I drank a bottle of Idaho wine Saturday night with some friends. It was good. Really good. It was Snake River Winery's 2003 Merlot. I'm not a wine expert. If it's red and bold, I'll drink it. But perhaps I have been a bit of a geography snob. At a time when I still hadn't given Australia much credit (or business), here comes the Idaho thing—an American Viticultural Area designation from the federal government; a noteworthy designation that I helped introduce to local and national media. But, truth be told, I had tasted only a few Idaho wines up to that point and had made some poor selections. Now, a year later, I can say that I have enjoyed several good Idaho wines. They include a 2003 Merlot from Parma Ridge; 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay (can't remember the year) from Sawtooth Winery; and a lovely, delicate ice wine from Ste. Chapelle. I never would have dreamed I like desert wine but I do.

Labels: food and beverage