You’ve heard of Bordeaux, of course. You’ve heard of Napa Valley. And Palisade. What? You’ve never heard of Palisade, Colorado?
Colorado’s High Country is also wine country, and while it hasn’t attracted many headlines, it has won the attention of critics who’ve bestowed top national and international awards on Colorado vintages. Tucked amid rugged canyons, mountain valleys and desert mesas, the mineral-rich soils of Colorado’s vineyards produce snappy chardonnays, sweet Rieslings and rich merlots, plus some less traditional vintages made from peaches, cherries, pears, and even honey.
At over 4,000 feet in elevation, these are some of the highest vineyards in the world. That makes for risky growing, but fantastic wine. The hot, sunny days that make Colorado summers a pleasure also mature the fruit and build its natural sugars. The chill that gives mountain nights their crisp bite has a similar effect on the wine, helping the grapes retain the acids that vintners prize.
Colorado’s knuckled landscape may never produce the acres of vineyards that California’s Napa Valley boasts, but connoisseurs don’t quibble about its quality. Its wineries have won an armload of prestigious awards, from the Los Angeles County Fair, where that state’s premier wines are showcased, to the Southwest Wine Competition and the Tasters Guild International. At a recent Colorado Wine Competition, a panel of national judges scored several of the state’s wines above competitors from around the world.
The landscape and climate give these wines a unique Colorado character, which experts say rivals California wine without being California wine. “Colorado does have its own unique character,” says Doug Caskey, director of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board. “We’re not going to produce wine that is California style, in general. I think, generally, our wines are more elegant, rather than plump or fat, more refined rather than in your face.”
You can find vineyards from the foothills below Rocky Mountain National Park to the deserts of the southwest, but the heart of Colorado wine country is Palisade, a cozy farm town near Grand Junction on the Western Slope, whose irrigated mesas above the Colorado River are home to nine wineries. VisitGrandJunction.com. Known for sweet, juicy peaches long before it was known for elegant wine, Palisade is the gateway to Colorado National Monument, a jaw-dropping canyon of soaring pinnacles and slickrock canyons that for years has been the town’s biggest draw. Now wine tours are a big rival, attracting visitors who travel from vineyard to vineyard, packing their cars with caseloads of their discoveries
Just don’t expect California-style connoisseurs sniffing, swishing and spitting. Wine tasting in Colorado is a bit more low-key, in keeping with the Western Slope’s laid-back lifestyle. Some of Colorado vineyards’ biggest fans show up in spandex and bike shorts for Palisade’s annual Colorado Mountain Winefest, when 1,000 cyclists set off on a 25-mile ride through wine country each September.
“It’s kind of like drinking wine with an old friend,” says Sandra Wellnitz, who traveled from Denver with her family to tour the wineries.
“I think this is really quaint,” she says. “To me they tasted as good as the wines I tasted in California.”
That’s exactly what Colorado vintners want to hear. The industry has ballooned from a handful of vineyards a decade ago to more than 30 today. That makes Colorado one of the fastest-growing wine states in the country. Just as wine matures, so do vineyards. Caskey says it takes at least three years for a vine to mature, and another decade before the grapes achieve the sort of depth that wine aficionados prefer. Most of Colorado’s vineyards have been planted during the last 15 years. “The caliber of winemaking in Colorado has just increased dramatically over the last five years,” Caskey says.
Winemakers mature, too. For many, their hobby has become their business. Parker and Mary Carlson moved to Palisade back in 1977, when this town was most famous for its acres of peach orchards that lined the irrigated banks of the Colorado River. They started out making wine for themselves and their friends. Eleven years later, they bought a vineyard and rolled out Carlson Vineyard’s first vintage — 1,100 gallons of Riesling, peach and cherry wines that were snatched up as quickly as they hit the shelves.
Now they sell up to 20,000 gallons a year, pressed from the three acres of vines at the winery and another 20 contracted from area farmers. About half the sales are from their store, a quaint 1942 fruit packing shed high on a mesa overlooking the Grand Valley. The other half comes from liquor stores and shops around the state and beyond. Their offerings range from pinot noir to pear-apple, and playful labels like Prairie Dog White and Pinotsaurus Red. Since they started their vineyard, the Carlsons have tried to add some levity to their Lemberger. “We wished wine wasn’t so snobby,” Carlson says, “because I don’t think people should feel intimidated about wine.
Grande River Vineyards boasts the state’s largest grape crop — more than 50 acres — enough to produce up to 7,000 cases of wine itself, and supply wineries around the state and beyond. At the 2000 Tasters Guild International wine competition, Grande River’s 1997 Merlot won a Double Gold, one of just 49 wines picked among 1,560 submitted from around the world. It was the vineyard’s third double gold and one of over 200 awards it has won. Visiting Grande River is about more than the wine, though. Its amphitheatre is home to a summer Jazz Among the Grapevines concert series, and it offers regular wine appreciation classes that try to teach without being too snobbish.
That combination of elegant wines and laid-back charm is uniquely Colorado, and it is what makes visiting Colorado vineyards so much fun. Bob and Renata McHugh, of Evergreen, Colorado, snapped up two cases after visiting two wineries, and they were just getting started. It was the couple’s first time visiting Palisade, Renata says, but not the last.
“This would be a good place to bring people from out of town,” she said, while her husband lugged a case of Plum Creek wine into their trunk. “Now we can brag about our wine country. And one day, we can be real snotty about it.”
For a full experience of Western Slope wines, it’s worth a spin past the vineyards and a sip in their tasting rooms. But it’s not necessary. Many liquor stores keep a wide variety in supply, and don’t be surprised if you see them on the wine list at fine restaurants. Here are a few to look out for:
Terror Creek Winery Nothing to be afraid of here, unless you’re scared of heights. These vineyards, at 6,400 feet, could be the world’s highest. Swiss-trained vintner Joan Mathewson creates wines exclusively from western Colorado grapes. The tasting room above Paonia is open summers from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday to Sunday. Call (970) 527-3484.
Carlson Vineyards Never mind the lighthearted labels that could make a Prairie Dog Blush, this award-winning Palisade vineyard leaves sippers smiling. The tasting room is open daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (888) 464-5554 or (970) 464-5554.
Baharav Vineyards These whites and reds put the emphasis on green. The Baharavs handpick Palisade grapes grown without herbicides or pesticides, and bottle their vintages at their Carbondale winery. For a tasting, call (970) 963-9659 or (877) ECO-WINE.
Rocky Mountain Meadery With names like King Arthur, Guinevere and Camelot, these honey wines are a royal treat. The Palisade tasting room is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (800) 720-2558 or (970) 464-7899.
Grande River Vineyards With over 60 acres, this is Colorado’s largest vineyard. It supplies other wineries in Colorado and beyond and has garnered more than 200 awards on its own. Grande River’s amphitheatre is home to a summer jazz series. Its Palisade tasting room is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the summer, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the fall. Call (800) CO-GROWN or (970) 464-5867.
Shopping Adventures in the Colorado Rockies
At over 4,000 feet in elevation, these are some of the highest vineyards in the world. That makes for risky growing, but fantastic wine. The hot, sunny days that make Colorado summers a pleasure also mature the fruit and build its natural sugars. The chill that gives mountain nights their crisp bite has a similar effect on the wine, helping the grapes retain the acids that vintners prize.
You can find vineyards from the foothills below Rocky Mountain National Park to the deserts of the southwest, but the heart of Colorado wine country is Palisade, a cozy farm town near Grand Junction on the Western Slope, whose irrigated mesas above the Colorado River are home to nine wineries. 
“It’s kind of like drinking wine with an old friend,” says Sandra Wellnitz, who traveled from Denver with her family to tour the wineries. 
Now they sell up to 20,000 gallons a year, pressed from the three acres of vines at the winery and another 20 contracted from area farmers. About half the sales are from their store, a quaint 1942 fruit packing shed high on a mesa overlooking the Grand Valley. The other half comes from liquor stores and shops around the state and beyond. Their offerings range from pinot noir to pear-apple, and playful labels like Prairie Dog White and Pinotsaurus Red. Since they started their vineyard, the Carlsons have tried to add some levity to their Lemberger. “We wished wine wasn’t so snobby,” Carlson says, “because I don’t think people should feel intimidated about wine.
