Experience Idaho’s Sunny Slope Wine Region

 Scenic Wine Country Close to Boise Awaits Your Exploration

         
W
ine-producing regions, no matter where they’re located, are just naturally scenic. There’s something about a landscape of vineyards that’s so very visually appealing.

Idaho’s wine country is no exception, being mostly concentrated along the Snake River Canyon in southwestern Idaho.

Many of Idaho’s premier vineyards and wineries are located in what’s commonly called the Sunny Slope area, a region south and west of Nampa and Caldwell that forms the north (i.e. ‘sunny’) slope of the Snake River Valley.

Volcanic-derived soils and plenty of sunshine provide ideal conditions for growing wine grapes. Some of Idaho’s oldest vineyards and wineries can be found here.

Touring Idaho Wine Country 

When touring this area, you have at least 8 wineries and tasting rooms to choose from that are open to the public.

They are listed and described below in alphabetical order. Most are open only on weekends, and some only in warm months, so please check their sites for current public hours.

Bitner Vineyards (www.bitnervineyards.com)

This winery has been designated 2009 Idaho Winery of the Year by Northwest Wine Press magazine.

In the tasting room be sure and try the Riesling. The 2007 vintage won a gold medal at this year’s Northwest Wine Summit, the most prestigious judging event for Pacific Northwest wines.

Bitner Vineyards is a great place to enjoy a glass of wine and a bring-along lunch on the outside deck with its fabulous views of the Snake River and Owyhee Mountains.

Davis Creek Cellars (www.daviscreekcellars.com)

Located in Marsing across from the U.S. Bank, winemaker Gina Davis’s tasting room features a number of award-winning wines, including the 2007 Malbec which won a double gold medal at this year’s Idaho Wine Competition. Her 2007 Tempranillo also won a gold medal at the same competition.

Gina has only been open for a year, but she is making a dramatic statement with her line-up of high quality, award-winning wines. A stop at her tasting room should definitely be on your itinerary.

Indian Creek Winery (www.indiancreekwinery.com)

Located on the edge of the Sunny Slope area, Indian Creek is just a few miles west of Kuna. Owner Bill Stowe is one of the pioneers of the modern Idaho wine industry.

Indian Creek has an extensive product line of whites, rosés, reds, and dessert wines. It’s one of the few Idaho wineries producing Pinot Noir, available in both a regular version and a semi-sweet rosé version.

A nice shaded lawn area outside the tasting room is a good place to relax at a picnic table and enjoy a glass of wine.

Hell’s Canyon Winery (www.hellscanyonwinery.org)

Owner Steve Robertson is another pioneer of the modern industry, having established his winery before there was much of a local market for wine.

Currently, a second generation is taking over. In addition to continuing the traditional product line, Steve’s three daughters have created their own unique line of wine called Zhoo Zhoo featuring chic, artist labels.

In order to showcase both the regular product line and the Zhoo Zhoo line, Hell’s Canyon just this year opened a tasting room to the public called Swallows Wine Bar. Here you can their taste wine by the flight or by the glass. Appetizers are available.

Koenig Winery & Distillery (www.koenigdistillery.com)

Unique among Idaho wineries, Koenig makes both wine and distilled spirits. This fact is immediately obvious as you enter the foyer of the tasting room and view the two story high distillation equipment.

Upstairs, a wide selection of wines, flavored brandies, and a potato vodka await you, although you can only taste the wines due to Idaho’s alcohol laws.

Winemaker Greg Koenig is the most active winemaker in Idaho, making wine for both himself and several other wineries.

Greg has garnered many awards this year. His accolades include a double gold medal for the 2006 Three Vineyard Syrah and gold medals for both the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Bitner Vineyard) and his 2004 Cuvée Alden (a Bordeaux-style blend) from the Idaho Wine Competition.

In addition, the Northwest Wine Summit awarded him a gold medal for the 2006 Amelia Reserve Syrah.

Sawtooth Winery (www.sawtoothwinery.com)

Set high up on a hill, Sawtooth offers a commanding view of the Owyhee Mountains in the distance. Equally as impressive is the fact that the extensive vineyards around the winery and across the road are Idaho’s single largest block of vineyards under the control of one owner. Known as the Skyline Vineyard, it comprises a total of 540 acres.

Sawtooth offers an expansive and impressive tasting room featuring a wide range of wines in almost every category. Among them are the double gold medal Pinot Gris awarded at the Idaho Wine Competition, and the gold medal 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon won at the Northwest Wine Summit.

 
Ste. Chapelle Winery (www.stechapelle.com)

Surrounded by picturesque vineyards and orchards, Ste. Chapelle is Idaho’s oldest winery, having been established in 1978. It’s also Idaho’s largest winery, producing about 150,000 cases a year -more than the rest of the industry combined.

Ste. Chapelle’s extensive product line caters to a broad spectrum of tastes, ranging from dry, to off dry, to semi-sweet, to sweet. The product line-up also includes the only sparkling wines for sale at an Idaho winery.

The tasting room is spacious and offers a nice view of the surrounding vineyards, as well as the Snake River Valley. It’s open daily year-round.

Ste. Chapelle charges a tasting fee of $5 which is waived if you’re a member of their wine club. They also offer outdoor concerts on Sunday afternoons during the summer. Food and wine is available for purchase during the concerts.

 
Williamson Orchards & Vineyards (www.willorch.com)

The Williamson family has been in the orchard business a long time and to this day offers a fruit market on weekends in the summer. They also have grown wine grapes for other wineries for many years.

Several years ago they decided that since they grow some of the best grapes in Idaho, they should also offer their own line of wines.

Today, they operate a cozy tasting room next to their fruit market where you can sample their excellent wines.

Resources

The official Idaho wine industry web site is www.idahowines.org. It’s in the process of being updated to provide more information to visitors.

The current web site you’re using, www.idahowinescene.com, contains information on events at Idaho wineries. Click on the Wineries button on the home page.

In addition, you may find it useful to check www.wineryseekers.com for more detailed information on certain wineries.

An excellent way to see the Sunny Slope area is through an organized tour. Snake River Cuisine Tours has been operating regularly scheduled wine tours for a couple years now. Check them out at www.srctours.com.