It’s always a good idea to support local businesses. And “buy local” has become a popular outcry in recent years. While it is most common in arts and crafts and especially in food, it also is relevant for beer, wine and spirits. And especially with the economic challenges caused by the pandemic, it is even more important to support these small businesses. Since this is a wine column and I am based in Colorado, I am suggesting Colorado wine for the holidays this year.
Colorado has a burgeoning wine industry (over 130 businesses) that is growing in national recognition. “Colorado wine is a fine choice for holiday meals, particularly the crisp, dry Rieslings or Tempranillo and some Italian varieties that would be a great red option for the bird. And of course, Cabernet Franc for roast beef or lamb,” said Doug Caskey, executive director of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board.
And, of course, think Colorado when looking for a holiday wine gift. Many wine shops in the state carry Colorado wine and many of the wineries have holiday gift offerings, whether individual bottles or special packages. A few of my favorites include Bookcliff Vineyards, Creekside Cellars and Bonacquisti. Most wineries have online sales available on their own websites which you can link to from www.coloradowine.com.
A special choice is The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey in Canyon City about two hours south of Denver, has many options worth perusing. You can purchase individual bottles but the winery offers a 15 percent case discount on most of their wines (assortments permitted) and 10 percent off six bottles. A special offering for the season is 20 percent off bottles of Riesling. You can choose from their full line of wines, including special releases like Divinity and Vineyard Sunset and exclusive bottlings, such as – Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and the flagship Revelation red wine blend – also are offered, although discounts are not available for these. They also are offering $15 shipping on orders over $125. You can choose by the bottle or cradled in a branded wooden gift box for an extra charge. Check out them out at https://abbeywinery.com.
The website also has numerous non-wine items available. A favorite is the set of 100% Extra Virgin Arbequina Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar. Aged in Juniper and cypress barrels for up to eighteen years, the corrugated gift set ($47.50) contains olive oil, balsamic vinegar, seasoning mix, and a Portuguese hand-painted dipping dish.
I also have for you two good options from California wineries with a Colorado connection.
How about an opening to a new world of winemaking and wine photography with a gift from Aperture Cellars? Founded in 2009 in Sonoma County by winemaker and Boulder native Jesse Katz with his father, world famous photographer Andy Katz, each wine label features an original Andy Katz photograph. Andy is one of the most sought-after wine country photographers in the world, though his portfolio ranges beyond wine.
Jesse has said he prefers Sonoma County, especially its cool sites, because it offers the best of both worlds: new world fruit and old world elegance. I would describe his winemaking approach as allowing the energy the soil has translated into the grapes to shine through his wines just as a camera’s aperture allows light to shine through.
For someone not even forty years old yet, Jesse has an impressive list of accomplishments. His father brought him on visits to the most famous vineyards around the world. He got to experience wine as part of the food and cultural experience. Since graduating Fresno State, he traveled California and the world getting experience, including work at Chateau Petrus, Fess Parker, Screaming Eagle, Lancaster Estate and more. He also has made wine for Von Miller, and Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel.
Cabernet Sauvignon is Aperture’s signature wine but what he calls the “Soil Series” also includes a Bordeaux Red Blend, and a Barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc. The “Site Series” offers single vineyard wines.
Aperture wines are available at select locations in Colorado, including retailers: and restaurants. The wines and special gift options also are available at the website (https://aperture-cellars.com).
And how about wine from Denver Broncos iconic quarterback John Elway? 7Cellars was founded by Elway and his business partner, along with Napa winemaker Rob Mondavi, Jr. about seven years ago. Now, 7Cellars has expanded with a new portfolio – The Farm Collection – created in collaboration with ONEHOPE Winery. The line of three varietal wines (2018 vintage retails for $19) celebrates Elway’s college days (“The Farm’ is the knickname for Stanford University) and is intended to be more approachable (in price and drinkability) than Elway’s Reserve wines.
The 2018 Chardonnay is sourced from Arroyo Seco, the 2018 Pinot Noir from Monterey, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. If you cannot find the wines in local shops, they can be purchased online at www.7cellars.com. There also is a three-bottle magnetic gift box for $110. And for each bottle purchased, 7Cellars makes a donation to Team Rubicon, a nonprofit organization that supports, trains and deploys U.S. veterans on disaster relief missions around the world. To date, more than 5,870 veterans have been supported through sales of 7Cellars wines.
Finally, if you are looking ahead to getting back out on the road in the coming months and have wine country in mind, again I suggest you keep it local. A nice guide is the recently released The Wines of Southwest U.S.A.($40).
In the book, author Jessica Dupuy presents a useful hand book to the wines and wineries of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. In each chapter, she covers the history, climate, wine producing regions, and the challenges each state wine industry face the future. Of course, there are highlights of key wineries that shouldn’t be missed. Each chapter also concludes with welcome recommendations for where to eat and stay. This book would make a fine gift for any wine country traveler.