Idaho wine
Encyclopedia
Idaho wine refers to wine
made from the U.S. state
of Idaho
. Idaho has a long history of wine production with the first vineyards in the Pacific Northwest
being planted here in the 1860s. Like in other areas Prohibition in the United States
virtually wiped out the Idaho wine industry in the early twentieth century only to have it resurrected again in the 1970s.
though the region is affected by a greater diurnal temperature variation
. The average vineyard in Idaho sits at an altitude
of 1800 ft among the foot hills of the Rocky Mountains
. A positive benefit
of global warming
has limited the severity of Idaho winters on the vineyards which were devastated with frost
during the 1970s and 1980s.
Since that era, the effect of global warming has been beneficial to the vineyards of SW Idaho. Only one period of frost has occurred since the early 80's and that was only a partial frost.
To grow better wines in the vineyards, several viticultural practices common in Idaho including the use of open canopies
over the vines, drip irrigation and aggressive pruning
to ensure lower yields.
s like Riesling
(including Ice wine
), Chenin blanc
, Chardonnay
and Gewürztraminer
. In recent years there have been an increased focus on red wine productions, notably Cabernet Sauvignon
, Merlot
and Syrah.
vineyards contain 81% of the state's total inventory of grape vines.
The majority of the state's wineries are located in the Snake River valley west of Boise.
The Snake River Valley in Southwestern Idaho
and two counties in Oregon
was officially designated an American Viticultural Area
(AVA) by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
(TTB). A petition was filed by the growers in the Snake River Valley, the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission, and the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor. The petition was granted in 2007, and for wines to bear the Snake River Valley AVA
label, at least 85% of the grapes used for production must be grown in the designated area. Vintners may now use the term to describe Idaho and Oregon wines made from grapes grown in that geographic area.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
made from the U.S. state
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. Idaho has a long history of wine production with the first vineyards in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
being planted here in the 1860s. Like in other areas Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
virtually wiped out the Idaho wine industry in the early twentieth century only to have it resurrected again in the 1970s.
Geography and climate
Located in the Pacific Northwest, the wine regions of Idaho resembles Eastern WashingtonEastern Washington
Eastern Washington is the portion of the U.S. state of Washington east of the Cascade Range. The region contains the city of Spokane , the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the fertile farmlands of the Yakima Valley and the...
though the region is affected by a greater diurnal temperature variation
Diurnal temperature variation
Diurnal temperature variation is a meteorological term that relates to the variation in temperature that occurs from the highs of the day to the cool of nights.-Temperature lag:Temperature lag is an important factor in diurnal temperature variation...
. The average vineyard in Idaho sits at an altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of 1800 ft among the foot hills of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. A positive benefit
Effects of global warming
This article is about the effects of global warming and climate change. The effects, or impacts, of climate change may be physical, ecological, social or economic. Evidence of observed climate change includes the instrumental temperature record, rising sea levels, and decreased snow cover in the...
of global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
has limited the severity of Idaho winters on the vineyards which were devastated with frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
during the 1970s and 1980s.
Since that era, the effect of global warming has been beneficial to the vineyards of SW Idaho. Only one period of frost has occurred since the early 80's and that was only a partial frost.
To grow better wines in the vineyards, several viticultural practices common in Idaho including the use of open canopies
Canopy (building)
A canopy is an overhead roof or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter. A canopy can also be a tent, generally without a floor....
over the vines, drip irrigation and aggressive pruning
Pruning
Pruning is a horticultural practice involving the selective removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. Reasons to prune plants include deadwood removal, shaping , improving or maintaining health, reducing risk from falling branches, preparing nursery specimens for...
to ensure lower yields.
Grapes
Since the 1970s, Idaho wine has been known for its cool climate white varietalVarietal
"Varietal" describes wines made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label. Examples of grape varieties commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot...
s like Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
(including Ice wine
Ice wine
Ice wine is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing a more concentrated grape must to be pressed from the frozen grapes, resulting in a smaller amount of more...
), Chenin blanc
Chenin Blanc
Chenin blanc , is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigor is not controlled...
, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety that performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written '...
. In recent years there have been an increased focus on red wine productions, notably Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
and Syrah.
Grape production
In 1999, the Idaho Department of Agriculture reported a total of twenty-three farms producing wine grapes. The farms reported a total of 656 acres (2.7 km²) in production, which represented 7% of the state total area for fruit production. By the 2006 report, a total of forty-nine farms were included in the census. These operations reported a total of 1214 acres (5 km²) in production with 843,052 vines of bearing age This represents a growth of 85.8% over the 1999 survey. Canyon CountyCanyon County, Idaho
Canyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 188,923. The county seat is Caldwell, and its largest city is Nampa.. Canyon County is part of the Boise City–Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The county was...
vineyards contain 81% of the state's total inventory of grape vines.
Wineries
The Snake River Valley in Southwestern Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
Southwestern Idaho is a geographical term for the area along the state of Idaho's borders with Oregon and Nevada. It includes the populous areas of the Boise metropolitan area, Treasure Valley and Magic Valley.-Counties:Ada |Adams |Boise |Canyon |...
and two counties in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
was officially designated an American Viticultural Area
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
(AVA) by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, statutorily named the Tax and Trade Bureau and frequently shortened to TTB, is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury....
(TTB). A petition was filed by the growers in the Snake River Valley, the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission, and the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor. The petition was granted in 2007, and for wines to bear the Snake River Valley AVA
Snake River Valley AVA
The Snake River Valley AVA in an American Viticultural Area that encompasses an area in Southwestern Idaho and two counties in eastern Oregon. The area was designated an AVA as a result of a successful petition from the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission and the Idaho Department of...
label, at least 85% of the grapes used for production must be grown in the designated area. Vintners may now use the term to describe Idaho and Oregon wines made from grapes grown in that geographic area.