Rocky Mountain Wine…

…I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I go to get the mail, I find that I’ve become a subscriber to a magazine that I have recollection of actually signing up for…  Yesterday was one of those days, as a copy of Outside’s GO magazine was on my doorstep.  As I thumbed through it, I happened upon a great wine article that I thought I’d share…

As I’ve mentioned in the blog  that I’m aware of the fact that there are wineries in all 50 states of the union, but I’m always surprised when I find out about one in a state like- Colorado.  And that’s what I read about in the pages of my new magazine, where they list “producing an exquisite petit verdot” as #362 on thier ‘life-list of goals.’ Colorado winemaker John Sutcliffe can scratch that off of his list.

Sutcliffe, a British import, planted vines at what would become Sutcliffe Vineyards 13 years ago, after his architect suggested that vines would look nice.  He settled down in Colorado after stints in New York managing a couple of little restaurants like Maxwell’s Plum and Tavern on the Green.

Perusing the winery’s website, one can’t help but notice the beautiful Colorado vistas that serve as a backdrop to the vineyards.  I’m sure the wine-making process is not drastically different from what happens in Napa or Sonoma, though I found it amusing that violent hailstorms sometimes force the winery crew to “…bring everything inside and shut the doors.”

In terms of the quality of the wine, I haven’t tasted any of the varietals produced there, which include Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Cabernet, Syrah and Petit Verdot, but it’s worth mentioning that top restaurants like Nobu’s Matsuhisa Aspen are pouring them.

You can read the article here at OutsideGO’s website.