The view from a winery in Palisade. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Sometimes, we get tough assignments. This isn't one of them.
State of play: Yesterday, I had the opportunity to taste dozens of Colorado wines and talk to the makers behind the bottles at a private showcase in Denver.
Even though the state's wine industry is a mere shadow of California and Oregon, a number of sips proved intriguing.
If you go: Here are five I enjoyed from Colorado wineries.
🍷 Aquila Cellars in Cedaredge make a full-bodied Viognier as part of its 2023 geologic series that had stone fruit aromas and a nice dry finish.
🍷 Cab Franc is known as the state's signature grape, and Cliff Dweller in Palisade served a big-flavored version that would pair well with red meat.
🍷 Colterris, one of the better-known Palisade wineries, kept us guessing with its 2024 Coral — a white cabernet sauvignon.
🍷 Storm Cellar, led by a husband-wife team in Hotchkiss, impressed with its 2025 All the Flowers white blend that proved as floral as the name.
🍷 Restoration Vineyards in Palisade stood out with its limited-quantity 2024 Pinotage, grown on just one acre in the Grand Valley appellation.
