Rivaura Estate Vineyard and Winery satisfies the Clearwater River, surrounded by rolling hills and … [+] great views.
For tourists looking for lesser-known red wines, inexpensive tastings, and awesome views, Idaho is ending up being a hot location for a bit of the grape.
If you didn’t understand Idaho produces excellent white wine, have a look at who’s been winning leading honors in the Pacific Northwest. An Idaho vintage has actually won the Cascadia International Wine Competition for the last 3 years, a testimony to the state’s efforts to restore its pre-Prohibition tradition as the earliest center of red wine production.
Taking a trip here is a reward, and not simply for the outside activities — even in Boise, the couple of crowds you may come across are light. The ambiance is casual and laid back. And there’s favorably no snootiness or pretention at red wine tastings. The red wine is every bit as excellent as what you’ll discover in popular, touristy white wine locations.
If you’re familiar with Walla Valley white wines, you understand the elevation, soil, and environment because area is perfect for winegrowing. Considering That Lewiston, Idaho, shares the exact same kind of terroir, it too has the best conditions for growing fantastic red wine. Due to the fact that Idaho does not have a thriving population or a substantial integrated wine-drinking population, it relies on its red wine clubs and its visitors to find what it has to provide.
And what it needs to use is certainly worth a journey. The Lewis-Clark American Viticultural Area (AVA) is simply a brief drive from Lewiston Nez Perce County AirportLicensed as an AVA in 2016, it covers over 300,000 acres that run along the Snake and Clearwater Rivers in Idaho and Washington, with the bulk in Idaho. From a full-bodied cabernet sauvignon to a crisp chardonnay, this area is producing the classics however likewise branching off into lesser-known varietals.
That suggests that visitors get to sample a complete variety of red wines surrounded by natural appeal at a portion of the expense of Napa or Sonoma tastings.
Rivaura’s acclaimed red wines assisted put Idaho on the map as a white wine nation rival.
When I tasted my method through Idaho, I understood Rivaura Estate Vineyard and Winery would stick in my mind long after I left. It might have been the incredible views, it may have been that they produce 100 percent estate white wines, however it was more than likely that no matter what varietal or vintage I tasted, I enjoyed it.
I’m not alone.
Rivaura (called after the river that runs along the home and the unique aura you feel when you’re there) was Great Northwest Wine publication’s 2022 Idaho Winery to Watch. Sip Magazine granted Rivaura double gold medals for its 2019 Viognier and 2020 Cabernet Franc rosé, and a gold for its 2019 grenache.
Rivaura’s tasting space opened in 2020 and is quite impressive. You’ll take a long driveway about 800 feet up, where the views are sweeping. While you can make yourself comfy inside, it’s most likely you’ll be drawn outdoors, where drinking tables are the best perspective to take in the Clearwater River, mountains rising behind it, and the vineyard spread before you. Order a bottle of Insomniac Red Wine and after that simply take it all in.
The cost for these acclaimed red wines and spectacular views? Tastings are just $10, which is credited back to any 2+ bottle purchase. Individually Winemaker Tastings with Lane Hewett are $50 and consist of a tremendous 10 white wines. If you’ve tasted in Napa, you understand what a take this is.
Next, make your method to Clearwater Canyon Cellarsenvisaged 21 years earlier on a 100-year-old household homestead. Wine Maker Coco Umiker and Vineyard Manager Carl Umiker are the husband-wife group that has actually changed the household farm into an excellent vineyard gathering attention throughout the red wine world.
Clearwater Canyon was called the Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year in 2020 and has actually made 41 platinum awards for different varietals for many years. Coco Umiker is a little bit of an Idaho legend and will teach you everything about the history of wine making in this location. The casual tasting space includes floor-to-ceiling maps that information the AVA, and Umiker will respond to any concerns you have without the smallest little bit of condescension. Her nature will instantly put you at ease as you sample the Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon versus the Malbec, eventually purchasing both.
You will likely require a bite to consume to accompany your tastings, and luckily you can have both at
Lindsay Creek Vineyards farms its own wheat and chickpeas for fresh bread and hummus, and its red wines … [+] are the ideal enhance.
Lindsay Creek VineyardsOwned and run by bros Art and Doug McIntosh and their partners, Michelle and Brenda, Lindsay Creek is located in a stunning, rural area that is favorably agrarian.
A big, trellised outside patio area neglects the stretching farm, a garden water fountain bubbling close by. Inside you’ll discover an imposing area anchored by a white wine bar, fresh peonies and roses in a glass vase, and your option of tables and chairs to accommodate groups of all sizes.
Lindsay Creek farms their food along with their grapes, so menu products hold true farm-to-fork offerings. A decadent hummus originates from their newly grown chickpeas, durum wheat bread stemming from the farm you see from the outdoor patio shows up warm to the table, and natural veggies advise you to begin patronizing farmers markets.
And we have not even gotten going on the red wine. From the tempranillo to the cabernet franc, everything tastes divine as you look out over the farmland where it was crafted. Lindsay Creek white wines took home a number of honors from the Cascadia Wine Competition: 2 golds for their estate cabernet franc and chardonnay, and 3 silvers for their riesling, estate semillon, and red wine.
If you’re getting the sense that you can’t actually go incorrect taking a tasting journey to Idaho, you’re. While lots of select to taste in the Sunnyslope area and in Boise itself, both of which have a much higher concentration of wineries to select from, my white wine tasting heart is near Lewiston. The tranquility of the environments and the chance to talk grapes with the wine makers themselves make a journey to the Lewis-Clark AVA a win-win.