Garden City winery doubles in size with expansion project

Listen to this article

Leslie Preston has been building a career in winemaking for many years, and part of that includes the recent renovation of a vintage structure.

Preston’s winery, Coiled Wines, saw the completion of its expanded tasting room and visual performing arts venue at its location in Garden City.

It took 18 months and increased the size of the space from 3,200 square feet to 6,500 square feet, converting a 1950s structure into a modern facility.

“This has been such a labor of love,” Preston said in a release. “We knew this space had good bones and so much potential. Our vision was to create a way for the winery to operate more efficiently and be more closely connected to the community ― and I think we’ve done that.”

Preston, the owner and winemaker of Coiled Wines, has been working since 2022 to overhaul the space which used to be an antique furniture store. She wanted to stay true to the ’50s-era construction and capture the décor from that time.

Originally teaching potential exchange students who would be studying viticulture abroad the French language, Preston decided to leave academia and purse a master’s degree in enology from the University of California, Davis, where she was teaching.

She earned her degree and worked with many vineyards throughout Northern California, such as Clos du Bois, Saintsbury and Stags’ Leap in Napa.

Preston returned to Idaho in 2012 and continued her journey to open Coiled Wines, named in honor of the Snake River Valley, the state’s first grape appellation. The first varietal produced by the winery was Syrah, producing 380 cases in its first year. The winery now produces 2,000 cases a year.

The new tasing space allows much more space for the actual winemaking process at the back of the building and there is also a separate space for private events.

Garden City is the home to other wineries, all of which are adding to the draw of the region.

“Over the past few years, the Idaho Wine Industry has expanded into Garden City … a hidden gem,” said Moya Shatz Dolsby, executive director of the Idaho Wine Commission. “The urban wine trail has created a destination for people to enjoy food, live entertainment and, best of all, Idaho wines.”

Shatz Dolsby said Coiled’s commitment to its product was evident with the work they’ve put into the new expansion and its product.

“We’re thrilled Coiled is part of this city scene and already growing with the addition of a new tasting room,” she said. “Every glass they pour represents a labor of love and the quality of Idaho wines.”