Wild West of Wine Country www . idahowines . org
Guns and Glorious ‘ Scapes
Fujishin Family Cellars & Lost West Winery
Wild West of Wine Country www . idahowines . org
From weaponry to wine , I made my way back to the Snake River Valley . This is the wine country of Idaho with vintages that rival almost any of its California counterparts . The valley ’ s moderate climate , rich volcanic soil and limited precipitation make the region an ideal viticultural area . Though Idaho was the first state in the Pacific Northwest to produce wine in the mid-1800 ’ s , Prohibition ceased production until 1971 when fruit rancher , Dick Symms , decided to grow “ a crop that could be harvested mechanically .” ( Edible Idaho , Spring 2013 ) Since then , over fifty vineyards have been established across the state , and , in 2007 , the Snake River Valley became Idaho ’ s first designated American Viticultural Area ( AVA ).
Guns and Glorious ‘ Scapes
Since most of Idaho ’ s land is designated as public use regulated by the Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ), it is one of the few states left where you can truly escape from it all ; make your own trails and relive what it was like to be
a pioneer in the west over a hundred years ago . About an hour and a half outside of Boise and five mile from a town called Prairie ( population : 20 ), I got to revive that pioneer spirit . Rumbling down a dusty dirt road , over mountain passes , through valleys and streams ; we came to a clearing nestled between basalt cliffs . This would be the site of a weeklong festival , Gemini Jamboree , hosted by local DJs and music fans .
Without a soul around for miles , the
sense a freedom and solitude was intoxicating , and what better way to celebrate then to open up an arsenal spanning a hundred years of American gun craftsmanship . My friends and gun experts , Kent and Sven , walked me through their collection of WWI , WWII and present day assault rifles and handguns passed from fathers to sons . Through exclamations of ‘ Merica !’ and ‘ whoo-hoo ’ every time a tin can met its demise , I got the feeling that the pioneering free spirit is still thriving in this place .
Fujishin Family Cellars & Lost West Winery
www . ffcwine . com
Martin Fujishin and his fiancé , Teresa Moye , are a dynamic duo when it comes to wine . Martin , a brilliant craftsman , and Teresa , social media guru and label designer , create the most balanced wines I have tasted in this region , perhaps in the country ! This balance comes from having worked with the best vintners in the area and the relationships he has built with them . Martin grew up on his family farm along the Oregon / Idaho border , and after returning from college , he began working with Koenig Winery and Bitner Vineyards on the side . His passion grew and he later struck out on his own ; a decision he thinks was a bit brash . “ It is like I came to such a great region and had the audacity to say ‘ I can make great wine ’. It ’ s crazy , but we have been fortunate and can actually say ‘ We do !’” Most of his grapes come from neighboring vineyards where Martin will request a certain type of grape be grown on specific rows that he knows will produce the best fruit . This craftsmanship and dedication to quality shines bright in his ready-to-drink vintages .
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