bad wine. Especially at the holidays when at large …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Italy and North Idaho
We have recently had the privilege to try some great Italian wines that are new to the market here in North Idaho (or at least new to us) that when combined with some of the existing offerings are expanding greatly the list of possibilities from this old world growing region. …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Winter Wine Rodeo: Review
The second annual Winter Wine Rodeo was held on Saturday, Nov. 19 in conjunction with the fairgrounds and by all accounts was a great success. Nearly 400 folks attended and had the chance to sample more than 70 different wines, and food from great local restaurants, and also do some …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Brand expansion
In economic times like we are currently experiencing that feature an oversupply of wine and with the exception of the 2010 and 2011 harvests an oversupply of grapes, is when we typically see an expansion in the number of brands even if we do not see an expansion in the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Shipping wine
As we approach the holidays and all of the family gatherings that go along with them, customers increasingly ask about shipping wine to their holiday destination whether it be for their own use or as personal or corporate gifts. There are some guidelines and rules that govern all of us …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The best food and wine pairing holiday
Thanksgiving is perhaps our favorite holiday all year, the family gatherings, the feast, the great fall weather, football all contribute to a great day with family and friends. The diversity of the meal and the length of celebration lend the extra bonus of ample food and wine pairings that enhance …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
A fall full of wine events
Fall is our favorite time of year, and it is not just the crisp days, wonderful colors and football that we enjoy so much but also the great events in the wine industry. While the 2011 harvest has been less than joyful in wine country, the cool growing season and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
WinEconomy III
Over the past months we had found that wine prices had begun a stabilization that would not only be welcomed by wineries and grape growers but to some degree was needed to ensure the financial health of the industry. In just the last couple of weeks though we have started …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Winter Wine Rodeo II
While the actual competition for the best wines entered into the North Idaho Wine Rodeo happens in the summer and culminates during fair week, the winter version of the event is an even bigger celebration of participating wineries, winemakers and the winners. Last year at the winter event more than …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
A great visit with 'Old Friends'
One of the many great things about the world of wine is all of the new things to try. There are literally hundreds of wines we get introduced to that are fun and delicious in their own way. Periodically though weather by chance or design you get to revisit some …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Could it really happen two vintages in a row?
The headline for this week was a question posed by a winemaker we know in California at the beginning of September when he was lamenting that fruit from one of his most prized vineyard sources had not yet begun to turn from green to purple. After the disastrous vintage of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Negotiant bottlers
We have talked much recently about "grower wines" and their impact on the wine industry as we have continued to be impressed by many of the wines. So too though we continue to find negotiant wineries who bottle some really great wine at compelling prices. Negotiants are defined differently in …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Consumer wine trends
While the economics of the wine industry continue to greatly influence the behaviors of wineries, winemakers, growers and distributors there are also clear trends from the consumers of wines at the retail level. While all of us continue to choose those bottlings that we prefer based on what we like …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The WinEconomy, new brands
Despite the not so good vintage of 2010 and the upcoming low yielding vintage of 2011 we still have yet to see any pricing power for wineries. There remains enough wine on the market from previous years that wineries raise prices at their peril. Having said that we are not …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Wine questions, terminology
We frequently get questions from our readers and customers on everything about wine from terms, to the wine-making methods, to individual wines so here are some we have gotten since the last time we addressed them.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Vintage matters
As the harvest of 2011 approaches it seems an appropriate time to update wine consumers on how the crop is looking and also on recent releases and tastings from past vintages. Looking back at the appellations from 2007 and 2008 were great back to back years for California, Washington and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The art of labels
I have said many times that nothing I or any other wine professional says will change a wine from one you like into one you don't or vice versa. Also true that a great label will never turn bad wine into good or make a mediocre wine taste better, however …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Grower wines
One of the many recent trends in the wine industry has been the appeal of "Grower Champagne." This is champagne produced by the same folks that grow the grapes. We have tasted many great ones from LaSalle, Copinet and others. Non-grower champagnes are typically the larger producers like Veuve Clicquot …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Wine Rodeo 2011: The full story
As the judging continues and we get closer to fair week we are being asked more questions about the competition and the grand tasting. So here is all you need to know if you are attending the event.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The Top 40
A customer and wine club member of ours from Seattle recently sent me an article from the Seattle Times highlighting the 100 best wines from Washington that their wine writer had tasted in the last year.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The process of judging
This past week the three other judges for the North Idaho Wine Rodeo, Erick Cook, Jennifer Curran, Chris Cates and I started the process of working through and rating the more than 250 entries into the competition this year from around the world.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Expand your palate
One of the questions we get asked most frequently is, "What is your favorite wine?" or asked another way, "If there was only one bottle of wine left to drink what would it be?"
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
A wine trip well worth taking
We are very fortunate here in the Northwest to have many wine destinations in our own backyard, close enough to drive to in less than a half day. We recently traveled to Cave B Winery and the SageCliffe Inn near the town of Quincy, Wash. and for wine enthusiasts or …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
North Idaho Wine Rodeo 2011
As summer arrives and the plans start to fall into place for the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo, the judges, coordinators, distributors, and wineries get ready to start on the North Idaho Wine Rodeo commercial wine competition. Like last year we are receiving entries from all over the world spanning …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Vintages: Review and preview
We have started to see some of the wines from the troubled 2010 vintage here in our market so it seems a good time to update you the consumers on what we think of the wines so far. Last year was one of the worst recent vintages for all of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Not by wine alone
As an avid wine enthusiast and one who works in the field daily it is easy to lose track at times of the other great beverage choices that are out there, pair well with food and generate just as much passion as fermented grape juice does for me.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Consumer look at Idaho liquor law
As a wine retailer we are governed daily by Idaho Liquor law as are all of our great local wine distributors, Idaho and out of state wineries, and all other restaurants, grocery stores, warehouse stores, and any place else you purchase wine by the glass or bottle.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
'Old Timers' of the Northwest
From an historical perspective there is no getting around it the Washington state wine industry is an "infant" compared to other appellations around the world. This in no way diminishes the quality of wine produced here in the Northwest nor should it reduce the pride we feel in our great …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Wine Tasting: How to?
Last week I saw a news story about this weekend's Mother's Day winery tasting held in Spokane. If you have never been you should go sometime it is a great event although brace yourself for huge crowds.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Mom's wine
Mother's day is this coming Sunday and figures from the national retail association show it is the second biggest retail shopping day to the Christmas holidays.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Soter Vineyards: A review
It occurred to me that while we frequently discuss coming wine events in this article we have rarely gone back to review the events to let you the wine consumer know how they went. That is of even more value when tastings and winemaker dinners involve a winery like Soter …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
The value of the winery experience
Touring wine country is an experience that holds passion for many of us, but beyond the romance and enjoyment of winery visits there are tremendous amounts of knowledge to be garnered while there.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
The wines of spring
We have always noticed seasonality to our own palates and as the weather warms which will happen sometime soon, we crave lighter bodied wines in both white and red. Dry Roses also become more popular, and of course the spring holidays like Easter and the accompanying brunch and dinner celebrations …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
Vintage notes new and old
As we approach the new 2011 growing season for wine grapes in the Northern Hemisphere we are getting a glimpse at some potential challenges for the coming year and we are also starting to learn more as wines from previous vintages continue to be released. We cannot overstate how much …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
Varietally speaking III the Rhone
As part of an on-going occasional series about the more than 500 different grape varietals grown around the world for use in wine production, here is a rundown of some of the grapes that grow well in our local Northwest appellation that originated in the Rhone Valley of France. As …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
Spring release
Wineries and winemakers typically release new vintages and at times re-release "library" vintages in groups in the spring and again in the fall. While many less notable wineries gather little attention with the release of their wines, for the most sought after and hard to get bottlings these semi-annual releases …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
The wines of Kermit Lynch Imports
We, like most everyone in this area, truly enjoy domestically produced wines especially those from our wonderful Northwest wineries. Also though we feel one of the truly great things about wine is the regional differences of wines produced in other parts of the world. Enter Kermit Lynch! Since the early …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
The wineries of Napa
As a follow on to last week's column here is a snapshot of some of the great wineries of Napa County and like Sonoma, Napa being known for wineries does not imply that there are not great "growers;" there sure are. Mostly though Napa is known for the wineries that …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Idaho rising
We are all very proud here in the Northwest of our regional wines and for good reason, as there are many great producers throughout the area including Washington and Oregon. However, some of the real treats are starting to come out of our home state of Idaho. While the group …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Wine clubs, wine clubs everywhere
As the popularity and accessibility of wine grows so does the proliferation of wine clubs. While joining a club at a local shop, your favorite winery or some other organization is a great way to get well priced access to some of your favorite wines, as consumers there are some …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Wine and Valentine's Day
As we approach Valentine's Day we start to think of ways to celebrate with our special someone, whether the choice is "bubbly," something to go great with a rich chocolate dessert or with a romantic mid winter dinner, the choices are plentiful. The good news too for consumers is that …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
The winery distributor shuffle
Every year between December and January a "dance" goes on between wineries and distributors resulting from successes and failures of distributors in selling wine. At times distributors will drop winery brands from their "books" that have not sold well but more frequently wineries change their distributors to increase sales of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
Red wine trends
Last week we wrote of recent purchasing trends in white wines, so here is the red wine side of the ledger and just like the trends in white this is unlikely to change your personal buying patterns, but may introduce you to some varietals and appellations you were not previously …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
White wine trends
Consumer buying patterns in wine constantly change like they do for all goods, and while it will likely hold minimal influence over your own preferences, it is fun to expose yourself to new things. When we last wrote of wine trends there had been a definite move to stainless steel …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Getting started with food and wine
For many of us as we start to enjoy wine it is natural progression to begin experimenting with cooking, while for others the pleasure we derive from preparing great meals evolves into an interest in wine. In either case the focus is on the wine and food enhancing each other. …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
A retrospective tasting of the 1997 vintage
Over the holidays we had the opportunity to taste six of our favorite wines from the historic 1997 vintage. The importance of going back and tasting these wines is helpful to know how the 2007 vintage which we have found to be equally extraordinary will stand up.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Common wine misconceptions
This time of year when folks are buying wine as gifts for friends and family we get many questions about wine - from grapes to packaging - that in many cases are simple misconceptions regarding the manufacture, flavors and origins of fermented grape juice so here are answers to some …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
Holiday wines
While Thanksgiving has pretty much one traditional meal and is focused on one day, the Christmas and New Year holidays bring many meal favorites spanning a number of days. The wine choices similarly are multiplied too. So without wasting too much column space here are some recommendations for the most …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 3 MONTHS AGO
The first Winter Wine Rodeo
A little over one week ago the first Winter Wine Rodeo was held at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds, and the success laid the groundwork for this event to go on for many years. The winter installment was an off shoot of the North Idaho Wine Rodeo held prior at the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
Fermentations
Winemakers are faced with a myriad of decisions during the process of creating their final product. When to harvest and at what sugar and acid levels? Should we pick during the night, early morning or late in the day? What kind of oak barrels to use if any at all? …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The supply side of the wine glut
The current state of the economy and more specifically the "wineconomy" has resulted in many bargains to be had in wine as we have talked about before. The supply side of this wine glut though, is yet another silver lining to the dark economic clouds that overhang the wine world.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 4 MONTHS AGO
The gift of wine
As wine increases in popularity and the passion for it grows as well with those who enjoy it, so does the desire to give it as holiday gifts. The challenge for many though is what does our favorite wine drinker like? What if they don't like the bottle we buy …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The big day
By the time you are opening up to this article in the Press it will be just about two weeks to go until Thanksgiving day, one of the biggest days of the year for family gatherings and the ultimate in dinner parties. While all over America the basic menu has …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
The Winter Wine Rodeo
Last spring when we developed the idea for a global wine competition to be held in conjunction with the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo, we had no idea the response and post event feedback would be so positive.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Varietally speaking Bordeaux
Awhile back I wrote about some of the white varietals that do well in the North-west as part of an occasional series. This is the second installment focusing primarily on the red Bordeaux varietals that also do well here in our local area.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Charity Auction Trends
Local charities and those around the country frequently look to wine donations of many kinds to offer at their fundraising auctions.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
WinEconomy semi-annual update
It has been about six months since I wrote about pricing and supply trends in the wine industry so I figured it might be a good time to update wine consumers on those trends. When we last wrote retail prices for wine were coming down quite relentlessly due to an …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Wine questions and answers
From the time of the North Idaho Wine Rodeo and Tasting through a tasting with Renwood Winery here at the shop last weekend we have had a number of questions sent our way, so here are a few with our answers and explanations.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Consistency and Wine Production
Ultimately the wineries that become our favorites as retailers and consumers are the ones that year after year produce wine that we really like, and feel is worth the money we spend on it. The challenge then is to determine which producers those are, and how to discover that they …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Local wine lists
The wine scene here in North Idaho can only be described as vibrant, and that vibrancy is due in large measure to many sophisticated consumers, but also a fully integrated structure of producers, distributors and retailers. All of these layers do a great and innovative job. Beyond all of these …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Fall vineyard tour
In last week's column about the approaching 2010 harvest I talked about all of the risk for growers and winemakers alike as we move into fall. This time of year also represents one of the really great times for wine consumers to visit the country's wine regions. While you are …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Vintage 2010 preview
Ask any grape grower, vineyard manager or winemaker and they will tell you that we are fast approaching the time of year that gives them more grey hair and anxiety than any other. That is harvest and the month or so right before the grapes are actually picked. This small …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The winners
By the time you are reading this the fair and the tasting of the wines entered in the first North Idaho Wine Rodeo will be over. I anticipate that all who attended will have had a great time and ample opportunity to taste a lot of wonderful wine from all …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The judging
As we get closer to the grand tasting at the North Idaho Fair on Aug. 28, the other judges and I continue to work through the monumental number of entries submitted for the wine competition. We have so far judged and rated more than 175 entries with more than 50 …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Glassware
Here at The Dinner Party we frequently get the question, "Does glassware really make that much of a difference in the taste of wine?" In short, you bet it does. However it does not need to cost a fortune to purchase glassware that will enhance the aromas and flavors of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Wine equipment
As you start to expand your wine drinking experience you will find advertised and available a wide range of items designed to increase your enjoyment. Like most things in life, some are helpful and some not. The decision though on what works best is a very personal one. In fact, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The field in the NI Fair and Rodeo wine competition
By the time this article is printed we will have reached the cut-off for entries to the inaugural North Idaho Fair and Rodeo Wine Competition. All we have to say is we are thrilled with the level of participation and excited for the judging. We have received entries from as …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Specialties and winemaker talent
We all have certain things we are better at. With wine it is no different; there are grapes that do better than others in certain appellations or growing regions, and further there are wineries and winemakers that do better with certain grape varietals. The goal for all of us as …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Syrah re-turning
One of the most confusing and at times confounding trends in the wine industry the last several years is the foundering of Syrah sales. Syrah is the principal red grape from the Rhone Valley in France as well as the Chateauneuf du Pape A.O.C. Chateauneuf du Pape translates to "New …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Wine allergies
It has happened to all of us: We are drinking some wine we really like, and doing so in moderation but before we know it our sinuses get congested, or we wake up the next morning with a bad headache. These symptoms may be the result of an allergy to …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Varietally speaking
By some counts there are well over 500 different varietals of grapes used in the production of wine across the planet. No doubt some are duplicates or have such minor differences in their makeup and flavor profile they would be indistinguishable save for their place of origin. As a consumer …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Wineries square off in new North Idaho Fair and Rodeo competition
Since we opened The Dinner Party two and one half years ago, we have been impressed and a little surprised with the vibrancy of the wine industry here in North Idaho. Whether talking about the caliber of local producers here in Idaho and neighboring Washington, the breadth and quality of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Wine books
Whether you are looking to build your wine knowledge or to have something entertaining for your summer vacation and you love wine, there are many choices of books to fill your craving. The challenge for the educational or reference books on wine is finding one that does not put you …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Wine labels
One of the most consistent and at times surprising phenomena of the wine business is how much a great label contributes to the sales volume of any bottle of wine. While we interact with just about everyone who comes into our shop and talk to them about their likes and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Wine and the movies
Some of our favorite evenings are spent not only enjoying a great bottle of wine over dinner but also watching one of the handful of movies that are focused on wine, wineries, and vineyards. As the enjoyment and popularity of wine has grown recently in the States, most of the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Summer is here, time for pink!
Just like food, wine consumption patterns change with the seasons, and as we eat more meals grilled outside, salads and other summer treats we also start to consume more white wine than red, and tastes shift to lighter-bodied wines.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Don't dismiss the varietal
Before we moved back to the area where my wife and business partner Mary Lancaster was raised to open The Dinner Party, we both worked at wineries, where we witnessed one of the amazing phenomena of the wine industry - which fortunately taught us one of the great lessons of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
What to do with wine ratings
Ninety-four or 89. The Wine Advocate versus The Wine Spectator, or Wine Press Northwest? Wine of the year, winery of the year, winemaker of the year It all can make your head spin trying to keep up with ratings, awards and commentary when all you want to do is pick …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO
WinEconomy
The Harvest issue of the Wine Spectator from last fall cited that Napa Valley Cabernet grapes at the 2008 harvest averaged $4,678 per ton; the projection for the 2009 harvest was for an average of under $2,000 per ton. Last year at the beginning of the harvest in Sonoma County …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO
Wines of the Year
While we don’t rate wines on a number scale, there are clear winners from the past year based on customer purchases. As I’ve said so many times, big ratings and high praise from me won’t change a wine you don’t like into one you do. While clearly this rating system …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
How and where to buy wine?
As I have continued to write my articles for the Press I have from time to time gotten the question, "This all sounds great but where should I buy my wine?" Believe me I would like to make the answer simple and at the same time self serving and say …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 15 YEARS, 2 MONTHS AGO
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