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When it comes to growing grapes in the Colorado Rockies region you can either claim that the (wine) glass is half empty or half full. The long winters and heavy snowfall that make the Colorado Rockies region the skiers delight are also the winemakers' potential slippery slope. And while it is true that the growing season is short and frosts can be fierce, it is also true that the region's perfect combination of high elevation, sunny days and cool nights, soils high in minerals, and few pests make for excellent grape growing conditions. Since the late-1970s the more than a dozen Grand Valley vintners and meaderies in Northwest Colorado have been staking out their corner of the national wine market, and you'll find their quiet, mountainous corner of the globe the ideal setting for sampling. Colorado Rockies wineries are clustered in and around pretty Palisade, near Grand Junction, sandwiched between towering cliffs, mainly due to the area's natural beauty and rich, sheltered soils.
Carlson Vineyards
The tasting room at Carlson Vineyards in Palisade feels a bit like someone's, cozy living room - complete with a purring cat. You may chuckle at the names of the wines as you sample, Laughing Cat, Pearadactyl, and Tyrannosaurus Red, but don't think this small farm winery's sense of humor and lack of pretension mean lack of finesse. The elegance is where it should be: inside the bottle. Carlson Vineyards' down-to-earth style may just be what helps them coax a good, solid harvest from the earth. Year after year, Parker and Mary Carlson are garlanded with awards for the fruits of their labor. Their 1997 Select Chardonnay won a double gold medal in international competitions, and at the 2006 Indy International Wine Competition their 2003 Fat Cat Muscat and Apricot won gold medals. Carlson Vineyards also produced the first Colorado wine to win the World Riesling Cup at the 2006 International Eastern Wine Competition. In addition to cherry, peach, plum, and apricot fruit wines, Carlson Vineyards also has a wide range of 100% Colorado-grown Merlot and Sauvignon reds, and Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Riesling whites. They are open for tours and complimentary tastings year-round.
Canyon Wind Cellars
Voted the best winery in Colorado three times, it is understandable that that USA Today and Wine Spectator Magazine would feature Palisade's Canyon Wind Cellars. The primary explanations for the awards, and accolades: terroir, terroir, terroir. Located on the banks of the Colorado River, the ancient glacial soil bed, loose and mineral-rich, whisks moisture away to keep vine roots dry. This, coupled with a high altitude of 4,700 feet and a crisp, cooling, canyon breeze, creates perfect conditions for a fruit intense with flavor. But perhaps there is more to this boutique winery's story of success - Colorado's only underground oak barrel cellar is located at Canyon Wind, and their Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet grapes are harvested and fermented with state-of-the-art winemaking equipment. Their 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, which won a silver medal at the 2003 San Francisco International Wine Competition, is a dark, concentrated wine with black cherry and plum overtones and hints of coffee and tobacco. The 2004 Petit Verdot is a complex wine with abundant, balanced tannins, and a touch of leather spice. These, as well as other savory and award-winning wines, can be sampled year-round at the Palisade tasting room. Free winery tours are available on summer weekends.
Colorado Cellars
Set on a picturesque hillside overlooking the Bookcliff Mountains with the sinewy Colorado River snaking below, Colorado Cellars in Palisade is the oldest and largest vineyard in the state. Since 1978, this family-owned winery has benefited from a unique terroir. Slopes sheltered from western winds by the Bookcliff and Umcompahgre mountain ranges result in cool, dry nights and hot, dry days ideal for grape growing. Deep clay-loam soils seamed with sand and littered with rocks, allow for heat retention and optimal drainage. It is no wonder that Colorado Cellars has won a long list of national and international awards. Their Raspberry Wine took home a gold medal at the 2005 Colorado Mountain Winefest and the 2003 Orange Muscat claimed a silver at the same contest's 2004 Best of the Fest. Colorado Cellars offers over 20 varieties including fruit wines, a Reserve White Zinfandel, two different meads, and a whimsical Roadkill Red. Their Cabernet Sauvignon is dry with soft oak tannins, and the Merlot has a rich, oak flavor enriched with black cherry complexities. Colorado Cellars is open for tastings Monday-Saturday year-round; appointments are recommended.
Wineries in Vail, Aspen, Telluride, Steamboat Springs and the Colorado Rockies
Wineries
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