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Show is n11 . .. by JOANNE HINKEL ' -'- ' ' 'jff ft J.. !s tk They call it the heartbreak wine. They say its . . ' ..Mi . V Vi 34 ;s! ' if t ! - ,U Temperamental, fickle. Its Noiiwor red Burgundy, 4 mediumrbOdied, delicate wine that is the of the Burgundy region (France. The Pinot Noirgtape is so difficult to grow Pinoc specialty " Idaho has a fantastic growing season long, sunny days and cool nights. It's perfect for cool climate grapes like the Pinoc Noir," says Bill Stowe, 62, wiry owner of the William Neville Stowe Winery, commonly known as Indian Creek. Winery, outside the small town of Kuna,' Idaho (pop. 3,382). - "When I started, I didn't realize the Pinot Noir was a difficult grape," Stowe . ' says. All! knew wasthar it should do well here, given nay growing conditions. I looked ..at 15 yeart of weather records here and then chose my grapes. ItY the roost difficult red grape because it isn't at all forgiving. Its flavor reflects the mast Subtle cultural " variations, from year to year or even from one side of the hill to the ocher." ' Indian Craatrt .... iti seldom grown anywhere else. So why would a small.family-awne- d winery in Idaho's high desert choose it for their signature wine? Perhaps because southwestern Idaho is at the same latitude as France's Butgundy region die 44th parallel. that Stow rarvty makw a wiwa that doasnt win a modal. Unforgiving could describe Idaho and its cold winters. I had three bod yeus, when I lost all my grapes. It hit minus 30 degrees in 1991," .. admits Scowe. Bur most years, the winters are pretty mild." According to the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission (IGGWPC), a cold period is actually an advantage, killing plant pests and diseases and allowing the vines to take a winter rest. - It also adjusts my inventory," Stowe adds wryly. nights help mainrain grape During the growing season, Idahos cool, high-dese-rt for element This an flavor crisp acidity provides a perfect balance with important also thanks warm which and a dry climate requiring to days grape sugars, stay high rains have controlled irrigation. Production areas with wanner nights or " more difficulty maintaining a good balance. Idaho's growing wine industry includes U wineries and more than 1,500 acres of vineyards. But .no ocher winery approaches Stowe's level of success with Pinoc Noir.. "I think its die soil," he says: "My soil is diffnent than the ocher vineyards in Idaho, even those only 10 miles from here." ; .''.'Nost vineyards in Idaho are on sandy' loam underlaid with volcanic ash. In cpn- -. tease, the Indian Creek vineyards are rooted . in lilt loam supported by lava rock and ' : caliche (a hard mineral layer.) v WhiJe this meant Stowe had extra prepa, . V , . ed . : . Gernis can livewhere you live. 7 ' .m ' 21 , . . . . : fr;: H". ration woirk priof co planting he dug the site to 36 inches tp ensure adequate and nat-- . means his grapes grow iri soil that is TM iMnpflfwmttLPIfiot lolr yipti v . . ' .:! n ,r. e "V.' ' r ' j- . iysoLuiis : : coid germs f Inyour - ? . jL r 1 ; 'K'' g CPU i.TiahaaMNRi plma WM nttUtanckaKK, ve . saw of , , . drainage it also '. urally high in nutrients., Iri foct,, he. irrigates just twice a season --despi re. an average annual rainfall of less than 10 inches, Stowe, a retired Air Force major who grew up in Idaho, first became interested inwines when be was stationed in the Saar wine region of Germany near the French in file 19fiQs. Back in die Sates years law; with his wife, Mui, and their three. children; he began looking for acreage fcif a vineyard.; They found the perfect sire ort V water-retenti- - s' ; r : . f' ' Lire ' demands " LYSQL Indian Creek Winety usually produces five wines each year; tooling about 3,000 ; cases. White Finocs, or Uushes, are the most popular. Scowe's red Pinocs wocl gold medals in national competitions in 1988,1994, and 19961 He Also makes Riesling . HpaaBH. 1 ' " fcl SnLfti -- !fr ' K e SHTSiSS SSmI ST.5LT.5 sC Chardonnays,Cabemets, andan Occasional Gewiimraminef. : ... .'Bill's expertise in wine and grapes is second to none in Idaho," says BobCocbell, IGGWPC execuriredirectoc 'Fvety new wirietydiat gets started, they corne talk to Bill He's donea lot of experimenting over the yean, but one things never changed-He- s always nude good wine" Joanm Hinkel u a frttLtnct tvrittr frm Bout, IJaJb& . |