Basque Country in Your Backyard, No Passport Needed
Boise Suburbs / Meridian · Boise · Traditional Basque · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 14, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Epi's is short — maybe 20 to 30 bottles — but it knows exactly what it's doing. You're not here for a sprawling cellar; you're here because someone actually thought about what goes with lamb stew and croquetas. That kind of editorial restraint is rarer than it should be.
The list leans hard into the Iberian Peninsula, which is the right call for a Basque kitchen. Rioja anchors the reds, with reliable names like Muga, CVNE, and Marqués de Cáceres covering Tempranillo at various price points. Ribera del Duero adds some grip and structure for those who want something beefier, and there's Garnacha from Navarra or Aragón for the crowd that wants something a little wilder and a little more rustic. The real surprise is the Txakoli — a bone-dry, lightly effervescent white from Getariako Txakolina in the Basque Country — which almost nobody in Idaho is pouring, and Epi's actually has it. That one bottle alone tells you the people running this place care.
By-the-glass pours run somewhere between five and ten options, which is enough to navigate the menu without committing to a bottle. We'd expect Txakoli and at least one Rioja red to show up on that list, but rotation and specifics depend on the night. Don't sleep on asking about the Basque cider (sagardoa) as a glass option — it's not wine, but it's the right call with the croquetas.
Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Tempranillo — $35
Marqués de Cáceres is a workhorse Rioja that routinely punches above its retail price, and in a restaurant context at Epi's fair markup, you're getting a genuinely food-friendly bottle — earthy, red-fruited, with enough structure for the lamb — without paying fine-dining prices.
Txakoli (Getariako Txakolina)
Most people at Epi's are going to order red wine with everything, which means the Txakoli just sits there waiting to be discovered. It's tart, low-alcohol, slightly fizzy, and it cuts right through fried and rich Basque starters like croquetas. Order it first. Order it by the glass. It's not what you came here expecting, and that's exactly why you should.
Generic House Red
If the staff points you toward a generic house pour with no regional identity or producer name attached, pass. With actual Rioja and Garnacha on the same list at reasonable prices, there's no reason to default to anonymous table wine. Spend five more dollars and get something with a story.
Muga Rioja Tempranillo + Solomo (Basque Marinated Pork Loin)
Muga's Rioja brings dried cherry, leather, and a touch of vanilla oak — classic Tempranillo — and it mirrors the smoky, herb-forward marinade on the solomo without bullying it. The wine's acidity keeps the fatty pork from feeling heavy. This is the combo that makes you understand why Basque cuisine and Rioja wine have been neighbors for centuries.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Epi's is a Wild Card in the best possible way: a family-run Basque spot in Meridian, Idaho, pouring Txakoli and Muga Rioja while the rest of the state is still figuring out Cabernet. The list is small, the prices are honest, and if you let the food guide the wine order, you'll eat and drink very well.
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