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Mother’s Day gets ‘Uncorked’ in the West Elks AVA
Mother’s Day offers the perfect beginning to a season of winery related dinners and special events in the West Elks AVA and the North Fork Valley. Photo and story by Dave Buchanan.
Some notes on events taking place in the West Elks AVA marking Mother’s Day (Sunday May 13) and beyond:
Mother’s Day Brunch at Alfred Eames Cellars – This is the first in a summer series of monthly smorgasbord-style brunches hosted by Eames and Pam Petersen. Hours: 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., cost is $15 for all you can eat (or until the food runs out). Live music from 11-2 featuring David Sheppard. Reservations requested but not required. Information and directions: 970-527-6290 or www.pams-jammin.com. Email: pvinsong@gmail.com. 11931 4050 Rd, Paonia.
Mother’s Day Dinner featuring Stone Cottage Cellars – The wines of Stone Cottage Cellars and the culinary talents of Chef Chelsea Bookout will be featured Sunday at the Locavore at the Auction House dinner, 530 Grand Ave., Paonia. 6:30 p.m., five courses paired with Stone Cottage Cellars wine, $70 per person. Reservations: PaoniaBreadWorks@gmail.com or 970-527-5376.
North Fork “Uncorked”, which highlights the wineries of the North Fork Valley and West Elks AVA wine country, this year happens June 15-17. Special wine dinners and events throughout the weekend, including two full days of tasting the newest releases and special food pairings at all participating wineries. Dinners are scheduled for June 15 at SkyHawk Winery and Leroux Creek Vineyards; June 16 – Stone Cottage Cellars, and June 17 at Alfred Eames Cellars (9 a.m.- 1 p.m. brunch only). Information: WestElksAVA.com or 970-390-4251.
A weekend of events just of you
Become one of Stone Cottage Cellars’ happy fans during this weekend’s North Fork Uncorked events. Photo courtesy of Stone Cottage Cellars.
Don’t say there’s nothing to do as spring makes way for summer.
Colorado wine country (the West Elks American Viticultural Area and the Grand Valley AVA) is celebrating the last weekend of spring (it’s also Father’s Day weekend, just sayin’) with events from book releases to special dinners and barrel tastings to wagon rides and more barrel tastings.
Friday (June 16): Author Christina Holbrook and photographer Marc Hoberman officially launch their book Winelands of Colorado from 4-6 p.m. at the Wine County Inn in Palisade. More on this and related events (fees may be charged for some events): peak1studio@gmail.com.
Saturday: Winemaker Garrett Portra of Carlson’s Vineyards releases his new River’s Edge wine at the Colorado Canyons Association’s fourth annual Crazy About Canyons fundraiser at the winery. Tickets are $75 per person and includes a picnic barbecue buffet, silent auction and special presentation by Peter Jouflas in honor of his father Chris Jouflas, who ranched in what now is McInnis Canyons NCA. Information: www.coloradocanyonsassociation.org.
Saturday/Sunday (June 17-18): The West Elks AVA celebrates North Fork Uncorked and Father’s Day Weekend in fitting style with open houses and special events at nine North Fork Valley wineries. Vineyard tours, wine tastings, and other happenings. Phone numbers (all 970 area codes) follow:
Saturday: Delicious Orchards barbecue and live music, 527-1110; Black Bridge Winery barrel tasting and tractor-pulled wagon rides, 527-6838; Stone Cottage Cellars dinner with the winemaker ($80 per person) plus live music, 527-3444.
Sunday: Brunch by Pam Petersen (live music by David Sheppard), 527-3269; Azura Cellars R/C yacht racing, 390-4251; Black Bridge Winery, barrel tastings, wagon rides, 527-6838.
Participating wineries in addition to those listed above include: 5680’, 527-6476; Leroux Creek Vineyards 872-4746; Mesa Winds Farm & Winery 250-4788; and North Fork Cellars at Delicious Orchards 527-1110.
Dancing to the the U-pick hustle in the West Elks AVA
The West Elks AVA rivals anything elsewhere in the wine world.The North Fork Valley and its nine wineries roll out the red carpet during the West Elks Wine Trail, Aug. 5-7.
PAONIA – Midsummer finds us committed to the U-pick hustle, darting around the North Fork Valley and the Grand Valley seeking tree-fresh cherries, apricots and peaches available seemingly everywhere.
The early peaches (some Paul Friday varieties, if I remember correctly) are at farm stands across the area, tempting the palate as if to say,”You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” with new varieties appearing almost weekly, each one more juicy and luscious than the last.
It’s also time for the eighth annual West Elks Wine Trail, this year on Aug. 5-7, sponsored by nine wineries in the North Fork Valley and named for the West Elks AVA, one of Colorado’s two specially designated wine-grape growing regions.
Special winemakers’ dinners, premium wine tastings and full-on open houses at the wineries make this weekend one of the more-anticipated of the summer. Each participating winery is featuring special food and wine pairings, with a focus on local foods and wines.
Several of the wineries also are hosting their ever-popular winemaker dinners, most of which fill early so reservations are a necessity. Call the wineries for reservations and more information, because what you see here is the only information supplied by the wineries. Prices, when given, are per person. All phone area codes are 970.
Aug. 5 – Leroux Creek Inn, 6:30 p.m., 872-4746; Mesa Wind Farms & Winery‘s Dine in the Orchard, 6:30 p.m., $95, 250-4788.
Aug. 6 –Alfred Eames Cellars, Uruguayan Dinner, 6 p.m. $75, 527-3269 or 527-6290; Azura Cellars & Gallery “Tapas at Twilight”, 7 p.m.; free R/C yacht racing starting at 10 a.m., 527-4251; Stone Cottage Cellars Winemaker’s Dinner at the Cellar featuring a Fattoria Italiana, 7 p.m. 527-3444, $80; Delicious Orchards BBQ from noon – 6 p.m. with live music from 4-7 p.m., no reservations needed, 527-1110. Black Bridge Winery Barrel Tasting at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., repeats on Aug. 7, 527-6838.
The wineries in the North Fork Valley celebrating the West Elks Wine Trail include those listed above as well as Terror Creek Winery, the state’s highest vineyards (at 6,400 feet elevation) as well as one of Colorado’s first wineries, 527-3484; and 5680′ Vineyards, (no website), 314-1253. The photo above was taken at Terror Creek Winery.
So many good things: North Fork wines, Colorado Mountain Winefest tickets on sale
Some of the happy celebrants at Black Bridge Winery in Paonia during the 2015 North Fork Uncorked.This year’s event takes place June 18-19. Photo courtesy Jim Brett.
Tickets now are on sale for the 25th edition of the Colorado Mountain Winefest, once again presented by Alpine Bank.
This year’s four-day Winefest (Thursday, Sept. 15 through Sunday, Sept. 18) includes special wine-and-food pairings at participating local restaurants; four different Colorado Wine Country bus tours; and the 25th Colorado Mountain Winefest Festival in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 17.
Tickets to all events are limited and last year was the first time all tickets for all events were sold. Many people, eager to attend the popular Festival in the Park and accustomed to purchasing a ticket at the gate on the day of the event, were turned away.
Tickets for the Festival in the Park are $50 general admission, $190 for VIP and $25 for the non-drinker. These tickets are limited and likely will sell out. Fewer than 100 of the VIP tickets were remaining as of Friday.
More information, tickets and a complete list of events are available at info@coloradowinefest.com and by calling 464-0111.
North Fork Uncorked June 18-19 – Join winemakers in Hotchkiss and Paonia celebrating Father’s Day weekend in style with their annual North Fork Uncorked, featuring wine and food pairings, winemakers dinners and special offers at participating wineries, open 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Winemakers dinners, Saturday, June 18 – Lee and Kathy Bradley, Black Bridge Winery, dinner by the river. Tickets are $55. Reservations: 970-270-7733 or 527-6838.
Brent and Karen Helleckson, Stone Cottage Cellars, four course, locally grown. Tickets $65. Information and reservations: 970-527-3444.
Sunday, June 19 – Alfred Eames Cellars, Sunday Brunch, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. For menu and information on this and weekly brunches, call Pam Petersen at 970-527-6290.
More information on these and other North Fork Uncorked offers and activities is available at www.westelksava.com and at 527-3444.
This post was updated on June 9 to correct the dates for the 2016 Colorado Mountain Winefest (Sept. 15-18) and Pam Petersen’s phone number (527-6290).
Wine Openers 