Tuesday, December 31, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards Touch of Red for the New Year

The 2012 version of the Touch of Red flew out the door and we found ourselves without any more bottles to sell before Christmas. Though it is not quite Valentine's yet, we got to work on the new version of the Touch of Red. Usually the blend was dominated by Merlot. The sweet for the 2013 version is made from Cabernet Franc grapes. We also added some Syrah to give it more body. The new Touch of Red has beautiful ruby color with its usual sweetness and a zippy finish.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Belated Christmas Gift for Wine Enthusiasts

If you are the lucky recipient of a gift certificate and have not chosen your Christmas gift yet, here is a fun and educational book about Wine Grapes. The book of the same name is co-authored by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz. Published in 2012 it has become the definitive guide to learn about the origins of grape varietals and their characteristics in wine making. Though the book is a financial investment, if you enjoy wine, it provides inexpensive, not to say cheap entertainment. You can sit on the couch all afternoon and have your fingers explore the different grape varieties. Who would have thought that the United States is the origin of 76 grape varieties, just as many as were created and certified in Germany. Who would have thought that Trollinger is Shiava Grossa which is genetically related to Muscat Hamburg which also is called Black Muscat.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards in Strasbourg

I had the fortune to spend a couple of days in Strasbourg visiting the Christmas market that is going on during the month of December. Streets are decorated with colorful light chains with each street showing off its own design. And the houses are decorated with Christmas ornaments. Many squares are filled with booths that offer Christmas themed products. The focus of this market is crafts rather than food. The food you can enjoy at the Weinstube offering local fare and of course Alsatian wine. Dry Riesling is still their specialty and you cannot go wrong no matter which quality you order. Enjoy it for lunch or dinner in small long-stemmed glasses.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Digging in the Dirt at BookCliff Vineyards

We at BookCliff Vineyards are working on improving our Vineland's vineyard in Palisade and are replacing our furrow irrigation system with a micro sprinkler system. We received a grant from the NRCS to pay for half of the materials. To save and make the installation of the sprinkler system less expensive we are doing the labor ourselves. Before Thanksgiving John, Michelle from Creekside Cellars and Prescott, Jose and Camerino, our employees at the farm went to task and put the trenches in for the new sprinkler system. The goal is to have the system working starting with the new season in May 2014.

BookCliff Vineyards Releases Flagstaff Star Wine 2013

As it is our tradition BookCliff Vineyards has released the Flagstaff Star Wine for the holiday season. This year the wine is the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. As usual $1.00 for each bottle purchased goes to the Flagstaff Star fund at the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and pays to keep the star lit on the mountain. This year's art on the label was used for the first time in 2003, the first release of the Flagstaff Star wine. The artist is Gail Crites.
The Flagstaff Star wine is available at the following local liquor stores:

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Another Jefferson Cup for BookCliff Vineyards

BookCliff Vineyards received a Jefferson Cup for the 2011 BookCliff Vineyards Cabernet Franc Reserve at the 14th Annual Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition.
This year, out of over seven hundred chosen wines, the judges selected just over three hundred
wines to receive the “Medals of American Merit”, which respects wines exemplary of their regions and varieties, and is comparable to a Silver Medal at most competitions. Next the judges chose one hundred sixty-seven wines (there was no pre-ordained number or percentage) that they believed were truly excellent wines, roughly equivalent to Gold Medals in other competitions. Those will receive medallions announcing them as “Medals of American Excellence”.
This year, seventy-seven wines were selected as Jefferson Cup nominees; these wines were
nominated by the six judging committees to be considered for Jefferson Cups. Out of those seventyseven
honored wines, the judges collectively picked twenty-five wines to be awarded the Jefferson
Cup.
This is the third time BookCliff Vineyards was awarded a Jefferson Cup.
The 2012 Petit Verdot was a Jefferson Cup Nominee

Monday, November 18, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards Holiday Farmers Market

Come to THE GOOD LIFE HOLIDAY MARKET at BookCliff Vineyards winery and tasting room where you can find prepared dinners  and fabulous pies to purchase. Eric Skokan from the Black Cat Farm will offer his prepared dinners; buy some beets to go with Mulefoot pork. My Mom’s Pies will have a selection of pies to sample, for purchase and to order; if you don’t want to buy the traditional pumpkin pie, or my favorite the berry pie. Buy some Colorado fruits and vegetable in a jar from MMLocal; the beets and the pears are my favorite. And not to forget sample and purchase some of the fabulous cheeses from Haystack Goat Cheese made right here in Boulder County; for a special treat get yourself the Chevre en Marinade.
And to add to the fun you can taste five wines for free to find the perfect pairing to go with the food.
Date: Sunday, November 24th, 2013
Time: 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Location: BookCliff Vineyards winery, 1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder, CO 80304

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards Warehouse and Flood Sale

We are glad that we are done with the hundred-year flood and make it part of our past. 
Finishing harvest we finally had some time to deal with our comparatively minor flooding problem that left some wine bottles with labels that show the stains from the flood.
BookCliff Vineyards is hosting a warehouse wine sale to benefit the Mental Health Partners that had to temporarily relocate it's Boulder-based services because of the recent floods. BookCliff Vineyards will be selling bottles of wine for 30% to 50% off that have water damaged labels. 10% of the revenue from the sales will be donated to the Boulder County Mental Health Partners. In addition John Garlich and Ulla Merz, the owners of BookCliff Vineyards, will personally match any proceeds or donations from the event up to $500.00.



When: Saturday 11/16/2013 and Sunday 11/17/2013
Time: 1:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: 1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder, Colorado 80304, BookCliff Vineyards winery & tasting room

Monday, November 4, 2013

Getaway after the 2013 Harvest

We, at BookCliff Vineyards, are finally done with harvest. The last grapes from the 2013 harvest were pressed last week. The capstone to the harvest was a wonderful and tasty harvest dinner served at the winery including Neuer Wein, half fermented wine still cloudy from the yeast. The Riesling was a superb pairing with the onion tart (Zwiebelkuchen) a tradition in the Southwest of Germany.
Now, its time to head to the hills. But, first we make a stop at the vineyard in Palisade. Then for a two-day getaway in Paonia, at the Fresh and Wyld bed and breakfast before the season's closing. Fresh and Wyld is a paradise summer or winter, beautiful scenery, great breakfast and enjoyable hiking; just bundle up this time of year. Catch the inn on Fridays for a home-style dinner or for Thanksgiving; everything from the kitchen is local. Enjoy the quiet.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Harvest Dinner

 We want to share with you our celebration of the end of harvest with a four course dinner of authentic German food. Zwiebelkuchen, a traditional German harvest dish, will be served with Neuer Wein, half-fermented juice of the 2013 vintage. Enjoy an intimate dinner at the winery. It is November 2nd, 2013. Please visit www.bookcliffvineyards.com/events for more information and reservations. Cheers! 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Done with picking grapes at BookCliff Vineyards


We are done for 2013. The last grapes were picked and delivered on 10/18; Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. After taking a deep breath it is time to roll up the bird netting and stow it away. Bins need to washed and put back into the barn. And not to forget, there is finally time to fix what need fixing. The quantity of grapes is 45% of the 2012 harvest. Stand-outs are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot - something to look forward to about the 2013 vintage. Overall the 2013 growing season experienced record cold weather in January and record rains in September. So, let's wrap this up and hope for a better 2014.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Swamped with Grapes at BookCliff Vineyards


The long days are not over yet. We are still harvesting and still receiving grapes at the winery. This week we are getting Cabernet Franc and Chambourcin. The Cabernet Franc is the crown jewel making a wine unique to Colorado. Chambourcin is something new to us and we are still evaluating whether to use it for blending or make something totally new, a sparkling Chambourcin. Two more down and one more to come. Next week we will receive the final truck load with Cabernet Sauvignon wrapping up the 2013 harvest season. Luckily the weather cooperated for most of the time. Only once was it raining and cold all day.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Wine at the Boulder Food Film Festival

If you like wine and enjoy tasty food to go with it, you may want to attend one or all of the films brought to you by the first annual Food Film Festival in Boulder October 9th through 13th. Each of the movies will be introduced by a local speaker or panel. The movie I am going to watch is called SOMM, the story of what is involved in becoming a Sommelier. The local panel discussing the movie is made up of master sommeliers, Sally Mohr, Wayne Belding, Douglas Krenik and Bobby Stuckey. Listen to the wine geeks to learn what hoops they had to jump through to be designated as a super taster when it comes to wine.
Buy tickets here. See you there.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Join BookCliff Vineyards at the Denver Harvest Week

The Denver Harvest Week is a fabulous tradition. Every year around September/October restaurants from the Denver Independent Restaurant Network put on an all-week feast, Sunday through Friday. Every evening chefs from the best restaurants in Denver put together a feast of flavors that dance in your mouth. If you still have time and no plans, buy tickets here. Local wine, beer and spirits will accompany the food. BookCliff Vineyards will serve the wine on Wednesday 9/25/13. The cocktail hour starts promptly at 6:00pm at the Growhaus on 4751 York Street , Denver. The price is $75.00 including tax and gratuity. The motto of the evening is a Platte River Luau presenting delicious pigs/pork in many different ways.
Come join us.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards will be at Colorado Mountain Winefest

We at BookCliff Vineyards are looking forward to sunny Palisade, Colorado and the Colorado Mountain Winefest this Saturday, September 21st, 2013. The activities start on Friday the 20th with seminars and wine dinners. We will have our Feast in the Vineyard - 5 fabulous dishes paired with great wine from BookCliff. Take in the Palisade scenery of vineyards and sandstone cliffs while enjoying the dinner. Saturday the 21st is the big tasting in the park starting at 10:30am in Riverbend Park. Take a break from sampling wine and listen to music, or stomp the grapes. This is the Colorado wine event not to be missed. Come and have a fun day. For tickets click here.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Taste BookCliff Wines at PettyJohn's in Boulder

Ann Coppinger, owner of PettyJohn's Liquor and Wine in Boulder, Colorado, is a great supporter of Colorado wines. Ann has made Colorado wine the Wine Focus at the store for the months of September and October. This is in celebration of the harvest and Colorado Mountain Winefest in Palisade the weekend of September 21st, 2013. Ann is bringing in a great selection of Colorado wines that are showcased during the Friday in-store tastings. BookCliff Vineyards' wines will be poured for taste on Friday 9/27/13 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and the owner will be present. Malbec, Ensemble, Tempranillo and Chardonnay will be offered for taste.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

2013 Harvest Started at BookCliff Vineyards

The crew in front of the press
Due to the low crop load and the hot days in late August and September the grapes are ripening quickly in 2013. We started our 2103 harvest with Muscat Blanc. Unfortunately we only harvest about one ton of grapes, as this variety experienced a lot of damage from winter freeze and spring frost. 2013 follows a year of abundance in 2012 where Colorado was blessed with good quantity and quality at the same time.
It looks like the different varieties are ripening quickly and we can expect to crush Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon next week.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards Black Muscat Barrel Aged

Finally the Black Muscat is back. Back in February 2013 we embarked on our new bottle and label design for the Black Muscat, a dessert wine made from Black Muscat grapes and our own wine distilled. We decided on a new design using silk-screened bottles rather than a paper label. The entire process from design to production took much longer than anticipated. Last week we received the new bottles and we are very pleased with the result. I hope you like it too. Bottle and wine are a great match.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Wine, Cheese and Prosciutto Flights at BookCliff Vineyards

Come join us for our Love the Local festivity and taste for your self fabulous local wine, cheese and Prosciutto. We will be offering a flight of three wines paired with Prosciutto from the Black Cat Farm Bistro and cheese from Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy.
Date: Saturday September 7th, 2013
Time: 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Cost: $5.00, receive a refund with the purchase of two bottles
Location: BookCliff Vineyards winery and tasting room, 1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder, CO 80304
Reservations: No reservations needed

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Veraison in the Vineyard at BookCliff

We are sprinting towards harvest if the start date of veraison is an indication. As the crop load in the vineyard is lower the grapes are ripening faster. We are prepared for the bird flocks as the nets are on. From now to harvest the work that can be done in the vineyard is limited. With the nets on in-row weeding is not possible anymore and spray applications for powdery milldew are not possible. Now is the time to empty the tanks and order the yeast to get ready for the new crop to arrive in the winery.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Jazz with your Ensemble

Instead of celebrating the start of the summer with Jazz we are going to have Jazz with your Ensemble towards the end of summer. What could be better than a fabulous five course dinner paired with our red blend Ensemble and other wines while listening to Jazz. This event will be held at the winery, 1501 Lee Hill Road #17 Boulder, on Saturday August 24th 2013 at 6:30pm. For reservations please go to www.bookcliffvineyards.com/events. Here's the menu for the event:



1. Roasted salmon with puff pastry palisade peaches and pea shoot.
2. Duck confit over arugula with marinated cherries.
3. Grilled summer vegetables with fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes.
4. Seared buffalo short ribs with blue cheese.
5. Chocolate cake with berries.
So join us for a fun night with friends. Enjoy wonderful food, wines, and good music. Cheers!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards at Alfalfa's Market and In Season

BookCliff Vineyards will be out and about tasting wine with customers at Alfalfa's Market in Boulder, COand In Season in Louisville, CO.
This is a great opportunity to taste before you buy. If you find something you like this is also a great way to support local businesses with your purchase.
I hope you can join us.

Alfalfa's Market
Location:  1651 Broadway St  Boulder, CO 80302
Date: Tuesday 7/30/13
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

In Season Market
Location: 924 Main Street, Louisville, CO 80027
Date: Friday 8/2/13
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards Wine Dinner - Jazz with your Ensemble

Instead of celebrating the start of the summer with Jazz we are going to have Jazz with your Ensemble towards the end of summer. What could be better than a fabulous dinner (five courses) paired with Ensemble (red blend) and other wines while listening to Jazz (keyboard and saxophone).
Date: Saturday August 24th, 2013
Time: 6:30pm
Location: 1501 Lee Hill Road Unit #17, Boulder, CO 80304
Cost: $65.00
Reservations: [Click here]

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Quiche and Wine Flights at the BookCliff Vineyards tasting room

Continuing on the theme “Love the Local” we have teamed up with Shamane’s Bake Shoppe offering a wine and quiche flight. Three wines paired with a taste of quiche each for $5.00. Quiche offers just as interesting pairing options as cheese. Shamane is known for her incredible wedding cakes, but she also bakes fantastic savory items. Find her baked goods at the Boulder Farmers Market every Saturday.
Date: Saturday July 20th,, 2013
Time: 1:00pm -6:00pm
Location: 1501 Lee Hill Road, #17, Boulder, CO 80304
Cost: $5.00

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards Merlot Clusters in Early July

Lots of green berries on the clusters this time of the year. 2013 turns out to be a strange year in the vineyard. Some vineyards experienced a lot of damage from either the winter cold or the spring frost and have barely any clusters. Other vineyards that were spared have a normal size crop with big clusters. Merlot in Colorado often struggles with a pour fruit set or loose clusters. This is a healthy big Merlot cluster. Just within a month the berries will turn color starting their ripening process.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards at Second Annual Chip N Sip Pet Microchip and Wine/Beer Tasting Event at Liquor Mart

Join Liquor Mart and the Humane Society of Boulder Valley for our Second Annual Chip and Sip pet microchipping and customer wine/beer tasting taking place at Liquor Mart! We know what your thinking, what is "Chip N Sip"?
Chip: Get peace of mind with low-cost microchips for your furry friends (from 2-4pm). For only $10, your pet will receive a mini-microchip implant performed by a licensed veterinarian.
Sip: During the event, you'll have the opportunity to taste wine and beers from a variety of vendors including Volio Vino, Natural Wine Co., Bookcliff Vineyards, Boulder Beer, Left Hand Brewing, New Planet Gluten Free Beer, and Upslope Brewing. Cost to attend the event is just $5 with all proceeds being donated to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley
When: Sat, July 13, 12pm – 4pm
Where: 1750 15th St, Boulder, CO 80302
 


Monday, June 17, 2013

The grapes are Flowering in the BookCliff Vineyards

Last Thursday we visited the vineyards to see the progress the grapes are making. Due to the recent wave of hot weather the grapes are growing like weeks. Some of the varieties are flowering at the moment. One of them is the Merlot. As you walk down the rows you can smell the sweet scent. We keep our fingers crossed that it does not rain and that we won't have high winds while the grapes flower and set fruit. If everything goes according to schedule, we can expect ripe fruit in the middle of September.

Monday, June 10, 2013

2013 Colorado Governors Cup - BookCliff Vineyards

The 2012 Unoaked Chardonnay from BookCliff Vineyards received the Best Chardonnay award of all Colorado Chardonnays submitted to the 2013 Colorado Governors Cup Wine Competition. This is the first time BookCliff Vineyards made an unoaked Chardonnay. Every year our Chardonnay spent less time in oak barrels. The 2012 grapes also produced a rich flavor full of fruit. The wine shows a smooth, buttery finish. This is a wine to enjoy on its own. Cheers!!
Ron Carlton, deptuty agriculutral commissioner and Doug Caskey, director of the colorado wine development board, present the award to John Garlich, owner/winemaker at BookCliff Vineyards.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards Winemaker Dinner at Arugula Boulder





Join us right near the summer solstice for a wonderful nearly all local meal.  All the wines are made right here in Boulder by BookCliff Vineyards.  100% of the grapes come from their own vineyards in Palisade, at the head of Colorado’s Grand valley.  All grapes are grown using sustainable farming practices; never using pesticide and herbicide and only using compost as fertilizer.  Founders, owners and winemakers John Garlich and Ulla Merz will be at the dinner to present and discuss their wines.  Chef’s Alec Schuler and Sven Hedenas created the adeptly paired menu using Italian culinary inspiration and as many local products as possible
.
Date: Tuesday 6/25/13
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Arugula, 2785 Iris Ave, Boulder, CO 80304
Cost: $40/person for the meal with an additional $29/person for the wines (+tax & tip).
Reservation: 303.443.5100
  

THE MENU

Smooth hakurai Japanese turnip* soup topped with pea shoot* puree,
 walking onions* and toasted hazelnuts
Muscat Blanc 2010

Pan seared King salmon with spicy braising greens*, smoked apricots*
 and Italian style parsley* salsa verde
Zinfandel 2011

Handmade potato gnocchi with pulled duck confit, kale*, bing cherries*,
 orange zest and Greek feta cheese
Ensemble (Bordeaux blend) 2011

Long Farm pork belly* & pork tenderloin* porchetta with roasted yellow beets*, spring
 radishes* and garlic scapes*; with Dijon-Cabernet wine sauce
Cabernet Franc Reserve 2010

Strawberry-rhubarb* pie with short bread crust and lemon sorbet
Late harvest Muscat Blanc
*denotes local products

Friday, May 31, 2013

2013 Crop at BookCliff Vineyards has a Rough Start

The 2013 crop had a rough season so far. January 2013 recorded the coldest temperatures in Grand Junction. The average high for January 38 degrees Fahrenheit and the average low is 17 degrees Fahrenheit. This January the daily high often did not reach 20 and the daily low dipped below -10 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition we had three freeze incidents in March and April this year. All crops saw some damage. There will be no apricots or cherries this year. Peaches are between 40% and 50% crop depending the location and our vineyards on average will be only 50% productive in 2013. There is not much positive to report, except the crop count was faster and harvest will require less labor.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

East Meets West

East Meets West is a wonderful opportunity to drink local wines, meet and interact with the winemakers. At BookCliff Winery, we will be tasting our own wines and also wines from Whitewater Hill. Not only will you drink fantastic wines, but you can learn more about them from the
winemakers, John Garlich of BookCliff Vineyards and Nancy Janes of Whitewater Hill.
This event will be Thursday June 6th, 2013 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Heirloom Food Truck will also be there. You can have your choice of tasting six wines (three from Whitewater Hill and three from BookCliff Vineyards) for $5.00 (tasting fee is refunded on purchase of two bottles). You may also indulge in a food and wine pairing (a glass of wine paired with a dish from Heirloom Food Truck) for $12.00. Or just enjoy a glass of wine of your choice for $6.00. So come in and enjoy everything that local has to offer. Hope to see you all there! Cheers!
RSVP here.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Double Gold Award for the 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserve

The BookCliff Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserve received a double gold medal at the 2013 Colorado Governor's Cup. 225 wines were submitted and four double gold medals were awarded. We are reserving some cases for the Urban Winefest on June 8th, 2013 at Infinity Park in Gendale, Colorado.
Come and celebrate with 35 Colorado wineries and taste some of the fabulous wines. List of awards click here.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Longmont Farmers Market

Come one, come all! BookCliff Vineyards has been represented at the Longmont Farmers' Market for many years. It's a wonderful place to come on a Saturday mornings and support local agricultural producers whom sell their products to the public themselves. You will find a variety of Colorado-grown produce, all the way from conventional methods of growing down to those who are certified organic growers. The farmers markets have opened their doors to not just large farmers, but local food vendors, wine vendors, and even local artists. There is always a little something for everyone.
Every week BookCliff Vineyards sets up our tent with various wines for you to taste. Since we take great pride in being 100% Colorado-grown, farm table wine the Longmont Farmers Market is a great place for us to showcase our product. We have up to five different wines every week to taste, a couple of reds and whites, and even a sweet wine. Be sure to come early as most wines do sell out pretty early on, such as our Touch of Red (a local favorite). Doors open at 8:00am and go till 1:00pm. So come on down and support local! Cheers!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards - Open House

Seating area with new paint and pictures
It has been four years since we opened our doors on Lee Hill Road. We decided a fresh look was needed. We did not want to stop at the fresh look, but make some more room as well and add some seating so you can linger for a while. What will stay the same is the friendly staff - Justin, Megan, Will and Holly. Come join us and celebrate the new look with BookCliff wines and appetizers from Trattoria on Pearl.
DateSaturday 5/18/13
Time: 1:00pm-6:00pm  
Location: BookCliff Vineyards Winery, 1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder, CO 80304
CostFREE
 

Friday, April 26, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards' Barrel Tasting Dinner at the Winery


This is your opportunity to taste the emerging wines with the winemaker as they age in the barrel as well as compare wine aged in different types of barrels. We will also taste current releases for your enjoyment. This is a five course sit-down dinner and each wine will be perfectly matched with gourmet dishes prepared by Eric Skokan, chef and owner of the Black Cat Farm Bistro in Boulder.
Date: Friday 5/3/13, Saturday 5/4/13
Time: 6:30pm
Cost: $70.00
Location: BookCliff Vineyards Winery and Tasting Room, 1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder, CO 80304
Reservations: [Click Here]

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Unoaked Chardonnay

BookCliff Vineyards has decided to dress up its Chardonnay in new clothes, and has released anUnoaked Chardonnay. Chardonnay is changing. You can find Chardonnays all the way from buttery Chardonnay's with strong oak flavors to crisp unoaked Chardonnays. New wine regions, such as Colorado, want to break away from the buttery, oaky Chardonnay's as made famous in Napa and Sonoma Valley and have experimented with unoaked Chardonnay. Over the years BookCliff Vineyards Chardonnay has remained very fruit forward, as is true for our 2012 varietal as well. For fun  we decided to release a version aged in oak barrels (Chardonnay 2012) and a version aged in our stainless steel tanks(Unoaked Chardonnay 2012). The oak version has more complexity, but the oak will also cover up some of the fruit. The unoaked Chardonnay promises to be more of a crowd pleaser. Come into our newly remodeled tasting room in Boulder and taste our oaked, and unoaked Chardonnays and be the judge! Cheers!

Monday, April 8, 2013

New Tasting Room

We recently embarked on a new remoldeling project in our tasting room. We thought updating and adding additional seating would really open up the room. The floor is all brand new and the walls are freshly painted. The idea is to bring in a warm atmosphere and provide plenty of seating for you all to sit and mingle and enjoy BookCliff's fine wine. With summer rapidly approaching, we wanted to create a warm environment for everyone to relax and enjoy wine, maybe after a long hike. So please come in and check out all the new and exciting things happening here at BookCliff Vineyards. We can't wait to serve you all up a fine glass of wine while you put your feet up and relax with friends! Cheers!

Spring Barrel Tasting 2013

This is a great opportunity to taste the emerging wines with the winemaker as the age in the barrels as well as compare wine aged in different types of barrels. Come in and enjoy wonderful wines and food with your friends. We are very pleased to have Eric Skokan, owner and chef at Black Cat Farm Bistro, serving up a five course meal which will be perfectly paired with BookCliff wines. This event will be Friday May 3, 2013 and Saturday May 4, 2013 at 6:30pm. Visit our website at www.bookcliffvineyards.com/events for more information and to make reservations. So come in and enjoy local wine and fare with us. We would love to have your input on how our wines are coming along. Cheers!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013


It's spring! So you know what that means, Boulder/Longmont Farmers Markets are kicking off. BookCliff will be a vendor there as we have done for many years. The farmers markets start Saturday April 6, 2013 through November 16, 2013. The wonderful markets will start at 8 am and close in the afternoon around 2 pm. These excellent markets are for you to pick up and enjoy amazing locally grown produce straight from the farmers that produce them. This includes wonderful local vegetables, meats, fruits, flowers, cheeses, wines, etc. BookCliff Vineyards takes great pride in being 100% Colorado grown farm table wine, so the local farmers markets are a perfect place to display our local product. We will also be located by our good friends Haystack Goat Cheese Diary, they are based out of Longmont. BookCliff met Haystack at these farmers markets some years back and we created a wonderful friendship with them. So good that we have hosted Wine and Cheese Pairing classes with them this last winter.Be sure to come and support all that Colorado has to offer! Cheers! 

Friday, March 22, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards in Walla Walla

John and I with some compatriot winery owners from the Front Range visited the Walla Walla vineyard and winery area in Washington. There are more vineyards than your eye can see. Walla Walla has a population of 30,000 and 170 wineries. Compare this to Boulder with a population of more than 100,000 and four wineries. We enjoyed private tours and tastings with several wineries to learn about their winemaking and business development. Tanks, barrels and vineyards in general pretty much look the same no matter which area you visit. But, what is different is the scene in town. Downtown Walla Walla has blossomed with an array of restaurants and coffee shops and fabulous bakery; I cannot resist great bread and pastries. Five hours from Seattle Walla Walla is a great place for an extended weekend visit.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

BookCliff Vineyards in New York

Over the past three decades, a wine revolution has been taking place across the United States. There are now more than 7,000 American wine producers—up from 440 in 1970 - and BookCliff Vineyards is one of them. Check out "American Wine" by Janis Robinson and Linda Murphy, a book that celebrates the regional wine movement. Starting March 17th, Janis and Linda embark on a book tour introducing their new book from San Francisco to New York. BookCliff Vineyards' Cabernet Franc Reserve 2010 will be poured during the reception following a presentation and introduction of the book by Janis Robinson in New York at 92YTribeca.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Fun at the Cheese and Wine Pairing Class


People are having great fun at the cheese and wine pairing classes. Here are same great pictures that tell the story. Join us at our next wine and cheese pairing class and receive a 50% discount. Six courses with cheese, wine and appetizers. Learn about cheese and wine making at the same time.
Date: Friday March 8st
Time: 6:00pm- 8:00pm
Cost: $70.00, use discount code "cheese-3-8-13" to receive a 50% discount
Location: BookCliff Vineyards Winery and Tasting Room, 1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder, CO 80304
Reservations: [Click Here]