Behind the Menu » Wineries

Holesinsky Vineyard

MikeBoss — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:35:28 +0000

“The quality of a wine is determined by the story behind it,” says winemaker James Holesinsky. And in the case of Holesinsky Vineyard, the story is one of a young man who was raised to be a chemist by his farther, but chose to pursue a different sort of alchemy as an adult.

James Holesinsky’s greatest passions have been for gardening, wine making, and the land on which his family vineyard rests — the childhood home of James and his siblings.

The mission of Holesinsky Vineyard is to create world class wine with no short cuts, impurities, over processing, filtering, additives, or new oak. All of Holesinsky’s wines are made using certified USDA organic grapes, and in this Idaho Vines podcast episode, general manager Wes Malvini, a man of many hats, will tell us more about the Holesinksy approach to the art of wine, and about the stories you’ll be tasting at Savor Idaho.

The “Odessey” of Periple Wines

MikeBoss — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:20:18 +0000

Angie Riff describes herself as the “chief cook and bottle washer” of Periple (PAIR-e-plah) Wines, whose French name translates as “odessey”.

While Angie’s journey may not be as labyrinthine as her winery’s label suggests, it certainly has been an interesting one. Born in Boise, Angie learned the craft of wine making in Caliifornia, primarily in the Golden State’s Russian River AVA. When she and her family decided to return to Idaho, she set up a winery in Garden City and brought her Russian River pinot and chardonnay grapes with her.

In this Idaho Vines episode, we’ll learn more about the odessey of a winemaking daughter of the Gem State, and her plans to begin producing Snake River AVA vintages from a small winery that sells primarily through a mailing list; but if you’re planning to attend Savor Idaho on June 13, you’re already an insider when it comes to sampling what Angie Riff came back to Idaho to accomplish.

Au Pair: Yin & Yang and a “Tranny-nillo”

MikeBoss — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:47:27 +0000

In this latest Au Pair episode with John Berryhill, John manages to work sex into the conversation in record time as we explore the yin and yang of pairing a Sawtooth Vineyards’s tempranillo with a new herbed chicken dish on the Berryhill & Co. menu.

Thanks to Mr. Berryhill’s brilliant culinary insights, we now have a new brand to introduce to our friends at the Idaho Wine Commission: Tranny-nillo. Some how I suspect Moya Shatz, the Commission’s director, will be less enthused than John and I, but you never can tell. We just might be on to something…

Click here for a Behind the Menu profile on Berryhill & Co. Be sure to join Behind the Menu on Facebook for a daily conversation about the Treasure Valley culinary scene.

Ron Bitner Has a “Bee” in His Bonnet

MikeBoss — Thu, 13 May 2010 02:04:26 +0000

When it comes to wine, you might say that the hills of Sunnyslope, overlooking the Snake River, put a “bee” in Ron Bitner’s bonnet. If that reference seems odd, listen on, friend, and you’ll soon understand.

In this Idaho Vines podcast episode, we talk with one of the pioneers of Snake River wines about his serrendipitous foray into what has become Bitner Vineyards, and about his thoughts on the past, present, and future of our local wine making scene. You’ll also find out just why that little bee appears on the wines of Ron and Mary Bitner.

Woodriver Cellars

MikeBoss — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:49:49 +0000

When Dave Buich purchased Eagle Knoll Winery and Woodriver Vineyards, he combined them to create Woodriver Cellars. Today, under the direction of winemaker Neil Glancy, the winery is the largest producer of Malbec grapes in Idaho, and is turning out a number of Malbec-influenced blends, including a very popular Meritage and port, both of which will be poured at this year’s Savor Idaho.

In this Idaho Vines podcast episode, we’ll sit down with Neil Glancey, general manager Wisti Rosenthal, and sales representative Rod De Armond to talk about the history of Woodriver Cellars and its approach to wine making. We’ll also discover how, as an entertainment venue, Woodriver Cellars has tapped into the third most popular lifetime sport.

We hope to see you at this year’s Savor Idaho, where you can get up close and personal with Woodriver Cellars and their wines.

The Days of Wine and Accolades

MikeBoss — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:30:33 +0000

Cinder was recently recognized by the much respected industry publication Wine Business Monthly as one of its “Top 10 Hot Small Brands” — an accolade that means a lot to Cinder owners Joe Schneer and Melanie Krause, not only for its reflection on their brand, but for the validation it gives to the Snake River AVA as a wine growing region.

In this Behind the Menu update, we talk with Joe and Melanie about their upcoming Spring Release Party, where they’ll be pouring their 2008 Syrah, 2009 Viognier, and 2009 Dry Rose. We’ll also get an overview of Cinder highlights from the past year — and trust me, there are quite a few!

For more information about Cinder, call (208) 407-4347, or visit the Cinder website at www.cinderwines.com

A Winter Wine Tasting

MikeBoss — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:03:55 +0000

Pressed for time, but love your wine? Here’s a deal for you. Give us 13 minutes and we’ll sit you down for a conversation with nine different Snake River wineries…all of whom braved the bitter cold of winter to participate in the recent Winter Wine Tasting on the Grove in downtown Boise – an event sponsored by the Idaho Wine Commission and the Downtown Boise Association.

In this Behind the Menu podcast, we talk with a number of different wine makers about the vintages they’re serving up, and over a much needed glass of hot mulled wine, we even chat with a chestnut grower from Nampa. Who else but Behind the Menu could bring you something like this? No one, you say? Aw…shucks! Just doing our job.

Included in this podcast are Coiled Wines, Pend d’Oreille Winery, Fraser Vineyard, 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards, Davis Creek Cellars, Woodriver Cellars, St. Regulus Wines, and Holesinsky’s Vineyard and Winery. So…get yourself some brie, some crusty bread, and your best crystal and get ready to “pore” over this podcast.

An Interview with Cinder Wine’s Melanie Krause

MikeBoss — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:26:27 +0000

Melanie Krause

Just the other day I was down at the Public Market in Boise where I happened upon the booth belonging to Cinder Wines. It was a fortuitous encounter, since it gave me the opportunity to try Cinder’s new Chardonnay and Cab offerings, which they’ve just released this fall.

As I relished each sample, it got me to thinking about a Local Food, Local Voices interview that I recorded back in March, when Cinder’s latest wines had only recently been bottled. In this podcast episode, you’ll hear Cinder’s winemaker, Melanie Krause, talk about her background in the winemaking business, Cinder’s history, and the origins of the Snake River AVA.

Wine Boot Camp

MikeBoss — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:09:31 +0000

It’s hard to believe, but a quick glance at the Idaho Wine Commission’s promotional brochure reveals that nearly 30 wineries now produce vintages that are beginning to attract the interest of wine lovers the world over.