Idaho Business Review - Development and weather pose pressing issues for Idaho wineries

After the past two years, Idaho’s wine industry is popping the cork on what it hopes will be a normal summer. 

According to statistics from the Idaho Wine Commission, Idaho now has more than 75 wineries, which harvest more than 2,000 tons of grapes every year, producing more than 300,000 gallons of wine annually. Altogether, Idaho’s vineyards and wineries have an estimated annual impact of $210 million. 

PROJECT FARE - The Idaho beverage industry: Behind the solar power curve?

On a sultry day in early June, the front lawn of the Hells Canyon and Zhoo Zhoo winery feels like a tiny slice of Tuscany transported to Caldwell, Idaho. Soft music plays, sunlight falls gracefully through tree canopies, and the twisting length of the Snake River is visible far beyond the grapevines. It’s deeply serene. But the winery has an open secret: Both the wine and ambiance are made possible by solar power.

BoiseDev - Dude DeWalt Cellars on Highway 16 earns green light to become event center

On Tuesday, Ada County Commissioners voted to allow Dude DeWalt Cellars on Highway 16 to become an event center on top of their winery approval with a few compromises. This comes after an hours-long, late-night hearing earlier this month where the board heard dueling appeals from both a nearby neighbor hoping for heavy restrictions on the winery and from the owner who wanted the ability to host more and larger events on the property. 

Idaho Matters - The Snake River Valley wine region celebrates its 15th anniversary

When people think of Idaho, their next thought is often potatoes. But once you hit the Snake River Valley, you’ll find more grapes than you will spuds, and this year those grapes are celebrating a 15 year anniversary.

According to the Idaho Wine Commission, Idaho’s first American Viticultural Area opened in 2007. Over the years, it has grown from 15 wineries to more than 40, clearing the way for two more AVAs and producing more than 400,000 gallons of wine a year.