Idaho wine

Idaho

Wine region
Official name	State of Idaho
Type	U.S. state
Year established	1890
Years of wine industry	1860s-present
Country	United States
Sub-regions	Snake River Valley AVA
Climate region	Continental
Total area	83,642 square miles (216,632 km2)
Grapes produced	Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Lemberger, Malbec, Merlot, Muscat Canelli, Orange Muscat, Petit Verdot, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel, Zweigelt

Idaho wine refers to wine made from the U.S. state of Idaho. Idaho has a long history of wine production with the first vineyards in the Pacific Northwest being planted here in the 1860s. Like in other areas Prohibition in the United States virtually wiped out the Idaho wine industry in the early twentieth century only to have it resurrected again in the 1970s.

Located in the Pacific Northwest, the wine regions of Idaho resembles Eastern Washington though the region is affected by a greater diurnal temperature variation. The average vineyard in Idaho sits at an altitude of 1,800 feet (550 m) among the foot hills of the Rocky Mountains. A benefit of global warming has limited the severity of Idaho winters on the vineyards which were devastated with frost during the 1970s and 1980s.

Since that era, the effect of global warming has been beneficial to the vineyards of southwestern Idaho. Only one period of frost has occurred since the early 80's and that was only a partial frost.

To grow better wines in the vineyards, several viticultural practices common in Idaho including the use of open canopies over the vines, drip irrigation and aggressive pruning to ensure lower yields.

Since the 1970s, Idaho wine has been known for its cool climate white varietals like Riesling (including Ice wine), Chenin blanc, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. In recent years there have been an increased focus on red wine productions, notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

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