Ste. Chapelle Winery

When it comes to the Idaho wine industry, Ste. Chapelle Winery is its 800-pound gorilla — and for good reason. Founded in 1976 and producing 160,000 cases annually, Ste. Chapelle Winery is the oldest and largest winery in Idaho. In fact, the total production of all other Gem State wineries combined is only 55 percent of Ste. Chapelle’s output. As my Grandfather Talcott would say, “Every good shopping mall needs a Nordstrom as a tenant.” Truly, Ste. Chapelle Winery is that anchor for Idaho’s wine industry.

Open wrought-iron gates welcome visitors to enter Ste. Chapelle Winery. In the distance is the winery’s French-inspired tasting room sitting atop the aptly named Winery Hill. Here in the high-desert area of Sunnyslope, you can look down upon the valley floor and see thousands of acres of rich farmland, with the Snake River meandering in the distance.

With its vaulted ceilings with wooden beams and a stained-glass grapevine window, the tasting room reflects the Gothic features of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. It gives visitors a sense of weightlessness, which was clearly one of the design goals of the King Louis IX’s architects in the 13th century, when they built that chapel. However, don’t expect robed monks greeting visitors and talking up the virtues of riesling. Rather, for a small fee, the friendly, well-trained tasting-room staff will lead you through a robust lineup of delectable wines. Singing their praises is optional.

Visitors can experience winemaker Chuck Devlin’s many creations by beginning with riesling (which really put Ste. Chapelle Winery on the proverbial map) and moving on to other whites, including barrel-aged chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and gewürztraminer The reds featured are Rhône- and Bordeaux-style wines, but be sure to save room for Ste. Chapelle’s top seller, Soft Red. With 35,000 cases produced annually, Soft Red is easily Idaho’s number-one-selling wine. Note that this wine checks in at a hefty 6.5 percent residual sugar. It’s like a dessert wine in drag.

Ste. Chapelle is a destination winery. Pack a picnic; with the winery’s ample grounds and beautiful views, visitors can easily swirl, sip and nosh their way through an afternoon. WineTrail trekkers can maximize their visit by calling ahead and arranging a tour of the production facility. However, to turbo-charge your stay, schedule your visit to coincide with Ste. Chapelle’s popular summer concert series (see www.stechapelle.com for event information). Just remember to bring a corkscrew.