©Idaho Wine Commission
Eagle Foothills is a designated American Viticultural Area in southwestern Idaho and the second officially established appellation in the state. It's a sub-AVA and entirely encompassed in the larger Snake River Valley, which covers land in both Idaho and Oregon, and was the first designated appellation in Idaho. It covers a little more than 20,000 hectares of land in Gem and Ada counties and was officially approved at the end of 2015.
A fairly eclectic number of grapes are grown in the Eagle Foothills, reflective of both the surrounding Snake River Valley and the wider experimentation of Idaho's relatively small wine industry. Varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Mourvedre, Chardonnay and Riesling. At the time of its creation there were nine commercially producing vineyards with 27 hectares (67 acres) under vine. Though as the petition was approved a further seven vineyards and an additional 191ha (472 acres) of vines were already in various stages of development.
The sub-AVA is located in the Unwooded Alkaline Foothills ecoregion, land that isn't given over to much agriculture, except in areas near available water for irrigation. The majority of the region has been used for livestock grazing or as a wildlife habitat. The topography of Eagle Foothills is defined by number seasonal creeks and streams, which have cut paths through the hillsides. The resultant sloping banks are favored for vineyards, especially those with south-facing exposures that maximize direct sunlight.
Similar to the greater Snake River Valley, Eagle Foothills has a semi-arid climate. The sub-AVA, however, receives a few more inches of rainfall and has a slightly longer growing region than the Snake River Valley average. Soils are also more uniform, consisting of granite pebbles and sandy loam, though both the Snake River Valley and Eagle Foothills soils are the result of the now-dry ancient Lake Idaho.
