Idaho wines may get ‘unique’ designation

BOISE – Winemakers like to say their wines are unique.

For vintners in southwestern Idaho, a possible federal designation as an American Viticultural Area – called an AVA – would give them something to back that up.

An area of 8,263 square miles stretching from Twin Falls into Oregon is being considered for such a designation by the U.S. Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The request was filed a year ago by the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission, and it typically takes 18 months to two years to get approval.

“It would mean that the Snake River Valley would be known for grapes that have a unique characteristic, leading to wine that would have a unique personality,” Lloyd Mahaffey, owner of the five-acre Casa D’Aguila vineyard near Eagle, told the Idaho Statesman. “And that would prove that Idaho is an up-and-coming wine-growing region.”

So far, 172 viticultural areas have been designated in the United States, 93 of them in California.

“You have to show the feds why your region is distinct from other regions,” said David Wilkins, a Boise State University professor.

The Snake River Valley appellation would include 10 Idaho counties and parts of two Oregon counties.

Wilkins said southwestern Idaho is a unique wine-growing area because the extended heat caused by long, warm days produces optimum sugar levels in grapes.

Also, he said, grapes benefit from the south-facing slopes of the Snake River Valley. The grapes get more sunlight, and the slopping ground causes air to drain away, helping prevent frost damage.

A University of Idaho study found 25 wineries with 1,600 acres of grapes in Idaho. They produced about 250,000 cases of wine.