Snyder Winery

Evidently, Russ and Claudia Snyder failed to get the memo explaining the concept of “retirement.” It’s not in their lexicon. While residing in Salt Lake City, where Russ directed sales for a $180 million lumber company, the couple dreamed of owning their own vineyard and winery. Acting on that dream, they bought a dilapidated farm in Buhl in 1999 that required considerable rehabilitation and sweat equity. A consuming passion has a way of conquering such formidable projects.

Now fully retired from corporate life in Salt Lake City, Russ and Claudia can devote all of their time to their 82-acre Shangri-La, with its commanding view of the farming valley. While enjoying a glass of wine on the spacious patio with Russ and Claudia, I surveyed gazebo-crowned gardens, koi-inhabited ponds, trout farms and hayfields in the distance, the Snyders’ herd of cows (the bull’s name is Woody), and 4 acres of Vitis vinifera grapes. Claudia noted, “Visitors are usually surprised when they come here. There’s a lot to see and experience … especially with a glass of wine.”

Did I mention that the Snyders offer lodging and fine dining? Yep, they converted a cabin into a charming guesthouse that has all the amenities. Inside their spacious two-story residence, the first floor houses the tasting room and Steak House restaurant, open for dinner Friday and Saturday nights (call for hours). WineTrail tip: Ask for the corner table by the fireplace; the panoramic view perfectly complements the cabernet sauvignon and rib-eye steak.

Snyder Winery (formerly Blue Rock Winery) is a destination winery, and not only for individual WineTrail trekkers. If you need a place to host your next corporate or family event, this is it. For those planning a wedding, Snyder Winery provides generous grounds, a full kitchen, a guesthouse for the bride, and plenty of wine to celebrate the occasion. No doubt the Buhl High School Reunion Committee is eyeing Snyder Winery for its 20-year hoopla.

This winery offers a sanctuary of sorts, where visitors can experience Russ and Claudia’s dream of “wine and roses.” Make a point of chatting with the Snyders and ask them their secret for achieving such Herculean goals. (Their daily to-do list must be several pages long.) I suspect triple lattes provide a kick-start each morning, with glasses of Snyder Chardonnay in the evening to end the day on a smooth note.