3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

Chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:14:00 +0000

For all of you Cabernet Sauvignon fans who keep asking us if we have a Cabernet...the answer is a resounding YES!

This Valentine's Day Weekend marks the first release of our 2007 3 Horse Ranch Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
Silky tannins and lush blackberry flavors express the finest characteristics of this famous variety. Showcasing perfectly ripe fruit in the mid-palate, deep ruby color and a long lingering finish, this wine is an excellent example of Idaho fruit. Great balance and structure create a multi-layered wine with rich spicy highlights and a remarkable soft finish.

So, bring your Valentine, or your best wine buddy, and come out to to 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards this weekend and sample some really luscious Cabernet, paired with a beautiful milk chocolate or dark chocolate truffle from Lee's Candies of Boise.

The 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards Tasting Room is open Thursday through Sunday 11:00am to 6:00pm. To Life!

2008 Estate Syrah

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:04:00 +0000

We went to taste our 2008 red wines and 2009 white wines with our winemaker, Greg Koenigon Tuesday Jan. 5th.

We went through an entire flight of wines, 11 in all, beginning with the new Pinot Gris and finishing with the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. (Note to self, these new wines are going to be fabulous, and they are all going to sell out, again.)

Two wines I was very interested in tasting were the 2008 Estate grown Syrah clones. As mentioned in an earlier blog, the 2008 Estate Syrah wine will consist of two clones of syrah; Tablas Creek and Joseph Phelps, planted in separate blocks. The grapes from each block of vines were farmed and harvested individually. The grapes were crushed, fermented and barrel aged separately. Our job on Tuesday was to decide whether or not to bottle the resulting wine separately or as a blending of the two wines. We viewed, swirled, sipped and sloshed each wine as a stand alone and then tasted them blended together. For further interest, we added approximately 18% of our 2008 Estate grown Mourvedre to the mix. This blending results in a classic Northern Rhone valley Syrah. The sum is far greater than the parts....the blend of the two Syrah clones with the Mourvedre is fantastic.

If you are a Syrah lover, be sure to call us now to reserve a case of the 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards 2008 Estate Syrah. This wine will be available for release in the late spring or early summer of 2010.

3 Horse Ranch Vineyards in November

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:43:00 +0000

A beautiful fall vineyard photo. AmyUkalichick Amy Stewart-Cooper.

Fall Harvest in the Organic Vineyard

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:06:00 +0000

We just finished the harvest here at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards. Above is a picture of a beautiful Syrah grape cluster. These grapes will reappear in a couple of years as 2009 Estate Grown Syrah. This should be a very interesting wine.

Right off the bat, we will have more of our Estate Syrah with this vintage. The first block of Syrah grapes, is now 5 years old and almost in full production. The second block of Syrah in 4th leaf, or 4 years old; near full production.

Next the blocks of grapes are different clones of the same grape variety. Block one came from the well respected Joseph Phelps Vineyards mother plant, while block two came from the Tablas Creek Vineyards mother plant.

Each clone shows significant differences in cluster size, shape and yield per vines and even flavor profile. We plan to vinify the grapes separately and blend the resulting wine at as it reaches maturity. I'm really looking forward to tasting the 2009 Estate grown Syrah.

Vineyard Life in Eagle, Idaho

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:35:00 +0000

If you are wondering about this picture, here is the whole truth. Tia Markland, editor of Eagle Magazine, called us and wanted to do a story about 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards. She also wanted to put us on the cover. After a lot of discussion, we decided to take the picture in the vineyard, at a bistro table, with Gary and I toasting each other with a glass of our 2008 Viognier.

Well, as we were waiting for our photographer, Otto Kitsinger, to get set up, Gary got up, and starting pulling smaller grape clusters off the vines near him. At this point I said, "Here is your cover, me, waiting for Gary to finish working!" Those of you who know Gary know this to be an accurate portral of us both. Tia and her crew jumped on the idea and here is the result!

Kestrel Fledglings providing pest control at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:54:00 +0000

Thanks to the The Cornell Lab of Ornithology for this beautiful picture of a Kestral.

We did not know what to expect when we placed the kestrel boxes out in the vineyards late last winter. We watched the boxes this spring, convincing ourselves that they were being occupied by kestrels, but still not sure.

Finally, in early June, we started seeing little kestrel faces peaking out of the holes in the boxes. It may come as no surprise, it is very difficult to get a good picture of a shy, young kestrel peeking out of the boxes.

By late June, the birds were beginning to learn to fly. We would spot them making quick flights with awkward landings between the poles and trees, power line and trees, power lines and poles.

Now, the birds are fully fledged, actively hunting the vineyards and the hills and fields surrounding the vineyards. They are effective, powerful hunters, beautiful to watch.

Grilled Shrimp paired with Estate Roussanne

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:24:00 +0000

The 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards Estate Grown Roussanne is really shown to advantage with these earthy, simple shrimp.

Start with a couple of pounds of shrimp, frozen is fine. Defrost the shrimp if needed and place them in the following brine. Brine works to plump up the shrimp.

Brine
1/2 c. salt
1/2 c. Sugar
1/3 c. chili powder
2 quarts water (start with warm water to melt the sugar and salt)

Let the shrimp sit in the brine about 20 minutes in the 'fridge.
In the mean time, soaked about a dozen wooden skewers in water.

Remove the shrimp from the brine, peel and devein if necessary. Skewer 5 or 6 shrimp on each wooden skewer. Don't pack too tightly.

Spray the grill with cooking spray, heat grill to medium and grill skewered shrimp. Baste lightly with a little butter or olive oil. Watch them closely, turn once and baste lightly, remove from grill as soon as the shrimp are no longer pink in color.

Savor Idaho and Green Living

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:56:00 +0000

Here is a link to an interview that KIVI TV did with 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards on Sunday, June 21st, at Savor Idaho. Although threatening clouds prevailed, the event turned out to be a fun and informative day.

Follow the link and click on the video clip!

http://www.kivitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10579701

Appaloosa Horse Club partners with 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:25:00 +0000

We have had so much fun with our label. Those who know us know that there are 3 of us and that we have 3 horses; thus 3 Horse Ranch came to be. When we planned our vineyards the label had to be 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards. We started considering the work of local artists and chose to work with Boise artist Polly Barret.

A joy to work with, Polly helped us through the process of creating our label. From the right is a pasture horse (Buck), the center horse is Idaho's state horse, the Appaloosa, and on the right a rendition of the cave horses of Les Caux in France. The petroglyphs surrounding the horses are the Snake River petroglyphs. We tried to symbolize the relationship between France and Idaho with our label.

Now we find ourselves in the spotlight with the Appaloosa Horse Club. We recently presented a signed and numbered, framed copy of our label to the Appaloosa Horse Museum in Moscow, Idaho. And we are featured in a very nice article in the on-line magazine, Equestrian Mag. You can view the article and leave a comment on the link.

Twitter 3HRVineyards

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Did you know you can follow 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards on Twitter? We put out quick notices of what we are tasting, where we are tasting and when we are tasting in Idaho.
For example, this weekend, we are at the Sun Valley Food and Wine Festival (see previous blog), 3 wine sections in Albertson's Markets in the Treasure Valley and up in Coeur d'Alene at several wine stores and restaurants. All this in addition to the Tasting Room here at 3HR Vineyards.

Follow us on twitter and keep up with the wine tasting opportunities near you!
Check us out on Twitter at 3HRVineyards.

3 Horse Ranch Vineyards in Sun Valley

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:02:00 +0000

The Sun Valley Food and Wine Festival kicked off last night at the fabulous Knob Hill Inn. The VIP Sponsor Reception featured a VIKING chef pairing 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards wines, with Snake River Farms Kobe beef and Lava Lake Lamb, all participants in the Idaho Preferred program.

The Food and Wine Festival continues all weekend, finishing up with Cole Danehower of Northwest Palate magazine presenting 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards wines in a fun and educational seminar, "Taste the Place: Idaho and the World of Northwest Wine." The 2008 Estate Grown Roussanne, 2008 Estate Grown Viognier, 2008 Reserve Rose and the 2007 Reserve Cabernet/Merlot blend will be featured.

This promises to be a fun weekend in Sun Valley, click the link for more information.
Sun Valley Food and Wine Festival

Outstanding Blend: Estate Grown Viognier/Roussanne

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:33:00 +0000

Those who know me know that I love a delicious, dry, French style Rose' in the summer. I especially enjoy our Reserve Rose' made with a delicious blend of 82% Merlot and 18% Grenache grapes. The Merlot gives the rose'the courage to stand up to grilled summer fare like ribs or burgers, even tri-tip; the Grenache lightens the Rose with scents of fresh picked summer strawberries.

But I have to confess, I have a new favorite summer wine! It is the 2008 Estate Grown Viognier/Roussanne. This lovely wine is a classic Rhone Valley blend of two outstanding varietals, Viognier and Roussanne. The Viognier offers up the luscious aromas of fresh stone fruit, peaches, nectarines and apricots. The Roussanne complements the Viognier with a honeyed richness and crisp finish.

This wine is made from grapes grown organically here at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards. It is our first venture into the world of white Rhone Valley blends. It is lovely with cooked shellfish (lobster, crab and shrimp), pasta cooked with garlic and olive oil, and roasted or grilled vegetables.

Come on out to the tasting room and give the Roussanne/Viognier blend a taste. I know it is sure to please and may become a new summer favorite!

Spring Frost in the Vineyard

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:37:00 +0000

The wind machines, the two silent sentinels towering over our vineyards, came to life in the early morning of May 14th. In the course of just a few hours the temperature in Southwest Idaho plummeted from a balmy 38-40 degrees to 28 degrees or less. The wind machines, on a thermostat, powered up as the temperatures dropped.

It is always a surprise to hear the engines, great motors powered with propane, Chevrolet 454 Industrial engines capable of 2550-2650 RPM. They sound like a helicopter landing in the house.

But the wind machines are a vineyards salvation. They pump warm upper level air down into the vines. The displaced cool air flows down the slope of the hills the vines are planted on, into the creek and on down the valley. Without the wind machines we would undoubtedly have lost our crop.

So, next time you visit 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards, take a look at the wind machines and give a toast to the fact that we will have a 2009 harvest because of them.

Predator's Aid in Critter Control

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sun, 10 May 2009 04:24:00 +0000

The Great Horned Owl has long been an inhabitant of our hay barn. Generally seen in twos, they occupy the upper reaches of the rafters where it is quiet and cool. They are a great source of wonder for the children that come to the ranch. A trip to the hay barn to see the owls is always a favorite.

The owls regurgitated pellets are interesting too. One year we collected 30 pellets and an entire 5th grade class spent a few hours dissecting each one. Inside the pellets were the skeletons of the owls unfortunate prey, including bits of fur and feathers.

This year we were lucky enough to spot this nest of babies with parent, we've enjoyed watching the babies grow up and love listening to the ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo during the year.

Bud Break at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:04:00 +0000

Another true sign of spring is bud break! All winter long the vines are dormant, their energy is stored deep in their roots. This allows the vines to survive Idaho's cold winters, as low as -10 degrees if necessary. (The cold temperatures are another reason that Idaho has fewer pest and disease problems than more temperate climates.)

As spring approaches we begin pruning the old dead shoots from the previous year. In the meantime, the vines are waiting for the ground to warm. As the plants awaken, there is softening along the cordon arms of each vine, where the new buds will appear. This softening looks like bits of whitish spider web along the cordons. Then the buds break, tender bits of pink and green along the length of the vine. The buds grow quickly. Soon the vineyard will be awash in the colors of spring!

3 Horse Ranch Vineyards Tasting Room

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:39:00 +0000

The 3 Horse Ranch Wine Tasting Room is now open!
Located at 5900 Pearl Road, Eagle, Id 83616

Our hours are Thursday - Sunday 11:00am - 6:00pm
or by appointment, call 208-863-6561

Come walk in the vineyard and enjoy our award winning wine!

Fly Fishing and Fine Wine: The Ultimate Pairing

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:08:00 +0000

In August of this year, our friends at Idaho Adventures are filling the white water rafts with fine 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards Organically grown wine, gourmet food, and fly fishing tackle. Take the ultimate journey through 86 miles of the Frank church 'River of No Return' Wilderness, one of the largest wilderness areas in the United States. This vast wilderness is cut by the Main Salmon River which creates the second deepest gorge in North America.

For more information go to Idaho Adventures

Idaho Adventures

New Tasting Room in Eagle Foothills II

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:20:00 +0000

The tasting room is coming along nicely. The actual remodel construction is complete and we are in the process of putting the flooring down. Next comes the finish cabinets, plumbing and lighting. We are working with Executive Chef Tom Atkins as we create a modest menu of items that taste delicious with wine. Simple things that make the best picnics; wine, cheese, bread, olives...you know the stuff.

We're hoping to open the tasting room with a soft opening in May 2009. For those who don't wish to travel to 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards, you can still catch us this summer at the Eagle Farmers Market.

New Tasting Room in Eagle Foothills

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:12:00 +0000

We began construction of a tasting room here at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards. We are updating a small existing building into a really nice tasting room. We hope to have it open by late Spring. Watch this space for pictures and more information about open hours and directions.

Pre-pruning is the true sign of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:13:00 +0000

As I mentioned in my Twitter last week, we are pre-pruning the organic vineyards here at the ranch. Pre-pruning or winter pruning gives us the opportunity to tend to each vine and interact physically with each vine and see how it over wintered. It takes hours of labor in cold and wet weather. This year was no different, we experienced snow, thunder, rain and 50 degree days!

Many vineyards machine prune with a machine that consists of simple reciprocating cutters or flails. This is know as mechanical pre-pruning and is faster than hand pruning. However, it is not as accurate as hand pruning and results typically with a cane spur with 2 or more buds. This is called spur pruning.

What we are pruning to is a vine trimmed back leaving typically a longer bearer called a cane, typically including six to 15 buds. These longer canes tend to help manage bud break, especially in our variable spring climate. The buds on the ends of the canes may break early during a warm period. If this happens we have plenty to prune back during our spring pruning to create a uniform canopy and crop.

Here are some after and before shots of some Pinot Gris here at the organic vineyards.

1st Annual Spring Wine Release at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:11:00 +0000

Well, the dust is still settling, but what an evening! The 3 Horse Ranch Wine Event at BanBury Golf Club last evening was a rousing success. The food, prepared in collaboration with our Executive Chef Tom Atkins and John Clark and staff at BanBury Golf Club, was an incredible array of flavors, pairing up beautifully with our wines.
Some of the favorites were the Lobster Strudel with our Estate Grown Roussanne/Viognier blend, the Bouillabaisse along side of our Estate Grown Roussanne (more on this lovely wine later) and Pepper New York steak paired up with our lovely Reserve Syrah. All together we tasted 9 wines, each paired accordingly.

This was so much fun, with great food and wine and conversation, how can we lose?

kestral has the box in sight

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:39:00 +0000

Will she or won't she? Or is this a male? Any advice out there? We've placed 3 nest boxes, hopefully they will be inhabited soon.

kestrel nest boxes

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:56:00 +0000

This is going to be so much fun! We have several birds of prey living on or near the ranch. They include barn owls, great horned owls, burrowing owls, red tail and harrier hawks, golden eagles and kestrel's. These wonderful birds act as winged varmint control here at 3 Horse Ranch.

Last fall we decided to build nest boxes for the kestrels here at the ranch. The kestrel boxes are ready! Placed 1/2 mile apart, we expect to install up to 10 boxes throughout the ranch. The boxes arrived today. We plan to place them this week, kestrel boxes, hopefully they will be populated quickly and a new crop of kestrels will begin life here in Idaho.

This is all part of our approach to organic wine growing here at 3 Horse Ranch. We are proud to be able to build habitat and encourage these lovely birds and hope to watch them grow. Watch this space, we might be able to get some pics this spring!

Rose' a Knockout!

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:11:00 +0000

If you received our twitter yesterday, you know we started delivering the 2008 Reserve Rose' wine to the retailers and restaurants that preordered it. We couldn't resist so we had some with dinner last night. The color and clarity of the wine is beautiful. The nose comes right out of the glass as you raise it to your lips, and the flavor is that wonderful dry, crisp blend of strawberries and cherries that we came to love with the 2007 vintage.

The rose was one of my favorite summer wines last year, refreshing enough to enjoy with lunch on a hot summer day and as fashionable to drink as a great Bordeaux-style wine at dinner. Look for 3 Horse Ranch Rose' in your favorite wine shop or restaurant and start summer a little early!

Spring Wine Release

noreply@blogger.com (3HR Vineyards) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:30:00 +0000

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.