The 16th annual Idaho Wine & Cider Competition was held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at Koenig Vineyards in the heart of the Snake River Valley American Viticultural Area. The competition is sponsored by Great Northwest Wine, a regional media company based in Washington state, as a collaborative effort with the Idaho Wine Commission.
In this year’s competition, 129 wines and ciders were blind-tasted and evaluated by a panel of distinguished judges. Let’s dive into which Idaho wineries and cideries took home the gold!
Competing wines and ciders can be awarded one of four medals: Bronze, Silver, Gold or Double Gold. A Bronze Medal is considered a third-place winner, a Silver Medal is considered the runner-up, and a Gold Medal is given to the first-place winner. A Double Gold medal is rare. This award signifies a unanimous decision of a Gold Medal by each person on the panel, without any prior discussion.
2025 Award Winners
Congratulations to all of the 2025 award winners! Listed below are the Gold, Double Gold and Best of Show wine and cider award winners at this year’s Idaho Wine & Cider Competition.
The award winners listed below are structured by: Winery name - year the grapes were harvested - type of wine. Be sure to check out the full list of competition results including silver and bronze winners!
Best of Show / Best Red Wine / Double Gold Medal
Koenig Vineyards - 2020 Fraser Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Best White Wine / Double Gold Medal
Parma Ridge Winery - 2024 Dry Gewürztraminer
Best Sparkling Wine / Gold Medal
Huston Vineyards - 2023 Sparkling Grüner Veltliner
Best Sweet Wine / Gold Medal
Dude DeWalt Cellars - 2021 Touriga Naçional Dessert Wine
Best Cider / Gold Medal
Meriwether Cider Co. - Uncharted Imperial Cider
Best Rosé / Gold Medal
Telaya Wine Co. - 2024 Rosé
Best Syrah / Double Gold Medal
Huston Vineyards - 2022 Syrah
Best Cabernet Franc / Double Gold Medal
Parma Ridge Winery - 2020 Cabernet Franc
Best Malbec / Double Gold Medal
Dude DeWalt Cellars - 2021 Reserve Malbec
Best Tempranillo / Gold Medal
Rolling Hills Vineyard - 2022 Tempranillo
Best Red Blend / Gold Medal
Veer Wine Project - 2023 Le Compère Red Wine
Best Chardonnay / Gold Medal
Koenig Vineyards - 2024 Chardonnay
Best Albariño / Gold Medal
Sawtooth Winery - 2024 Classic Fly Series Albariño
Double Gold Medals
Ste. Chapelle - 2024 Panoramic Sauvignon Blanc
Koenig Vineyards - 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah
Gold Medals
Clearwater Canyon Cellars - 2023 Louis Del Sol Cabernet Sauvignon
Parma Ridge Winery - 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
Hat Ranch Winery - 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
Famici Wine Co. - 2022 Vicino Cabernet Franc
Telaya Wine Co. - 2022 Malbec
Scoria Vineyards - 2022 Estate Malbec
Dunning Estate - 2022 Outlaw Malbec
Veer Wine Project - 2023 Barbera
Kindred Vineyards - 2022 Gypsy Soul Red Wine
Kindred Vineyards - 2023 Summer Silhouette Red Wine
Famici Wine Co. - 2022 Rusty’s Red Blend
Veer Wine Project - 2023 Garnacha
Hat Ranch Winery - 2022 Syrah
Veer Wine Project - 2024 Unstable Chenin Blanc
Huston Vineyards - 2024 Huston Estate Vineyard Grüner Veltliner
3100 Cellars - 2020 Whitewater Sparkling Chardonnay
Sawtooth Winery - 2023 Classic Fly Series Viognier
Clearwater Canyon Cellars - 2024 Crawford Vineyard Pinot Gris
Rock Spur Vineyards & Winery - 2023 Tempranillo
Famici Wine Co. - 2024 Rusty’s White
Laissez Faire Wine Co. - 2023 LF Proprietary White Wine
With so many standout wines and ciders taking top honors this year, there’s never been a better time to explore Idaho’s tasting rooms, meet the makers behind the bottles, and bring home a few award-winning favorites. From crisp whites and bold reds to sparkling wines and creative ciders, Idaho’s producers are proving their place on the national stage—one glass at a time. Use this list as your tasting checklist, discover something new, and raise a glass to the passion and craftsmanship poured into every sip. Cheers to Idaho Wine & Cider Month!