Snake River Valley Wine
Idaho's primary wine appellation, where volcanic basalt soils at 2,400 to 2,900 feet produce Riesling, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc with the Pacific Northwest's most extreme diurnal temperature swings.
About Snake River Valley Wine
The Snake River Valley AVA covers over 8,000 square miles of southern Idaho, though wine grape growing is concentrated in the Treasure Valley around Boise, Nampa, and Caldwell. The region's volcanic basalt soils, inherited from the ancient Columbia River flood basalt formations, provide exceptional drainage and force vine roots deep for water and nutrients. The growing season is defined by intense summer sunshine at 2,400-2,900 feet elevation and extreme day-night temperature swings that preserve grape acidity while allowing full phenolic ripeness. Ste. Chapelle Winery, founded in 1976, was the pioneer, and today producers like Telaya Wine Co., Cinder Wines, and Koenig Vineyards are producing Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah that earn national recognition.