Exploring Idaho's wine offerings on two wheels and four
Merging wine tasting and bike riding on a sunny fall day without fear of motor vehicles sounded like heaven. And it was.
I was exploring the Boise River Greenbelt. This tree-lined trail follows the Boise River as it winds through the heart of the city (a dream on Clear Creek Trail!)
There are plenty of fishing spots, picnickers, kayakers, walkers, runners, bicyclists and skaters taking advantage of the many riverside parks that are connected to this urban trail. A few of Idaho’s 90+ wineries and breweries can be found alongside this trail and the Sunnyslope Wine Trail. And so began my new wine adventure — biking the 25-mile-long Boise River Greenbelt.
Approved in 2007, the Snake River Valley AVA (which includes a small part of Oregon), is located at the same latitude as Umpqua Valley but has a more extreme diurnal temperature variation because of the higher elevation. And like Oregon, Snake River Valley on the label must have at least 85% of that AVA’s grapes.
The Snake River Valley AVA (SRV) includes the urban core of Boise. Both in the burgeoning capital city and surrounding communities, wineries and tasting rooms are easily accessible by bike.
Such as the fairly new Rolling Hills Vineyard’s tasting room in Garden City. While getting my bearings under the shade of a tree, I looked up to spot a small planting of grape vines and a sign that said 'Tasting Room."
In 2016, Lori and Mark Pasculli purchased a neglected vineyard of Cab Franc and revitalized it in a sustainable way. As a result, this vineyard is now producing an award-winning wine for this family’s wine business.
The flight choice of four wines from a lineup of 11 was hard. I chose a Riesling, Sangiovese, the award-winning estate Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. They were all award-winning in my estimation.
Telaya Wine Co. is a husband- and wife-owned business that overlooks the Boise River Greenbelt in Garden City. The patio offers a dog-friendly gathering place for customers to bike in and bring in snacks to enjoy with a tasting flight. So I biked on in.
I chose the blind-tasting flight. This is where I tested my knowledge by guessing which of the current release wines were poured into four glasses in front of me. The four wines poured were a white blend of SRV Viognier and Verdejo, SRV Syrah, Yakima Valley Boushey Vineyard Cab Franc and Yakima Cab. I should have studied harder; I was 0 for 4 but the wines were great even if I didn’t get it right. It’s a delightful way to spend an afternoon.
In 2018, Par Terre Winery was founded by two former ballet dancers with a passion for wine. Par Terre, a dance term meaning "on the ground," creates wines handcrafted in small lots from the Snake River Valley.
A tasting flight consisted of a very pale pink Rosé, a blend of Syrah and Merlot, that reminded me of a Provence Rosé. I also tasted the very fragrant Viognier, a Merlot and my favorite, En L’air Red, a blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Cab.
They also have a pilot program for their sparkling Rosé bottles. When returned, these bottles are sanitized, labels removed and refilled. A petit assemblé to reducing landfills.
When I first researched Boise wineries, Potter Winery was not high on my “must try” list. Because its claim to fame was a jalapeño wine in addition to the usual winery suspects.
Von Potter is an entirely a self-taught winemaker. In 2008, with an abundance of homegrown grapes, he began his foray into winemaking. On his first attempt, Potter admits that he did everything wrong, but some things must have been right as he took first place at the county fair. And that happened again the next year.
In 2012, an amazing winery opened one with heart and soul and a little bit of heat and smoke: Potter Winery. The first flight included The Reveler Rose, The Minx Cab, The 19th Tempranillo (honoring the 19th Amendment ratified in 1920 guaranteeing women the right to vote) and The Red, a blend of Merlot and Syrah, all delightful and very well made.
And for the curious and adventuresome, the second flight includes four wines made with jalapeño peppers. Jalapeño Wine Lemonade, Original Jalapeño Wine, Chipotle Jalapeño Wine and Giggle Juice, a sparkling jalapeño wine lemonade that is refreshing in a sweet and spicy way with a little bit of tickle on the finish. I was hooked on the Giggle Juice.
Potter packaging is also innovative with cans, pouches and traditional bottles. An easy carry pouch with a spout is 1.5 liters of take-almost-anywhere wine to open and enjoy over a couple of weeks.
Near Caldwell is the Sunnyslope Wine Trail also in the Snake River Valley AVA. The acres of vineyards surrounding the Sunnyslope Wine Trail contain a handful of the state’s oldest wineries and a cluster of fledgling wineries. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a wine tasting but not in tandem with a bicycle.
Sawtooth Winery is one of the oldest wineries in Idaho, founded in 1987. Back then it was known as Pintler Cellars. Owner Brad Pintler established vineyards in the Snake River Valley. About 10 years later, Pintler Cellars was sold to Corus Brands, a wine company that also owned Columbia Winery and Ste. Chapelle.
Renamed Sawtooth Winery, it sold again to Constellation Brands and then to Precept Brands. With the 70-acre Sawtooth Estate Vineyard and the 400-acre Skyline Vineyard (the largest vineyard in Idaho), it’s the most significant grape grower in Idaho. As a result, Sawtooth Winery sells the surplus to other Idaho wineries. This award-winning winery has a wide range of wines to choose from.
Hat Ranch Winery is just down the road at the intersection of Plum and Pear Roads. Established in 2011 by Tim Harless, his first wines brought gold and silver medals in a regional competition.
In 2014, Vale Wine Company was added. Both brands are available at the Hat Ranch Winery. Since it was a Monday, there were quite a few wines left from the weekend. So I availed myself of this splendid opportunity.
The gold medal Vale Rose is a delicious blend of Malbec and Merlot. The Hat Ranch Hat Trick Red also earned a gold for this blend of Cab, Malbec and Merlot. Another favorite was the Vale Syrah that was co-fermented with 6% Viognier, a traditional northern Rhone winemaking technique. The Hat Ranch Petit Verdot was redolent with black fruits, herbs and smooth tannins.
It’s a good thing I drove (and spat) that day. Lugging bottles of wine in a backpack on a bicycle is one wine adventure I will pass up.
Cheers to Idaho wines and trails!
Mary Earl has been educating Kitsap wine lovers for a couple of decades, is a longtime member of the West Sound Brew Club and can pair a beer or wine dinner in a flash. She volunteers for the Clear Creek Trail and is a longtime supporter of Silverdale.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Exploring Idaho's wine offerings on two wheels and four
