2010 Chardonnay

"Balanced wines never go out of style!"

A lot of other Chardonnays seem to explore one of two extremes… either a strong oak influence or stainless steel fermentation that gives none at all. With this wine we give you a Chardonnay with balance. Fermentation in mostly neutral oak barrels preserves the fresh fruit aromas and develops a round, silky texture. A tiny percentage of new oak barrels add a touch of vanilla and spice while respecting the smooth finish. Open a bottle after work and enjoy with creamy soups, seafood, creamy pastas, and rich cheese and meat platters.

Our Chardonnay was sourced as follows: 75% from the Arena Valley Vineyard, 25% from the Sawtooth Vineyard. 5% new French oak, 5% new American oak, 80 percent neutral barrels.

380 cases produced

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon 75%, Merlot 25%

Light pine forest notes with cherry and vanilla carry the day and make you pause to enjoy the layers. In the mouth the experience is one that shows how well Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot marry into a rich and full experience. The full and nuanced tannins remain long afterwards with an aromatic finish of cedar and spice.

Our Cabernet was sourced from Williamson, Skyline and Symms Vineyards while the Merlot came from Skyline Vineyards. This wine was aged in 20% new French oak, 20% new American oak and 60% neutral oak for 19 months then bottle-aged for four months prior to release.

260 cases produced

Sold Out

2009 Tempranillo

This venerable Spanish variety expresses itself with rich aromas of black olive, black pepper, tobacco. You'll also encounter hints of honey from aging in 2 & 3 year old French and American barrels. Flavors follow the aromas with the addition of subtle boysenberry and a smooth, medium length finish.

The ancestral home of Tempranillo is La Rioja in Northern Spain. The Rioja and our Snake River Valley have very similar latitudes and climates (both are high-elevation arid regions) so it makes sense that a grape that has thrived in such conditions in Spain would also show well here in our growing region. We think we've found another jewel in the crown for the Snake River Valley with Tempranillo… the "desert grape", Salud!

165 cases produced

Sold Out

2010 Syrah

"Syrah is one of my favorite wines to make and to drink. It can be grown in many climates, expressing a wide range of flavors over those different climates. Here in the Snake River Valley we get rich, savory Syrahs with great depth of character and smooth, even structure and tannin profiles. The 2010 vintage displays characters typical of Snake River Valley Syrah, with a combination of bright apricot and orange peel notes on a savory, meaty background. Intermingled with these are hints of espresso from the ~35% new American oak barrels. All of these characters layer in together to make a wine that continues to intrigue as the flavors evolve on your palate and over the course of the evening." — Melanie Krause, Winemaker

The Vintage
The 2010 growing season started slow and had moderate temperatures throughout the summer. August, September, and October finished the season off with very warm weather and the first frost did not occur until November, giving the grapes plenty of time to ripen.

The Vineyards
Sawtooth Vineyard, located above the Snake River, south of Nampa, contributes 47%.

Volcanic cinders intermixed with sandy-loam soil on steep south-facing slopes make this a great location for producing intense Syrah fruit. Rich texture and concentrated flavors make this wine a great base for the Cinder Syrah.

Skyline Vineyard, located just south of the Sawtooth Vineyard, on rolling hills with silty-loam soils provides 38% of the grapes and adds wonderful fruity aromas to the Cinder blend.

Williamson Vineyard, located on the Sunny Slope south of Caldwell, contributes 15% of the grapes. Chalky, sandy soils produce Syrah with big tannins and provide the backbone to the Cinder blend.

Pairing Suggestions
The Syrah pairs well with a wide variety of strongly flavored meats, particularly game meats like elk, buffalo, and lamb. Smokey barbeque dishes, earthy mushroom risottos, and salmon prepared with brown sugar and soy are some of our favorite pairings.

The Details
pH 3.9
Titratable Acidity 5.6 g/L
Sugar 0.0 %
Alcohol 14.6%

16 barrels: 365 cases produced

2011 Dry Viognier

"The Dry Viognier is a continuation of our love affair with Snake River Valley Viognier. I want to show the depth of character and versatility of this variety in our region, so we make several styles. The dry style showcases the most delicate of the Viognier aromas, with pear and peach notes on the nose, orange blossom and peach on the palate and an elegant mineral finish." - Melanie Krause, Winemaker

The Vintage
The 2011 growing season started slow and had moderate temperatures throughout the summer. August and September heated up enough to push the grapes to full ripeness but the harvest began and ended about 3 weeks later than average for the Snake River Valley.

The cooler nature of the vintage allowed for great flavor accumulation in Viognier, with lower alcohol and enough acid to create a long elegant finish.

The Vineyards
Williamson Vineyard, located on the Sunny Slope south of Caldwell, contributes 84% of the Viognier grapes. Sawtooth Vineyard, located above the Snake River, south of Nampa, contributes 4%. Rocky Fence Vineyard, located in Emmett Valley, north of Boise contributes 4%. Parma Ridge Vineyard, 1 hour west of Boise near the Oregon border contributes 8%.

Pairing Suggestions
The Dry Viognier is a great match of rich and creamy foods and most things from the sea. Because this wine balances a rich texture with clean lively aromas and acid, it will counterpoint rich foods and can be used as a compliment to lighter dishes. Goat cheese salads, vichyssoise, seafood biques, crab cakes and gnocchi dishes are some of our favorite pairings.

The Details
pH 3.62
Titratable Acidity 6.1 g/L
Sugar 0.2 %
Alcohol 13.5%

415 cases produced

2011 Dry Rosé

"The Rosé is my answer to the sizzling hot days of a Boise summer. This wine offers fresh strawberry and watermelon aromas but the flavors emphasize minerality and the finish is dry, long, and elegant." — Melanie Krause, Winemaker

The Vintage
The 2011 growing season started slow and had moderate temperatures throughout the summer. August and September heated up enough to push the grapes to full ripeness but the harvest began and ended about 3 weeks later than average for the Snake River Valley.

The cooler nature of the vintage lead to a Rosé with good minerality and a long elegant finish.

The Vineyards
100% Rosé of Syrah — Williamson Vineyard, located on the Sunny Slope south of Caldwell, contributes 60% of the Syrah grapes. Skyline Vineyard, located above the Snake River South of Nampa, contributes the remaining 40%.

Specific areas of the vineyard are used to grow the grapes for the Rosé with farming techniques that emphasize fresh fruit flavors and lively acids on the finish.

Intentionally higher crop yields and picking at low sugar levels ensure the fresh style of the wine.

Pairing Suggestions
The Dry Rosé is a versatile food wine and can be used in place of many dry white wines such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Its light body and high-acid, refreshing finish make it a good choice for brunches, lunches and summer patio dining. Pairs well with salads and lighter fair like seafood or pesto dishes. It can also be used as a counterpoint to heavier foods like barbeque, rich cheeses, and creamy concoctions, where the wine will cleanse the palate for the next bite.

The Details
pH 3.62
Titratable Acidity 6.3 g/L
Sugar 0.1 %
Alcohol 13.3%

290 cases produced

2011 Off-Dry Viognier

"The Off-Dry Viognier is a continuation of our love affair with Snake River Valley Viognier. I want to show the depth of character and versatility of this variety in our region, so we make several styles. The off-dry style showcases rich, ripe flavors and textures. Aromas of pineapple and honeydew melon are abundant, the texture is thick and creamy and the finish has just enough sugar (1%) to open this wine up to some amazing pairings without making it overtly sweet." - Melanie Krause, Winemaker

The Vintage
The 2011 growing season started slow and had moderate temperatures throughout the summer. August and September heated up enough to push the grapes to full ripeness but the harvest began and ended about 3 weeks later than average for the Snake River Valley.

The cooler nature of the vintage allowed for great flavor accumulation in Viognier, with lower alcohol than warmer years and enough acid to keep the finish lively and fresh.

The Vineyards
Sawtooth Vineyard, located above the Snake River, south of Nampa, contributes 79%.

Williamson Vineyard, located on the Sunny Slope south of Caldwell, contributes 17% of the Viognier grapes. Parma Ridge Vineyard, 1 hour west of Boise near the Oregon border contributes 4%.

Pairing Suggestions
The Off-Dry Viognier pairs wonderfully with rich and fruity dishes. It makes a great starter wine to an evening on the patio. Meat and fish preparations that have fruit components such as pork with apricot glaze or salmon with fruit salsas are some of our favorites. Can be paired with fruity desserts such as a trifle, where the wine will appear dry in contrast with the dessert.

The Details
pH 3.7
Titratable Acidity 6.5 g/L
Sugar 1.0 %
Alcohol 14.1%

330 cases produced

2009 Small Lot Series
Mourvedre 50%, Tempranillo 50%

We produced 40 cases (two barrels) of this fascinating blend in 2009. The source of the Mourvedre (aka: Monestrel in Spain, Mataro in Italy) is Williamson Vineyard. The Tempranillo is from Rocky Fence Vineyard. Both lots of grapes were fermented in small bins with 4-5 punchdowns per day. The Mourvedre was pressed one week after the start of fermentation, just before dryness to optimize bright black and white pepper aromas. The Tempranillo was left on skins for three weeks after dryness in an extended maceration to encourage the development of earthy flavors. Both wines were aged in two-year old barrels, one French, one American. 16 months of barrel aging allowed the wines to mellow and integrate.

This wine has white and black pepper flavors with delicate tobacco leaf and raspberry in the background. The color is clear ruby and the body is medium weight. The tannins are long and fine, with lively acids on the finish. Do NOT wait too long to purchase some of this wine, it will sell out quickly.

40 cases produced

Wine Club Members Only
Sold Out

2010 Small Lot Series
Reserve Viognier

With our second "Small Lot Series" we explore Rhone-style winemaking and continue our love affair with Viognier. We chose Rocky Fence Vineyard and their organic, manicured vines, perched above the Emmett Valley, to craft this austere beauty.

Getting the picking date right was as crucial as ever with this wine, in order to bring bright acidity and floral aromas to the wine. Next we needed a lush, textured experience in the mouth, so we extended barrel ageing to 10 months while adding a generous amount of lees stirring. The Small Lot Series continues to be about creating unique wines for the adventurous wine lover. We hope you agree that teaming up with Rocky Fence and giving a nod to the great winemakers of the Rhone has inspired a gorgeous creation!

70 cases produced

2010 Laissez Faire

We wanted to create a beautiful "little sister-label" that would be an appropriate wine for our educated customers, filling their need for a crisp, food-friendly table wine that was beautifully crafted. Our direction came from all the great wines we would pull from our own cellar for hamburgers or "pizza-night" from places like France, Italy and Spain…(but never from the good old USA!?). We wondered why there didn't seem to be any American producers making wines like this. We knew we could make a wine that had fresh fruit, balanced body, not a touch of new oak and bright acidity…so a plan was hatched.

Laissez Faire means "hands off" or "let it be" in French and that's what we've done with this wine. There's not much interference from the hand of man (or woman in this case). There's no crushing of the grapes prior to fermentation, only full-berry fermentation. The juice is left in contact with the skins for only a short time, so that we only extract very fresh fruit characteristics. All native yeasts were used for fermentation while barrel ageing was only nine months in what we like to call "the Ancient barrels" (10-15 years old).

The end result is a gorgeous European-inspired red table wine, made in our beautiful Snake River Valley, Idaho, USA. Open a bottle with nearly ANY meal and you'll be happy with the results. Laissez Faire…Enjoy the simple pleasures of life!

250 cases produced

2010 Small Lot Series
Foot Stomp Syrah

"The Foot Stomp Syrah is part of our Small Lot Series which we created in order to explore unusual varieties and winemaking techniques with our wine club members. This wine showcases old-school winemaking techniques. We selected low-yield, small berry grapes from the Williamson Vineyard, hand picked, hauled the grapes to the winery, then had a group of our favorite wait staff lightly wash their feet and jump in the bins! Because the grapes were handpicked, the whole cluster is included in the fermentation, even the stems. This is one of the key differences with modern winemaking techniques, where the stems are usually removed before fermentation. Next the native yeast present on the grapes and in the winery took care of the fermentation. We then aged the wine for 15 months in "very old" barrels and bottled unfiltered. The wine has great earthy, spicy notes intermixed with red current flavors. The texture is medium bodied with a long elegant finish." - Melanie Krause, Winemaker

The Vintage
The 2010 growing season started slow and had moderate temperatures throughout the summer. August, September, and October finished the season off with very warm weather and the first frost did not occur until November, giving the grapes plenty of time to ripen.

The Vineyard
Williamson Vineyard, located on the Sunny Slope south of Caldwell, contributed 100% of the grapes. Located with a beautiful view of the Snake River, the vineyard has sandy-loam soils with traces of chalk on a hot south-facing slope.

Pairing Suggestions
Medium body and high acid make this wine very food friendly. It can be paired with lightly spiced meat dishes like pork chops and simply prepared steaks or paired with gamier, earthier dishes. Elk lasagna or sweet Italian sausage with dark greens and pasta are some of our favorites.

The Details
pH 3.83
Titratable Acidity 5.6 g/L
Sugar 0.0 %
Alcohol 14.35%

Three barrels produced: 70 cases

Wine Club Members Only