Top 100 red wines of Idaho
Discover the top 100 best red wines of Idaho as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the red wines that are popular of Idaho and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of Idaho
Idaho is the third largest state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, bordered by the famous wine states of Oregon and Washington. Currently, Idaho is better known for its potatoes than for its wine. However, with the rapid growth of the wine business and the quality of the wines produced here in recent decades, its profile is rising.
Idaho's different mesoClimates allow for many different styles of wine to be produced.
Initially, the state was much better known for its cool-climate wines, produced from Grape varieties such as Riesling (including Icewine), Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Climate change has led to a greater emphasis on red wines, including the more structured Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo and Malbec.
Idaho's wine production is primarily in the southwest, near the Oregon border. Some is in the northern Part of the state, the panhandle, on the border with Washington, and around Boise in south-central Idaho.
Discover the grape variety: Carmenère
Carménère is a grape variety of Bordeaux origin. It is the result of a cross between Cabernet Franc and Gros Cabernet. In France, it occupies only about ten hectares, but it is also grown in Chile, Peru, the Andes, California, Italy and Argentina. The leaves of the carmenere are shiny and revolute. Its berries are round and medium-sized. Carménère is susceptible to grey rot, especially in wet autumn. It can also be exposed to the risk of climatic coulure, which is why it is important to grow it on poor soil and in warm areas. Carménère is associated with an average second ripening period. This variety has only one approved clone, 1059. It can be vinified with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It produces a rich, highly coloured wine, which acquires character when combined with other grape varieties.
Food and wine pairing with a red wine of Idaho
red wines from the region of Idaho go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or spicy food such as recipes of savoyard matafans, tajine of merguez and potatoes or filet mignon with curry.
Organoleptic analysis of red wine of Idaho
On the nose in the region of Idaho often reveals types of flavors of non oak, earth or oak and sometimes also flavors of black fruit, red fruit or spices.
