3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

I was a little worried that I had taken a wrong turn. Although well maintained, the dirt road went on for miles with no sign of civilization. Even the sight of a herd of sheep would have been welcome, just to reassure myself that I wasn’t the only creature out there. Perhaps on cue, the June sky began to cloud over. Thus, you can imagine the relief I felt when I soon arrived at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards. Like an oasis amongst tumbleweed hills, the vineyard appeared. Martha Cunningham came out to greet me. An attractive, neatly dressed woman, Martha has a decidedly Idaho ranch style and a winning smile. Martha informed me that her husband, Gary Cunningham, wasn’t there, but he would be at the Savor Idaho wine event in Boise that weekend. I finished my visit by taking some photos before the skies unleashed.

At Savor Idaho, I had a chance to meet Gary and sample some 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards wines. The weather was warm, and I pretty much stuck to the refreshing whites, asking for a double sample of a nice, cool viognier with floral notes. If you have a predilection for Rhône varietals, as this WineTrail trekker does, your ship has come in: 3 Horse Ranch offers viognier, roussanne, a viognier/roussanne blend and syrah for your tasting pleasure. Even its rosé has a healthy dose of grenache added. But if southern France varietals don’t excite you, this winery’s pinot gris, chardonnay, riesling, merlot and Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot will surely do the trick; they did for me. (See “Decoding an Idaho Wine Label” in Appendix B which highlights their wine label.)

Gary mentioned that noted winemaker Greg Koenig of Koenig Distillery & Winery is a fan of 3 Horse Ranch fruit, using it— among a wide assortment of other vineyards’ fruit — to handcraft his premium wines.

Gary also made a point of telling me that the 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards is USDA Certified Organic. When it comes to organic viticulture, no herbicides, insecticides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used, and only naturally occurring substances are applied. We’re talking sustainable farming practices here, with considerable use of favorable insects, cover crops, mulch and good ol’ hand hoeing to attack the weeds.

At 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards, Idaho grapes meet sustainable farming practices, and the result is a romance with the tongue, now and for future generations.