Somewhat to my surprise there are a bunch of wineries there making everything from high altitude Pinot Noir to Shiraz as well as less serious wines - the usual range in most other areas in fact.
Given limited time and desirous of having as much wine touring as possible (to preclude spending the same time in less interesting pursuits like souvenir shopping, I need to weed out the dross and find the jewels. If anyone has any experience with Colorado wineries, preferably in the Denver area, please speak up.
I am finding that the star white grape, not surprisingly given the altitude and climate, is Riesling
Some of the local reviews seem a bit suspect. This one on a Petit Verdot seems to come too much from the shock and awe school:
It’s nearly jet black, a bit tannic, has a 20-second finish and pungent spicy aromas that will fill your mouth with wonder.
Presumably wondering what on earth you have put into your mouth?
Similarly a description of a grape we don't usually see seems crafted with a thesaurus of wine and food terms:
Carmena — made primarily from the carmine grape that is a cross between cabernet sauvignon, merlot and Carmenere....... It tastes much like a Chilean Carmenere with leather, habeñero and boysenberries leading off the nose, before transitioning into a wine that balances New Mexican hatch green chilies, juniper and boysenberry flavors.
I'd like to avoid encounters with Hatch chilies in my wine while walking by a great Gewurztraminer producer, for instance, so any inside knowledge you might have would be appreciated and will find it's way into my travel notes.
Last time I did this (also on a car event) was Snake River Lewiston/Clarkston area and it was very interesting, and quite different from the nearby Eastern Washington wine areas I am reasonably familiar with.
