Rooted in Cinder: The Story of Idaho’s Cinder Wines

Some of the best stories begin with a pull—a quiet, persistent tug toward somewhere or something you can’t quite shake. For Melanie Krause, founder of Cinder Wines, that pull was Idaho.

Born and raised in Boise, Melanie spent years working in Washington’s wine industry, always keeping one eye on what was happening back home. She’d return periodically to judge wine competitions—partly to stay connected, and honestly, a little bit to “spy” on what was happening in the Idaho wine industry. What she found, visit after visit, was something she hadn’t expected: real, undeniable potential.

“Viognier was actually the grape that brought me back. It was growing beautifully here in a way that really stood out—and it made me realize just how special Idaho could be.”

That realization became the foundation for Cinder. In 2006, Melanie and her husband Joe moved back to Boise, and she began making small lots of Syrah and Viognier. The name felt immediately right: those volcanic, cinder-rich soils of the Snake River Valley aren’t just beneath the vines—they’re in the wine itself.

Hundreds of Quiet Choices

Ask Melanie about the craft of winemaking and she’ll redirect you from the cellar to the vineyard rows. “What most people don’t realize is how much of winemaking happens long before the grapes ever hit the winery,” she explains. “It starts there—walking rows, tasting fruit, paying attention to balance and timing.”

In the cellar, it’s equal parts science and intuition: how long to ferment, what kind of oak to use, when to press. “It’s not just one big moment,” she says. “It’s hundreds of quiet choices along the way.” That patient, layered approach is exactly what you taste in a glass of Cinder—wines that reward attention and aren’t meant to be rushed.

Built on Community

Cinder didn’t emerge in isolation. When Melanie and Joe first set up shop in Garden City, their building was shared by four wineries—neighbors learning from each other, building something from scratch, side by side. “It really started on a communal note,” she recalls, and that spirit has never left.

The Treasure Valley wine scene has grown enormously since those early days, but the collaborative ethos remains. It’s the kind of place, Melanie says, where people genuinely want to see each other succeed—not just within wine, but across the entire small business community.

Twenty Years, One Remarkable Blend

This year, Cinder celebrates its 20th anniversary—and they’re marking it in characteristically thoughtful style. The flagship release is The Double Decade, a Syrah and Mourvèdre blend that echoes The Decade, the wine made for their 10-year milestone. Same blend, ten years on. It ties directly back to Melanie’s very first barrel of Syrah in 2006—making it a full-circle moment two decades in the making.

Alongside the anniversary, Cinder recently opened Laissez Faire Wine Co. at The Boardwalk—a newer venture coming up on its one-year anniversary on May 7th. “It truly feels like just the beginning of something really special,” Melanie says.

“Our wines aren’t meant to be rushed—they’re meant to be lived with a little.”

If you ask Melanie what the perfect pairing for a Cinder Syrah looks like, she’ll describe a long, slow evening: a quiet dinner with friends that turns into hours of conversation, maybe something reflective on the bookshelf nearby. That’s the kind of company these wines were made for.

Which makes them a natural fit at The Book Lounge.

Find Cinder Wines at The Book Lounge in Meridian, Idaho.

Whether you’re looking for a bottle to bring to your next book club or simply want to taste what Snake River Valley volcanic soils can produce, Cinder is a story worth savoring. Learn more at cinderwines.com—and visit Laissez Faire Wine Co. at The Boardwalk to raise a glass to twenty years well poured.