’Tis the season for Colorado food and drink festivals, which celebrate everything from local and national culinary talent to craft beer, wine, and mead. As you start to make your warm weather travel plans, consider adding these road-trip-worthy affairs to your calendar.
North Fork ranchers move their stock between pastures in early summer, so don’t be surprised if cowboys are leading cattle drives the very same weekend local winemakers are kicking off their 2024 season with North Fork Uncorked, a series of viticultural events held June 8 to 9.
There are few better ways to spend a summer day than walking a vineyard and tasting wines. You might think you need to book a flight to California or Oregon to do so, but right here in Colorado is a gem of a wine town chock full of wineries, tasting rooms, and fine restaurants. Palisade is in the Grand Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA), just east of Grand Junction on I-70, a two-hour drive along the Colorado River from Aspen’s Main Street.
Ben Parsons helped create the Millennial urban winery aesthetic and scene when he launched The Infinite Monkey Theorem winery in 2008. The winery’s witty name, irreverent attitude and style resonated with a new generation of consumers who also embraced Parsons’ use of cans, kegs, refillable growlers, and lesser-known varietals.
A proposed law in Colorado could help prevent the extinction of Colorado’s approximately 1,650 independent beverage alcohol retailers. Since a law permitting wine sales in grocery stores went into effect in 2023, 120 independent beverage alcohol retailers have gone under and thousands of jobs have been lost.
Denver may be better known for its frosty Rocky Mountain brews, but this metropolis has a vibrant wine scene that can’t be ignored. Once a gold-mining town, Denver has moved past meat and potatoes to become a diverse, vibrant dining destination.
Did you know we have more than 170 wineries in Colorado? I recently attended the annual Barrel into Spring self-guided tour event in the Grand Valley, sponsored by Colorado Association for Viticulture and Enology. Several wineries and restaurants participated and the sunny weather was ideal to explore these delightful wineries.
Local winemakers Holy Cross Abbey has been notified that seven of their wines have received gold medals at the Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition in San Diego, California and another seven wines have received silver medals.
As winemakers from California, France, Oregon and more traveled from afar to set up for the Taste of Vail festival, Colorado wineries packed up their vehicles and merely drove a few hours to make themselves known at this year’s event.
Perched above the Colorado River, surrounded by Palisade’s prized peach orchards, you’ll discover Restoration Vineyards, where co-owners Linda and Gary Brauns grow six varieties of grapes across 10 acres opening to stellar views of the Book Cliffs.
Alexandria Fox relies on Colorado mead and wine festivals to share (and sell) her locally made mead. Fox is the owner of Dragon Meadery, an Aurora craft meadmaker that is only open by appointment. The mead is also carried in select bottle stores, restaurants and wineries on the Front Range, but Colorado wine festivals allow her to reach eager new customers.
Mom Juice, is thrilled to announce its official launch in Target stores across Colorado and North Carolina. This expansion brings the brand’s low-sugar, ingredient-transparent wines to the two co-founders’ home states.
