An Idaho recreation destination aspires to become an Idaho wine and recreation destination.
The trees are in full bloom and temperatures are climbing. Yes, it is spring in Idaho, and everyone is itching to get outside. Longer, warmer days mean more time to play golf and tennis, hike, swim, hit the trails on the ATV or UTV, and at the end of the day, watch the sunset while sipping a brew on the deck of Terrace Lakes Lodge. Sound perfect? Well almost. For those who like to enjoy their sunset with a glass of wine, Terrace Lakes Lodge has now become their perfect destination as well.
Terrace Lakes Lodge is nestled in the Boise National Forest just minutes from the quaint, little town of Crouch. The resort comes complete with a championship 18 hole gold course, tennis courts, and a geothermal pool. Visitors can fish, kayak, and go white water rafting on the Payette River or hike, mountain bike, or 4-wheel on the many miles of trails. In the evening, guests can watch a live play under the stars just minutes away from the resort. In the winter months, the trails are perfect for cross country and Nordic skiing.
Whether you only want to stay for a day or are looking for an extended vacation, Terrace Lakes Lodge can accommodate with motel rooms, condos and cabins. The resort is home to a full restaurant and cocktail lounge, complete with patio dining. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily.
While the resort has a full service bar complete with anything you would ever want to drink, in the winter of 2010, Lonnie and Liz Bramon began meeting with other full time residents of the resort area to share their love of wine.
Over the next two years, the group grew and began meeting in the pro shop almost weekly to enjoy newly discovered wines. In 2012, Lonnie and Liz started asking themselves if the time had come for Terrace Lakes Resort to open a wine tasting room of its own. As a result, a new wine tasting room was opened on March 23, 2013. The room is now open on the weekends from 4pm to 10pm. In June – when the season goes into full swing – they plan to open daily from 1pm to 10pm.
Liz has 141 different labels available for sampling, including a wide variety of Idaho wines. A flight consists of three two oz. samples for $10.00. Full bottles are available for purchase and can be taken to the restaurant to be enjoyed with a meal or taken to the deck overlooking Scott Mountain to be enjoyed with the view. In the winter months, guests can enjoy a bottle while sitting near the fireplace at the lodge. Liz hopes to eventually expand the tasting room to the deck and possibly host live music events.
In the meantime, Liz keeps herself busy as manager of the yearly Terrace Lakes Resort Art and Wine Festival. The festival is held on the resort’s golf course on the third weekend of June and hosts over 75 artists and crafts people. Various local northwest wine distributors showcase their finest wines for sampling and purchase, and wine is served in handcrafted glasses prepared by 12 local artists. There is live music throughout the two days as well as games and contests. Food vendors and the resort’s restaurant are available for eating options. Parking and admission are free, and beer is available for those who are not wine fans. Come once and you are sure to find yourself returning year after year!