Homegrown and Proud: Idaho Wine Month
June in the Treasure Valley often includes plans to enjoy the great weather and a plethora of outside activities. In addition, you may want to add to your schedule a plan to celebrate Idaho Wine Month. Since 2009, Idaho Wine Month has been devoted to marketing and promoting Idaho wine and cider throughout the state. And, over the past 12 years, the Idaho Wine Commission has been doing just that.
Ashlee Struble, the Industry Relations Manager for the Idaho Wine Commission (IWC), shared that there are over 69 wineries in the state which produce approximately 160,000 cases of wine annually. And, they have big plans for growth. They hope to help the industry grow even more with a goal of over 100 wineries operating in the state by 2029. However, they can’t do that without consumer support.
In the past the IWC has hosted a popular wine tasting event known as “Savor Idaho” where attendees could sip and savor local wines while meeting winery owners and representatives. Due to COVID, the 2020 event was cancelled and this year, the commission decided to pivot to a new “Savor Idaho To Go Passport” program. Available at participating wineries and from the IWC directly, this passport allows users to gain special incentives at participating wineries such as discounts and complimentary tastings. Upon their visit, passport holders can also have wineries sign their passport which, at the end of the month, can be turned in to be entered into drawings for additional prizes. To find out more about the program visit the IWC website at: https://idahowines.org/
Want to support local wines but aren’t planning to make the trek out to wineries? Fear not! A New Vintage Wine Shop will be pouring Idaho wines all month long and the Boise Co-op Wine Shop will have discounts as well as tastings of Idaho wines. Looking for a bit of education with your wine? Albertson’s will be hosting virtual tastings featuring Idaho winemakers discussing their wines, key highlights, and food pairings. You can find out more about all these events by visiting the shops throughout the month.
Whether you’re looking to get out or stay in this June, there are multiple ways to support Idaho wines. The key is to find a path that allows you to enjoy one of the true gems of this great state; local wines, and the friendly people who make and serve them!
The Aftertaste- In this section we introduce a beer or wine term and what it means in ‘real talk’. This month’s term is “Body”. Also known as weight, body is the feeling of fullness in the palate. Wines and beers with light bodies are clean, crisp and don’t linger on the palate. They are akin to drinking water. On the other hand, beers and wine with full body feel more like drinking cream due to the fullness on the palate and increased persistence. Cheers!