3100 Cellars Is Producing World-Class Sparkling Wines in an Unlikely State

In the heat of June, Boise, Idaho may not seem like the ideal travel destination, but for wine lovers at all levels, it should be essential. And if you are a fan of sparkling wine, a tasting appointment at 3100 Cellars is a must while visiting Idaho wine country.

Located within the Eagle Foothills AVA, the story of 3100 Cellars, named for the number of whitewater river miles within the state, began 15 years ago when Hailey and Marshall Minder met on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. During a post-harvest rafting trip through Hell’s Canyon in 2013, Hailey, who worked at Telaya Wine Co. at the time, expressed to Marshall the great potential of the Idaho wine region, and how cool it would be to make sparkling wine.

And so, the couple did just that. Their first commercial wine, a sparking Chardonnay called Whitewater, was produced from the 2014 vintage.

In 2017, they planted vines on their five-acre estate vineyard, Finca Besada, which grows Chardonnay, Syrah, and Malvasia Bianca.

The winery, which opened in 2022, is also LIVE Certified and acknowledges the Minders’ commitment to Low Input Viticulture and Enology. 

The Idaho climate

What might surprise wine enthusiasts most about Idaho sparkling wine is how the hot climate plays such an important role in its production.

“Our region is quite warm, and a lot of people don’t realize that our high desert does grow a lot,” says Hailey.

While Idaho is famously known for its potatoes, the state is also a large producer of wheat, barley, and corn.

“We don’t have the same heartaches when it comes to frost like the Champagne region, but we do have mildew,” she says. “Thankfully, we have tools at our disposal to deal with it, but we also look to source our fruit from cooler sites.”

While many wineries in the area source their grapes from neighboring states Oregon and Washington, Minder prefers to make 3100 Cellars wines with exclusively Idaho fruit. One of the ways that she has dealt with the changing climate is by expanding the portfolio of growers she sources grapes from.

“We try to work with varieties that grow well here and make good sparkling wines,” says Minder. “I like to develop ripe flavors earlier on to drop out those green characteristics before real ripening starts to happen and the sugars really start to escalate. That way, we have our high acids and we have our ripe flavors, and then we can make our big decision, regardless of what’s happening with sugar.”

Sitting at elevations between 2,500 and 3,500 feet with south-facing slopes that capture abundant sunlight, the Eagle Foothills AVA has a unique climate and soil composition that help to make uniquely styled wines. Cooler evening temperatures preserve acidity, while the granite and volcanic soils provide structure and minerality.

Embracing variety

At the time of this interview, Minder shared that she and her team had just sourced Tempranillo from one of the hottest sites in the region. There’s no shortage of variety or experimentation here.

But the variety she enjoys working with the most? Mourvèdre.

“It has interesting flavor characteristics of white pepper and dried raspberry that really shine in our 2021 Alluvial,” she says. “The notes of white pepper are subtle, so it’s not like you’re opening a bottle of sparkling wine to the smell of a pepper grinder.”

Their flagship wine, Whitewater, is made exclusively from Chardonnay and provides a wonderful introduction to Idaho sparkling. Other unique labels include the 2023 Pool & Drop, which is a sparkling Gewürztraminer, and the 2022 Run-off Rosé, which is made from 100% Syrah.

When it comes to wine pairings, Minder likes to encourage folks to think of their favorite Idaho potato dish. “Is it a mashed potato with blue cheese? Is it a fully loaded baked potato? Nine times out of ten, there’s an Idaho wine that pairs well with your favorite potato recipe.”

And while the Gem State is famously known for its potatoes, Minder wishes wine lovers realized Idaho has lots of gems when it comes to wine, too.

“We have some really delicious ice wines and beautiful, big red wines,” she says. “Some of our white wines are varieties that people sometimes tend to stay away from, like Gewürztraminer, because it is believed to only make sweet wines when in actuality, it can be made in a dry style with beautiful subtleties to it.”

Being the only sparkling wine house in a region may seem daunting, but for the Minders, the last few years of operating a winery have been humbling and fun.

“Of course, there have been twists and turns, but it has been fun and humbling to learn, grow, and build community,” says Minder. “We know that it takes a bit of planning to come visit us, but we try to make it worth your while.”

Additional Idaho wineries to visit

Scoria Vineyards (Caldwell) 

Located 40 minutes outside of Boise, this family-owned and operated winery is one of the warmest sites in the Pacific Northwest. Named after the volcanic rock soil found on its property, owners James and Sydney Nederend founded Scoria Vineyards in 2014 and released their first label in 2017. The tasting room, with its minimalist design, showcases the three types of volcanic rock that provide unique characteristics to the wines. 

Wines to try: 2024 Estate Dry Rose, 2022 Estate Blend, and 2021 Petit Verdot

Telaya Wine Co. (Garden City) 

Rooted in family with a strong focus on hospitality, Telaya Wine Co. crafts their wines made from 70% Idaho and 30% Washington fruit. Husband-and-wife team Earl and Carrie Sullivan started their wine business in 2008 and have since grown it to be a must-visit destination along Boise’s Greenbelt overlooking the Boise River.

Wines to try: 2024 Picpoul Blanc, 2022 Emerald Slope Syrah, and 2022 Discovery Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Koenig Vineyards (Caldwell) 

Founded in 1995 by Greg Koenig, this winery produces wines made with European winemaking techniques and fruit from the Sunny Slope District of Idaho’s Snake River Valley. As the only producer of ice wine in Idaho, Koenig Vineyards is known for its Viognier and Syrah, two varieties that do exceptionally well in Idaho. New owners James and Sydney Nederend aim to uphold the founder’s commitment to traditional winemaking and minimal-intervention winemaking in order to showcase the beauty of the region.

Wines to try: 2023 Viognier, 2024 Riesling Ice Wine, and 2021 Snake River Valley Cuvée

Split Rail Winery (Garden City) 

Also located in Garden City, this urban winery uses ancestral methods in their “exploratory winemaking” with a 50-50 split of fruit from Idaho and Washington. Founded by ​​Jed Glavin and Laura Hefner-Glavin in 2010, Split Rail is committed to minimal-intervention winemaking with a focus on Rhône varietals. They also use special vessels to age their wines: a concrete egg, a concrete square, two amphoras imported from different regions of Italy, a sandstone jarre imported from France, and a large foeder from France.

Wines to try: 2023 Blanc Noir Pet-Nat; Daft Pink Rosé, and 2023 White Noise Pet-Nat