2-17 IAN Wine incubator

 Idaho’s fledgling wine industry, up from 11 to 44 wineries since 2002, continues to get help from the UI College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The newest aids are four wine bays at the UI Caldwell Complex which is equipped with the right water, drains, 3-phase power, and temperature control needed by start-up wineries whose owners can’t yet afford their own places to de-stem, crush grapes, then ferment and bottle wines.

A current tenant, Vale Winery, produced more than 14,000 bottles of wine in 2011, a number of them winning local and regional awards. Vale owner John Danielson says “It’s 7 to 10 years before winemakers start making money because winemaking is so capital intensive. We need the kind of help this incubator provides.”

Bill Loftus,  senior science writer, at the UI College of Agricultural and Life Sciences  says that Idaho is heavily committed to the wine industry:  “Idaho’s history as a wine producing state goes back to the 1800s and there has been a resurgence of interest in wine across the state. Southwestern Idaho is where the wineries are most prevalent and have the most potential in terms of growing area.”