Idaho Wine Country: Snake River Valley AVA

The Snake River Valley American Viticultural Area extends west from Boise through Canyon County into eastern Oregon — the highest-elevation wine-producing region in the Pacific Northwest, sitting at 2,000 to 3,000 feet on the south-facing basalt benches above the Snake River. The Sunnyslope wine district in Canyon County, 35 minutes from Boise, is the historical center of Idaho viticulture: the Symms family planted the first commercial wine grapes in the state here in 1969, and the south-facing slopes above the Snake River catch 300 days of sun per year while the Snake River moderates temperature extremes. Indian Creek Winery in Kuna, and the Sunnyslope road that runs through the Caldwell vineyards, give a relaxed half-day wine loop within easy reach of Boise.