Hometown Hybrid Heroes

 It’s only natural to have a sense of pride in one’s hometown. Its where lasting memories were created, forever friendships were found, and life lessons were learned. Seeing it thrive and stand the test of time gives each and every one of us a feeling of relevance.

               Every time I return to my hometown of Montrose, CO, I always enjoy seeing the places that made up my past and created who I am today. There’s the historic movie theater I worked at, the coffee shop I spent so much of my time at in high school, the snowball cart where many a honeysuckle iced-treat was consumed on hot summer days, and the street where fond memories of attending the annual Christmas parade followed by a trip to McDonald’s and those beloved – and still loved – Chicken McNuggets meant the holiday season was here.

               As with all things, as time passes, things change. Beloved shops are no longer there, and new buildings pop up reaching farther and farther into what used to be the outskirts of town. Some of these changes are good, some are bad.

               One such good change has been the addition of the LaNoue DuBois Winery. Family ran, their wines are made with a mixture of estate grown grapes – Maréchal Foch, Leon Millot, Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, New York Black Muscat – and a variety of grapes from other areas of the state and country. Besides the amazing quality you can taste in every glass, what has impressed me the most about this place are the wines made from the hybrids grown in their personal vineyards.

               Hybrids, a cross between European Vitis vinifera and either American Vitis labrusca or Vitis riparia grapes, were developed as hearty varieties that could fend off various pests and diseases with more ease than traditional Vitis vinifera and survive harsh winters and weather patterns. This allows areas that typically cannot grow grapes the opportunity to do so. As with everything in the wine world, and really anything that involves taste opinions, there is great debate as to whether or not hybrids can make exceptional wines. Up until 2021, my personal opinion on hybrids was that if made correctly, they could produce some decent, but not extraordinary, wines as long as the tannic funk I found in many of them was not prominent. That all changed during my first visit to LaNoue DuBois on New Year’s Eve in 2021.

               Celebrating a late Christmas with my family over the New Year’s holiday, my mom, husband, and I decided to check out the new winery in town. Grabbing seats at the tasting room bar, next to a regular who was distraught over the death of Betty White, the owner began pouring us a selection of their wines, at that time, all estate grown. We tried their 2020 Maréchal Foch Nouveau, 2020 Woods Red Blend, 2020 Ruby Rosé, and the 2020 Sweet Black Muscat, and my world was rocked. Not a single one of these wines had that undesired rustic hybrid note. These wines were smooth, aromatic, had distinct and flavorful tasting notes, and were just a pleasure to drink. I could not believe that these beauties were made from grapes grown right there, in my hometown. I went home with a bottle of the Woods Red Blend and rosé, just had to get the Maréchal Foch Nouveau as my contribution to the following day’s festivities, and found I had a whole new opinion on hybrids.

               My newly found perspective on hybrids was solidified this past Thanksgiving on a return visit to the LaNoue DuBois tasting room on Black Friday. Remembering how good everything was the last time I was there, I couldn’t help but choose the flight option that allowed me to try everything they were currently offering, which included the Maréchal Foch 2022, Leon Millot 2022, Merlot 2021, Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Syrah 2021, Melange de Gris 2022, Black Muscat 2022, and the Merlot Rosé 2021. Of course, I found the noble varieties to be delectable, with the Syrah made from grapes grown in Washington and the Cab Sauv and Merlot from other vineyards in Colorado, but it was their hybrids that once again surprised me. These wines were right there with their typical grape variety counterparts in quality and taste. The Maréchal Foch was crisp and clean with bright cherry notes, the Leon Millot made me think of a Pinot Noir with its amazing flavors of baking spice and cherry, and the Black Muscat was aromatic and floral, with hints of blackberry. I quickly secured a bottle of the Leon Millot to take home and couldn’t help but think that this winery could put Montrose on the world wine map with their extraordinary hybrid made wines.

               Thanks to this winery and their breathtaking hybrids, I not only have a renewed opinion of these grape varieties, but also a renewed respect for my hometown and the people and products that come from there. LaNoue DuBois will forever be known in my heart as the Hometown Hybrid Heroes.