By many, the state ofIdaho is considered part of the new and rapidly developing wine frontier in the United States of America, although it should be remembered that some of the first vines planted in the Pacific Northwest region were right in Lewiston (northwestern Idaho) in the 1860s.
Known for its extraordinary landscapes and probably for its potatoes, Idaho hosts one of the American wine industries
Wwine country of Idaho
Nestled between the Rocky Mountains and the Snake River, the wine countryof Idaho consists of 4 regions: Northern, Southwestern, Southwestern Urban e South Central.
The cold winters and long warm summer days allow ideal growth and maturation, producing grape varieties with good structure and harmony. The limited rainfall then allows growers to control water supply through irrigation.
The most common classic grape varieties are Syrah, Merlot, Riesling e Chardonnay, while among the more sought-after varieties are Tempranillo and Malbec.
The state’s wine industry has seen steady growth over the last 30 years with substantial expansion in the last decade; consider that in 2008 there were 38 wineries, while now there are over 60 on more than 500 hectares of vineyards with many more on the horizon.
In 2018, nearly 500,000 liters of wine were produced with a grape harvest of 2800 tons. The economic impact of the wine industry in Idaho in 2017 was nearly $210 million. Many of the producers brave enough to venture into Idaho’s wine country are women. Collectively, industry insiders and trade press have cited these women among the most remarkable and distinguished winemakers in the state. Of 15 excellent wine producers, 12 are women.
Women winemakers of Idaho
But much thanks must go to many women winemakers of Idaho for revealing the secrets of the state’s wine regions with creative vintages that have earned recognition, following, and media attention. There is a group of women who have gained experience out of state and then returned to Idaho, partly due to quality of life. According to the Idaho Wine Commission women make up 22% of vineyard co-owners and are the state’s viticulturists.
Coiled Wines is named after the Snake River Valley AVA and was founded in 2008 by Leslie Preston with the production of her first wine, a Syrah. Coiled’s production is focused in Garden City, Idaho which is also home to the tasting room where you can relax and explore many wine varieties. They also have another tasting room in downtown Boise, the capital of Idaho. Cinder Wines was founded in 2006 by Melanie Krause and her husband Joe. The tasting room is located in Garden City. Melanie Krause grew up in Boise, tending her parents’ land as a hobby and producing her first wine at the tender age of eight!
Meanwhile, Telaya Wine Co. was founded by Earl and Carrie Sullivan a in Garden City, in 2008 and specializes in Old World-style reds (also some whites) that are aged and produced with grapes from five Idaho varieties and three from the state of Washington. Carrie started her path in an unconventional way. Initially from southern Indiana, then attending school in Kentucky where she met her husband, and settling together in Idaho. They decided to change their lives together and felt that the wine path was intellectually stimulating.
The combination of agriculture, science, and teamwork has prevailed. Melissa Sanborn, together with her husband Mike Pearson, manages Colter’s Creek founded in 2007, the year it specialized in enological chemistry while Mary and Ron Bitner together with their daughter Amy, are the soul of Bitner Vineyards created in 1981 on a 6-acre plot in Caldwell: here you can taste (and of course purchase) chardonnay, riesling, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, and others in the beautiful tasting room & patio with panoramic views of the surrounding valley. (photo credit: Bitner Vineyards)
The industry will continue to grow as long as the demand for wines at the national level increases alongside Idaho’s “wine potential”; forecasts predict a considerable increase over the next 15 years. Idaho wines rank 22nd in the national classification.
