Wednesday, February 18, 2009

BookCliff Owners John and Ulla recognized as a Boulder Couple in Business Together!!




Under the headline, "Labor of Love: Boulder Couples in Business Together - Couples Say Key Is Not To 'Step on Each Other's Toes,' Boulder Colorado Daily Reporter Laurie Phillips writes:"Ulla Merz and John Garlich, BookCliff Vineyards"'We have split it right'"Planting vineyards and starting a winery wasn't the first major undertaking Ulla Merz and John Garlich, of Boulder, entered into. In 1992, the couple began building a house together.""The duration of that project -- about six months -- gave each a sense of what doing business together would be like. Merz left the construction end to Garlich, while she handled the approvals needed and the décor.""Although both are engineers by training, Garlich acknowledges he is more process-oriented, while Merz says she focuses more on the goal."


"Merz met Garlich in 1977 shortly after leaving Germany and starting her education at the University of Colorado.""We have complementary skill sets, and that's definitely helpful," Garlich said.""As they built their house -- as with their business -- he has learned that "for Ulla, it's hard to make decisions quickly; she needs a little time to think." But Garlich also has learned to be patient and build in the time she needs, he said, and he appreciates "the planning aspect of what she brings to our business." Establishing an advisory board, for example, was her idea."


"Having worked as a structural engineer for 22 years and studied winemaking at the University of California-Davis, Garlich began making wine at home in their basement in 1981.""The couple bought 10 acres of peaches in 1995 in the Vinelands, a region east of Palisade. They shared a passion for wine -- and had planted vines in their backyard in Boulder -- and learned as they worked the land and connected with others in the wine industry."


"Now, having added another 23½ acres, BookCliff Vineyards is up to about 2,700 cases of 11 different varietals and continues to sell excess grapes to others.""As their business grows, the couple has decided to consolidate their effort by moving their tasting room from Pearl Street to the winery on Lee Hill Road. They hope to have it open by Valentine's Day, with a grand opening planned for March.""The most important part was to find out that we need to stay out of each other's hair in areas that were not our strength, so the other person could take the lead," Merz said. "We have split it right."You can read the rest of the article in the Colorado Daily here.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Great Time in Colorado Wine Country this weekend.

For any of you on the western slope, or looking for something to do on a roadtrip to the western slope this weekend, let me suggest you visit our friends at the Wine Country Inn. They will be throwing a great Mardi Gras event you can read more about below. On your way, or on your way home, don't forget to stop at The Chocolate Moose at 610 Gold Ave in Glenwood Springs and enjoy your favorite BookCliff Wines and Belvedere Belgian Chocolates and perhaps a soak in one of Glenwood Springs, well...springs

What follows is from our friends at the Colorado Wine Country Inn.....................

####Mardi Gras Night at Wine Country Inn’s Jazz 777 Club Palisade, Colorado – "Laissez les bon temps roulez!” (Let the good times roll!) is the theme of Mardi Gras night at the Wine Country Inn on Saturday, Feb. 21. Join in the revelry, which will include Bourbon Street’s famous Hurricane cocktails, hot food and hotter jazz from 8 to 11 p.m. in the hotel’s Vineyard Room. Live music will spotlight Influx Jazz Quartet, a popular local band which will provide instrumental jazz for listening and dancing. (Influx was booked after the Miles Ahead band had a conflict and had to cancel.) "Influx is a great group," says Event Coordinator Juliann Adams. "They can handle everything from Miles Davis to light jazz and danceable tunes. They may even break out into some Dixieland for Mardi Gras." Guests can celebrate one heck of a New Orleans-style “fais do-do.” Loosely translated, that’s French for dance ‘till you drop. Hear great jazz, grab a drink and dance the night away with friends. Mardi Gras 777 will offer a cash bar, bar menu, and those famous Hurricanes, which are amazing concoctions of lime juice, passion fruit syrup and rum. There is a $5 cover charge. Everyone 21 and over is welcome. To encourage responsible drinking and safety, the hotel is offering an optional special room rate of $77.70 for a standard room for two, including a complimentary pass to Mardi Gras 777 for those who prefer to stay over instead of driving home. The room night is not required for enjoying Mardi Gras 777. “We had such a good turnout for our first Jazz 777 night, we realized that there is a real need for a music venue that’s fun and affordable,” explains Anne Tally, co-owner. “My Mom is a native of Louisiana, I attended college in New Orleans, and our GM logged some years in the hotel business in the state, so we have some knowledge of Mardi Gras!” Tally adds that guests can parley the Mardi Gras room special into a two –night weekend getaway by coming in on Friday and visiting wineries, art galleries and studios, shops, restaurants and other attractions on Saturday before the big party. For those who are not familiar with Mardi Gras, here is a brief explanation:Shrove Tuesday on Feb. 24, is the climax of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras, like other annual carnival celebrations around the world, precedes Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent, a somber observance leading up to Easter. No reservations are required to attend Mardi Gras777, but guests who prefer to stay over should give the hotel a call to book accommodations at the special rate. Parking is free. The Inn is located at 777 Grande River Dr. Palisade (Exit 42 Off I-70). Phone numbers are 970-464-577 and 888-850-8330.About the Wine Country InnNestled in 21 acres of vineyards in Palisade, Colorado, the Wine Country Inn is Colorado’s first wine-themed hotel. The inn sits within walking distance of two wineries and a short drive away from nearly two dozen more. Recently the Inn was voted a “Top 5 Location for an Outdoor Vineyard Wedding” in the U.S. for 2008 by PerfectOutdoorWeddings.com. The hotel sports wrap around porches with wicker furniture, a pool and spa, gift shop, afternoon wine tasting, and wine country breakfast. You can learn more about the Wine Country Inn at:you can read about us at www.coloradowinecountryinn.com, You can also find out more about the Wine Country Inn’s specials and happenings at www.coloradowinecountryinn.blogspot.com#####

We also hope to be doing some room package specials with the Colorado Wine Country Inn for our VIPs later this spring. Stay tuned for further details.

Mark

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Valentines Party at the Winery!

We are happy to announce that on February 14th, Valentines Day, our new tasting room will be open! Finally. As an added bonus we will also be celebrating the release of two new wines. The current Touch of Red which is our sweet fruity red is the perfect wine to share with your sweetheart. The other wine is the 2008 Riesling. This medium dry Riesling is full of peaches and pears with enough minerality and acidity to keep it perfectly balanced. This is a great wine. You can enjoy live music from Molly Greacen from 4-6pm, while you sip your way through our wine list and pair the wines with some Belgian Chocolates. We will have chocolates from Belvedere Belgian Chocolates. This event is free and open to the public.

What: Live Music from Molly Greacen, Wine Tasting, Chocolate and Wine Pairing
When: 1:00 - 6:00 p.m, Music from 4:00 - 6:00, Saturday, February 14th, 2009
Where: BookCliff Vineyards Winery & Tasting Room
1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder CO 80304

The winery/tasting room is located in North Boulder just across from the Gateway amusement park. As you drive out of Boulder on 28th Street, just after you pass the Holiday Drive-in Theater sign, turn left onto Lee Hill Road and then take an immediate right into the parking lot on your right, we're in unit 17. Click here for a map.