Ode to the Broncos--Colorado Wine

The beautiful state of Colorado is known for many attractions:  the picturesque Rocky Mountains, majestic Pike’s Peak, upscale Aspen, and (most recently) legal marijuana.  However, on days like today, Super Bowl Sunday, there is only one reason for which Colorado should be known…football…and the Denver Broncos!

As an ode to my neighbor state—the city where my daughter lives and the team that my son adores—I am revisiting some of the fabulous wine times I have had in Colorado.  It is a wonderful place, a beautiful place, a fun place…a place everyone should visit.  Go Colorado.  Go Denver. Go Broncos!

Colorado's largest AVA, the Grand Valley, is a booming and budding wine region.  Though barely in its adolescence, the region shows signs of greatness in the years to come.

Colorado Wine--Isn't It Grand, The Grand Valley

An early Grand Valley wine producer, Canyon Wind Cellars set the standard for other Colorado wineries making wine from estate-grown fruit.  Started in the 1990's, this winery shows what all Grand Valley wines can be. 

Patience is a Virtue--Canyon Wind Cellars

Kenneth Dunn at Hermosa Vineyards is a perfect example of what it takes to make wine.  Many winemakers start with their passion and curiosity, and this is true here.  Kenneth is also the quintessential small winemaker who greets his tasting room guests himself, with a huge smile!

Curiosity Makes the Wine--Hermosa Vineyards

Though the Grand Valley grows the majority of the grapes for the state, many wineries call the eastern side of the state home.  Denver gives an amazing backdrop for urban wineries to flourish.  Balistreri Vineyards in the Mile High City is the perfect mix of traditional and modern in a beautiful facility.

My Neighbors to the South--Balistreri Vineyards

  

Infinite Monkey Theorem is one such winery that has embraced the urban winery vibe.  Fun and funky, IMT makes wine from Colorado Grand Valley grapes while being a pioneer in alternative packaging formats.  Such an obvious success has been reached here that a recent expansion to Austin, Texas continues to show the truth of the expression, "Yes, we can." 

To Infinity and Beyond--The Infinite Monkey Theorem

Today, I will forgo the beer and enjoy the Super Bowl game with a Colorado wine in hand.  My Ode to Colorado will continue with a glass of Canyon Wind Cellars high end line Anemoi with an Anemoi Notus, a blend of Colorado Petite Verdot and Syrah.  Cheers to Colorado, its wines, and its football!

Go Denver Broncos! 

Patience is a Virtue--Canyon Wind Cellars

What does it take to make wine?  In June, I learned that passion is a must for leaping into the wine business.  However, often passion alone is not enough for the labor of love that is making wine.  Last month, I learned that patience is the next virtue required to make, what I believe to be, the juice of the gods.  The value of patience has been seen first and foremost in the success of Colorado Grand Valley winery Canyon Wind Cellars. 

Your Sweet Sommelier with Canyon Wind's vines.

            Nestled under the Grand Mesa (the largest flat-topped mountain in the world), Canyon Wind’s location is an example of patience in, and of, itself.  Norman Christianson, original enologist and vintner at Canyon Wind, was a geologist by trade.  He searched the Grand Valley area for what he believed to be the perfect spot for a vineyard:  a place with good soil and good weather for grape growing.  After finding his perfect spot, Norman planted his first vines in 1991…and then waited!  He waited five years, in fact, for the grapes to be of the quality he wanted to make his first vintage of wine.  He could have bought other fruit from other areas, but he wanted his product to be a true expression of his terroir and work.  Now that is patience! 

The vineyards at Canyon Wind Cellars.

 Neslted under the Grand Mesa, Canyon Wind's grapes grow well.

Grapes growing on the vines planted in 1991.

            Another example of how serious Norman was about his final product was he had the patience and practicality to hire a Napa Valley wine consultant, Robert Pepi, to ensure quality wine.  The two produced Canyon Wind’s first vintage in 1996, and CWC has been considered one of the Grand Valley AVA’s most important wineries ever since.  Today, Norman’s son Jay and his wife Jennifer run the the winery.  Wines are made from Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Syrah.  Whites, roses, reds, and dessert wines are produced.  Reds are aged in the underground cellar (the only true underground cellar in the Grand Valley); the cellar and the rest of the facility are open for staff members to take visitors on regular tours.  In addition to the Canyon Wind Cellars line of wines, the winery also produces the 47-Ten series of wines, named for the altitude of the vineyards where the grapes are grown.   The top-shelf line of wines is the Anemoi series, all named for Greek gods.  Canyon Wind also boasts Colorado’s very first wine to be high quality enough to sell for one hundred dollars! The wine IV (Four, as in four of the traditional Bordeaux blend grapes) has consistently been considered Colorado’s best wine.  And yes, I came home with a bottle of IV to cellar. 

 The underground barrel room.

The 2012 vintage of IV, patiently awaiting bottling.

            I patiently tasted through the impressive lineup of wines and purchased my favorites…yes, there were multiple!  The 47-Ten Rose is what a good rose is supposed to be; made from 100 percent Merlot grapes, it is crisp with a grapefruit finish.  The Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are both excellent examples of the grapes.  The aforementioned IV is already in my cellar to store for a few years, as well as the Anemoi Notus.  Both of these wines are going to be amazing in the future, when I finally decide to quit testing my patience and drink them. 

            Napoleon Hill stated, “Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”  That is exactly what Norman Christianson started with and his son and daughter-in-law, Jay and Jennifer, continue as they make fine wines in the Grand Valley of Colorado.  The patience and painstaking work put into each bottle of wine is evident in every sip of Canyon Wind Cellars vino.  Canyon Wind continues to patiently set the bar high for Colorado wine country wines.