Idaho's grape shortage threatens local wine industry

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) — Does Idaho need more grapes?

According to Moya Dolsby, Executive Director of the state's Wine Commission.we do.

"Of all the wine consumed in Idaho, around 10% is Idaho wine. So there is 90% other things getting consumed right now," Dolsby said.

The number of Idaho wineries has increased over five times since 2000.

But not vineyards.

"In Idaho, in order for the industry to grow, we need more grapes in the ground," Dolsby said.

Sois there a grape shortage in the Gem State?

"The short answer is yes - there is a shortage of fruit. There is only 12 to 13-hundred acres of fruit planted in the state of Idaho," said Earl Sullivan, Owner of Telaya Winery in Garden City.

Sullivan has to import grapes from neighboring states.

"We get about 50 to 60% of our fruit from Washington right now. I would like to change that and bring 10% of our fruit from Washington and 90 from Idaho," Sullivan said.

Idaho's grape shortage is not due to lack of land.

"Something in the range of 50,000 acres of plantable vineyard space, and I mean we are talking about the best quality planting you could do," Sullivan said.

Still... The wine commission hopes to grow Idaho's wine industry over the next decade.

"What I have been saying, in 10 years we are going to have a hundred wineries, we're going to have 10-thousand acres and we are going to be making a million cases in Idaho," Dolsby said.

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