Devil's Bedstead: The Koenigs Start Over, Smaller, on Hoskins Road
Most winery stories begin with a first vineyard. This one begins with a handoff. In 2019, after decades of building Koenig Vineyards, Greg and Kristen Koenig turned the brand and its Hoskins Road facilities over to friends and started again, smaller. Devil’s Bedstead Winery is what they built next, and its size is the point.
A Long Run on Hoskins Road
The winery traces its beginnings to Koenig Vineyards, which Greg and Kristen started more than 30 years ago. That first winery and tasting room grew up at the Koenig Distillery site, owned by Greg’s brother Andy and his wife, Jill. Koenig Vineyards moved into a new winemaking facility on Hoskins Road in 2009, and a tasting room followed in 2016.
In 2019 the Koenigs passed the brand and facilities to James and Sydney Nederend, longtime friends who had been custom-crush clients. Koenig Vineyards still keeps its own tasting room on Hoskins Road. Devil’s Bedstead sits close by at 21500 Hoskins Road, so a visitor can see two stages of one family’s work along the same stretch of road.
The new name points away from the vineyard and toward the mountains. The Idaho Wine Commission notes that Devil’s Bedstead is named for a peak in Idaho’s Pioneer Mountains.
Two Vineyards, One Focus
The idea behind Devil’s Bedstead was to concentrate three decades of experience on two pieces of ground. The first is the Koenig Estate vineyard, planted in 1996, which the winery describes as straddling a rare band of rocky gravel and clay.
The second is the Fraser Vineyard, which Greg began working with in 2014. A Sunnyslope Wine Trail article describes it as a five-acre site on a high knoll, the highest point in Canyon County. In that article, Greg explains why the site suits Cabernet: “Cold air drains away, so it’s ideal for Cabernet.” He adds that the ground is windy and pure sand. Those are a grower’s reasons, and they help explain why one small vineyard carries so much of the lineup.
The trail’s account also reports that the first Devil’s Bedstead wine, a Fraser Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon made in 2020, won Best of Show at the Idaho Wine & Cider Competition.
A Short List of Wines
Production stays under 1,000 cases a year, and the core of the list is the Fraser Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 24 months in French oak. Two reserve blends carry the names of the Koenigs’ children. Cuvée Alden, made since 2001, blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a little Petit Verdot. Cuvée Amelia, made since 2004, is a reserve Syrah co-fermented with a small amount of Viognier. In some years the estate also yields a Viognier and a Merlot.
Those wines reach most buyers through an allocation list, with one release each spring. The winery says the list is currently full and keeps a waiting list for new members. For many people, the tasting room is the most direct way to try the wines.
Planning a Visit
Details below were checked against the winery’s own pages on November 2, 2026. Confirm them before you go.
The tasting room is open Friday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Tastings are seated, with tableside service, and each reservation covers 90 minutes. The online booking page lists tastings at $12 per person. Walk-ins are welcome when space allows; for a same-day reservation, call 208-914-0774. Groups larger than eight should call or email info@devilsbedstead.com, and a 20% gratuity applies to those parties. The winery cannot hold a reservation for a group running more than 30 minutes late.
Devil’s Bedstead does not admit pets or guests under 18. When weather allows, its terrace serves wine by the glass or bottle on a first-come basis. Picnics are welcome, but outside alcohol is not.
Starting and Ending in Downtown Caldwell
The address reads Caldwell, but the winery sits in the Canyon County farm country west of the city, 11 miles and 20 minutes by car from downtown. Both figures are approximate. The area is part of the Snake River Valley AVA, and Sunnyslope is the informal name for this wine area, not a separate appellation. The series opener, Idaho Wine Country Begins in Canyon County, explains how those geographies fit together.
A 90-minute reservation gives the day a natural shape. Have breakfast or coffee downtown, drive out for an early afternoon tasting, and head back for dinner. The Sunnyslope Wine Trail Begins in Caldwell describes that loop. Visitors who want a second stop can turn to earlier features on Bitner Vineyards and Cuesta Sol Vineyards, each with its own reservation terms.
Thirty years into Idaho wine, the Koenigs chose fewer acres and fewer cases. A seat at their table on Hoskins Road is a short drive from downtown Caldwell, and the road back leads to dinner.