Destination: Palisade
Tucked along the Colorado River at the base of the Grand Mesa, Palisade is a charming Colorado wine country destination featuring local wine, small-town charm, and breathtaking scenery.
Thanks to the high-desert climate, Grand Valley AVA is defined by sunny days and cool nights that are ideal for growing a variety of grapes. Add in scenic bike trails and farm-to-table restaurants and you’ve got the perfect backdrop for a wine-tasting weekend that will surprise and delight every time you raise a glass. With more than two dozen wineries dotting the valley, Palisade offers an approachable long weekend wine experience spent sipping and exploring.
Barrel into Colorado’s Hidden Wine Scene
Located on Colorado’s Western Slope along the Grand Valley, Palisade is quietly earning its place among the country’s most interesting up-and-coming wine destinations.
Visitors gravitate to the Fruit & Wine Byway, a scenic route that winds through vineyards, peach orchards, and lavender farms. Bikes, e-bikes, shuttles, even horse-drawn carriages, make vineyard hopping all part of the Colorado experience with views of the Grand Mesa adding an unusual backdrop to every sip.
Palisade wines are known to authentically express the terroir, with winemakers experimenting with elevation and grape varieties in Colorado’s oldest and largest wine region. Traditional varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Riesling thrive here, but wineries are increasingly growing cold-hardy French hybrids like Chambourcin and Petite Pearl. Palisade’s wines have garnered accolades from Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, and Food & Wine.
Don’t miss a visit to The Ordinary Fellow, located in a refurbished peach-packing warehouse. Founded by winemaker Ben Parsons, The Ordinary Fellow reflects his belief that there is beauty and significance in the ordinary moments of life. Sit inside around the bar, on couches facing the barrels, or outside on the shaded patio for conversations over crisp rosés, dry whites, reds, or their acclaimed traditional-method 2023 Sparkling Riesling that earned 92 points from Decanter Magazine and showcases bright acidity with notes of honeycomb and brioche. Utahns should also raise a glass of the 2024 Rosé that includes Chenin Blanc grown on their Montezuma Canyon Vineyard in Utah.