When thinking of Colorado, images of ski resorts, the fresh air of the Rocky Mountains, the vigorous city of Denver, and its world-famous beer will likely come to mind. But the Centennial State is much more than this. Colorado is your ultimate summer road trip, where you drive past sweeping wineries, marvel at mountainous peaks, and visit quaint villages. Some of Colorado’s best vineyards are linked together by a 5-hour drive along 195 miles of eye-pleasing landscapes. While you can sample your wine year-round, spring and summer time would be the best months to enjoy warmer weather, scented lavender fields, and farmlands filled with fruit trees.

Depending on where you are based, you can create your own road trip and playlist to go with it. But if you live in Gateway, then you’re more likely to drive through Grand Mesa, then traverse Palisade with its lovely peach groves, organic farms, and family-run vineyards, until you reach your destination at Book Cliffs in Mesa County. Colorado’s wine country is located on the Western hillside of the Rocky Mountains and characterized by two prime American Viticultural Areas: the Grand Valley and the West Elks. The type of wine produced in West Elks is strongly affected by the high elevation of the vineyards, bringing to life a variety of locally crafted wines.

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