I recall a weekend before covid-19 and doing tastings across Idaho at nine wineries, I got a taste of what local winemakers swear is one of the best and emerging wine regions in America.  Others from Oregon or California might joke around about Idaho having only potato wine, which is far from the truth.  If you look at a map of the microclimate and soil types in the Snake River Valley where grapes are sourced. The maps are similar to the maps shown to me by winemakers in the Frances Loire Valley and the Russian River Valley in Northern California. The Snake River Valley has identified 10 types of soil and three microcliffs.

In this wine region, proud vintners cultivate over 1,500 hectares of grapes to produce a range of red wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernets Franc, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo, White Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Albarino and Pinot Gris.  The vast majority of Idaho wineries and vineyards are located in the Snake River Valley between Nampa and Boise, at elevations between 2,000 and 3,400 feet.

Each year, there are a variety of events to celebrate and showcase the wines and vineyards of Idaho. The Idaho Wine Commission hosts Idaho’s premier wine and food event, which enters its 13th year in 2021. You will have the opportunity to taste some of the best Idaho wines, and you will be greeted with souvenir wine glasses to sip your way through the displays of local wineries. This should be a great event this year without the covid restrictions and we are very excited about this event.  In recent years, wine critics and travel writers from across the US have discovered award-winning wineries in Idaho’s Snake River Valley, earning the region the title of the next wine destination to visit. This year, the Idaho Wine Commission is giving you the chance to sample Idaho’s winemakers and culinary artists at their upcoming event, Winemaking in the Snake River Valley has such a rich heritage going back many generations and each generation passing on their winemaking secrets.

Like many new wine regions in the United States, Idaho is not defined by one single grape. There are many prominent wineries along the Sunnyslope Wine Trail in the Snake River Valley but you aren’t limited to just the Snake River Valley, there are some wineries and tasting rooms in the Boise city center and in Garden City, Idaho along Chinden Blvd.  One new wine tasting room opening this year on June 16th, 2021 is Rolling Hills Vineyard Urban Tasting Room at 152 E. 52nd Street, Garden City, Idaho 83714.  We have heard so many good things about this new tasting room and its plans for the vineyard.  We can’t wait to visit when they open along with some of the other tasting rooms in that area.

We are so happy to be able to start to visit wineries and tasting rooms again!