Valley of the Wind Winery
by
Kathy Sullivan
Summary: When you visit Valley of the Wind Winery tasting room in Estes Park, Colorado, plan to stay for a while. The location is idyllic with a bubbling stream rippling past within feet of the tasting room.
Patrick McGibney, the winemaker, has been producing wine since 2002. The Valley of the Wind Winery is in Loveland, Colorado. The tasting room is located in the tourist town, Estes Park, near the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Currently, Pat produces 700 cases of wine. Most grapes are sourced from Colorado. Who makes the decision on the final wines? Pat and his wife, Geri, combine their palates in discussing which wines to produce. The results are wines that appeal to the mainstream of visitors passing through the tasting room.
The current tasting room set in an idyllic area of Estes Park provides a lovely location for visitors to taste and relax with a glass of wine. With a large outdoor deck, the tasting room can accommodate a good number of visitors. Inside, stools are at the counter inviting people to come in and stay for a while. The U-shaped counter is of wood and ceramic dump buckets add a cheerful note to the ambience of the room. Throughout the room, items for sale include wine bags and accessories, wine bottle lamps and handcrafted jewelry.
According to staff member, Melanie Millhausen, they “try to make it fun for everyone.” She included that they try to educate visitors who are new to wine about the various layers in wine tasting. Talking about the different likes and dislikes of wines, she said, “Everybody has a different tongue just like fingerprints.”
Labels have an animal image. Melanie commented that people remember the animal on the label rather than the name of the wine. While talking with Melanie we tasted several wines.
White Wine
Bobcat Blanc was a dry Riesling with a pineapple and citrus nose and taste. It was smooth. The finish was dry and fruity with some tannins.
Pika Gris was a Pinot Gris wine with a nose and taste of pear and pineapple. The finish was crisp.
Viognier Blend Garfield’S2 was 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.
Red Wine
Syrah 2005 offered a nose and taste of currants and blackberries. The finish was crisp and fruity with tannins.
Cabernet Sauvignon had a black cherry nose with a smooth and fruity taste. The long finish had fruit and tannins.
Sangiovese 2006 with an aroma of smoke had a cherry taste. The finish was crisp with mild tannins.
Fruit Wines
The Peach Botanical wine was created with the Cayuga grape and peach flavoring.
Chipmunk was an apple wine and considered a “still cider style.” The aromas and tastes were apple and the finish was drying on the tongue.
Enjoy your visit to Valley of the Wind Winery tasting room.
Valley of the Wind Winery
120 Riverside Drive
Estes Park, Colorado
Visit this Colorado lodging facility that partners with Wine Trail Traveler.
 |
 |
||
Spero Winery |
Wine Country Inn |
||
