Melanie Krause and Joe Schnerr of Cinder Wines strive to make wines that define their home state of Idaho. With a love of plants, a degree in biology and after working as an enologist for Chateau Ste. Michelle under three of Washington’s greats (Bob Bertheau, Ron Bunnell and Kendall Mix), winemaker Krause moved back to Boise, pressed her first Idaho grown wine, a Syrah, at Fraser Winery and married Schnerr all in 2006. Now with three labels under their belt, Cinder is producing wines from Snake River Valley that demand their presence to be known. The 2010 Syrah is hand-harvested from three Snake River Valley vineyards and sees 16 months in varied age barrels. The result is a balanced, Old World-style Syrah with ripe, dense and viscous dark fruits with a meaty, spicy and savory tone both on the nose and palate. The finish is complex both in stabilizing acidity and bold, age-able tannins.
