Spring Wine Release

By now the invitations to the 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards 1st Annual Spring Wine Release Event have been sent to our e-mail friends. The 2009 release looks to be a very exciting event as we have some very special Estate Grown wines to offer, some of which have not been seen in Idaho before. We have been working with 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards Executive Chef Tom Atkins to create a tasting menu especially tailored to complement the wines we are releasing.

Here are a couple of examples, just to whet the appetite.

2008 Estate Grown Viognier paired with Mini Citrus Infused Pork Sliders with Hawaiian Ginger

2008 Estate Grown Pinot Gris paired with Smoked Trout Canape' with Caper Relish

This very special event is almost sold out, but a few tickets remain. Just contact us for more details.

Green Farming

3 Horse Ranch Vineyards - Certified Organic Vineyard Producing Estate Grown Wines

Since 2003, we have been growing wine grapes in a sustainable environment. In July 2008, we received Organic Certification for our entire vineyard.

Located in the Eagle Foothills and part of the new Snake River Valley AVA (American Viticulture Area), 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards has produced award winning wines since our first wine release, May 10, 2008. Our Estate Grown wine displays the clarity and purity of organically grown fruit. New releases include Mourvedre, Roussanne, a Roussanne/Viognier blend: wines that reflect the terroir of our vineyard site. World class wine created by green farming methods that also ensure the preservation of the land for future Idaho families is our goal.

Green Works Boise

Idaho Organic Wines (part 1)

Idaho Organic Wines (Part 1) - 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

By Adam Morganstern - Jan 15, 2009
www.organicwinejournal.com

Not only are wines being made in Idaho, they're being made organically as well. I spoke with Gary Cunningham who, along with his wife Martha, own and operate 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards.

What are the challenges of growing grapes in Idaho?

You can grow grapes anywhere. The real is issue is ripening the fruit. In Idaho we're always destined to have that one last frost in the fall. We have a warm site and use wind machines, so we can keep them on the vines those last few weeks. We're a part of the Snake River Valley AVA. The soil quality here has produced some outstanding fruit. If you make the best fruit possible then 90% of your work is already done.

When did you start the winery?

We began planting in 2003 and released our first wine in May 2008. Our goal is to produce 100% estate-grown wines. We're about to release 7 wines, and six of them estate-grown. It's the perfect site; 8-9 degree slope on south-facing hills with great soil. We released 5,200 cases last year and plan for 12,000 in 2009. I doubt we'll go past that. At some stage you can't maintain the quality. We don't want to use grapes from Oregon and Washington just to keep bottling. We're not a major corporation; just a family.

Why the decision to go organic?

We live in the vineyard. We look at it outside our windows. Anything sprayed on the vines would be consumed by my family and the people who work for us. We wanted it to be clean. It was never a marketing idea, just a family decision. Of course now, four years later, when we put "organic" on the bottle is seems more important to people today.

How hard is it to farm organically in Idaho?

We get cold winters, and the natural freeze reduces the problems. We don't have phylloxera, and very few insect issues like you would in California. We are very secluded. There's no other farming within miles of us, so there's no chance of overspray.

Which grapes do best in Idaho soil?

The consensus is the Rhone varietals do well. We've planted Syrah, Vigonier, Roussanne and Mourvedre among others.

Grapes can be grown organically in the vineyard, but then be subject to controversial techniques once inside the winery. What's your approach to winemaking?

Our goal is to maximize the purity of the fruit, not to mask anything. We don't oak our Vigonier. For our Pinot Gris, we used an alsatian yeast, because that's what we think brings out the ideal style that represents that wine.

Is there a prejudice against Idaho wines? Do people even know they make wine there?

It's more of a lack of knowledge. Originally Idaho wines were made from a lot of grapes that came from outside the state. The quality wasn't what it should have been. Like any beginning industry, we're trying to get out the word to the marketplace. Even people from Idaho are surprised to taste our wines and see a level of quality they didn't expect. The Snake River Valley AVA is starting to get some recognition. We sell every bottle of wine we make.

What's the attitude about farming organically there in general?

When we first wanted to go green it wasn't that big a deal. Now it's different. I can go to my supermarket and get organic eggs and cereal. Our friend's dairy is applying for certification. Today, people want local if they can get it, and it's even better when they're organic as well.

Do you market you wines as "organic?"

We put 100% organically grown grapes on our label. We want them to know that they are organic and that they came from our own vineyard. So few people understand what estate-grown means.

Where did the name "3 Horse Ranch" come from?

We owned three horses when we bought the ranch. And my wife and I have one daughter, so there are three of us too.

Snake River Valley is Idaho's Appelation

Snake River Valley is Idaho's appellation
By GARRY SCHOLZ - Special to the Idaho Statesman
Edition Date: 01/14/09

You'll see "Snake River Valley" on almost every bottle of Idaho wine you buy. The Snake River Valley appellation was designated to define an area of the United States with unique climate, weather and soil conditions.

The climate is northern high plains desert which means the weather pattern is hot summers, cold winters, little precipitation, and low humidity. Summer days are hot and nights cool.

There is little rainfall during the growing season and vines go dormant in the cold winters when precipitation occurs as snow.

The soil conditions are generally volcanic-derived, silt-like soil without significant organic-rich topsoil. Grapevines grow well in this soil when irrigated.

Many fine wine grape varieties do well in Idaho, and wine made within the Snake River Valley appellation is gaining more and more recognition for its quality.

Wine Labels

Idaho Statesman - IdahoStatesman.com
Wine Advice by Garry Scholz

During the past holiday season, I came across one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in regard to a wine bottle: The front label contained no information.

The label in question was on a bottle of wine from a Midwestern winery. The only information besides alcohol content on the label was the winery's name. That's all. There's no appellation listed (geographic area of origin), no grape varietal, and no vintage (year it was made).

The lack of information actually spoke volumes to me and I quickly deduced several key facts about the wine. In the world of wine, information on a label, or lack thereof, can tell you a lot about what's inside the bottle.

Wine advice: Label says a lot about what's in a wine bottle
Labels can give you a wealth of information about a wine, and even serve as a guide to quality.

APPELLATIONS
An appellation is a distinct geographic area where grapes are grown. Often, but not always, this is a legal designation. For instance, Napa Valley is a legally recognized appellation. Grapes grown in Oregon and made into wine cannot be called Napa Valley wine.

The same is true for much of the world. Many wine-producing countries legally control the use of geographic names when it comes to wine and grapes. The term Bordeaux on a wine bottle means that the wine was made from grapes grown within the legally defined area of Bordeaux, France.

A winery's use of an appellation assures the purchaser he or she is buying a wine from a distinct region.

Take a look at the Frogmore Creek label. Notice that it has the term Tasmania on it. This means the wine was made from grapes grown in Tasmania, Australia.

Since I bought the bottle from a winery in Tasmania's Coal River Valley appellation, I knew the grapes were not exclusively from that area. Why? Because the label also would have said Coal River Valley on it if the grapes had been grown only there. The grapes came from vineyards in both the Coal River Valley and another area of Tasmania, so the winery could not legally sell the wine as being strictly Coal River Valley wine.

Now, take a look at the 3 Horse Ranch wine label. Not only does it list the Snake River Valley as the appellation, it also says "estate grown." This means the wine was made entirely from grapes grown on the winery's property, often an indication of higher quality.

The lack of an appellation on a bottle of wine generally means the wine was made from lower-quality, leftover grapes from vineyards not recognized for producing high quality grapes.

I avoid buying wine that does not state a specific appellation on the bottle.

VARIETAL
Both the Frogmore Creek and the 3 Horse Ranch bottles state a varietal (Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, respectively), meaning that each wine was made mostly from those grapes.

By contrast, the lack of a varietal on a label could be a tip-off that the wine was made from a blend. Wineries usually include that fact on their labels because blends are commonly used and can make outstanding wines.

If there is no varietal listed on a bottle, nor any mention of a blend, then I avoid buying that wine. It is most likely an inferior wine made from grapes that aren't suitable for fine table wine (as was the case with the Midwestern bottle I mentioned earlier).

VINTAGE
The Frogmore Creek and the 3 Horse Ranch bottles both contain vintages. This tells us that the wine was made from grapes harvested in those years. This is a legal requirement. A winery cannot harvest grapes in 2006, make wine from them, and call the wine a 2001 vintage.

The lack of a vintage on a bottle means the wine was made from blending batches from different years. This is usually a sign of lower or inferior quality.

I recommend avoiding nonvintage wines unless you're buying real Champagne or Port, which can be exceptions to the rule.

VINEYARD
You'll sometimes see a vineyard name on a label, which means the grapes came exclusively from that particular vineyard.

The use of a single vineyard to make a wine is the exception in the world of winemaking because the vast majority of wine around the world is made from blending grapes from multiple vineyards, either to keep costs down or to create a unique style.

The use of a single vineyard on the label often means the wine is of superior quality and will cost more. Some growers go to a lot of extra work tending their vines to produce only the most outstanding grapes, and they charge accordingly.

Wineries that make wines from such vineyards sell it as a premium product.

USE LABELS AS YOUR GUIDE TO QUALITY

You always should buy your wine by the label, but not by how it looks. Much as wineries would like for you to buy their wine by the artwork they use, my advice is to read the label instead.

For any varietal and vintage, look first for the appellation and then look for sub-appellations. Generally speaking, the more precisely a winery identifies the origin of the grapes, the higher the quality of the wine. This is true for any given varietal and vintage.

If a label simply has "California" with no further appellation stated, then the wine was made from surplus grapes obtained anywhere in the state.

The term "Sonoma," however, defines an appellation within California and denotes higher quality wine made from grapes harvested within Sonoma County.

You would expect to pay more for these wines.

The Russian River Valley is a sub-appellation of Sonoma with specific climate and weather conditions. Vineyards there are carefully tended to produce wine of superior quality.

If the label then states an individual vineyard, you could well have a truly exceptional wine. (Example: Pinot Noir from Amy's Vineyard of the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County of the state of California.)

As you get into the habit of reading wine labels, you'll become better educated about the appellations and sub-appellations of the world. Over time, you'll become better informed about wine and will develop a more discerning palate.

TASTING TIPS
Three Horse Ranch Vineyards north of Eagle has recently released three new vintages: 2008 Pinot Gris, 2008 Viognier, and 2005 Reserve Syrah.

I've tried all of them, and they're all excellent.

Owners Gary and Martha Cunningham have received organic certification for the grapes used in this year's vintage, making them, to the best of my knowledge, only the second vineyard in Idaho to achieve this distinction.

Garry Scholz: wineadvice.garry@gmail.com

Wine: for the health of it

Wine: For the Health of It
By Gary Cunningham

When asked to write an article about the healthy aspects of wine to complement this issue, I began pulling together all the information I had collected from various medical reports on the health issues associated with wine.

Headlines such as "Red wine anti-oxidant kills cancer cells in experiment" or "Grapes may aid a bunch of heart risk factors" were all compelling to expand upon. But what appears to be even more important is the trend I see growing in the foods selected to pair with wine in our everyday lives.

"A pigmentation chemical that makes grape skins and wines red has been found to kill human leukemia and lymphoma cells cultured in a lab" gets great press and it should. How and why do we equate that information to our own lifestyles? Is there a correlation that not only do these things occur but that wine promotes a healthier diet as well? What I do know is what I see and what I see is a trend toward better health through better food choices and more than ever, healthier foods enjoyed with wine.

I can illustrate that point by comparing the phenomenon we all know of as the tailgate party. If we attended a tailgate gathering at B.S.U. 25 years ago, chances are pretty good that what food we would have enjoyed would have also included a libation. Alcohol would be present but in the form of hard liquor and beer. Wine, if available at all would have been quite limited. Today, wine would be present, perhaps in equal volume to beer. I recently read that in 2007 wine sales per capita surpassed beer consumption by 39% to 36% here in America for the first time ever.

Wine may not be responsible for the increased consumers desire to eat fresher, local, healthier, organic foods if possible, but it has certainly grown as the beverage of choice in our lives to complement our food.

This growth in wine consumption gives us the opportunity to seek out new and unique varietals of wine to pair with a broader selection of healthier foods. Do we associate wine with fresh food? It would appear so: seldom have I shared a bottle of wine with friends and eaten potato chips. Does the atmosphere in which we enjoy wine promote a healthier diet? Explore an evening out at our local Shakespeare Theatre for instance. I often attend and I always check out who's wine is being enjoyed (it's my job to be snoopy about such things) and what food the wine is paired with. Of course every group has a decadent dessert, that's a given for those lovely evenings. But I also see fresh fruit, vegetable trays, baguettes, cheeses and whole grain crackers. In this type of environment we appear to seek out the best of everything, including wine.

A Sommelier will point out that wine helps to cleanse your palate throughout your meal, which in turn enhances the subtle nuances of the food and the wine you are enjoying.

What conclusion do we want to draw from all of these different points, including the medical findings we all hear about? I doubt that many things that we consume are as scrutinized as wine would appear to be or have as many positive associates with it's consumption. The wine industry, from vineyard to bottle, continually strives to improve their processes. From Organically grown fruit to improved more sustainable farming practices the trend is a positive one for the wine industry and our environment. Cleaner fruit makes better wine. Perhaps the healthiest aspect of wine, food and friendship is the ability wine has to bring people together from every corner of the globe. A glass of wine speaks the international language of friendship, cultural interaction and understanding, this may be the true health benefit.

That is a glass I hope is never empty!

Port Wine Reduction Sauce

This amazing recipe was given to me by Eagle City Market Chef Dale Shepherd. Try it with a lovely filet steak with your loved one for St. Valentine's Day. Prepare it the day before if you like.

1 Sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1 Carrot, coarsely chopped
1 Celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, coarsely chopped
2 Garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of grapeseed or canola oil
1 Bottle big red wine 750 mil (we like Syrah or Cabernet/Merlot blend)
2 cups port
1 cup chicken stock

In a medium saucepan, carmelize the onion, carrot, celery, apple and garlic in the grapeseed oil. Make sure you get a nice brown color in the vegetable, adding a pinch of sugar if needed. Add the red wine and the Port and simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain and place in a small saucepan with the chicken stock. Continue to simmer over medium heat for 1 hour, or until reduced to 1/2 cup. The sauce will be thick.