Not Just Potatoes: 3 Idaho Wines to Try

Although it's just one state over, I've only been to Idaho twice. The first time, I spent the whole time eating and wrote a guide to the best restaurants in Boise. You can't get a bad meal in that town.
Recently, I was back in Boise for... wait for it... a wine event! Yes, Idaho is an up-and-coming wine destination, with some real winemaking talent and miles and miles of land perfect for grape growing. It's very exciting.

Whether you've got the opportunity to visit Idaho, are looking for new wine clubs to try, or have a particularly good local wine shop that can pick something up for you, I'd like to share 3 of my favorite Idaho wines to try.
I know, it's just a taster flight -- I'm hoping to try more wines in the future, but these will get you started.

Hat Ranch Winery

I want to mention Hat Ranch Winery not only because they have fantastic wine, but they also have a B&B offering that allows you to spend the night in wine country (and it's very affordable).
Hat Ranch has a small, simple lineup of wines. The one I tried was the Malbec, a rich and fruit-forward wine that would stand up to any Argentinian malbec; I would definitely add this to our previous lineup of marvelous malbecs. Hat Ranch also has a Tempranillo that caught my eye -- maybe next time.

Huston Winery

At first glance, you might not take Huston Winery very seriously - and that's ok, I think that's what the owners intended. Located on "Chicken Dinner Road" in Idaho wine country, Huston is well-known by Idaho locals for their Chicken Dinner wine. Sounds cheesy, but wait until you try it.
Actually, the two Huston wines I was able to sample -- Chardonnay and Malbec -- were very sophisticated wines made with care. I'd be proud to have any of them -- yes, even Chicken Dinner -- at my next dinner party.

Sake Rivery Winery

Snake River Winery makes for a fairly easy recommendation to you because they have a tasting room in downtown Boise, which makes it easy to pop in if you happen to be in town. I particularly loved their unoaked Chardonnay, but my favorite is definitely the Zweigelt -- great for patio sipping, or just pairing with pizza and burgers.
The winery's tasting room also has a lovely selection of wine-themed gifts, so I definitely encourage you to stop in and explore and do a tasting.