Carmela Vineyards

The hour-long drive on I-84 from Boise to Glenns Ferry took me past a wind farm. I noticed as I watched them in the distance that the giant windmills weren’t rotating. It later occurred to me that the windmills’ stillness and the darkening clouds overhead were early warning signs that Mother Earth soon would be generating her own electricity. The air was still. It was an eerie quiet.

As I pulled onto the grounds of Carmela Vineyards, rows of trees framed the chateau-inspired winery in front of me. I grabbed my camera and hopped out of my rental car. As I snapped away, I noticed that between the winery and the adjacent vineyards were signs directing visitors to the restaurant, bar, RV park, golf course and overnight cabins — the definitive destination winery! WineTrail Tip: Situated nearby is Three Island Crossing State Park, offering easy-to-digest historical information at its Oregon Trail History and Education Center. A must-see.

However, the real kicker for me was discovering that this is the only tasting room in Idaho that has a full liquor license. If you don’t have a penchant for wine, you can order a Budweiser. I noticed one guy at the bar nursing Crown Royal Whisky on ice. But I stuck to the wine list and paid the $5 tasting fee (good toward wine purchases) to sample my way selectively through a tasting list, which included riesling, semillon, chardonnay, cabernet franc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, a Bordeaux blend called Red Meritage and a sweet white wine. Through prior research I had learned that owner Roger Jones features wines showcasing the Snake River appellation, and that Carmela Vineyards produces about 14,000 cases annually. The wines have a wallet-friendly price. At $17.99 a bottle, the Carmela Idaho Merlot had me reaching for my Visa.

About then the skies opened up. A lightning storm ensued, unleashing torrential rain — and I mean a downpour of biblical proportions. I thought about my drive to Carmela and the motionless wind turbines — the calm before the storm, indeed. So much for the photo shoot; I’d just have to return another day. Shrugging my shoulders, I retreated to the restaurant and opted for the buffet line, which featured three-napkin ribs and an amazing dessert bar. I decided to forgo ordering a Crown Royal Whisky and instead opted for my newly purchased bottle of merlot, which turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to the food — and the tempest outside.