Another Gold Medal for Bookcliff Vineyards

We are pleased to have received a gold medal at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition 2016. The 2013 Petit Verdot received 90 points and a gold medal. The Petit Verdot was a wine club selection for the 2016 spring distribution. This year 3010 wines were submitted to the competition. In previous years the 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserve also received a gold medal and best in class. If you received a bottle with your spring distribution - enjoy.

Grape Varieties that do well in Colorado and Argentina

Not surprising the grape varieties that thrive in Argentina also thrive in Colorado. These are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc and also Merlot. When it comes to white varieties, Chardonnay comes out at the top. As Malbec is not as cold hardy as Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, Malbec grows more successfully in Mendoza where the winters are warmer compared to Palisade. The wines made from Malbec are beautiful in both places. Colorado has carved out itself a niche with Cabernet Franc which has been recognized as the signature red grape in Colorado. Mendoza is just discovering Cabernet Franc as an alternative to Malbec.

What Makes Colorado Wine Unique

BookCliff at Vina Cobos in Mendoza

It sounds boring, but the answer is what is in the soil and the climate, in other words the famous terroir. Colorado's Grand Valley AVA has its unique terroir, located in the former riverbed of the Colorado river characterized by a continental, arid climate and high elevation. During the summer and fall it is typical to experience high temperature swings between the daytime high and the nighttime low.
The higher elevation creates grapes with a thicker skin, especially noticeable in red grapes. The low night temperatures preserve the acidity in the fruit. The result is wine with some grit, more structure, tannins especially when young and higher acidity expressed in a crisp finish. All of this contributes to wine that ages well in the bottle and cellar. And can complement food very well.
I had to visit Argentina and specifically Mendoza to get a better understanding what makes Colorado wine taste different from Californian wine. Mendoza has a similar climate and soil as Colorado's grape country, high dessert, arid climate and similar soil. The highest elevation vineyards in Mendoza (Uco valley) are 4,900 feet, Palisade, CO is at 4,600 feet. All vineyards are irrigated in Mendoza, just as in Palisade. No wonder the red wines from Mendoza and Colorado taste similar.

Impressive!

Congratulations to all the award winners at the 2014 Governor's Cup Colorado Winemaking Competition! What a perfect event to showcase the best wines of Colorado. Warren Winiarski happened to be one of the judges this year and was pleased with the varietals brought to the table. “I was truly impressed with the quality and direction of Colorado’s wine producers. The industry has come a long way since I made wine here 46 years ago! Quite a number of the wines I tasted were beyond expressing merely the region but had the character of classics.” said Warren Winiarski, 73' Cabernet Sauvignon winner of the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. BookCliff Vineyards won Gold medals for Malbec, Petit Verdot and Friday's Folly White. Every year, a Governor's Cup Case is assembled. This year, our own Malbec and Friday's Folly White were chosen as part of the 2014 collection. Again, congratulations to everyone who entered and we hope to try your wines soon! Great job and happy winemaking Colorado!! Cheers!

Click here to view the entire list of wine awards. 

Quote cited: Colorado Winemaking Governor's Cup Competition