Most of the wineries are open 10-5 Daily, call for specific hours, many have Winter hours/days.
During the Summer, if you come on a Thursday you can begin around noon, take your tour and end the day at the Grand Junction Farmer's Market on downtown Main Street.
The town of Palisade offers a Saturday morning Farmer's Market, you can stock your picnic basket in the A.M. and begin your tour there...The rest of the week, you'll want to stop at the Slice o' Life Bakery to get your bread and dessert and stop by one of the many Palisade fruit stands to pick up a few fresh fillings for your picnic basket...if you're here in August, you've gotta get a fresh peach pie!
Dave and I like dessert wines, so our favorites are swayed by our preference for sweet. Most of the fruit wines made in the Grand Valley are just that, wines made from fruit, not grape wines with fruit essences, they are flavorful and delicious.
Here our our picks:
My personal favorite is Carlson Vineyards http://www.carlsonvineyards.com/
461 35 Road · Palisade, CO 81526 · (888) 464-5554 · (970) 464-5554
This quaint tasting room is out in the middle of the orchards in Palisade, off the beaten path. There is a nice shaded grass area to sit and enjoy. The highlight of your trip to Carlson will be the wineglass dipped in chocolate and filled with cherry wine. My two other favorites from this winery are the Fat Cat Muscat (heavenly) and the Reisling. Carlson also has great peach, pear, apricot and traditional wines. They often have some great deals on cases.
The Meadery of the Rockies is a unique stop. http://www.meaderyoftherockies.com/
3701 G Road, Palisade, Colorado 81526 (970) 464-7899
Here you will find Honey wines ranging from dry to very sweet, as in their "Shere" and port style meads. My favorite is the Camelot and the Shere. They also have a delicious hard apple cider, sold in a six pack.
Next up is St Kathryns/Confre Cellars http://www.st-kathryn-cellars.com/
785 Elberta Avenue, Palisade, Colorado 81526 Phone: (970) 464-9288
Features a large selection of fruit wines; pomegranate, mango, concord grape (this one tastes just like Welch's grape juice, be careful!) blackberry, apple, pear, strawberry-rhubarb, blueberry, cranberry. They also stock Merlot and Chardonnay.
Canyon Wind Cellars http://www.canyonwindcellars.com/
3907 North River Road Palisade, CO 81526 Phone (970) 464-0888
This family owned vineyard makes all of their own wine from start to finish. When you drive up to the shop, you drive through the vineyards, it has a real old world feel about it. At the foot of Mt. Garfield, it's a beautiful spot to stop. This winery offers daily tours of the winemaking process, including bottling, sealing and storing in their underground cellar. Call for tour hours. They have a tasting room/giftshop and offer many food gifts including wine themed jams and sauces. You can even join their wine club and have their wines shipped to your home.
Guest favorites:
Garfield Estates http://www.garfieldestates.com/
3572 G Road, Palisade, Colorado 970.464.0941
Garfield Estates is the #1 favorite of our guests. Currently, Garfield Estates makes seven wines — Vin Rosé, Fumé Blanc, Viognier, S2 - a blend of Semillon and Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Vin de Glace.
Graystone Winery http://www.graystonewine.com/
3352 F RoadClifton, CO 81520 970-434-8610
Known for their Ports.
Colorado Cellars http://coloradocellars.com/
3553 E. RoadPalisade, Colorado 81526 Phone (970) 464-7921
Offers self serve wine tasting on tap! (So we've been told...)
You'll find a little bit of everything here, from fruit wines, meads to Merlots, Zins....
Plum Creek http://www.plumcreekwinery.com/
3708 G RoadPalisade, CO 81526Tel: 970 464-7586
Another popular one with our guests and conveniently located across the street from the Meadery! The Chardonnay and Palisade Rose are my favorites here.
Salud!
