Decanting Durango

 

During a recent road trip, my husband and I decided to spend some time in Durango, Colorado. Having briefly stopped there after a 2018 Mesa Verde trip with my family, we had been enchanted by the downtown area and all of its shops. Throwing in a hotel from the 1800s that was supposedly haunted, a town ghost tour, and a river walk just a couple blocks away from where we were staying, it seemed to be the perfect place to explore. It became even more perfect as I discovered it had not only one winery tasting room, but three.

               My wine adventures in this historic city started the night we got there. After a full day of hiking and ghost tours, we were feeling rather hungry late in the evening when many restaurants were closing. Thanks to a hotel employee recommendation, we discovered Steamworks Brewing Company. Along with a great dinner menu served until 11 p.m., they also had a wine list that included local winery options. I quickly chose the Sutcliffe Vineyards Cinsaut to go with my late dinner of chicken tortilla soup and a salad. It couldn’t have been a better match. The tart cranberry nature of the wine complimented the roasted corn and chicken in my soup, giving the vibe of a spicy Thanksgiving meal. With such a delightful pairing and start to our Durango adventure, I couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring.

               As my husband is not a wine guy, I try my hardest to not drag him to too many wineries. On every trip, I outline my musts or top tasting rooms to try, and simply go from there. When it came to Durango, I knew I absolutely wanted to do a tasting at Durango Winery, as I had never tried anything from this winery, and they also carried Fox Fire Farms wine from Ignacio, Colorado, another new winery for me. If it came down to it, I would be happy to just select a bottle or two from Four Leaves Winery, as I had done a tasting there in the past, and Sutcliffe Winery, as I had picked up a bottle of their Cabernet Sauvignon the last time I was in the area. As we were finishing up our explorations on our full day in Durango, I was elated when my husband suggested we spend the rest of the afternoon trying the various wineries.

               As Durango Winery was my top stop, we started there, and it was the perfect way to begin an afternoon of wine fun. In the bottom of one of the many shop buildings lining the downtown, the tasting room was beautifully decorated with all things wine. Their list included their personal wines made in house from juice selected from various grape growing regions, as well as a selection of other Colorado wineries. For my flight, I selected the Fox Fire Farms Vignoles, Durango Winery Pinot Noir, Fox Fire Farms Marquette, Durango Winery Bella Lucia, and the Durango Winery Old Vine Zinfandel. I fell in love with the Pinot Noir, and actually wrote the term “yum buckets” in my notes. It was a bit smoky with a raspberry and mineral note, and I was definitely taking a bottle of this wine home with me. I also purchased their complex Bella Lucia with its notes of lavender, dried strawberry and fig, and I had to have a bottle of the Fox Fire Farms Marquette, as it is the first and only dry Marquette I have liked. As this winery made such an impression on me, I, of course, also had to get a sticker that is now proudly displayed on my wine suitcase. I truly loved this place, and upon returning home, I truly loved the Bella Lucia with Hawaiian Pizza. Yum buckets.

               Our next stop was an old friend. My mom and I had done a tasting at Four Leaves Winery back in the day, and I had just recently finished my last bottle of their Zinfandel-Shiraz, which had aged beautifully. Knowing that I was definitely going to buy a bottle of that Zinfandel-Shiraz to see what this batch was like, and knowing there was another tasting waiting for me, I selected their three tasting option to go along with our snack of cheese and crackers. The Dry Riesling was crisp with apple, floral and honey notes, the Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot was smooth with blueberry and oak, but the one that really made me take notice was their Tempranillo. Complex, it had an herbal nose to it, followed by notes of dark berries and spice that were almost creamy in nature. Each sip revealed something different, and I had to take a bottle of this home with me. Once again, this winery proved to be the perfect afternoon hangout.

               My final wine stop was to Sutcliffe Vineyards Durango Tasting Room. With their main location in Cortez, I had missed this winery during my last visit to the area, simply picking up a bottle of their Cabernet Sauvignon sold at the lodge we were staying at in the Mesa Verde Park. After the previous night’s glass and the Cab Sauv purchased back in the day, I was excited to do a tasting here. Uniquely set up with nook and cranny spaces, we chose the room in their library looking area, as wine and books are two of my favorite things. We even had the pleasure of meeting the owner, who popped his head in to say hi. After the pourer got an idea of my wine style, she curated a tasting just for me which included the 2018 Sangiovese, 2020 Malbec, 2021 Graciano, and the 2018 Telluride Red. I was struck dumb by the Sangiovese, as the amazing caramel note made this wine an absolute delight. I couldn’t get enough of it and knew from that first sip I was buying a bottle. The other wine I selected to purchase was the Graciano. A newly discovered varietal for me, I enjoyed the peppery nose, with the smooth blackberry and spice taste, and I was excited to enjoy more than a taste. This establishment was a perfect “night cap” to my Durango wine experience.

               As I looked over my purchases from this area, it hit me just how amazing it was that I brought back seven bottles from this one town in Southern Colorado. Almost four hours away from the Colorado wine hub, I never expected to find so many great tasting rooms within a five-minute walk from each other. Discovering wine in unexpected places is always a treat, and finding three blew my mind. I raise my glass to these businesses tucked away in this historic downtown and thank them for my unexpected and appreciated wine adventure.