An Update from the Vineyard!

Hey, Farm Friends!

Why did the vineyard owner bring a ladder to prune his vines? 

He wanted to reach new heights in wine production!

We hope you enjoyed our version of a dad joke. Spring pruning always puts us in a good mood. The vines are waking up, buds are starting to break and the essential task of pruning is our main focus. We, literally, get to shape our future by removing over-growth and maintaining the structure of the coming crop.

Next up will be shoot thinning. By carefully selecting which shoots to keep and which to remove, we help balance the vine’s energy, promoting optimal airflow, sunlight exposure, and fruit development.

Another important spring task will be cluster counting. Once the buds develop into leaves and clusters start to form, we will track how many clusters are produced for each type of grape. This data tells us not only how big the crop could be but also how we should approach caring for the vines. For example, if a vine has too many clusters we can thin the clusters out so the plant isn’t overburdened. This ensures that each grape cluster receives the nutrients and support it needs to ripen fully.

Sincerely,
Mike, Patrick, and Bev Williamson


Row of 5 wine bottles of Williamson Vineyards 2021 Sangiovese in front of a weathered grey wood wall

February – Featured Wine of the Month

This versatile wine is the perfect wine to start out February!
Dark bottle of 2021 Williamson Vineyards with vintage phone to the side and mirror on the wall behind the wine
The February #WineOfTheMonth is our 2021 Sangiovese!

This balanced, medium-bodied red has brick red tones with garnet highlights. Notice an aroma that hints of earthy cedar, mellow violets, and tart fruit. Flavors of cranberry, currants, and cedar hit the tongue almost instantly while fennel and cherry pit evolve mid-palate and the whole thing finishes with a touch of tobacco and pepper.

Food Pairing: The bright acids combined with savory flavors in this wine make it so easy to pair with a variety of styles of food. You could pour this with any tomato based pasta, grilled meats and veggies seasoned with basil, parsley, marjoram or thyme. Elevate your classic hamburger or get creative with chicken and cream sauce. Go simple with an aged Parmesan, medium cheddar or get a little wild with a fontina cheese

Enjoy a 10% stack-able discount on 2021 Sangiovese between February 5 thru 28, maximum 5 bottles.
red background and white words saying Shop Now

Idaho Wines on a Global Stage

Alder Yarrow, a blogger and columnist who writes for JancisRobinson.com  visited Idaho and tasted thru many of the wineries and wines in Idaho and in particular the Sunnyslope area. He viewed his visit in as a fact finding trip caused in part by an earlier taste of Idaho wine and was intrigued enough to find out more. He was honest in his critique, but very encouraging regarding Idaho wines and our growing region.    We’ve got the full article on a PDF that you can access here: Checking_in_on_Idaho

 

Farmers In It For The Long Haul

Williamsons Orchards & Vineyards has been growing a variety of crops for 4 generations and we’ve seen first hand the importance of stewardship on agricultural land. When we started grape growing in the late 1990’s, we came to realize that growing grapes is capital intensive, and risky. Unlike row crops which can be rotated each year, planting a grape vine is a commitment to the future.
It’s an agricultural gamble fueled by passion. Because our family is focused on taking the best care possible of the agricultural land entrusted to us, we do our best to focus on the sustainability and environmental best practices as well as the economic and social responsibility aspects of a family business.

Salt Lake Magazine visits Southwestern Idaho

Salt Lake Magazine visited here on the Sunnyslope and looked into the Sunnyslope Wine Trail and the AgVenture Trail. They had great things to say about Southwest Idaho and you can find their article as a PDF here – Follow-The-Trail-MagazineArticle

Cabernet Combo Pack

This gift pack includes a 2018, 2019, and 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon. This vertical collection is a rare opportunity to try these delicious and diverse vintages.

2018 Cabernet – This wine is a clear and bright brick red in the glass. Aromas of intense dark red fruit, violet, cherry amaretto, sweet hay and earthy minerality greet the nose. The bright cherries in the beginning segue into a preserved cherry and earthy mid-palate with hint of oak on the finish. Tannins and acid are bright but balanced.

2019 Cabernet – A delicate blend of cherry, red plum with hints of cedar help make this wine delicious with your favorite foods. A rich brick red in color, this wine contains aromas of  lightly toasted oak, red cherry, currant and a slight minerality. The tannins are medium firm with a balanced astringency. The flavors are a delicate blend of cherry, red plum with hints of cedar and a black tea, cherry pit finish.

2020 Cabernet – This vintage of Cab is one of our favorite food chameleons, it goes with almost everything! This wine was meant to be shared with friends! Light aromas of cherries, violets, and stone will reframe the way you think about Cabernet. This medium-bodied red wine is approachable with flavors of black currant and cherry which finish with refreshing acid and are set against a backdrop of bramble and caramel. 

General Public = $112 (15% Savings)
Wine Club = $105 (20% Savings)

This promotion runs from July 5 – 30. Pricing does not include taxes, shipping or handling.
No other discounts apply.

 

Emerging American Wine Regions and climate challenges – VinePair

A freelance writer named Shana Clark spoke with Beverly, Patrick, and Mike about what grows well in the Snake River Valley AVA. She then wrote an article for VinePair, an online wine magazine. Her article touched on how terroir can affect the grapes grown in a particular region. She spoke with several wine makers in the Snake River Valley AVA and winemakers in Arizona about the challenges of climate and grape varieties.  You can read the full article here: For Emerging American Wine Regions, Can Trends Trump Terroir?

 

 

Women in Wine article with Beverly

Beverly had the opportunity to visit with Paige Comrie this summer. Paige is a wine lover with a passion to connect other wine lovers with great wines from across the world. She choses wines that range from delicious & affordable Tuesday night picks to high-end limited edition releases that are truly something to celebrate. She wants to share not just the wines with her followers but the stories of the folks that make those wines.

Find the entire article here: Women in Wine: Beverly Williamson

Alaska Airlines lets Idaho Wine Fly Free

Great deal for taking wine on Alaska Airlines


The Idaho Wine Commission has brokered a terrific partnership with Alaska Airlines. You may have heard that Alaska Airlines has agreed to allow their Mileage Plan™ members, to check a case of Idaho wines at no additional cost.

They have now added another bonus which Williamson Vineyards is participating in:

When consumers show their Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan membership and in-bound boarding pass (paper or digital) to winery tasting room staff, they receive one complimentary tasting at that location.
The Idaho Wine Commission has more details, click here.

Grapevines Sleeping Sweetly

Harvest is over and the weather has been cooperative so that our vines have safely gone to sleep, to rest and get ready for the next growing season. Our vineyard guys have been busy getting all the harvest paraphernalia put away for another year.

While the leaves where still green on our vines this fall, they where sending valuable carbohydrates into the woody trunk and roots as fuel to get the vines through the quiet winter months. This reserve is essential to keep the vines fed until they wake from their winter sleep and send leaves out to allow photosynthesis to generate the spring growth to begin another year.

Sleep well, little vines and we’ll see you mid-winter for a bit of trimming.