In The News

Great Northwest Wine – Hat Ranch Winery tops Idaho Wine Competition with Cabernet Franc from Lewis-Clark Valley

CALDWELL, Idaho — Judges at the 2021 Idaho Wine Competition provided reminders to the Gem State and beyond that Tim Harless ranks among the region’s top winemakers when the Hat Ranch Winery 2018 Rivaura Vineyards Cabernet Franc won best of show.

San Francisco Chronicle – Not just potatoes: Idaho makes Riesling wines that blew me away

Whenever I’m traveling, if I happen to be in a place where wine is produced, I always go out of my way to try the local wines. Although this has resulted in many pleasant discoveries in faraway lands (like Japan!), often the exercise ends up being more about the novelty factor than anything else. Not all wine, I’m sorry to say, is good.

Capital Press – Way to grow: Idaho’s wine industry builds on its success

Peering into the 10-foot-deep pits he and his crew had dug in his new 32-acre vineyard, he saw just what he was looking for.

“There was sandy soil all the way to about the 10-foot level,” said Hawkins, owner-operator of Lanae Ridge Vineyard. “We had no restrictive layers.”

Idaho News 6 – “We don’t know what to expect,” Excessive heat and smoke a cause of concern for Idaho’s wineries

With about a month and a half left until the start of grape harvesting, the excessive heat and smoke is cause for concern for the Gem State’s 69 wineries.

THRILLIST – Camp Out This Summer at One of These Breweries & Wineries

Here are some camping hacks for the next time you find yourself with a cooler of melted ice and a beer that needs chilling: Wrap your can in a cold wet t-shirt and prop it up in a breezy area. Or dunk it deep in a nearby river or stream. Or BYB: bury your beer in the shade, tucked all cozy-like in the cool dirt. 

Idaho News 6 – Trying to decide between a camping trip or a visit to Idaho wine country? Now you can do both.

CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — For a lot of Idahoans, summer is all about spending time outside and if you’re trying to decide between a family camping trip or a visit to Idaho wine country, now you don’t have to pick just one.

BoiseDev – Camp out and drink up: Idaho winery adds overnight camping, with a twist

For many Idahoans, summer is all about spending time outside, and if you’re trying to decide between a family camping trip or a visit to Idaho wine country, now you don’t have to pick just one.

Idaho News 6 – Meriwether Cider Company celebrating Idaho Wine & Cider Month with slushies

Talk to Molly Leadbetter and she’ll be hard-pressed to pick her favorite cider. They’re all the apple of her eye.

Wine Business.com – Sip Your Way into Summer with Idaho Wines

After a year of distancing, life is starting to open up again—and it couldn’t come at a better time. Spring, the season of rebirth, has arrived and summer, with all its warmth and long days filled with never-ending sunshine, will be here very soon. For wine lovers, adventurers, and others, there’s no better time to get out and explore Idaho wine country than now. Here are several ways to have some fun exploring the state and experience Idaho wines this summer. 

Food & Wine – The 42 Best Syrahs to Buy Right Now

Our favorite Syrahs from familiar regions in California and Australia and less-expected locales in Idaho and beyond.

Tasting Panel – Anthony Dias BLUE REVIEWS

In each issue, senior editor Anthony
Dias Blue selects a wide range of the
best wines and spirits from among
the more than 500 he samples over
the course of a month. The reviews
are subjective editorial evaluations,
made without regard to advertising,
and products are scored on a
100-point scale:

Decanter Best – Idaho wine: fresh, fruit-forward and great value

Idaho, in the US northwest, is a wine state starting to see the fruits of its labour, says Stacy Slinkard. She finds much to like in the myriad grape varieties and laid-back vibe of the tasting rooms, and recommends five top buys under $35.

Idaho News 6 – June is Idaho Wine and Cider Month. Here’s how you can get involved.

IDAHO — June is Idaho Wine and Cider Month and this year is the 12th year for the celebration. Wineries and Cideries across the state are participating this year and it’s a perfect time to explore new wines or ciders made in the Gem State.

NEWS BREAK – New Idaho Wineries You Have to Visit This Summer

Did you know the great state of Idaho has some of the best grape-growing conditions in the world, matching the soil conditions and latitude of some of Europe’s most famous wine regions? It’s true (and you can check exactly which regions correlate on this interactive latitude map), and with Idaho opening back up to post-pandemic wine enthusiasts we thought it would be generous of us to highlight some of the state’s newest wineries. Yes, you can visit them all, and yes, it’s worth booking a trip to Idaho for a long weekend of wine and adventure.

FORBES ONLINE – Why Airlines Are Dramatically Increasing Flights To Smaller Cities

American travel may be nearly unrestricted now but long-haul international travel remains almost entirely out of reach for summer, bringing a welcome boost in popularity for domestic destinations nationwide. After suffering its worst year in history, the airline industry is also experiencing a sudden explosion in demand across North America, leading major airlines to launch new routes almost weekly, often to smaller cities forecasting quick returns to pre-pandemic levels, or even surpassing them.

FARE Idaho – Your Guide To A Fun, Safe Winery Visit In 2021

Every year, thousands of people flock to urban and rural wineries in the Treasure Valley, including the 17 outposts on Idaho’s famous Sunny Slope Wine Trail. In 2021, those visits will look a bit different. Due to COVID-19, some tasting rooms are open on a reservation-only basis this summer, and others are enforcing mask wearing and social distancing. 

ENTREPRENEUR – How One Woman Is Winning the Canned Wine Market

The canned wine industry piqued my interest back in 2018 when I first heard about the product’s growing popularity.

Salmon Safe – Bitner Vineyards awarded Hero of Salmon for 2021

At this week’s virtual LIVE annual meeting of environmentally innovative Pacific Northwest winegrowers, Salmon-Safe presented our 2021 Hero of Salmon award to Ron Bitner of Idaho’s Bitner Vineyards for holistic and low input farming practices that protect water quality in the Snake River watershed while improving the health of the soil and providing forage for bees.

Brown Paper Tickets to refund $9 million to 45,000 customers

They’ve been waiting nearly a year for what they’re owed: community centers, schools, musicians, theaters, youth organizations, a huge variety of nonprofits and their supporters. Some lost a few bucks. Others have been waiting on tens of thousands of dollars.

Boisedev – Split Rail to split for new spot up Chinden Blvd.

Split Rail Winery is movin’ on up… the street.

The Garden City winery with the combination tasting room and production facility crammed into a small warehouse at 43rd St. and Chinden Blvd. announced it will move to a new spot. The winery will move to a new home on the site of the former Dale’s Auto Sales at 3200 W. Chinden.