Indian Creek Winery

Pulling into Indian Creek Winery off McDermott Road in Kuna, I realized that I was only 20 miles from Boise — but it seemed a world away. The landscaped grounds leading to the Indian Creek Winery seemed like they could easily accommodate a par 3 golf course. A black dog greeted me with wet nose and inquisitive eyes. I later learned that her name is Dahlia; once a shelter dog, she’s still a little skittish.

With rows of vineyards at my back, I walked up to the tasting-room door. As soon as I saw the signage on the door noting that “It’s Wine Thirty,” I knew I was in for a treat.

Bill and Mui Stowe, together with Bill’s brother Mike and good friend Rich Ostrogorsky, established Indian Creek Winery in 1987. Since then, the winery has been on a roller coaster ride, with success followed by an occasional winter freeze destroying grapevines and doing a number on the inventory. But despite being subject to the vagaries of Mother Nature, the group has succeeded.

The day-to-day winery functions are in the able hands of daughter Tammy Stowe-McClure and her husband, Mike. Both possess youth, drive, and wisdom beyond their years. During my winery tour, Mike used his thief to extract pinot noir from a French oak barrel and handed me a generous pour. Its light ruby color, soft mouth feel and bright cherry notes struck me as pure pinot noir. I must have given Mike that “What are you doing making pinot noir in sultry southern Idaho?” look. “Believe it or not, it’s the wine we are known for,” he said.

While Indian Creek Winery enjoys a reputation for its pinot noir, it also produces chardonnay, riesling, cabernet sauvignon, Malbec, syrah, a red blend with the engaging name of Star Garnet, and occasional gewürztraminers and late harvest dessert wine. To satisfy the market’s penchant for slightly sweet wine, it also produces a white pinot noir; year after year, this wine has proven to be one of Indian Creek’s top sellers.

It turns out that multitalented Tammy is also a graphic artist, and she designs custom wine labels for weddings, private companies, and special events. At a recent fund-raiser for the Idaho Humane Society, Tammy created a custom label for the highest bidder, which featured the bidder’s dog. It’s evident that giving back to the community — and to its critters — is second nature for this deeply rooted family.