Williamson Orchards & Vineyards

I came to Williamson Orchards and Vineyards looking primarily for produce. Although they do not carry a lot of variety, everything was fresh, well-​stocked, and nicely displayed. They also have canned items and breads. On this visit we bought corn that was just okay, peaches that were tasty, and a watermelon that was, unfortunately a bit over-ripened…which can happen so easily in these high temperatures.
The staff is very friendly and courteous. I didn’t have a chance to sample the wines, which may be their primary focus. It was a nice day and certainly worth the drive to check out this cute market.

Short review for a short visit. During a day of sightseeing and looking at vineyards, we stopped here. Bought some tasty apricots, peaches, corn, nectarines and early apples. Also added some local honey, apple cider vinegar and some of their Dry Rieslings wine.
Being this is the end of July, or nearly so, we were surprised there was not a wider selection of veggies, other than the corn and some garlic, summer squash, onions and new potatoes. Not a tomato in sight nor bell peppers. Now, I know they have orchards in their name, but since they had some veggies, it would look like they could easily add a bit more variety in the non-​fruit line.
Maybe in another month they will have wider selections of stone fruits and veggies.

A true family owned and operated farm since the early 1900’s. What is the secret to that longevity for a wonderful place like this? Maybe we find it in their mission statement which includes: «…produce the highest quality product and provide honest and knowledgeable service to our clients… practice good business while serving as stewards of the land… use natural and organic growing methods whenever possible.»
However they manage to do it, we were the grateful beneficiaries of a warm welcome with top notch service, wonderful produce and good wine during our stop at Williamson’s on a Sunnyside Slope Wine Trail exploration day in a visit to Boise. If we lived in the area, we’d be making the short drive to Caldwell on a regular basis for produce from Williamson’s farm stand.
FANTASTIC FARM FRESH PRODUCE
We purchased the most delectable peaches of the year at the farm stand, located inside their barn on site, in a variety new to us, Lady August. We also enjoyed perfect pluots in two varieties, both more plu than ot which is our preference. (Samples of the fruit were generously offered by the very friendly folks working here.) Not to mention fabulous potatoes and bell peppers. The latter grown by others in the area and sold at Williamsons had that fresh pepper sun-​warmed aroma that only comes with being close to the garden source.
GOOD WINE
The big surprise for us here was how good were the wines in comparison to our expectations. Offered as free tasting, except for their Reserve Petite Sirah which costs but two bucks to sample, in a wine room adjacent to the barn by a friendly and well informed hostess. Grapes are estate grown and while winemaking is relatively new in the history of this family run business, clearly the winemaker knows their craft. This may be a surprise to others too as to on a day when other tasting rooms on the Sunnyside Trail were two and three deep at the tasting bars given a weekend event, there were no people in the wine room here.
We tasted all the wines, (the $ 2 fee for the Petite Sirah is refunded with any purchase), enjoyed them all and left with three at what we thought were good prices for the quality in the bottle:
* DOCE is a dessert wine in Port style using 80% Cabernet Sauvignon /​20% Syrah. They use grape alcohol from a local distiller for the fortification. Port has its origins in Portugal and Doce is Portuguese for sweet. Clever. 375ML @ $ 25
* 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon had soft soft tannins, deep cherry finish on the palate and we thought it was a winner @ $ 25. 750ML
* Homestead Red is a blend of Cabernet and Syrah. A nice all around wine and «schoolnight priced» @ $ 18. 750ML
THIS N THAT:
1) ACCESSIBILITY: Gravel parking lot. The farm stand /​barn and wine tasting room are level in and solid surfacing throughout. Loo is upstairs in the barn.
2) NO CIDER THIS YEAR: Williamson’s pressed fresh apple cider is legendary. We even had a winemaker at a local winery reference it with us in describing one of their winemaking decisions. Sadly, this year the Williamson’s are not making their cider as they needed to find a new location for the cider press. So stay tuned for 2014 when the cider will be back.
3) EVOLVE TO THRIVE: Once known as Williamson’s Orchards the «& Vineyards» was added recently to reflect the evolution of this family farm effort into a natural extension into grape growing and wine making given their location on Sunnyside Slope.
4) PUTTIN’ UP: If you’re looking for super ripe fruit to «put up» (as my great grandmother called it) jams and jellies, they have big flats of that very thing at great prices here. Maybe past prime to sell as individual items, perfect as set up in the (15 lb?) lots for puttin’ up. Nice.