Here’s an idea for a day trip or two or three – visiting some of western Colorado’s more than 40 wineries.
Drink It In, a new book put out by the Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction details the vineyards found in the western part of the state – which boasts ample sunshine, fresh water and good soil for growing grapes. Altogether, the area produces 145,700 cases of wine, from cabernet and merlot to chardonnay and malbec.
It profiles local winemakers Guy Drew and John Sutcliffe outside of Cortez as well as listing more far-flung wineries near Grand Junction, Paonia and Hotchkiss.
“Colorado’s winemakers are fighting battles that Napa’s finest rarely imagine,” says master sommelier Doug Frost in the book. “Great Colorado wine is not some foolhardy notion, it’s available to any who want to taste it.”
In addition to the profiles of the state’s winemakers, the book gives tips for how to taste wine, smell it, store it and pronounce the names of grape varietals. It also offers maps of each region with phone numbers and addresses of each winery.
Harvest is over, so let the state’s winemakers help you get to know the wines on the western side of the Continental Divide.
To purchase the book, go to gjsentinel.com or call (970) 242-5050.
