The West Elks American Viticultural Area (AVA) spreads through the counties of Delta and Montrose on the Western Slope of Colorado. It boasts of some of the highest vineyards in North America and the some of the best Colorado wine. This high mesa area in the Colorado Rockies seems an unlikely place to grow grapes and make wine. But here you will find some of the best wine produced in the state.
West Elks AVA is noted for its production of white wines. Riesling and Gewurztraminer grow extremely well here as does Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Here they produce some terrific wines. The high elevation and low humidity coupled with cool nights help retain a high degree of acidity as the grapes ripen. This is a positive for all varieties grown in the region, but it makes for especially perfect Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
Reds aren't neglected either. Pinot Noir has found a home on the mesa slopes too. Those cool nights and warm days has been especially kind to this variety. Outstanding Merlots can be found here too. It's a little to short of a growing season for Cabernet Sauvignon but Cab Franc is being experimented with by many growers. Hybrid grape varieties are particularly suited for this extreme grape growing area.
If you're talking real vineyards, real classic European vinifera varietals Terror Creek's vineyard is unique in its elevation of 6,417 feet. One has to take an 800-foot plunge down to the snowmelt-fed North Fork of the Gunnison to get to the bottom of this valley. This high altitude challenges grape growers with a frost-free growing season of as little as 150 days but that's what the West Elks AVA is all about. This area takes grape growing to the extreme.
Rainfall in the West Elks Colorado growing area averages from 9 to 20 inches per year. It also has a dry relative humidity which is virtually constant. This arid climate allows West Elks' growers to precisely optimize the amount of irrigation they use in their vineyards. This precise irrigation controls the ripening of the grapes to their optimum. Irrigation coupled with cold winter temperatures and the low humidity minimizes vineyard diseases and reduces the need for pesticide applications.
The growers take some unusual measures to maintain their high-quality grape production in the alpine-mesa climate of the West Elks AVA. In order to reduce stress on the berries, many limit their yields to 4 tons or less per acre, a far cry from the 6 to 10 tons growers might enjoy in more typical grape growing regions.
Vacationers traveling to the West Elks American Viticultural Area will not only enjoy tasting some of the best wines that Colorado has to offer, but will also enjoy the mountain and mesa scenery viewed from the wineries they encounter. Many of the wineries, like Stoney Mesa Winery, are tucked away, quietly on the mesa slopes. The beautiful Mount Lamborn can be seen in the distance on the one hand and the Grand Mesa on the other. The Gunnison River flows through the area along with many smaller rivers and creeks. Nearby is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
This is a land of wine and tourist delights. A must see wine region when traveling through Colorado. The wines from the West Elks AVA are also featured at the yearly "Colorado Mountain Winefest" held in September. An event that every wine lover should attend to sample the best of the wines that Colorado has to offer.
My first experience with the wines of the West Elks American Viticultural Area made me fall in love with the whites. Even though I was a red wine lover, the whites grown and made here rivalled anything I had tasted from California. They were more fruity and balanced. The acidity and flavors of these wines are superb. I could tell that this region was made for white wines.
If you are looking for a little known wine region to discover, the Delta/Montrose area will supply you with what you are looking for. You won't be disappointed with the wines nor the scenery that you will discover. You can tour the wineries in less than a day. It's perfect for that off-the-route side trip that you've been looking for when you pass through Colorado. Be prepared for some viticultural delights though.
