When Colorado’s stunning landscapes are illuminated in shades of yellow, orange and red with the changing color of leaves, it’s hard to argue that there’s a better time of year in the state than fall. Especially if traveling to Colorado’s wine country.

Colorado might be famous for its mountains, but the state has a growing wine scene that surprises a lot of visitors. Many of the best spots sit near Grand Junction and Palisade, where warm days and cool nights help grapes thrive.

The West Elks American Viticultural Area, which encompasses Paonia and Hotchkiss, is the No. 2 wine region in the U.S., according to USA Today’s 10BEST ranking. he company’s recurring best-of lists are essentially popularity contests where the public gets to decide the winners.

People outside of Colorado might be surprised to learn that this mountainous state makes wine. A tiny wine industry has grown up in a few river valleys and plateaus away from the towering 14,000-foot peaks of the Rockies, based on 800 acres of wine grapes and some 150 small wineries.

The Colorado Association for Viticulture & Enology (CAVE) has officially launched a nationwide search for its next Executive Director, seeking an experienced and visionary leader to guide Colorado’s wine industry into its next chapter.

This program recognizes restaurants that truly exemplify the grape-to-glass movement by supporting local Colorado wines. We want to recognize both cozy neighborhood bistros and expansive fine-dining cellars for their commitment to Colorado wine, so these awards are not based on raw numbers of wines offered, but by the subjective quality and proportion of Colorado wines available on wine lists.

A federal judge is allowing a Washington winemaker to proceed with allegations that a Colorado winery has raised claims of unsanitary practices to evade its contractual obligations. Last year, a complaint filed by Carboy Winery of Colo., alleged that it’d been supplied with “polluted” wine produced with unsanitary methods by Alexandria Nicole Cellars of Prosser, Wash.

Opened to the public in June 2002, The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey is celebrating 25 years of winemaking this summer, though this summer may also be its last. After operating the winery for the past 21 years, owner Larry Oddo plans to retire at the end of September.

The Storm Cellar is hoping to weather another storm this summer. After the vineyard survived the spring heat and one wicked night of freezing temperatures, the work is now focused on making sure an additional 8 acres of vines will make it through the summer.

It might feel like things have gone quiet on the tariff front since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled many of the Trump administration’s tariffs illegal in February. But Colorado’s small businesses are still trying to make sense of the administration’s trade policies and, in some instances, get their money back.