Some of Colorado’s wineries that are placed in the Front Range group of wineries, however are really in the mountains. One case is Creekside Cellars in the beautiful town of Evergreen. The winery produces wine in Evergreen at an elevation of 7200 feet and they own vineyards in the Grand Valley area of Colorado. This is a great winery to visit. There is an Italian Restaurant in the same room as the tasting counter and visitors can taste wines, purchase a flight that includes food or have a glass of wine with a meal.  The wines are great. The reds are bold and not skimpish on the tannins. Two favorites include the 2005 Cabernet Franc and the 2005 Robusto. The 2005 Cabernet Franc presented a black fruit aroma and taste with tannins. This wine was a gold medal winner. Robusto 2005, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, had black fruit nuances and tannins. These two wines paired well with the antipasto platter.

The tourist town of Estes Park near an entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park has two winery tasting rooms. You can walk the ten-minute walk from one tasting room to the other while enjoying the views of a stream and mountains. Snowy Peaks Winery and tasting room are in the same building. One wine of interest was the 2006 Élevé, a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Viognier grapes. The resulting aroma was blackberries, licorice and earthiness. The taste was fruity and the finish was crisp, with tannins and fruit. Valley of the Wind Winery’s tasting room is located next to a mountain. A deck makes the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine. Of note was the Viognier Blend Garfield’S2 which was a blend of Viognier and Semillon. This was a dry white wine with a pale yellow color. The aroma had floral and honey nuances. The taste was smooth and light, with a long finish and nuances of honey. Suggested pairings included oriental, spicy Thai and Mexican foods.

In Salida, Mountain Spirit Winery has two tasting rooms. One at the winery and the other on US Highway 50 which also has an artists gallery and restaurant. A wine enjoyed was the 2004 Chardonnay that was aged in oak for nine months. The result was a crisp wine with light oak on the finish. Another wine was a blend of Riesling and Chardonnay. This wine had a light residual sugar with a long aftertaste. It would be lovely for a hot summer day and would pair well with quiche.

These mountain wineries and tasting rooms provide visitors with many wines and food possibilities. It is easy to spend one to several hours taking in the scenic beauty and aromas and flavors of food and wines.