Colorado Wine Week comes to the Front Range June 2-8
GET YOUR ELEVATION OUTDOORS VIP TICKET HERE
Wine culture is more couture than rugged. Thankfully, Colorado spins just about any industry on its head with its wild Western outlook on life. This is why it shouldn’t surprise that the men and women who ferment grapes grown from the fertile soils of the Western Slope can just as easily find their way through the wilderness with a compass as they can create a delicate and balanced Riesling perfect alongside a chunk of gouda.
With Colorado Wine Week set to take over Denver June 2-8 (including the grand tasting Colorado Urban Winefest event June 8 at Infinity Park) we celebrate some of the most outdoorsy winemakers in North America.
See if you can keep up with their wine acumen or outdoor skill.
Blake Eliasson, Settembre Cellars (Boulder)
An avid mountain biker, Eliasson also crafts small-batch wines from his home-based Boulder operation (on Grape Street!). His bone-dry Riesling is one of the best whites in the state and he even makes a few cases a year of wine made from grapes grown in the backyard. When he can peel away from the operation, he seeks the single track of 401 trail, a rugged 14-mile loop in Crested Butte.
Marianne “Gussie” Walter, Augustina’s Winery (Boulder)
Gussie has a wine named after her favorite outdoor endeavor. Boulder Backpacking Red is an easy-drinking dry Cabernet Franc with a hint of spice and smoke that makes it an apt companion to the campfire. Her campfire is generally somewhere in the isolated wilderness of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado.
Michelle Cleveland, Creekside Cellars (Evergreen)
Cleveland camped out along just about every stage in last year’s U.S.A. Pro Cycling Challenge (wine and cheese at each stop). She makes one of the state’s best Cabernet Francs and can probably climb up to Evergreen on her bicycle quicker than you can drive. Her favorite ride is the challenging route up Squaw Pass from Bergen Park to Echo Lake and back. She’s known to pack a piece of homemade pie to enjoy at the visitor center before heading back down.
Jackie Thompson, Boulder Creek Winery (Boulder)
Boulder Creek Winery is perhaps the most awarded producer in Colorado, taking home “Best of Shows” and double gold medals at wine competitions around the country. The focus of this family operation is Old World wine. But Jackie, husband Mike and son Will share more than a similar taste for wine: Each are avid triathletes. The “My Way or the Tri Way” race (each July in Cherry Creek State Park) is a favorite since it allows the choice of order.
Joe Buckel, Sutcliffe Vineyards (Cortez)
Buckel made a name for himself in the wine world working at the prestigious Flowers and BR Cohn wineries in Sonoma. He finds himself back in Colorado working with one of the state’s most prestigious labels. It’s not a coincidence that the vineyard is just a two-hour trip to Silverton, Buckel’s favorite place to take his turns. Come summertime, he takes his mountain bike to the nearby Canyon of the Anciets to ride in the ancient ruins.
Doug Kingman, Kingman Estates Winery (Denver)
Kingman is one of the newest winemaker in the state, having just opened two years ago in northeast Denver. The winemaker/owner has summited 35 14ers, with Mount of the Holy Cross, the epic peak visible from the top of Eagle Bahn Gondola at Vail next on the list.
See all these winemakers at the third annual Colorado Urban Winefest, 1 p.m. June 8 at Infinity Park in Glendale. Get $8 off a GA or VIP ticket with “ElevationOutdoors” promo code. Winefest is the capstone event of Colorado Wine Week, a seven-day celebration of local food and wine across the metro area.
