The Truth Behind Idaho’s 2019 Vintage

We are often asked why we wear so many wine hats in Idaho.  From teaching classes to running a wine laboratory and engaging in wine production consulting, we are provided a unique opportunity to fully integrate ourselves with the Treasure Valley wine community from grapes to glass.  Plus, Kat’s inner geek craves learning the science behind the vintage.

As it turns out, 2019 was a very interesting vintage.  On the plus side, it was a cooler, slower ripening vintage which preserved acids and delicate aromas and flavors.  However, an early freeze caused many late ripening varieties to be picked earlier leading to lower alcohols, leaner wines, and some winemakers pressed for fermentation space.  While that might sound scary, it leads to some great benefits.  Kat wrote a great article about the vintage for the Idaho Press column and had the opportunity to interview three distinct winemakers on their challenges and opportunities presented by the vintage.

Read the Idaho Press Article Here…

All in all, it will be a great year for many aromatic whites, roses and earlier ripening reds such as Syrah.  Plus, there’s some extra special wines coming as well.  So, let’s raise a glass to another adventurous vintage in the Treasure Valley!