Idaho's Best kept Secret - Sunny slope wine trail

And the world thought Idaho was all about the potatoes. These guys have been holding out on the rest of the country. Boise does have a great big potato that drops on New Year's, but their best-kept secret is their wine. While traveling through Utah, people we met said to try the Boise wines... and sure enough, Boise has quite the viticulture.

Sorry Boise, we are outing you and your fabulous wineries as well as the fabulous people we met that day.

We looked online to see what wineries were nearby and open this time of year and picked two from the many wineries to try out. We packed ourselves a charcuterie picnic to take along with us as we didn't see any wineries that also offered food, but they do allow you to bring your own picnic.

Given that Bill is a veteran having served Canada for 39 1/2 years in the Navy, if we have the chance, we always support and favor vet-owned businesses, so our top pick was Hat Ranch Winery. When we arrived, we were welcomed by Preston, who we discovered was a new hire and did a great job explaining all the wines as well friendly and

engaging.

Go see Preston, enjoy some wines at Hat Ranch Winery

Hat Ranch Winery https://hatranchwinery.com/

The tasting was $10 per person and offered 3 whites and 2 reds. The vineyard view was beautiful and had a playful touch with the different hats placed on the posts. We enjoyed sipping our wines, and from those I picked out my favorite and enjoyed a glass with our charcuterie lunch. Bill was DD and opted for a water. We met and chatted all afternoon with a few various folks also there doing tastings, before we knew it the day escaped us, and we only had an hour left in the day before the nearby wineries were due to close. We wanted to try another winery and were recommended to try out Scoria for their amazing reds, which I favor. We initially intended to visit a different winery, but we abandoned that idea and followed the recommendation instead. We're certainly glad we did because the experience turned out more than just a typical day at a winery and one of our fave memories we'll take with us from Idaho.

We said our goodbyes to Preston and the lovely couple we met there whose names now elude us, but thank you, your recommendation was spot on!

The wind was crazy that day, so sitting outside on patios wasn't going to happen, but when walking into Scoria, it had a most warm and welcoming vibe with it's dark yet inviting ambience and the wood stove burning by the front door to greet you, and Rachel's welcoming smile.

There was one other couple sitting enjoying their wine, and Rachel, who works there, told us to make ourselves comfy and pick any spot we would like. There were numerous inviting seating options, ranging from couches for lounging to tables for sitting.

I was in my happy place because they had an all-red tasting list... Their reds are superb!

Scoria Vineyards is an Idaho winery renowned for its bold wines grown in a vineyard with distinctive volcanic soil. The counter's facade is crafted from volcanic rock, and out the window, the remnants of a volcano can be seen.

https://www.scoriavineyards.com/

We instantly connected with Becky and Scott, a local couple sitting nearby. We spent the entire time engrossed in conversation about various topics, Rv'ing, travel, wine, family and world events.

We also took the opportunity to get to know Rachel, discovering that she hopes to explore BC and Banff in the next year or two. I hope you make it to Canada and enjoy that trip with your boys. BC and Banff are stunning.

As it was closing time, we still had one wine left in our tasting flight, and Rachel encouraged us to "stay, take your time." She was really wonderful, and when we went to settle our bill, she informed us it had been covered. Huh? She said Becky and Scott took care of it... I must admit, I had to hold back some tears in that moment. Our tab wasn't large, but their gesture was significant.

Amidst all the negative media coverage about America and Canada and the prevalent, tensions between our countries WE NEEDED THIS! This kind of human connection is very reassuring, particularly when you're away from home.

Rachel, Scott and Becky...you made our day! We had a wonderful time at Scoria.

We hugged like old friends and said our goodbyes. The welcome and love we received here in Boise from these lovely folks was heartwarming.

We were truly touched, Becky and Scott, by your friendship and gesture... thank you for your kindness and invite to RV on your property, we would love that someday if we find ourselves again in the area! We very much enjoyed meeting you, and we hope we connect again.

Thank you to all those with whom we crossed paths on this lovely day; every one of you we engaged with made our day special for being part of it.

We've enjoyed some pretty good wine blends in our travels, but nothing beats a blend that comes with notes of kindness, infused with smiles and a big bold finish of hugs.

Cheers Boise!

Bill & Cat