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Idaho Wine Lover’s Guide

Why Idaho’s Snake River Valley Should Be Your Next Wine Country Getaway

By Darby Tarantino

There’s no question that southern Idaho is a melting pot of everything a die-hard foodie could possibly want in a locale (hello, four James Beard Award Finalists! More on that in another issue), but when a food scene is punctuated by an equal caliber of award-winning wines from uber boutique craft vintners, the region soon becomes more than just a stop along the road, it becomes a destination.

So what makes Idaho’s Snake River Valley so unique for wine production? Let’s start with terroir, which by definition is the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced that includes topography, soil, and climate. The region is located in the high desert, where the elevation reaches as much as 3,000 feet above sea level in some places. The days are quite warm, (ok, they’re hot, but that’s what the Boise River is for, right?), but the evenings remain mild, which means the growing season is shorter, giving ripening fruit the chance to develop all those beautiful sugars and balanced acidity more quickly on the vine.

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Then there’s soil. There’s a reason Idaho potatoes are so famous! Soil plays a huge part in grape production and here in southern Idaho, you’ll find a combination of volcanic and sandy loam soil which is key for moisture retention and drainage in the vineyard, resulting in plump, healthy grapes that produce many of the big, hardy, full-bodied reds the Snake River Valley has become known for. What’s more, the region sits on a similar parallel to central France. No wonder they’re cranking out head-turning Bordeaux and Rhône varietals such as Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Mourvédre and my personal favorite, Viognier! In my opinion, Idaho Viogniers are a revelation; a perfect balance of fruit and acid, with aromatics of honeysuckle, white peach and citrus blossoms. They’re beautifully crisp with subtle viscosity.

Because of the climate, and potential for early snowfall, Idaho has the ability to produce the prized, highly sought-after Ice Wine which is typically found in Canada and Germany. This sweet-style, dessert wine can only be produced under the right circumstances when temperatures drop below freezing allowing the water in the grapes to crystallize, leaving the concentrated sugars at the center to remain in liquid form. As you can imagine, this process doesn’t extract much juice and therefore results in a very expensive finished product. Totally worth it, if you ask me!

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As with any wine region, vinification is the yin to terroir’s yang, to round out the process from grape to glass. The magic happening behind the scenes in Snake River Valley wineries is truly a labor of visionary love. If you fancy a new-world, progressive style of wine making, you’ll find treasures such as orange wines, which are quite the trend in other wine regions. Orange wines are produced by fermenting white grapes on the skins resulting in, well, an orange colored wine, that’s tart with flavors of ripe stone fruit, citrus and herbs. You’ll also find wines being produced using carbonic maceration, which are made by introducing carbon dioxide into the fermentation tanks creating an anaerobic atmosphere, with no oxygen. This process results in bright, low-tannic wines that are bursting with juicy fruit. Can you say, party on your palate!

If an old-world style of wine better suits you, there’s no shortage of wines to check off your list. Idaho’s top varietals include Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling, which can be found in a dry style, off-dry (semi-sweet), or sweet. In many wineries in the valley, you’ll find wines being aged in centuries-old vessels such as concrete which allows the wine to maintain the integrity of its terroir (remember, topography, soil and climate!) without the influence of oak. You may even find ceramic amphoras being used in some wineries. This aging process, which is similar to concrete, allows the wine to maintain its freshness so the fruit shines through in your glass preserving all those lovely flavors and aromatics.

Idaho’s Snake River Valley has it all. It’s a wine (and beer and food) lover’s playground and whatever you’re seeking, you’re sure to find it among the dozens of wineries available for tasting. So before you head out the door on your next wine adventure, don’t forget to add Idaho to the top of your list. It’s certainly worthy of your next Wine Country Getaway. Until then, drink well, love often, and stay enlightened!