Grand Valley Wine

The Grand Valley AVA near Grand Junction is Colorado's wine heartland, where over two-thirds of the state's wine grapes grow in a high-desert landscape of sandstone canyon walls, peach orchards, and irrigated vineyards. The elevation of 4,600 feet creates conditions unlike any other major American wine region: intense UV radiation, warm days that can reach 95 degrees F, and nights that regularly drop to the 50s even in summer. The sandy loam soils over clay provide good drainage, and the dry air reduces disease pressure. BookCliff Vineyards, Canyon Wind Cellars, and Carlson Vineyards are among the most established producers, working with Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Riesling.