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Doug Caskey, exec. dir. CO Wine Industry Development Board

“You can’t grow Grapes in Colorado! The soil is frozen 12 months a year.” --Wine Spectator Editor. Doug Caskey, exec. dir. CO Wine Industry Development Board. 72 licensed wineries 5 in 1990 2 federal AVAs 850-1000 prod. acres Hybrid vs. vinifera Unique climate. soil and taste of place.

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Doug Caskey, exec. dir. CO Wine Industry Development Board

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  1. “You can’t growGrapes in Colorado!The soil is frozen 12 months a year.” --Wine Spectator Editor Doug Caskey, exec. dir. CO Wine Industry Development Board

  2. 72 licensed wineries • 5 in 1990 • 2 federal AVAs • 850-1000 prod. acres • Hybrid vs. vinifera • Unique climate. soil and taste of place 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  3. Terroir, the taste of place • The qualities in a wine determined by its point of origin or appellation • The combined effect of sun exposure, soil conditions, climate, water quality • The sense of history • In all agricultural products, but most talked about in wine and maybe cheese 3 Nov 2008 Marketing Colorado Wine

  4. Statewide Map View Front Range Western Slope 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  5. CO Wine Statistics • 53% wine production, 84% of grapes from Grand Valley AVA • Highest commercial vineyards in world in West Elks AVA • World Champion Riesling at Int’l Eastern Competition 2005 and Finalist in 2006 • Harvest figures:2003 over 1200 tons2004 was 1000 tons2005 approx. 1475 tons2006 approx. 1365 tons2007 approx. 900 tons2008 approx. 1800 tons • Avg yield statewide (2006): 2.6 t/acre at $1300/ton avg. 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  6. Fiscal Yr 2008 Statistics(2007 harvest) • Prod: nearly 1 million liters or 110,000 cases • Retail value: over $17 mil • Over 10 fold increase in CO production since 1992 • Total wine mkt. doubled • Hit 1.84% market share • Economic Impact in 2005:$21.1 million • Additional $20.6 million including wine tourism 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  7. 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  8. Irrigation Requirements • Most grape growing areas avg 8-12” annually • Vines need at least 20” • Maybe the Spectator was right! • Oil shale development could shut down water for CO ag. 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  9. Irrigation Advantages • Extremely dry climate means very low pest and disease pressure • Much less need for chemical pesticides, etc. • Irrigation adds control over vine development 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  10. Air drainage is second only to water 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  11. Statewide Map View Front Range Western Slope 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  12. Designated AVAs: Grand Valley(Colorado River) West Elks(N. Fork of the Gunnison) Other Growing Regions: Surface Creek Olathe McElmo Canyon Western Slope 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  13. Grand Valley and Delta Co. 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  14. The Grand Valley 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  15. The Grand Valley • 20 wineries • Follows Colorado River • Elevation: 4500-4800 feet above sea level • Precipitation: approx. 8” annually • Bordeaux and Rhone Valley varietals • Former sea coast • Soils: • pH: 7.2-8.5, very high; Low organic matter (~1%) • Moderate to high salt content, replenished from CO River water • Frequent potassium or magnesium issues in grape vines 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  16. Grand Valley by the numbers 3 1 2 Station (elev.) Degree days Last Spr Frost 1st Fall Frost 1. Palisade (4720) 3822 April 21 Oct 21 2. Grand Jct. (4850) 3560 April 23 Oct 20 3. Powderhorn (8090) n/a July 10 Aug 14 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  17. Delta County and West Elks Highway 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  18. Designated AVAs: Grand Valley(Colorado River) West Elks(N. Fork of the Gunnison) Other Growing Regions: Surface Creek Olathe McElmo Canyon Western Slope 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  19. West Elks and Surface Creek • Surface Creek on Grand Mesa • N Fork of Gunnison River • Elev: 5700-7000 • Precip: 10-12” • Former Lake Bed and Shores • Better pH and org content 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  20. Delta County by the numbers Station (elev.) Degree days Last Spr Frost (32° F) 1st Fall Frost 4. Cedaredge (6180) 2525 April 30 Oct 3 5. Paonia (5690) 2404 May 8 Oct 9 6. Delta (5120) 2893 May 14 Sept 29 3 1 2 4 5 6 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  21. The West Elks AVA • 12 wineries • Home to highest commercially producing vineyard/winery in the world (6400 ft.) • Emphasis on Central European varietals • Pinot Noir • High-acid Riesling • Cooler Temps 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  22. Designated AVAs: Grand Valley(Colorado River) West Elks(N. Fork of the Gunnison) Other Growing Regions: Surface Creek Olathe McElmo Canyon Western Slope 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  23. Designated AVAs: Grand Valley(Colorado River) West Elks(N. Fork of the Gunnison) Other Growing Regions: McElmo Canyon Surface Creek Olathe Cañon City Larimer County Front Range 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  24. Why not the Front Range? ImportantTemps for grapes • Front Range 10° avg. colder in winter than West Slope • Extreme fluctuations in winter • Artic express 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  25. CO Growing Regions Comp Growing Degree Day units are computed as the difference between the daily average temperature and the base temperature. (Daily Ave. Temp. - Base Temp.) One unit is accumulated for each degree Fahrenheit the average temperature is above the base temperature. Negative numbers are discarded. Example: If the days high temperature was 95 and the low temperature was 51, the base 60 heating degree day units is ((95 + 51) / 2) - 60 = 13. This is done for each day of the month and summed. 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  26. Temperature Comparison 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  27. 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  28. Let’s Taste Colorado • Terror Creek Winery2005 West Elks Gewürztraminer • S. Rhodes Vineyards 2006 West Elks Pinot Noir • Balistreri Vineryards2006 Grand Valley Zinfandel • Mesa Park Vineyards2005 Grand Valley Merlot 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

  29. Thank you very much. 9 March 2008 You Can’t Grow Grapes in Colorado!

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