After visiting several of the local wineries we decided our goal was to visit all of the wineries on the IdahoWines.Org list. So, once again we set out to visit one of the first wineries in the area, Hells Canyon. This time was a success. To this point all of the wineries we visited served tastings: a small amount of the sample wine is poured into the glass and you get three to five good sips from it to get an overall picture of the flavors of the wine. Swallow's Tasting Bar at Hells Canyon Winery is a little different, they offer flights: three half glasses of wine, your choice. Again this is where tasting with my Hubby is an advantage we split the list, he doesn't mind if I drink from his glass and I don't mind him drinking from mine. Also if there is a wine he likes and it's not quite one of my favorites he gets to finish the glass and vice-versus.
It was a beautiful sunny day near lunch time so in addition to the wine we decided to add a cheese and bread plate for an enjoyable leisurely afternoon outdoor morsel. We sat out on the patio just at the edge of the vineyard overlooking the Snake River tasting the different wines when I chose my first favorite wine. I was starting to develop my palate and starting to really identify which characteristics in a wine that I liked most. I had found wines that I enjoyed and wanted to have on hand at home to enjoy with friends and family, I'd even found wines that I hoped I would never have to taste again, but the Hells Canyon 2006 Idaho Merlot Reserve (to my knowledge a wine labeled “reserve” means all of the grapes in the wine were grown in the wineries own estate vineyards) was the first wine I'd found that I wanted to buy and hide away from the rest of the world because it was so good I wanted it all to myself. The Hells Canyon 2006 Idaho Merlot Reserve is smooth and rich in flavor, it just feels luscious as you drink it. I would describe it as full body, but am not sure if that is the correct “wine” terminology. The other wine I really liked from Hells Canyon is their 2004 Idaho Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. I would also describe this wine as smooth and gladly hoard the whole bottle.
I would have been content to end the afternoon after Hells Canyon, but it was still early in the afternoon and there were so many wineries close by. Hubby hadn't been to Koenig yet, so I had to share the Huckleberry Vodka experience. The tasting room wasn't near as busy during this visit as it had been for my last visit. The lack of other guests gave us more opportunity to chat with the gentleman pouring for us. This was how we learned that Bitner Vineyards was nearby, one of the wineries on our list that we hadn't yet visited and another one of the oldest vineyards in the area. We also learned that Greg Koenig is there wine maker, so it had to be our next stop.
Bitner Vineyard is at the top of a hill and the view is breathe taking. The tasting room has an expansive deck that overlooks the steep hills of the vineyard and in the distance is the Snake River. The tasting at Bitner was were I was able to pinpoint another one of my wine preferences. I don't really enjoy chardonnay wines which is the basic white wine you find everywhere, but didn't really know why, until Bitner. Ron Bitner was pouring for us and explained that they had two chardonnay's one that was oaked and one that wasn't. When I tasted the oaked chardonnay it tasted heavy, I think they call it “buttery” in wine speak because of the time it spends in the oak barrels, but the unoaked chardonnay tasted crisper, and cleaner (to me) because it spends a lot less time in the oak barrels. I find I really enjoy being able to taste the fruits in my wine. The day was an overall success. I learned that I am willing to hoard wine from others, I love unoaked chardonnay's and I'm addicted to collecting wine glasses (three new ones came home with me that day).
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