Treasure Valley Food and Wine Blog

American Craft Beer Week

2012-05-18T13:56:00.000-06:00

I know, it's almost over. Sorry I missed it. But there are still 3 days to celebrate and to help you do that, look at American Craft Beer Week in the Boise Weekly. Here is some more information on the remaining events from the Boise Weekly.

-Crooked Fence will feature specialty beers on its Garden City taps Wednesday, May 16, through Saturday, May 19, including Sins of Our Fathers Imperial Stout, Trainwreck Red, Derby Oatmeal IPA and Dark Unicorn Black Ale. Also on Saturday, May 19, Crooked Fence will host a Craft Beer Week Finale from noon to 10 p.m., featuring Calle 75 Street Tacos and a free concert by The Ringtones from 7-9 p.m.

-Highlands Hollow is offering rotating daily specials for Craft Beer Week, including Bratwurst and a Full Moon Stout for $8 on Thursday, May 17, and a Brewers Dinner on Saturday, May 19, for $11.95.

-Payette Brewing is involved in a number of other Craft Beer Week events, including a pizza and beer night at Sun Ray Cafe Tuesday, May 15, a sold-out brewer's dinner at The Front Door on Thursday, May 17, and a blind IPA tasting at the Boise Co-Op Wine Shop on Friday, May 18.

-Tablerock Brewpub will showcase an array of aged specialty brews on its taps all week, including a port barrel-aged Winter Cheer on Wednesday, May 16, and the Hopocalypse pitched with Belgian strong ale yeast on Friday, May 19.

Craft Beer Week is a national celebration of craft beer's culture and community. In Boise, it will include collaborative and specialty beers on tap, as well as events and specials at bars.

Craft Beer Week is also a rare opportunity for brewers to work together to carve out a niche for local craft and specialty brews in a market flooded with mass-market domestics like Budweiser, Coors and Miller.

So there is still some time left to join in on this event, albeit, short. I feel confident that the breweries listed in the articles referred to here, will be more than willing to share some of their craft with you. Cheers!

Pinot Grigios At The TVWS Tasting

2012-05-10T10:48:00.000-06:00

The Treasure Valley Wine Society held another Wine Tasting with Pinot Grigio being the featured wine. Many thanks to Lisa Gaddis of the Idaho Wine Merchant for giving the presentation. And look at this photo - Melissa won the 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards 2008 Riesling! Congratulations to Melissa.
Here is some information about Pinot Grigio from different sources that some of you may find useful.

Pinot Grigio

Definition: Italy's most popular white wine is produced from the * Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris grape varietal. This wine hails from the northeast region of Veneto and Friuli. A light, crisp white wine that is intended to be consumed early on. This particular white wine grape, goes by several different names, depending on which country is talking about it - Pinot Grigio (Italy), Pinot Gris (France), Grauer Burgunder (Germany). Pinot grapes are grown in small clusters and, shockingly, produce a gray or brownish-pink fruit. Pinot grigio is thought to be a mutant cousin to another famous grape, Pinot noir.

Flavor Profile: Pinot Grigio flavors can range from melon to pear and some even offer a subtle tropical or citrus fruit, often there is a honey or smoky flavor component as well. As for color, Pinot Grigio is typically a pale, straw-like yellow with some golden hues thrown in. The texture of a Pinot Grigio is worth noting, as it has very smooth, almost silk-like overtones that leave an impression on the palate. A crisp, dry white wine made in the Italian style with a fragrance of aromatic herbs and a hint of mineral and earth in the nose.

Food Pairing: Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with seafood, light pastas and cheese cracker combinations. Since this wine is fairly acidic itself, avoid pairing with foods that have high acid contents, like citrus fruits or tomato-based recipes.

Look what we had for dinner and the wines we tried. The wines listed are the ones that we tried and they are not necessarily listed as a pairing. Scores were on a [20] point system. All of these wines are less than $20.00 Enjoy!

Cheese and Fruit Tray
2011 Yalumba "Y Series" Pinot Grigio (Australia)
12.5% alc., big for a pinot grigio but well balanced and great with food [18]

Caesar Salad
2011 Oxford Landing Pinot Grigio (Australia)
11.5% alc., weak nose and palate, overpowered by the roasted vegetables [15]

Roasted Vegetables
2010 Milbrandt Vineyards Pinot Grigio (Walla Walla, Washington)
13.5% alc., lite and weak flavors [15]

Chicken and Artichoke Alfredo Penne
2011 Dusted Valley "Boomtown" Pinot Grigio (Walla Walla, Washington)
13.5% alc., watery, lemon, sharp acidic. might be good with a sorbet [16]

Tiramiso
2010 Pend d'Oreille Winery Pinot Grigio (Idaho)
13.4% alc., lacks fruit and not long lasting [16]

Dinner is plated
2010 Witness Tree Winery Pinot Grigio (Oregon)
13.2% alc., strong sulfur, tart, sour [14]

Tiramiso
NV Torre di Luna Pinot Grigio (Italy)
13.8% alc., sharp and tart, lite sweetness. might be good with grilled salmon [17]

So there you have the wines and the dinner that we had. Our thanks to Chef Jake and his staff for the fine dinner - I don't think that the 33 people who were there left anything. Overall score for tonight for the wines was [15]. All of the folks who were at our table pretty much agreed on the wine scores. Cheers!

May Wine Club Dinner at The Buzz

2012-05-09T09:24:00.000-06:00

I just loved this evening sunset sky in Boise as I was leaving the Buzz after a wonderful Monthly Wine Club Dinner - Magazines. Cristi did a great job in explaining to everyone the magazines that are available about wines and also on the rating systems.
She did a blind tasting tonight, a change from her normal format. I liked it. Here is the dinner we had and the wines that Cristi paired with the food. Remember: The scoring is based on 100 points. Enjoy!

Opening Wines
These two wines, from South Africa, were really very good. Of the two, I preferred the Chenin Blanc, but the Cab was still good. Using the 100 point scoring, I rated both of these at 92.

Appetizer
Asparagus Pesto Brochette

2009 Pinot Grigio
13.0% alc, crisp and clear, lemon [92]

Soup
Wild Mushroom Ragout
(An awesome soup!)

2008 Red Blend
14.1% alc., deep red, big and bold. Great with the soup [95]

Roasted Vegetable Salad
(Super good salad!)

2008 Pillar Box Red Blend (Australia)
14.5% alc., cinnamon, roast beef. well balanced [97]

Lemon Herb Chicken
Brown Rice Mixture
Broccoli
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

2010 White Knight Viognier
13.9% alc., light color almost white, good with the cucumber and broccoli and the herbs on the chicken [95]

Pear/Pecan Flop Cake

2008 Dugagutti
13.9% alc., red and tan, chocolate and plum. great with the cake [98]

Joe's Road House Port
deep chocolate color. wonderfully smooth
(Thanks Joe for sharing!)

Taste 208 Event In Boise

2012-04-17T12:26:00.000-06:00

Coming soon to Boise! Taste 208! May 12, 2012 (Sat) from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM. Riverside Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Boulevard. From the Juice Site, "TASTE208 is a tasting event focused on the “spring release” of the best local beer, wine, spirits, and food in Idaho, the PacNW, and the West Coast region. We partner with the best and biggest names in craft production and locavore sensibilities, focusing on several craft brewers, wineries, and distilleries to bring you the best samples." Also from their site, food will be offered. "At Taste 208, not only will you get more than fine drinks. Nosh on gourmet food truck fare inside the event. Yes, the $25 ticket price will include the opportunity to sample food as well from Boise’s best! Stay tuned as we will be updating the list as we add more partners. We can’t have you drinking on an empty stomach." For any further information, please check the web sites listed. Cheers and maybe we'll see you there!

Treasure Wine Society Holds A Night of Rosé Wines

2012-04-12T13:42:00.000-06:00

Hats off to Robin for selecting some awesome Rosé Wines for the tasting tonight. And then for her working with Chef Jake to create an great, and different, buffet line. This was a super good evening! Look at what we had for dinner. Some of tonight's wines are pictured to the left. Robin's comments are listed alongside of the food photos. Left-Click any of these photos to see them full screen. Cheers!

Some of the 37 people who were there.

Cheese plate

Traditionally, a dinner tasting of wines is done in some proscribed conventional order of dry to sweet, older to younger, simple to more complex, lower alcohol to higher alcohol, lighter to bolder, whites to reds, less expensive to more expensive. With wines of the same varietal, or as in these pink styles, I admit to being a lot less knowledgeable about the correct order to present them. Random abandon of the rules may follow.

Why rosés you ask? I have been reading wine articles from people I admire in the trade who claim to love them for the fun they bring to life. They are paired with foods from the sea, BBQ’s, ham, light cheeses and Asian fare. Help yourself to the foods on Jake’s Asian Buffet while we pour you the first Spritz of pink.

Asian Salad

Blood Orange Mimosa [a Brunch Wine] Blood Orange Mimosa is a wine cocktail made from grape wine and the juice and pulp of the celebrated, crimson-fleshed Sicilian blood oranges. Light, fruity, refreshing and flavorsome.

2. NV Gazela Rosé Portugal Alcohol 10% $5.99

Gazela Rose is a lively, refreshing, young and floral light wine. In the mouth, it is well-balanced with a soft and slightly fizzy finish. Varietals: Baga, Rufete, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca

3. 2011 Chateau de Campuget Tradition Rosé Costieres de Nimês A.C. $10.99

S. Rhone – France = Syrah 70% Grenache Noir 30% Alcohol = 13 %

Asian Stir Fry Vegetables

4. 2010 La Vieille Ferme Rosé Perrin Mont Ventoux A.C. $ 8.99

S. Rhone – France = Grenache and Cinsault Alcohol =13.5 %

5. 2011 Coppola Sofia Rose Monterey, CA, USA $14.99 Francis Ford Coppola [Godfather filmmaker] named this wine for his daughter. “Sophia by Coppola more resembles an old world wine.” California - 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache Alcohol = 12.5 %

Fried Rice

6. 2011 Crios Rosé of Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina Alcohol = 14 % $11.99

7. NV Pomula Wine Spritz – Wellington

S.A.

Alcohol 5.5% $5.99

– a white wine base with added Pomegranite and Marula juice. The Marula tree is indigenous to South Africa and Elephants as well as Baboons and other wild life like to eat the Marula fruit – especially once it is ripe and begins to ferment. S. Africans often make a beer from the fruit. Amarula is a beverage similar to Bailey’s Cream Brandy and found in some Boise liquor stores. Look for an elephant on the label.

Asian Duck in an Orange Ginger Sauce

Presented by Robin and Bob Young – an April foolish mystery in Pink to keep you out of the Red as Tax Day approaches. All wines purchased at Cost Plus World Market.

Tapioca Mango Dessert
This was awesome!!!

Wine Club Dinner at the Buzz

2012-04-11T10:52:00.000-06:00

Wow! What an exceptional wine dinner. Cristi you outdid yourself! The theme tonight for the April Wine Club was Social Media Wine Dinner. Cristi went through a fairly complete list of the social media that is available and the pluses and minuses of each. Interesting. The wines were very good also. With six wines presented, including Cristi's Choice, the point spread was 1 point! A very close race. You will see my point spread as we progress through this post.
Cristi also had flowers and herbs that she has put into wine and beer bottle vases with a self-watering system. Here is Greek Oregano that I picked. It looks nice on our kitchen window.
Cristi's Choice: 2010 La Cryma Christi Feudi di San Gregoro. A very pleasing and easy to drink wine. 12.5% alc, $20.00 [17]

Along with the wine, we have had folks who bring in one of theirs to share. Tonight was no exception as Joe brought in an Alaskan Blueberry and Merlot blend. I know, you say "Yuk!" But try this first. It is really surprising and not overpowering with blueberry. At least give it a try.

Appetizer
Crab Cakes
2010 Dry Creek Chenin Blanc
12.5% alc, great taste and finish, slightly lacking on aroma. [17] $14.00

Black Bean and Chorizo Soup
2008 Duragutti Bonardo
13.9% alc, full bodied and awesome taste. good finish [17] $16.00

Carrot and Ginger Salad
(loved these flavors!)
2010 Les Jemelles Viognier
13.1% alc, a wonderful Viognier, full of fruit and flavor that went very well with the salad. [18] $14.00

Brown Butter Sage with Ravioli
Chicken
2010 Fratelli Montepulciano
12.5% alc, another wonderful wine. easy to drink and was pared very well with the ravioli. [17] $14.00

Bourbon and Banana Crepe
Chocolate Cream
Morse Code Shiraz
great paring with the crepes [17] $14.00

Those scores are so very close. A great salute to Chisti's ability to choose a wine that pairs well with any course. The wines were great and this was probably one of the top meals from the Buzz. Great job!!!

Let's Have a Bowl of Soup. What Wine Do I Serve?

2012-04-06T13:13:00.000-06:00

I just received this from Snooth and it is an interesting article on Paring Wine With Soup. Here is an excerpt. To read the full article, click on the link above or cut and paste the link below. Cheers!

Spring is just beginning, so it is time to get your delicious winter soup fill while you still can! Soups are often thought of as lighter fare meals, but along with stew and chili, these dishes can be quite hearty and fulfilling.
Pairing wines with these winter staples can be a bit tricky. A great way to make this a bit less intimidating is to break down your meal ingredients and view them as you would a pasta sauce or something similar.
Just in the nick of time, we gathered our favorite soup, stew and chili dishes and paired them with wines that are ideal for keeping warm and comforted. Read more: http://www.snooth.com/articles/pairing-wine-with-soup/#ixzz1rHyRh76d

And if you are interested, there are some really good recipes associated with the different wines. You not only get a suggested wine, but you get the recipe, too! Enjoy!

TBA Information

2012-03-26T11:54:00.000-06:00

We hear a lot about TBA wines. How they make an awesome dessert wine. How expensive they are! How smooth and sweet and a fruit orchard in your mouth. Here is some information I found about a TBA. The photo here is of one such wine from our cellar. AP right now? $427.00 for this magnum. The purchase price - purchased several years ago - is listed in the photo. This is a magnum. Usually you can only find it in 375ml bottles. Enjoy the information. Cheers!

What is TBA?

Trockenbeerenauslese (literal meaning: "selected harvest of dried berries") is a German language wine term for a medium to full bodydessert wine.
Trockenbeerenauslese is the highest in sugar content in the Prädikatswein category of the Austrian and German wine classifications. Trockenbeerenauslese wines, often called "TBA" for short, are made from individually selected grapes affected by noble rot, i.e. "botrytized" grapes. This means that the

grapes have been individually picked and are shrivelled with noble rot, often to the point of appearing like a raisin. They are therefore very sweet and have an intensely rich flavor, frequently with a lot of caramel and honey bouquet, rock fruits note such as apricot and distinctive aroma of the noble rot. The finest examples are made from the Riesling grape, as this retains plenty of acidity even at the extreme ripeness. Other grape varieties are also used, such as Scheurebe, Ortega, Welschriesling, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer and many are more prone to noble rot than Riesling since they ripen earlier.

These wines are rare and expensive due to the labor-intensive method of production, and the fact that very specific climatic conditions (which do not necessarily occur every year) are required to create botrytized grapes. Some of the best wines of this type are sold almost exclusively at the various German wine auctions. They are usually golden to deep golden in colour, sometimes even dark caramel. The body is viscous, very thick and concentrated, and arguably can be aged almost indefinitely due to the preservative powers of its high sugar content. Although TBA has very high residual sugar level, the finest specimens are far from being cloying due to high level of acidity.

Trockenbeerenauslesen have also been in common production since the 1960s in Austria. Most TBA wines from Austria come from Neusiedlersee, Burgenland. On both sides of lake Neusiedl those wines are produced. East of the lake, the village of Illmitz is known for the production of "liquid gold". At the western side of the lake in Rust and St. Margarethen, wine of exceptionally good quality can be found. This region is known for its wide and shallow lakes which can lose more than half their volume due to evaporation. The mists created by these lakes provide a very conducive climate for Noble Rot to shrivel grapes. The style is similar to, but much more concentrated than, Sélection de Grains Nobles from Alsace. In comparison to Sauternes, the wines are considerably sweeter, have a lower alcoholic strength and are usually not oaked. As with most other premium grade dessert wines, Trockenbeerenauslese is to a large extent sold in half bottles of 375 ml.

Notes from The Antique Wine Cellar: The product of unusual climactic conditions – which do not happen every vintage – Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) wines are some of the most labour–intensive in the world to produce. Translated from German as, "select harvest of dried berries," when the autumn weather does cooperate, botrytis slowly spreads through the hillside vineyards, shrivelling the fruit and concentrating the flavours. The grapes for these intensely sweet wines are then picked one at a time and only the most perfect berries are utilised.

A collector's dream, TBA wines may be cellared almost indefinitely due to their high sugar content. These sugars serve as a natural preservative and, in concert with Riesling's high acidity, allow TBA wines to provide drinking pleasure for centuries. More intense than Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN) wines from Alsace and generally sweeter, lower in alcohol and without the oak influence found in Sauternes, TBA wines compete only with Essencia from Tokaji for the title of world's longest–living sweet wine.

Normally, due to the production of such minute quantities, TBAs are only available by personally visiting producers or through one of the elite German wine auctions. [Generally that is a true statement, but not always!] However, we have now been given access to an exclusive collection of TBAs and we are making them available to you. Dating back to 1921, the selections include copious cases from the recent 2003 and 2010 vintages – both banner years for TBA wines. With 13 different producers to choose from, take this opportunity to stock away several cases for your grandchildren.

Backyard Chicken Farmers Program

2012-03-20T14:30:00.000-06:00

I received this information from Gretchen Anderson (thebycf@gmail.com) and thought I would pass it on. For you Backyard Chickeners, this might be an ideal event. You grow the chickens ... we will buy the eggs. Left-Click the graphic to see a larger view. Contact Gretchen directly via email for more information. It should be a fun time!

April In the Buzz!

2012-03-20T14:13:00.000-06:00

Because of the "non-static" nature of information from the Buzz, I am going to post their articles on this main page. I think it works better. With that in mind and since it is snowing outside and the Irish Soda Bread class that we held is over, here is the latest from Cristi and Tommy at the Buzz. Cheers!

Greetings!
As the first day of spring has arrived with blowing snow covering the budding trees, we at Buzz are getting ready for our spring, which is full of events and fun. Hopefully, you will be able to join us during these activities.

Up and Coming Events -

April Fool's Day Dinner
On April 1st at 6:30 PM Buzz Coffee and Wine will host our April Fool's Day Dinner, no joke. We will feature a five course meal with each course being paired with two different wines, we will then discuss which wine pairs better with the food. This is a Quarterly Event hosted by the Buzz. Reservations are required, space fills quickly so be sure and call early for your reservations. The cost is $30 per person and reservations can be made at (208) 344-4321 or buzzwine@cableone.net.

Upcoming Music
3/23 Blaze and Kelly
3/24 Sandy Sanford
3/30 Johnny Shoes
4/6 Gayle Chapman
4/7 Lee Penn Sky

Music starts at 7 PM and ends at 9 PM with wine tasting starting at 6 PM. As always we will feature a dinner special each night along with the wine tasting and music.

April Wine Club
The wine club dinners continue to focus on wine and media. For April our focus will be social media and wine. The wine club dinners will be April 10 and 11 at 6:30 PM. Please make reservations early as spaces fill up quickly. Hope to see you there.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your business along with our hope to see you soon. If you have any catering needs this spring do not hesitate to call or email and let us be part of your festivities throughout the season. We will be hosting our annual Mother's Day Brunch on May 13 so watch for more information to be coming. Also, don't forget we carry a complete line of take and bake meals, the menu is posted on our facebook page so give us a call so we can have your take and bake meal ready and waiting for you. Free delivery on any order in Boise over $50 or Caldwell and Nampa over $75.00. (24 hour notice requested). Thanks again.

Sincerely,
Cristi and Tom Takeda
Buzzwine@cableone.net or (208) 344-4321

TVWS - Wines From Around the World Tasting

2012-03-15T11:48:00.000-06:00

The Treasure Valley Wine Society, held a wine party on March 14 with Wines From Around the World. This was a great tasting to add some more grape varieties to your Century Club list. For instance, Garnacha Tintorera, Monastrell, Lamancha and Tinta Cao. The wines were from Portugal, Germany, Washington, California and others. Here is what we had. Robin did a great job working with the kitchen staff and selecting the menu to go with the wines. Enjoy!

2010 Crios Torrontes - Very similar to a Viognier with hints of peach pit, white pear, flowers and orange citrus fruit. Out of 5 I rated this a [3]. 13.8% alcohol, $14.40
2009 Two Princes Riesling - A perfect balance between fruit and acidity. Oldest winery in Germany. This went extremely well with the roasted vegetables. [5] 10.5% alcohol $13.40

Tasting - www.tastingsboise.com

2009 Camas Pinot Noir - Very light wine with some fruit, strawberries and raspberries. Went well with the fruit and cheese platter. It just was not one of my more favorite wines tonight. [3] $12.50
2008 Laya - Imparts aromas of black fruits, licorice, espresso and pepper. Dense, savory, rich, round and succulent. Hints of copper, though. [3] 14.5% alcohol $9.95
2008 Gifford Hirlinger Stateline Red - Blend of Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, malbec and a touch of Tinta Cao, tempranillo and petit verdot. [3] 14.5% alcohol $14.40
Quinta Do Vallado Douro D.O.C. - Mature red fruits and hints of violets. Good structure, full bodied with matured round tannins and a long finish. [4] 14.5% alcohol $23.55
2009 Morgan Syrah - Beautiful deep, dark red-purple color. Pomegranate, plum, black pepper and orange blossom on the nose. Firm tannins folded into rich black cherry, fig and black tea flavors. Does not over power the food. A touch of vanilla. Goes great with Lasagna. [5] 13.8% alcohol $17.95 (A good buy. Lay some down; It will last)

Tandy Weishaupt from Tastings in Boise, presented the wines tonight. Thank-You Tandy for a job well done!

Tandy checks the wines before the presentation.

Some of the 35 people who attended. The expressions says it all!

Lettuce and Fennel Salad with Shrimp

Fruit and Cheese Platter

Roasted Root Vegetables

Lasagna

10 Barrel Brewery Breaks Ground

2012-03-08T12:30:00.004-07:00

(Photo 10 Barrel Brewery)

The 10 Barrel Brewery out of Bend, Oregon, is opening a Brew Pub in downtown Boise at 9th Street and Bannock on the Northeast corner across from Yen Ching. The photo to the left is from them. The pub is scheduled to open - the last time I heard - late summer. Their web page says, "... tentative opening date for Aug 1st". This is a photo that I saved off of their FB page. Their comment was, "Demo started yesterday on the Boise Pub. What a mess...." The ceiling has been opened and the insulation removed. This will be one very large brew pub; maybe the largest in Boise. I for one, am really looking forward to the opening. In My Not So Humble Opinion (IMNSHO), their Apocalypse IPA is by far one of the best I have ever had. They have other brews, too, but this one is superb. I put it up against a Deschutes Inversion IPA and the Apocalypse took the challenge. It's not that the Inversion is bad, I always have some in the refrigerator waiting to be liberated, it's just that the

Apocalypse IPA is better. It was great to see that the Boise COOP started to carry the 10 Barrel brews.
The photo to the right, I took this morning. Beautiful blue sky! This is the building at the corner of 9th and Bannock in Boise. It used to be a woman's clothing store. Sorry, but it now has another use.
So now, I guess we wait for the Grand Opening. I do hope they keep me informed, or I am lucky enough to get some "fresh" information from the brewery. I will do what I can to keep "on top" of this fabulous event. Below is the artists rendition of the brew pub. Not too much difference, but enough. It's the interior which will change the most. It is a very large area. Cheers!

(Artist Drawing 10 Barrel Brewery)

Renwood Winery Special Dinner Feb 23

2012-02-24T11:07:00.001-07:00

The Renwood Winery Special Dinner at the Buzz Coffee and Café was a great adventure in the paring of wine and food. Thank you Paul Colwell, BRJ Distributing in Boise, for supplying the wine. And thanks also to Jeff Peda, Northwest Regional Manager, from Renwood Winery for describing the wines for us. And I would be remiss if I did not thank Cristi Takeda for preparing the awesome food. Cristie's Choice for the evening, one of the "extra" wines she always offers, was a 2009 Renwood Cabernet Sauvignon that is a good afternoon wine. I rated it a [15] out of [20] which, I believe, is a good rating for this light bodied wine. Not a big and bold cab like most. Light on taste and finish. Buy it. Drink it. Here are some photos from the evening. Left-Click on any photo to see a larger view. Cheers!

Jeff Peda, Renwood Winery Northwest Regional Manager, explains a finer point about the winery.

Piri Piri Shrimp and Devil Dates

2008 Renwood Barbera
14.5% alc, light on the aroma and taste, [15] $10.00

Pepperoni Supreme Soup

2006 Renwood Syrah
13.5% alc, smooth and fruity, great paring with the spiciness of the soup. [19] $10.00

Wild Rice Salad
(I did like this one!)

2009 Renwood Petit Syrah
13.5% alc, nice body and aroma, went well with the salad [18] $10.00

Peppercrusted Beef
Thoram
Potato Bakes

2008 Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel
15.0% alc, the only thing I did not like about this wine was the appearance - it was a little light. Buy some of this. Well worth it. [19] $16.00

Hot Chocolate Cake

2008 Renwood Grand Pere Zinfandel
15.0% alc, almost the "perfect wine" - almost. It just lacked that intence zinfandel deep purple color. But buy some anyway and lay it down for a while. Yes, you really can lay a zinfandel down! [19] $38.00

2-ounce glasses

2009 Renwood Amador Ice Wine
9.0% alc, 26% sugar (41 brix at picking) 375 ml bottles. If I were inclined to easily give a perfect score, and I am not, this would be it! An awesome wine. Great with orange zest floated on top. This wine was served in the glasses pictured above. You need some of this in your cellar for those "special times". [19] $30.00

So there you have our evening. Great food and great wines. See you at the next one. Cheers!

Castle Ranch Steakhouse - Chefs of Aloha

2012-02-21T11:47:00.001-07:00

If you missed the wine dinner in February featuring the wines from Sawtooth Winery, here is a second chance to enjoy a night of good wines and fine dining. Just look at this menu and the wine selections. The dinner on June 9, 2012 at 6:00pm, will be of a Hawaiian nature with recipes from the islands and the wines are from Woodriver Cellars. Great to have Castle Ranch Steakhouse featuring the wines of Idaho. This will be another night of fun. Make your reservations soon, as these fill up quickly and space is somewhat limited. Robin and I reserved our seats today. Left-Click the graphic for a larger view and to print it out. Hope to see you there!!

Cassoulet and Vintage Wines!

2012-02-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

What an awesome dinner! Robin spent most of the day on the complete dinner and it was .... well, Super Delicious! This is a "country stew" and in this case, the primary meat is duck. But it also has different types of sausage in it. D'Artagnan is where she ordered the supplies for doing this fantastic meal. The photo on the left is the finished product. Look on their web page for more information. But for now, here is the recipe. It is a long and somewhat involved recipe, but it is not difficult. Enjoy!!

Cassoulet D'Artagnan

By: D'Artagnan Staff
Yield: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 90 minutes
This hearty casserole of preserved duck, sausages and beans is the heart & soul of Gascon cooking.

Ingredients - (Bob and Gail Parker, Mac, Robin and Marnie)
• 3 pounds D'Artagnan Haricot Tarbais Beans, rinsed and picked over
• water, as needed
• 12 ounces D'Artagnan Ventrèche, in one piece
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 medium onions, skinned and cut in half
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 bouquet garni, made of 5 parsley sprigs, 3 celery leaves, 1 thyme sprig, 1 bay leaf and 10 peppercorns, wrapped in cheesecloth and tied
• 6 D'Artagnan Duck Leg Confit, cut in half at the joint
• 6 1/2 ounces D'Artagnan Duck and Veal Demi-Glace, dissolved in 3 1/2 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 packages D'Artagnan Duck and Armagnac Sausage
• 1 pound D'Artagnan French Garlic Sausage, cut into 12 slices
• 1/4 cup D'Artagnan Duck Fat, at room temperature

Preparation - (Cassoulet plated)
1. Add beans to a large, non-reactive container(s), cover completely with water and soak overnight at room temperature. Keep water level several inches above beans. Check back every so often as beans will absorb a lot of water. Use a few separate containers if necessary.
2. Drain beans, put into a large, heavy pot with whole ventrèche, garlic, carrot, bouquet garni and onion that's been studded with cloves. Add enough water to cover at least 3 inches above beans. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until beans are barely tender, about 1 hour.
3. Drain beans, discard onion and bouquet garni, leave carrots and garlic with the beans. Remove ventrèche, cut into ½ inch squares, set aside.
4. Season beans with 1 teaspoon salt and several grindings of pepper.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
6. In a medium skillet over high heat, sear duck and Armagnac sausages until just browned. Remove from pan, cut into thirds and set aside.
7. Lightly grease large casserole, preferably earthenware or enameled cast-iron, with duck fat, on both bottom and sides. Place half of the bean mixture in casserole. Add duck legs, browned duck sausages, chopped ventrèche, and sliced garlic sausage. Drizzle with duck fat. Cover with remaining beans.
8. Stir tomato paste into demi-glace, mix well until dissolved. Pour evenly over bean mixture. Drizzle with remaining duck fat.
9. Cover and bake until hot and bubbling, about 2 ½ hours, checking occasionally to make certain the beans are not drying out. (See Ariane's Recipe Tips below)

(Cherry Coke Cake)
NOTE: Cassoulet may be prepared ahead up to this point, then cooled and refrigerated up to 3 days. Remove from the refrigerator to bring up to room temperature before proceeding.
10. Increase (or preheat) oven to 400 degrees F. Uncover casserole and bake until top is browned, about 45 minutes. If at this point, cassoulet is not heated through, cut open the crust, pour ½ cup of water and/or demi-glace, and continue to cook until hot all the way through.
11. Serve immediately. Each guest should get an equal proportion of beans to meats.

(Valentine Cake)
Ariane's Recipe Tips:
Don't hesitate to open the crusty top to make sure the cassoulet is not drying out. The texture should be similar to a thick stew. If it seems too dry or pasty, add some liquid, such as stock, demi-glace or even water. Typically, you'll have to cut the crust and add liquid about 3 times before it's hot all the way through. Some cooks in Gascony think cassoulet will only be ready after 7 times of breaking the crust and adding liquid!
If adapting the recipe, try to use as many confit meats as possible. They will give the most flavor. Cassoulet should always be eaten very hot! Don't forget the leftovers. Cassoulet is even better the next day after flavors have had time to develop and marry.

And of course, no meal is complete without some fantastic and well aged wines. Here is what we had! The labels are self explanatory.

A Trip to Woodriver Cellars

2012-02-12T10:48:00.001-07:00

Robin and I had a great visit the other night at Woodriver Cellars in Eagle, Idaho. She spent most of the time talking to Winemaker Neil Glancey, Winery Owner Dave Buich and Wine Consultant Brad Warner about wines and making wine. Here are some photos of the visit and some information that you may enjoy. And visit Woodriver Cellars.

Award winning 2008 Woodriver Cellars Cabernet Franc. Gold Medalist in the Idaho Wine Competition and Best of Red. "... Woodriver Cellars' 2008 Cabernet Franc won the Gold Medal and was awarded the 'Best Red Wine' at the 2011 Idaho Wine Competition. Over 170 wines were submitted in the Idaho Wine Competition. The event was hosted by the Northwest Wine Press and organized by the Idaho Wine Commission."

Winemaker Neil Clancey. "... Neil has been crafting wine for over 15 years. He has experience producing tens of thousands of cases in a season, but really specializes in small batch fermentation. Neil believes in pure wines, no additives or chemicals. This is possible because we prepare our own soil, grow our own grapes and oversee every part of the process from 'ground to glass'. Get wine tips and insights on many wine topics straight from Neil! Visit his blog at Toasting the Good Life

Dave Buich, owner of Woodriver Cellars.

Wine Consultant Brad Warner. "... Brad has over three decades of wine making experience and is here visiting from the Napa Valley. " Brad is the Winemaker at Sawyer Cellars in Napa Valley of California. "In 1967 Brad moved to the Napa Valley and began his career in the wine industry as a cellar worker for Charles Krug Winery. Three years later he moved to the new Robert Mondavi winery as cellar foreman.

Brad had met Charles Sawyer in the early 1990s at a social function in Napa Valley. At that time they discussed their shared passion for the great wines produced in the area. A few years later, Charles and his wife, Joanne, purchased their vineyards in the Rutherford appellation, and in 1995, Brad helped Charles produce 135 cases of their first red table wine.

In 1999, Brad began his second career as winemaker for the newly established Sawyer Cellars. He worked with Charles to plan and build the winery and is very proud of the facility that opened for harvest later that year."

Valentines Weekend Dinner - The Wine List

2012-02-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

This year, Robin is doing dinner. She wants to do something with duck. So on Sunday, Feb12 at 3:00pm, she will be serving the following dinner. This looks like fun and very special! We have so much fun doing these Special Dinners. YUM-O!!! And look at that wine list.

The Wine Selection

1989 Joseph Swan Vineyards Zinfandel Sonoma County

1989 Côtes du Rhone Kermit Lynch

2001 Clos les Lunelles Côtes de Castillon

2008 Jean-Louis Denois

Boise Food Trucks

2012-02-10T10:28:00.001-07:00

So you say you need something for dinner? And you don't know what to make? And, if you went out to eat, you don't know where to go? Well here's a great suggestion!! The Boise Food Truck Rally at Chinden Blvd and Maple Grove in Boise from 5:00 - 9:00pm Tonight! It looks like it is going to be an eating adventure! Come out and try some new treats. Meet some new people. And remember: Eat, Drink and be Merry! For tomorrow you might be dieting! Cheers and see you there. This event is sponsored in part by the Payette Brewing Company located right in Garden City, bordering Boise.

Wine Press Northwest Article on Idaho Wines

2012-02-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a great article on Idaho wines. The article actually starts on page 30. Here also is a link to the same article in Wine Press Northwest Magazine. There are also some good restaurant listings and lodging information in the article. Enjoy!

Open publication - Free publishing - More andrae bopp

February at The Buzz in Boise.

2012-01-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

I received this from Cristi at the Buzz in Boise. This looks like an exciting and fun month at the Buzz. Super Bowl Party, Zins and Chocolate and a special Renwood Dinner. Here is the schedule. Cheers and hope to see you there. Remember: Call or email for reservations! And be informed: Cristi will be 11 this year!! See below.

Dear Bob and Robin,
Moving right along with 2012, hope this email finds everyone safe and happy. One of Buzz Coffee and Wine's favorite months is now at hand. Lots of fun events planned so read about them, make your reservations and join us for some fun and excitement throughout the month of February.

Superbowl (Go Giants!!)
February 5th we will be hosting our annual Superbowl Party. There will be a buffet of tailgating foods, with healthy options for our guests. The focal point will be New York and San Fransico favorites. There will be wine and beer to enjoy a fun afternoon. Also we will have our proposition cards with a give-a-way for the person who guesses the best. Call for reservations or just come on in. Festivities begin at 5 PM.

Wine Club
Our Media Focused wine club for February will focus on Zinfandel and chocolate. We are completely booked for Wednesday night but have a few seats available for Valentine's day. Great evening out with an entire menu planned around Chocolate. On Valentine's Day let us know if you wish to sit as a couple or in a group. Dinner is $15 a person and starts at 6:30. Reservations are required.

Renwood Dinner
On February 23 at 7PM buzz will host Renwood for a winery dinner. this will be a fun evening wiht foods to pair with Renwood wines and the rep from the winery will be presenting their wines. the wines will be available for purchase after the dinner. It is a four course meal with some plesant surprises in store. Cost is $25 per person. Reservations are required.

Lots of music this month as well. Do not forget that we have live music and wine tasting every Friday night and frequently on Saturday Nights as well. Music for February...3rd is Lee Penn Sky, 10th Mountain Fever, 11th Fonny and Divot, 17th Wendy Matson, 24th Pat Foulkner, 25th Todd Palmer, and 29th is Sandy Sanford. Music begins at 7 each night. No reservations required just come down enjoy some good music. We have food specials each night to accompany the company and the music.

On Leap Year Day, we will have music and cake to Celebrate Cristi's Birthday. (Wednesday February 29. She will be 11.) Enjoy your extra day this year with us and who knows what will happen at the Buzz on this special day. Also, our take and bake menu is posted on our facebook page come grab some freezer meals and be ready for great food at reasonable prices when your day gets away from you.

Sincerely,
Cristi and Tom Takeda
Buzz Coffee and Wine
Reservations can be made by email at buzzwine@cableone.net or by phone at (208) 344-4321. Thank you for your support.

Don't Forget - Winter Wine Dinner

2012-01-29T13:32:00.002-07:00

Don't forget the Winter Wine Dinner at the Boise Hotel in the Castle Ranch Steakhouse on Vista Ave on February 18, 2012. Sawtooth Winery will be featured and the dinner looks awesome! Calling for reservations is strongly suggested. This will be an exciting evening. See you there!! Left-Click the graphic to get a printable copy and a larger view.

A Burgundian Wine Dinner

2012-01-20T10:24:00.002-07:00

Another fantastic Wine Dinner at Le Cafe de Paris. Here is how Mathieu described the dinner. It was awesome!

"French Region Night this month will feature the region of Burgundy, where I was born and raised! We have recently acquired several new wine labels from the area and a fabulous four course menu of classic cuisine from the area with be featured! The dinner itself is $39/person and as always we will have our resident sommelier, Christian Lamotte, there to pair our fabulous wines."

Here is the wine we had with dinner. A 2007 Pernand-Vergelesses. It went very well with our dinner.

Some folks who were at the same table as ours. Mr Quinlin (right) and friends. Great conversation and thanks for sharing the wine!

Escargot Bourgogne et Gougeres
(Burgundy Snails)
burgundy butter with pastis

Salade Paysanne
(Burgundy Country Salad)
field greens, croutons, bacon lardons, ozark poached egg

I tried to get a photo of the egg prep. It did not come out. They break the egg in cheese cloth and then tie it up so it keeps it shape. They cook it in the cheese cloth.

Sandre en Papillote
walleye filet with aromatics baked in parchment, rice pilaf, braised brussel sprouts

Note: We had never had Walleye before. It was delicious! Mild and slightly sweet. Not a strong "fishy" taste. I'd have it again.

Coq au Vin
(Red Wine Chicken)
housemade taggliatelle, braised brussel sprouts

Île Flottante
(Floating Island)
poached meringue, crème anglaise, almonds

Castle Ranch Steakhouse Wine Dinner

2012-01-15T15:52:00.002-07:00

This looks like it will be an great evening. The menu looks awesome! Winter Wine Dinner at the Castle Ranch Steakhouse in the Boise Hotel on Vista. Maybe make reservations and then spend the night in the hotel. Heated pool. Spa. We have had their steaks and they are wonderful. Have you ever been to Burns Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida? This is the Idaho version. We might even be there. The menu alone is worth the price. Cheers!

Correction: 20 Jan 2012 - The date of this event is February 18!! Sorry for any inconvenience.

Brown Shuga Soul Food, Boise

2012-01-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

Need and want something different for dinner tonight? Try this -

Brown Shuga Soul Food is having BBq chicken and pulled pork for lunch today will only be on Chinden til 2pm today. Then moving to the Red lion downtown this evening from 5 till 9pm for our monthly food truck rally tonight. The menu for dinner will be bacon and potato soup, mac and cheese, black eyed peas and bbq chicken with peach cobbler for dessert.

Let Yvonne know you saw the menu here on this blog. If she sends the menus, I'll post it! Cheers and enjoy the food!

Mediterranean Cruise Night!

2012-01-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

What a super way to start the new season! Awesome program, food and wines from around the Mediterranean. Robin spent many, many hours on this program and it showed. Super job, Rob!

Thanks must also go to Bonnie Pedlow, Project Manager U.S., Sud de France Développement, Maison de la Région Languedoc-Roussillon, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022 Branch who sent Robin a box of brochures, wine pouring disks and cork screws.

The map shown here is one Robin made with our ports-of-call for the evening. The program for the evening incorporated all of the new Board Members who presented at least one wine. Here is Robin's report and her program.

TVWS Mediterranean Cruise : Ports of Call
Welcome with Idaho Wines – Meet the New Board

Fly from Boise to NYC to Sevilla, Spain. Bus to Jerez. Board Ship
1. Jerez de Frontera, Spain Gerald and Pamela [past pres.] C0-0P $ 12.00
17% Alc.Varietals: Palomino, Xarel-Lo Toasted Almonds
Pass thru Straits of Gibraltar Salad, Shrimp, Bread, Cheeses and Fruit
Cruise up the East Coast of Spain; optional visits to Barcelona & Ibizia.
Overland optional excursion from Perpignan to the Camargue and Carcassone.

2. Sud de France Bridgette G.Hull [V.P] and Cheryl Gibson [ AL] $13.99
2010 L’Oustal Blanc K10 St.-Chinian Propietary Blend* Boise Co-op Wine Shop
15 % Alc. Varietals: Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache, Bourboulanc, Roussane, Counoise, Picpoul Noir, Picpoul de Pinet, Muscardin, Picardin, Vaccarese. *

3. Languedoc, Sud de France Robin [Cruise Director/Menu] K&L Wines $17.99
2009 Prestige from Chateau Puech-Haut, Saint Drezery Coteaux du Languedoc
15 % Alc. Varietals: Syrah, Alicante Bouchet, Carignan, Clairette, Pelut, Lladoner. *
Side excursion re-board at Marseille and visit Count de Monte Cristo’s prison island. Visit the Plage at Bandol [suntan or swim] Riviera Native Dress Code fashion show. (Robin and Bridgette did a great job modelling the fashions!)

4. Provence Carl Abrahamson [Treasurer] $13.95
2009 Mas De Gourgonnier from Les Baux de Provence
14 % Alc. Varietals: Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah
Organic and Biodynamic Wines and Vineyards Boise Co-op Wine Shop
Side excursions to Grasse Perfumeries and Monaco Casinos and SHOPPING !

5. Sicily Tom [President-elect] and Karen [AtLarge] Birch $15.99
Cantina Colosi Nero d’Avola - grown in a 10 Hectare VY in Salina; bottled in Messina
14 % Alc. Nero d’ Avola Bueno Cheapo Vino
Disembark at Tirana, Albania for overland bus tour to Budapest,then Eger, Hungary

6. Eger, Hungary – 2008 Eszterbauer “Tuke” Szekszardi Bikaver (Bull’s Blood)
Bob Young, [Captain, Century Club List] K&L Wines $21.99
14 % Alc. Varietals: 26% Kekfrankos, 24% Kadarka, 22% Merlot, 10% Pinot Noir,
8% Cabernet Franc. Hungarian Goulash with noodles, cooked celery & carrots
Load up on the bus after Hungarian Goulash – thank you Jake!
NE towards the Carpathian Mountains for dessert. Blonde Caramel Bars

7. Tokay, Tokai, Tokaj 5P Toni Smith [AL] Boise Co-op Wine Shop $36.50 / 500ml
10%Alc. V: 60% Furmint, Birsalmás grapes, which are mainly Harslevelü, Yellow Muscat Lunel, Zeta [previously called Oremus) , Koverszolo, Kabar. .
King of Wines; Wine of Kings & Queens +Thomas Jefferson: “Once in a lifetime you should experience Tokay” 1-6 Puttonyos – 25 kg baskets ->fermenting cask of 136L.
Oxidative aging with deliberate air contact for 3 up to 8 years; stable for decades.
After Cruise Photos ….. Fly home safely.

(L-R) Karen and Tom Birch, Carl Abrahamson, Howard Reid, Bridgette Hull, Gail McClellan Parker

The Cruise Chef, Jake, and Crew.

Some of the wines we had.

Cheese and Fruit Plate

Salad Bar - Make your own!

Hot Vegies: Carrots and Celery

Fresh Noodles and Hungarian Goulash

Our ship!

Next Month: Zinfandel and Chocolate with Kathy Johnston. This will be another great event so we hope to see you there. It should be a lot of fun, a lot of Zin and a whole lot of chocolate in many different forms. Cooking a main dish with chocolate can be a real treat and lots of fun. Cheers!