A visit to Hell's Canyon Winery

Jocelyn at Swallow's Wine Bar at Hell's Canyon Winery
Photo by Meg McKenzie

There aren't many signs to get to Hell's Canyon, up on top of the hill overlooking Ste. Chapelle, Williamson and most of the other vineyards in Canyon County, Idaho. You either have to have a map or know where you're going. So for this reason my visits to this intriguing winery came pretty late in the summer. Intersperse a road trip to Oregon and Walla Walla, the Idaho Wine Competition, and other distractions, and you'll get why my review is coming so late in the season. But better late than never.

The best way to get to Hell's Canyon is to go left on Chicken Dinner Road off Route 55 going toward Marsing. You'll pass apricot and peach trees, and various and sundry farms and failed housing developments. Finally, you'll come to Symms Road. Take a left, go half a mile, and there's the cute little sign (and cute little winery) overlooking a lovely display of grapevines.

The patio at Swallow's Wine Bar
Photo by Meg McKenzie

One thing you'll notice as you enter Hell's Canyon -- I mean, Swallows Wine Bar -- is that this vineyard tasting room isn't the usual tasting room, where you pay a $5 tasting fee -- or hopefully, nothing -- to sample an array of their best wines. No, here it's more like having a prix-fixe dinner at a fancy restaurant. They have a menu of wines they're pouring that day, a set price, and what they pour is what you get. The flight is served, I'll hasten to say, on a cute tray with coasters that give the provenance and tasting highlights of each wine, just in case you need help discerning the top notes. They also have a menu of some wonderful munchies that go great with each wine -- bread, pesto, cheeses, olives, etc. Although the wine bar itself is tiny, the patio is the draw here: in summer, the six tables on the terrace under the shady trees and overlooking the peaceful vineyard is a pretty sweet place to set a spell. And though I've only been during the afternoon, I would imagine the sunsets there are magnificent.

 A display inside the wine bar
Photo by Meg McKenzie

But let me backtrack a little and tell you something about the owners of Hell's Canyon/Zhoo Zhoo/Swallows. The Robertson clan are among the founders of the Sunnyslope Wine Trail, Steve Robertson having staked his claim to some perfect grape-growing terroir back in the 1970s. Now, his daughters have joined in the family business, thus explaining the separate brands. Daughter Bijou went out on her own and created the Zhoo Zhoo brand, with its colorful, artistic and rather risque labels. Other daughters Jocelyn and Hadley man the winebar and help out in other ways, no doubt. It's a small outfit, only 2,500 cases a year, but you can find their wines at Fred Meyer, the Boise Co-op, A New Vintage Wine Shop and Ericksons. Their most popular? Retriever Red and Bird Dog White. They recently won three bronzes at the Idaho Wine Competition.

The menu at Swallow's Wine Bar
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Inside the bar/shop is a counter where one of the girls takes your order. You then wait outside for your drinks/eats to arrive. The day I went, back in August, I chose the red flight, and only got to taste the Zhoo Zhoo (three small pours for $7). The middle one was just called Brunette -- 56 percent Merlot, 24 percent Cab Franc and 20 percent Cab Sauvignon. At $10 a bottle it’s the cheapest. My favorite was the first wine I tasted, the $19-a-bottle ’03 Claret, which was 70 percent Merlot, 20 percent Cab Sauv and 10 percent Cab Franc. The final wine was a ’06 Syrah. After a while, though, from going back and forth between the three, I found I was creating my own blend (good thing I took notes!). I didn't feel like ordering an entire plate of munchies, but luckily I got to chatting with a friendly couple from Kuna at the next table. Chris and Diann generously shared tastes of their crackers and chorizo ($7) and pesto and French bread (also $7) with me -- both were really, really good and complemented the red wine nicely.

Hell's Canyon Winery/Zhoo Zhoo Wines
18835 Symms Road
Caldwell, ID 83607
(208) 454-3300; hellscanyonwinery.com, zhoozhoo.com

Winemakers: The Robertson Family

 ☻☻☻ - Hell's Canyon/Swallows has a charming setting overlooking 40 acres of wine grapes, and the Robertson clan are friendly and sweet. Not a conventional tasting room, but a wine bar with a prix-fixe pouring menu, so I never got to taste the Hell's Canyon label, only the Zhoo Zhoo on the day I visited (and I didn't get to mix and match the reds and the whites). Signage to find the winery doesn't come into play until you're almost on top of the winery, but the wine commission map should aid you in your quest. The appetizers ($5-$7) I tasted were delicious.

My ratings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent) and are based on accessibility, ambiance, overall experience and, of course, the wines.

A few words about wine clubs

Wine clubs are a great way for you to save money on your favorite bottles and for vintners to ensure that they have customers for their wines. Plus if you live out of the area, you can have your favorite wines shipped to you every three months or so. 

Wine clubs generally also offer other benefits, such as savings (from 5 to 30 percent off the retail price) with their loyalty programs. With most, you agree to purchase a specified number of bottles a year. Memberships are generally free but require credit card registration. And usually, you can cancel any time after the first shipment (or pickup, if you live in the area). Here’s a look, in alphabetical order, at wine programs at some of my favorite wineries in Idaho, straight from their brochures/websites:

Fujishin Family Cellars
Photo by Meg McKenzie

-- Fujishin Family Cellars: “You will receive a quarterly shipment of wine selected by our Winemaker, Martin Fujishin. Included with your shipment, you will receive tasting notes for that wine, as well as a recipe selected to pair with your wine for an outstanding dinner idea. You will receive a 15% discount on all FFC wine or merchandise purchased directly from the Tasting Room.  

“You can choose from 4 membership levels: 2 bottles, 4 bottles, 6 bottles, and 12 bottles each quarter.  For example: If you are a 2 bottle club member, you will receive 2 bottles of Viognier if that is the selection for the quarter. We will hopefully be adding an option to receive a red and a white wine or just reds or whites in the future as we expand our wine selections. The cost of your wine club selection will be automatically charged to your credit or debit card on file each quarter. You can then pick up your club wines at the Tasting Room or have them shipped to your residence at a minimal shipping cost.  (Some state shipping restrictions may apply.)”

Membership Benefits:

• 15% Club Member Discount on all Fujishin Family Cellars Wines purchased from the Coyotes Tasting Room or directly from the winery.
• 10% Discount on purchases of 6-11 bottles = 25% Total Discount
• 15% Discount on full cases = 30% Total Case Discount
• Invitations to special members only Wine Club Events
• Access to wines reserved for Club Members Only!
• Tasting Notes for your club wine and a recipe to pair with your selection. 

Sample Fuijishin wine discounts: 2008 RSV Merlot ret: $21.95/WC $18.66

2009 Gewurztraminer - $14.95/12.71

2008 Merlot- $18.95/16.11

2009 Viognier- $14.95/12.71

2008 Syrah- $19.95/15.34

2009 Riesling – $14.95/12.71

www.fujishinfamilycellars.com

Indian Creek Vineyards
Photo by Meg McKenzie

-- Indian Creek: “Join our Wine-Thirty club. You’ll get three bottles of Indian Creek wine every quarter (three months) as well as other benefits… Mixed option: $35 + tax. Reds only: $40 + tax. These costs are per quarter, and we select the wine. If you are local, you may pick up your wine and we’ll notify you by email or phone each quarter. We can also ship your wine and will add S&H fees. Wine Club benefits: 15% off wine and gift shop items, free admission to our annual Father’s Day open house and 5% on event hosting (weddings, etc.).” www.indiancreekwinery.com

-- Koenig Distillery & Winery: “Every other month (January, March, May, July, September, and November), Wine Club members will receive 2, 4, 6, or 12 bottles of a select Koenig Vineyards wine at the Club discount of 15% for 2 or 4 bottles, 25% for 6 bottles and 30% for 12 bottles. Enclosed with each shipment are detailed winemaker’s notes regarding the vineyard, wine-making process and food pairing suggestions for the selected vintage. Wine Club members will also be entitled to 15% any wine or merchandise purchase in our tasting room and will be exempt from tasting fees for Reserve wines. There is no membership fee and Club memberships may be cancelled at any time. Wines are shipped directly or members may choose to pick up their wines from the winery to avoid shipping costs.

Koenig wines
Photo by Meg McKenzie

“Wines selected range in price from $12 to $25 per bottle. Members who choose to have their wines shipped will be charged a shipping and packaging fee. Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) are accepted as payment. You will be automatically billed and shipped your wines. Members who prefer to pick up their wines will be notified of their availability by email.”
www.koenigvineyards.com

-- Periple Wines: Wine Club membership, which is free, entitles you to discounts and invitations to private events. Members also enjoy complimentary tastings at the winery for themselves and up to six guests. There are three price ranges: Origin: 3 bottles ($90-$120); Elixir: 6 bottles ($180-$240); Odyssey: 12 bottles ($360-$480). Bottle are shipped every six months (April and October) at a 5% discount off regular prices for Origin, 10% for Elixir and 15% for Odyssey. The case discount of 15% extends to this program as well. www.periplewines.com

-- Sawtooth Winery: “Love our wines? Ask an associate about becoming a Wine Club Member and start enjoying wonderful member benefits today!” [Example: Retail price for 2008 RSV Cabernet Sauvignon, $25, Wine Club price, $20; retail for 2008 Muscat Blanc, $10, Wine Club, $8]”
www.sawtoothwinery.com

The Snake River tasting room
Photo by Meg McKenzie

-- Snake River Winery: “By joining the Snake River Wine Club, you will receive a 3-bottle shipment of our award-winning wines four times a year (approximately every three months). Because you are a wine club member, you will receive a discount of 20% off these wines with shipments ranging from $30 to $50 each. You will receive an email notification that your wine is on the way and that your credit card will be charged. Your installment will also include a special gift and a letter from the winemaker including tasting notes, technical information and food pairing ideas. Your wines can be conveniently picked up at our tasting room in Downtown Boise or shipping is available to selected states.”

Benefits
• Free membership
• 20% discount on wine purchases for the first month
• 15% discount on all wines under a case
• 20% discount on all Snake River Winery Logo Wear
• Special opportunity to purchase limited release wines and library selections www.snakeriverwinery.com

-- Snyder Winery: “If you like our wines, join a different kind of wine club. It's easy and you will be rewarded for purchasing our wines.

Snyder Wines
Photo by Meg McKenzie

“Buy 12 bottles, receive free wine tasting for you and your guests at our wine bar (normally a $5 dollar value). Buy 24 bottles, receive free wine tasting for you and your guests at our wine bar + special offers for discounts and events. Buy 36 bottles, receive free wine tasting for you and for your guests at our wine bar + special offers for discounts and events and a Spring Release Dinner Party for 2.
Buy 48 bottles, receive free wine tasting for you and for your guests at our wine bar + special offers for discounts and events + spring release dinner party for 2 and two $25 discount coupons for our Steakhouse.

“We have a different kind of club because there's:
• No commitments for purchases
• FREE benefits at our winery and steakhouse
• Bottles of wine purchased for weddings, parties and at our Steakhouse also count to your rewards goal.” www.snyderwinery.com

--  Ste. Chapelle’s Friends of the Vineyard Wine Club: “Fun-filled ‘members only’ events, wine discounts [example: retail price for their popular Soft Red is $8.95, Friends price is $7.16; retail for Ice Riesling: $19.95; Friends price: $15.96]; bi-monthly shipments and educational information.” Ste. Chapelle also offers a Case Club option. www.stechapelle.com.

-- 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards: “3 Horse Ranch Vineyards encourages you to join our wine club: Côtes de l’Aigle (Foothills of Eagle) Wine Club. Membership gives you exclusive pre-release access to 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards upcoming releases, limited production and library wines.

3 Horse Vineyards winery
Photo by Meg McKenzie

“The annual shipments are traditionally: a spring collection in April, a summer selection in June and a holiday shipment in November. You will be notified by e-mail of each specific offering, shipment will follow in about 10 days. Or you can pick up your wine at the 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards Tasting Room at Season’s Bistro and Wine Bar in Eagle (and sample some wine!). Of course, this will assist in reducing our carbon footprint and allow you to save some money. Just let us know, otherwise, on the predetermined shipment date, (4 week window of opportunity here) your wines will be automatically shipped and the shipment charged to your credit card as agreed. Billing charges include shipping, handling and applicable sales tax.

“Stay for as long as you like! Just complete online form or fill out a card in our Tasting Room at Season’s Bistro and Wine Bar 1117 E. Winding Creek Dr., Suite 150, Eagle, Idaho 83616. Most Wine Club Members keep a credit card on file, so we can guarantee availability with each new release. There are no joining fees, no membership fees, and you can cancel anytime.” www.3horseranchvineyards.com

Williamson Homestead Red
Photo by Meg McKenzie

-- Williamson Vineyard: “Wine Club Options: Members will receive two bottles of select Williamson Vineyard wine four times a year. We offer three wine club categories: reds, whites or mixed. Quarterly, your credit card will be charged for wines and shipping.” (Members can opt for pick up at winery and waive S&H fees). Red option: $56 average value (includes tax, S&H. Final pricing depends on combination of wines and distance wine is being shipped). Selection includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Windmill Red and Syrah. White option: $44 average value. Selection includes Viognier, Riesling and Late Harvest Viognier. Mixed: $50 average value. One bottle of red and one of white. Other benefits: 15% discount on wine purchases; 20% off full case of wine; quarterly newsletter; invitations to members-only events, such as the Vineyard Picnic; welcoming gift of logo glass or corkscrew.” www.willorch.com

A visit to Holesinsky Winery

Welcome to the winery (cool sign)
Photo by Meg McKenzie

I happened upon James Holesinsky's delightful winery near the end of a grueling day of tasting wine (I know ... but someone's got to do it!) on my tour of the Twin Falls area, in which I covered five vineyards in one day. I had actually arranged to visit the weekend before but then scheduling problems intervened. This time when I called I got no reply, so I was taking a chance in making the side trip to Buhl on my way back to Boise from Hagerman. Unbelievably (for me), I didn't get lost finding his place south of I-84 and west of Twin Falls.

And in a further stroke of luck, Holesinsky was hosting a bus tour, and the winery was not only open, it was hopping! (James has a lovely deck behind the tiny tasting room, and a local investment club was making merry in the back as I tentatively lurked around in the front). But James' helper found me, summoned JH himself, and the rest of the hour went by quickly as he charmingly opened bottle after bottle of his certified organic wines for me to try.

James Holesinsky with his tasty organic wines
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Now I'd tasted samples of JH's wine at the Capital City Market in Boise, and couldn't reach much of an opinion from the tiny cupful. But with a bigger serving, and a freshly opened bottle -- and the winemaker himself right in front of me ... wow, what a difference.

James has whimsically named vintages (Octopus, Unicorn, etc.) and quirkily designed bottles (Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee), as well as a disarmingly off-the-cuff attitude, but let me say this: his wines are totally, seriously good. Especially that 2009 Fat Men Merlot -- at $15-18 a bottle retail, quite the light and spicy, crowd-pleasing bargain. He also has a new Unicorn Syrah Rose that has been garnering raves and awards.

A tour group enjoys food and beverages at Holesinsky's
Photo by Meg McKenzie

He told me he produces a couple thousand cases a year, and ages his wines in 100 percent French oak, and it ferments in the barrel. He's also dedicated to running an organic vineyard -- no pesticides here.

Though his attention was divided between his paying guests and the unannounced interloper -- me! -- James was gracious and lovely. In fact, he invited me to hang around till after the bus tour left so we could chat further, but I was on a mission to make it to Cold Springs Winery before it closed at 5 o'clock, so I reluctantly took my leave. But here's a promise, James -- I'll be back, with a group!

Holesinsky's Vineyard and Winery

4477 Valley Steppe Drive

Buhl, ID 83316

(208) 543-6940

Kelsey Swope and Dustin Jones
pour JH wine in downtown Boise
Photo by Meg McKenzie

☻☻☻☻☻ James' tasting room schedule is a little uncertain (in general, it's best to call ahead), but if you can't make it to Buhl, he's reaching out to an eager wine-drinking public from his remote (albeit charming) outpost by manning booths at several area farmer's markets (Boise, Sun Valley, etc.). I'm here to tell you, though, a trip to his vineyard makes a big difference in enjoying his product, which includes some first-class (organic!) wines (i.e., the 2009 Fat Men Merlot), and a lovely, friendly vibe.  

My ratings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent), and are based on accessibility, ambiance, overall experience and, of course, the wines.

A visit to Periple winery

A pretty display of Periple wines
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Angie Reff's cavernous space (which backs onto Cinder's cavernous space in a warehouse on E. 44th Street in the Garden City suburb of Boise) actually has a pretty intimate feel. She's got twinkling fairy lights illuminating a surprisingly intimate-feeling little tasting room space that you're drawn to when you first come in. Though not as grand and modern as Cinder, it beckons you with its foosball table, wine-barrel tables and couches. And then there's Angie herself, an unprepossessing lady who seems more like a soccer mom than a winemaker.

Actually, she IS a soccer mom (to three boys). But Angie's story also attests to her dedication to the craft: A U of I microbiology grad, she apprenticed with some major California players, including Alexander Valley Vineyard and Marcassin Wine Co., where she became assistant winemaker.

Angie Reff sells wine to some customers
Photo by Meg McKenzie

For the past four or five years, Angie's been crafting her Periple wines out of grapes she sources from California, Oregon and Washington -- sort of the flip side to Coiled's Leslie Preston, who sources HER grapes from Idaho but makes her wine in California! Not sure I understand the reasoning behind Angie's not using Idaho grapes. But ... whatever.

I tasted her Tuesday Night white ($16), which is a blend of Washington Chardonnay and Riesling grapes, and very smooth. Her Russian River Pinot is made in California, tucked in a barrel and then bottled and distributed in Idaho. Angie's first vintage was in 2007, and she started selling her Periple (a French word that means "odyssey") wines in '09. Her reds are in the $30-$40 range, and thus not in this wordsmith's budget, and are truly boutique (less than a thousand cases of each vintage).

Bus tours help pay the bills
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Like most other area wineries, Periple has a wine club (those are going to be the topic of a whole separate post very soon -- it's a lot of research, and I'm only half done) that lets the winemaker send you new releases at a discount and gives savings on cases and entree to special wine events. Periple wines are also sold at Twig's Cellar, a cute little wine bar on Bannock Street in downtown Boise, and at Bown Crossing green market some Sundays. Her wine will also be featured at the upcoming Eagle Food & Wine festival.

I could have stood chatting with Angie under her twinkling lights all day, it was that pleasant and comfortable. Back outside, I couldn't believe I was still in the wilds of Garden City.

Foosball table's a nice touch
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Periple Wines
107 1/2 E. 44th St.
Garden City, ID 83714
(208) 941-5641; periplewines.com

Owner/winemaker: Angie Reff

☻☻☻ I'm glad there's a winemaker as talented and down-to-earth yet savvy as Angie Reff producing quality wines in the Boise area, and making it happen close to downtown. Her space is inviting and appealing. I just wish she'd give those excellent Caldwell grapes another shot and produce a Snake River Valley vintage that gives a nod (and props) to her new hometown.

My ratings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent) and are based on accessibility, ambiance, overall experience and, of course, the wines.

A visit to Terra Nativa Vineyards

When I first entered the Nativa Terra subdivision in the East End of Boise, and rounded the bend of the cul de sac, I almost couldn't believe my eyes. There, nestled in the Foothills, surrounded by pricey haciendas that anywhere else in the country would be locked away in a gated community, was the sweetest-looking little vineyard you'd ever hope to find. Protected behind deer screens were straight rows of grapes marching along the hillside, their tendrils glistening in the sun.

A vineyard in a subdivision - who would have guessed?
Photo by Meg McKenzie

I had pre-arranged to meet vineyard owner/winemaker (and developer/landscape architect, in his "real" job) Richard Pavelek, but as I entered the vineyard, there was no sign of him. But then I passed a row and saw evidence of pruning. There was Richard with another guy cutting back a section of Merlot grapes that had unfortunately suffered frost damage during the previous winter.

With his polo shirt, ruggedly handsome sun-tanned face and silvery hair, Richard looked like someone you'd be more apt to find modeling suits in a Dillards catalog than digging the dirt. But I quickly found he's very serious and quite knowledgeable about growing grapes and making wine. On only a few acres of the high-altitude land (at about 3,000 feet above sea level) not far from iconic Table Rock, which his father and father-in-law acquired back in the 1960s, Richard says he can produce about 800-900 cases of wine a year, "which is a pretty good yield for a vineyard this size."

Terra Nativa Vineyard owner Richard Pavelek
Photo by Meg McKenzie

With the help of respected Caldwell winemaker Cheyne Weston, Richard has been producing his boutique wines for the past five or so years. He grows only red grapes -- a lot of Cabernet, Cab Franc, Merlot, a little Syrah and a little Malbec -- and has a finishing cellar full of oak barrels in Meridian. He prefers a more organic wine and doesn't use a lot of sulfites, he said.

Growing up in Oregon, where his father and uncle dabbled in small-batch winemaking, it took Richard awhile, after moving here in 1999, to realize that the hillside below his house would be perfect for growing grapes since for many years it was simply used as grazing land. He had an epiphany one day staring at a random pear tree in the midst of the fields. Finding out there had been orchards there at one time, he discovered that the clay soil could produce some grapes of very intense flavor.

Giving the wine a timeout
Photo by Meg McKenzie

And so it does. Opening a bottle of 2006 Terra Nativa Cabernet Franc, I was bowled over by the aggressiveness of this deep-red wine. This is a grape that is used for blending in many Bordeaux wines, and with good reason. There's a lot of grape there. So I corked it back up and put it in the refrigerator for a little time out. A day later, when I uncorked the bottle and tried another taste, I couldn't believe my taste buds. This Cab Franc was fantastic! The nuances ... the mouth feel ... the plummy, jammy shoe-leather tannins had all conspired to seduce me. I was sorry when the bottle was finished.

This magic of oxygenation, which other winemakers had described to me, was a lesson that I won't soon forget. Moral of the story: Never give up on a wine; with decanting and resting, it might become your lost soulmate. Like Richard Pavelek's 2006 Terra Nativa Cabernet Franc.

Terra Nativa Vineyards
100 N. Bene Posto
Boise, ID

(208) 345-2421; terranativavineyards@gmail.com

A view of the vineyards as you enter the subdivision
Photo by Meg McKenzie

☻☻☻ Terra Nativa doesn't keep regular hours, but I'll bet if you give Richard Pavelek a call, he'll be happy to show you around and sell you a bottle of his estate wine. His vineyard, in the eastern Foothills of Boise, is the last stop on the Boise Party Bus Tour, which also visits the Periple, Cinder and Fraser wineries in Boise. His 2006 Cabernet Franc is a brazen hussy of a wine -- temperamental and gorgeous, but if you give her a few hours (or better yet, a day in the refrigerator, recorked) to settle down, she'll deliver more than you ever expected. As for the tasting room? What tasting room? We walked up to Richard's million-dollar home to fetch a bottle of wine, but there was no nickel tour, other than of the vineyards. (Maybe it's in his garage.)

My rankings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent) and are based on accessibility, ambiance, overall experience and, of course, the wines.

A visit to Parma Ridge Vineyards

Winemaker Dick Dickstein
Photo by Meg McKenzie

If Caldwell, with its family farms, historic little downtown and cluster of small vineyards is the pastoral face of Canyon County, you might say Parma, where Dick Dickstein's hilltop winery happens to be located, is at the "business end." Because State Road 19 (alias Simplot Boulevard) is basically a charmless stretch of cement factories and potato processing plants, broken up by a couple of railroad crossings and teeny little whistle stops like Greenleaf and Wilder.

As I neared Parma from the east, I began noticing some strange-looking vine crops (and they weren't grapes). After turning right on State Road 95 and exiting to the right off Bluff Lane, I found Rudd Road, and some signage, which led me to Parma Ridge Vineyard.

When I got there, I found Dick examining his grapevines, as a team of laborers worked industriously to groom them. After we got inside his winery, I asked him about the strange crops I'd seen as I entered Parma. What were they? "Hops," he told me. At which I had to laugh, at the idea of wine and beer crops coexisting out in the hinterlands of Idaho. (Which didn't surprise me, actually, since Boise is becoming well-known as a hotbed of world-class craft breweries.)

Driving up Rudd Road to Parma Ridge
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Dick took me on a tour of his winemaking facilities -- stainless and poly tanks in one building, and oak casks in another. A short, compact guy, he filled me in on his past life as an American Airlines pilot for 32 years. A native of Burbank, Calif., he said he'd nurtured a dream of owning a vineyard for many decades, but it wasn't until he and his wife (who's from Walla Walla, Wash., another burgeoning wine region) came to Canyon County for a wedding that they seized the opportunity to make that dream a reality. They now own about 9 acres in Parma, adding to the original 3 acres they bought in 1998.

At first Dick started out growing grapes for neighboring wine giant Ste. Chapelle, but then he got the itch to make his own wines. His first vintage was in 2001, and he now grows eight different varieties of grapes. It's a small production vineyard, normally producing about 1,500 cases a year (that's 18,000 750ml bottles).  Dick's fertile imagination has also been at work creating some ingenious half-size bottles that are cute little versions of the full size, corks and all. He wants to market them to restaurants so that couples who are split between red and white won't have to commit to a full bottle of either.

Welcome to the winery
Photo by Meg McKenzie

The winery is open mainly by appointment, but if you do make the call, you get to meet the winemaker himself. He does an open house the third week in April to introduce new wines, and also has a pre-harvest sale at the end of September. But if you can't make it out to Parma, Dick's delicious wines are available at area wine shops like the Boise Coop, and Erickson's and A New Vintage in Eagle.

Did you notice I said Dick's wines are delicious? They certainly are -- at least the ones I tried, which included his Merlot, his Gewurtraminer and his unoaked Chardonnay (which he bottles under the Mills Run label). Don't let his rather plain-looking labels (at least on the older vintages) put you off. Make the call (and the drive). You will be glad you did.

Mini-bottles of wine in a four-pack
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Parma Ridge Vineyards

24509 Rudd Road, Parma ID 83660

(208) 722-6885; www.parmaridge.com

Owner/winemaker: Dick Dickstein

☻☻☻☻ You can get to Parma either via I-84, or by getting off the expressway at Caldwell and taking Simplot Boulevard (which cuts about 20 minutes off the journey). If you're in the area, or are in the mood for a drive, it's definitely worth a visit. Winemaker/grower Dick Dickstein is innately charming (don't let the gruff exterior fool you -- when he smiles, his whole face lights up) and has been at this wine thing a long time. His tasting room is exquisitely cool in the heat of summer (it's set 55 degrees year-round). And his wines are uniformly good.

Note: My ratings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent) and are based on accessibility, ambiance, overall experiene and, of course, the wines

A visit to Koenig Vineyards

Koenig has a lot going for it. For one thing, the location is right across from Lowell (read Ste. Chapelle) Road on Route 55 in Caldwell. That means that when the concert is over on Sunday afternoon, the vineyard/distillery about a half-mile away down Grape Lane is where a lot of thirsty Idahoans head, since the tasting room is open until 5 p.m. on weekends, and guess what, gang: No tasting fee!

 

I really enjoyed the short ride past actual farms and the Snake River, up a little hill and past peach and apricot trees with ripe fruit hanging off them to the tasting room/distillery. The building itself is a big, boxy rectangle with a little balcony hanging off the second floor and some grape processing equipment down front. There’s a big circular parking lot with usually a half-dozen visitors’ cars parked there and a picturesque stack of fruit crates in the background. And that’s about it.

The distillery
Photo by Meg McKenzie

But inside is a different story. There’s a cool little ante-room at the bottom of the curving staircase, with a view of the crazy-genius-looking copper distillery for the potato vodka the Koenig brothers produce along with their wines. But you’re here for the vino, so up, up the steps you climb toward the sound of laughter that greets you in the second-floor tasting room. 

OK, so it looks like every other tasting room you’ve visited in Canyon County: the bottles adorned with medals, the shelves of wine, books about wine, glassware and logo-adorned clothing, at 30 percent off. But Koenig has several amenities that gives their tasting room a leg up. There’s that little table off to the side, with Carr’s crackers and a chunk of Jarlsberg cheese: Help yourself and munch between tastes. It really does clear the palate, and with that lineup of reds waiting for you, it can help you distinguish between the Merlot and the CSPV (Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot blend). 

Belly up to the bar -- don't be shy!
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Then there are the gals who pour the wines – pleasantly, eagerly, without fuss, able to talk knowledgeably about the wines, but also to shoot the shit with patrons in a friendly way. Kelly and Caroline were there one afternoon. I got to swap stories about children with Caroline, who moved here from England with her husband, an American.

The last thing is that lineup of bottles. There are at least eight different wines to sample. I started with the Viognier – light and fruity, a real crowd-pleaser. Then I switched to the reds: the Sangiovese – what Americans used to know as Chianti. Koenig’s was dry, really dry. I moved on to the CSPV, which had a great nose, but was also a little dry for me, flavorwise. After some crackers and cheese, I moved on to the Merlot, which was smooth, high-alcohol and pretty good. 

Exterior of the tasting room
Photo by Meg McKenzie

But something was missing. You guessed it: the winemaker. Greg Koenig – who also makes wines for his neighbors, the Bitners. “Does he ever show up in his tasting room?” I asked Caroline, who shook her head and volunteered that she herself had only seen the maestro once. Dang it! Making my way down the winding staircase, I reflected once again how much an AWOL owner subtracts  from the vineyard experience. Not that chatting with Caroline and enjoying a free smorgasbord of wine wasn’t awesome. But I guess I would liken it to going to a dinner party without a host. You feel kind of cheated.

Koenig Vineyards
20928 Grape Lane
Caldwell, ID 83607

208-455-8038, www.koenigvineyards.com

Owners: The Koenig brothers
Winemaker: Greg Koenig

Cheese and crackers, baby not included
Photo by Meg McKenzie

☻☻☻☻ The Koenig tasting room, which I've visited a couple times, is light and airy with a convivial atmosphere. There always seems to be folks standing around chatting and swirling their wineglasses. It's located conveniently off Sunny Slope, and is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. There's no tasting fee, and a lineup of wines that includes sparkling vintages and cordials. But the busy winemaker doesn't have time to hang out at his winery. Bummer.

Ratings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent) and are based on accessibility, ambiance, my overall experience and of course the wines.

A visit to Indian Creek Winery

The Stowe family's vineyard is one of the oldest in Canyon County, after Ste. Chapelle and Hell's Canyon, going all the way back to 1982. Tucked away in Kuna a bit east of the Sunny Slope wine trail, it's actually one of the closest established vineyards to downtown Boise (take the Meridian Road exit (Exit 44) off I-84, and then find your way south to the corner of McDermott and Avalon Road).

The entrance to Indian Creek is hard to miss!
Photo by Meg McKenzie

But don't go looking for a giant temple of the vine, such as you might find at Ste. Chapelle (which has grown from its humble beginnings in 1979 and is now owned by the gigundo California Ascentia Wine Estates and pumps out hundreds of thousands of cases a year). No, Bill and Mui Stowe's Indian Creek is more on the intimate, hitch-up-a-chair-and-pour-a-glass type of place. And it's now run day-to-day by their daughter Tammy and son-in-law Mike.

In fact, after locating the two signs that point you to Indian Creek (one's old and time-worn, the other new and creative), I felt like I had just pulled in to an old friend's driveway. The building itself is a no-frills shed-type structure. But some folks were enjoying the bucolic setting at a picnic table to the west of the winery as I strolled around searching for the elusive entrance to the tasting room. Luckily, a mind-reading black puppy led me straight to the cutely decorated green door on the side of the building.

Mike McClure mans the down-home tasting room
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Inside, I was greeted with a friendly smile by winemaker/official son-in-law Mike McClure, who was hosting some customers and/or old friends at the bar. I'm telling you, it's hard to make the distinction here. Very low-key and nice. The cozy tasting room itself was the usual mix of product displays, wine bottles bearing their red-white-and-blue ribbons and wine competition medals, and the bar.

But Indian Creek distinguishes itself from the rest of the Snake River AVA pack by producing one of the few Pinot Noirs to come out of the region, as well as whites like Riesling, Chardonnay and Viognier (which took gold at the 2010 Northwest Wine Summit), a rose and small batches of Merlot, Cabernet and even a Port. And in my travels around Boise I've found quite a slew of restaurants and wine bars actively pushing Indian Creek wines. Cool!

I tried some of their yummy white Pinot Noir (which actually looks like a rose and drinks like a white Zin). It was fruity and refreshing, and would go perfectly with barbecue or spicy food like tacos.

Just before I left, Tammy Stowe-McClure came in, and visited. She was very perky, nice, and like her husband, down to earth.

The funky entrance to the tasting room
Photo by Meg McKenzie

As my new dog friend led me back out to my car, I assessed my impressions. They were distinctly warm and nurturing -- yes, Indian Creek gives off kind of a lost-decade, bell-bottom, fringe suede hippie vibe. But hey, what's wrong with that? Good wine, good friends, good karma.

Indian Creek Winery
1000 N. McDermott Road
Kuna, ID 83634
(208) 922-4791; indiancreekwinery.com

Owners: The Stowe Family
Winemaker: Mike McClure

☻☻☻ Indian Creek is not hard to find and has a friendly, low-key atmosphere. It's nice to see one of the original wine-making families in Caldwell County still cranking out damn drinkable vintages. The grounds are tree-shaded and attractive, and the tasting room welcoming. The wines are good, too. Plus: No tasting fee! Open weekends from noon to 5 p.m. 

My ratings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent) and are based on accessibility, ambiance, overall experience and, of course, the wines.

A Visit to Bitner Vineyards

The Bitners' terrace
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Bitner Vineyards has the loveliest setting in Canyon County. Period. Every time I come over that hill on Plum Road (and I’ve done so several times on my way to various other wineries in Caldwell, such as Koenig and Huston), and look over at the Bitners’ winery and patio perched on the sun-drenched hillside with their acres of grapes marching in neat rows below, I’m, like, ahhhhhhhh.

I responded as well to their unprepossessing signage and the leisurely drive up that amazing hill, among the vines, up, up, up to the winery. It’s something, I feel, that every winemaker would give his or her left arm for. Though, of course, the experience ultimately depends on what awaits at the top of the hill.

Ron Bitner, right, with Walt Varnes and Silvia Marroquin
Photo by Meg McKenzie

In this case, I was anxiously hoping vineyard owners Ron and Mary Bitner would be there. At various vineyards the previous week, I kept hearing that the world-traveling Bitners were out of town, visiting vineyards in Spain, so I was taking a risk that they would be there. (Is it just me, or does a missing winemaker remove a big part of the equation, especially when visiting a small, boutique winery?)

Pulling into the shaded parking area next to the tasting room, I spied a tired-looking man watering the flowers in the garden. Acting on a hunch, I asked, “Mr. Bitner?” It was! He greeted me warmly, if a little wanly, volunteering that he and his wife had just got back from Spain. I know! I wanted to shout. I also knew from his website that he's an entomologist (bug scientist) by trade, has been growing grapes for 30 years and has been enthusiastically pushing the Idaho wine industry for the past 10 -- he even testified before Congress!

Mary Bitner, at the winery
Photo by Meg McKenzie

I eagerly took him up on his invitation to check out the tasting room and some of the Bitner/Koenig offerings (the Bitners grow the grapes while winemaker/neighbor Greg Koenig crafts the vintages). Though the view from their terrace was sublime, it was a brutally hot afternoon, so the cool confines of the tasting room suited me just fine. Behind the wooden bar, pourers Walt Varnes and Silvia Marroquin were pleasant and knowledgeable -- Walt even showed me how to "chew" the wine as you taste it, though he admitted that you make some pretty weird faces (and noises) doing so. Silvia urged me to try Mary's new addition to the Bitner lineup, the 2008 Menopause Merlot, but I guess I couldn't get past the name. But I liked the Bitners' Cabernet very much (their 2005 vintage got a gold medal at the 2008 Idaho Wine Festival) and enjoyed the pleasant, low-key companionship of the two amiable pourers. As I was leaving, I met the sweet-faced Mary, who also runs a bed-and-breakfast property, and although she grimaced ("I haven't had a chance to get my hair done since I got back!") she graciously consented to having her picture taken.

The winery is at the top of the hill.
Photo by Meg McKenzie

Bitner Vineyards
16645 Plum Road
Caldwell, ID 83607

(208) 455-1870, www.bitnervineyards.com

Owners: Ronnie and Mary Bitner
Winemaker: Greg Koenig

☻☻☻☻☻ That view! OMG, even if the wines tasted like vinegar (which they definitely do not), I think I'd still award the Bitners five grapes just because their winery looks exactly as you would want a winery to look. But their wines were uniformly good. And the hilltop paradise is easy to find and get to (just turn left down Plum Road, heading west on Homedale). The winery is comfortable and cute. And though tired from a recent journey abroad, the owners were present and accounted for when I visited -- and gracious, to boot. No tasting fee. Open Friday-Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

My ratings go from one grape (poor) to five (excellent), based on accessibility, ambiance, overall experience and, of course, the wines.