12/03/07 Building Idaho Wines

Building Idaho Wines. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Yes Virginia, Idaho has a wine industry and it's growing. According to the Idaho Wine Commissions, Sherise Jones, the first AVA has been approved. JONES: As of April 9th, the Snake River Valley wineries and vineyards  that area was designated as an AVA which is very important. So it will be the Snake River Valley AVA which lends high credibility to wine enthusiasts and those that know about wine and appreciate wine. Jones says it's an important step for Idaho wine growers and producers. JONES: It will allow us to better compete with our friends in Washington and Oregon that have appellation regions such as Willamette or in California such as Napa Valley so this is very exciting for us. In addition to the AVA designation, Jones says they are working on a new advertising campaign and are in the process of developing a growers association. JONES: Currently the Idaho Wine Commission is a self governed state commission but we are forming a wine grape growers association that will allow us a little bit more flexibility in fundraising and providing corporate and individual memberships to that association and then we can continue our ad campaign. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.