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Colorado Wines: What We’re MakingWine Tasting 101Chef Wayne – Videos and RecipesDid You Know? -- Wine CountryMonumental WeddingTen Facts about Colorado National Monument
 
  SPRING BARREL TASTING IN GRAND JUNCTION By Nancy Yackel
Ticket purchasers receive random assignments to their first winery where each receives a Weekend Passport, map and souvenir wine glass. After that, attendees participate at their leisure, spending as much time as desired at each destination. The Passport also serves as a 15% discount coupon for wine purchases during the festival. I savor peppered tenderloin with the Grande Valley syrah before concluding the visit with chocolate and a dash of port. Located on the north bank of the Colorado River, the vineyards of Canyon Wind Cellars bask in warm sunny days and evenings cooled by canyon breezes, conditions ideal for fruit ripening. At Colorado's only underground wine cellars, winemaker Robert Pepi shares the intense flavors of hot climate reds - syrah and cabernet - as staff from the Colorado Culinary
Surrounded by barrels, tubing and airlocks, the owner of DeBeque Canyon Winery, Bennett Price, shares his love of the winemaking process. Price and his wife Davy established many of the Grand Valley vineyards before founding their own winery in 1997. Davy oversees a buffet table of delectable edibles: salmon spread with capers, mushrooms in wine sauce, polenta with Gorgonzola, matching food flavors to the wines as we sample viognier, Gewurztraminer, claret, tempranillo, malbel and syrah. A summer picnic atmosphere envelops Carlson Vineyards. Amiable host Parker Carlson insists we fill a plate of delicacies catered by il Bistro Italiano. "Now take a bite of lamb... try this with the duck," Carlson leads a group through an orderly tasting. I'm surprised how much I like a dessert wine with a hint of orange labeled "Fat Cat Muscat," adding bottles to my cache. At Plum Creek Cellars a blending table offers insight into the complicated balance of fine wines. First I try a 100% merlot, followed by blends with 10% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon – a lesson in varietal characteristics. Samples of wines aged in oak barrels from France, Hungary and
Sunday morning starts with a visit to Two Rivers Winery and Chateau. Below the red sandstone cliffs of Colorado National Monument, Colorado's only destination winery welcomes overnight guests to the French country-style Chateau. While sampling chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and Riesling I vow to return for a weekend getaway. A remodeled historic barn serves as winemaking facility and hayloft tasting room at Garfield Estates. While sipping Fumé Blanc, merlot and cabernet franc, one food choice disappears by the handfuls – herbed roasted almonds. Owner Jeff Carr shares the recipe while taking orders for blanc and franc. As with a fine dinner, the weekend concludes with a classic port at Graystone Vineyards. Silver trays of nuts and confections and crystal decanters add elegance to Barbara Maurer's tasting room. The gregarious owner/winemaker has received national and international recognition for the boutique-style winery. The rewards of Spring Barrel Tasting last throughout the year as I open each purchased wine, and recall the food pairings - a memorable weekend in "Colorado's Wine Country." If you go: Barrel Into Spring occurs on April 24-25, 2010 and May 15-16, 2010. Register by calling Two Rivers Winery: 970-255-1471 or visit www.tworiverswinery.com. For more information on the Grand Valley Winery Association, visit www.grandvalleywine.com. To learn more about Colorado's Wine Country, watch our Wine video here. |
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