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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.
Wine Openers 