Balistreri Vineyards: Denver, Colorado

Background:

Balistreri Vineyards is located in Denver Colorado.  It is a family owned vineyard, which has been operating 15 years (since 1998).  The wine maker and owner is John Balistreri.  Some of his family members also participated in the vineyards operations.  Mr. Balistreri’s wife and grandson both hosted and gave guests tours of the winery.  Tours of the winery were provided to interested guests for free.  During the tour, Mrs. Balistreri provided a detailed review of their wine making process from start to finish.  The winery also serves food and there are nice accommodations at the winery for events, such as weddings.


From the road looking at the tasting room of Balistreri

Vines along the road at Balistreri

Highlights:
Balistreri is the only winery in Denver with a vineyard.  They have 2 acres, located about 2 miles down the road from the winery dedicated to vine.  While the vineyard has turned grapes in the past, it is not currently doing so.    To attain grapes for wine production, the Balistreri purchases from other vineyards, which are located in the Grand Valley AVA.    This is pretty much common among Colorado winery’s and vineyards from what I was able to learn from the host. 


In the cellar at Balistreri

Wine Notes:
If you are deciding on what year to commit to, according to the host, 2012 was a good year for Colorado wines.

Because the vineyard is not producing their own grapes, there are not estate wines at this winery.  However, this winery has a unique practice for making wines.  Their wines are all natural.  This means they are not using additives, like sulfites.  Mrs. Balistreri continued to communicate that they were making wine according to the old ways.  Their idea was to create a wine true to the taste of the grape and vineyard, from which it was picked.   You would also notice that all of their wines on their venue are of a single varietal, with the exception of the Port.  The winery uses all American Oak barrels, which they prefer to purchase from Missouri.   They do not seem to have an active plan for retiring barrels.  Instead they reuse the same barrels over and over again.  Some of the same barrels have been in operation since they opened 15 years ago.

 

Tasting Venue:

The following wines were available at the time of my tasting.

Because of the unique method of producing “all natural wines” I felt the wines on this list were all unique.  A Cabernet Sauvignon produced at this winery may differ greatly from a Cabernet Sauvignon elsewhere, due to their processing methods.  There was even a dramatic difference on the vertical tasting of some of their wines, such as the 2008 Late Harvest Merlot.  Some wines that appealed to me were the 2011 Colorado Little Feet Merlot, the 2011 Colorado Syrah and the Balistreri Port.  The Colorado Cherry was also very popular among the crowd.
As you look over the list of wines I tasted, it is important to make note of the following:

• All wines with “Colorado” in the name mean that they were produced from grapes grown 100% in Colorado.
• Balistreri lists the vineyard of origin on the label.  At least my host was knowledgeable about the terroir of the vineyard of origin and could talk about it when cued.
• Wines with “American” in the name mean that the grapes could be purchased from outside of Colorado.  It seemed like California was the next place of choice.
• If you are interested in vertical tastings from their library, the host told me that Balistreri was committed to the Colorado vineyards. So the labels do has consistency between vineyards from year to year.
• Their wines ferment for about a year before bottling. 
• The winery prefers making reds over whites, so you will see a red heavy venue.

Whites:

• 2012 Colorado Orange Muscat (Barrel #2044) (Talbott Vineyard)
• 2011 Colorado Riesling (Barrel #231) (Talbott Vineyard)

Reds:

• 2012 Colorado Sangiovesse (Barrel #170)
• 2011 Colorado Little Feet Merlot (Barrell # 107) (Talbot Vineyard)

                      Key Note: This is called “Little Feet” because the grapes are stomped by children at  
                      Balistreri’s Annual Harvest Party.

• 2011 Colorado Little Feet Merlot (Barrel # 9928) (Bennett Vineyard)
• 2011 Colorado Syrah (Barrel #117) (Talbot Vineyard)
• 2010 American Cabernet Sauvignon (Barrel #129)

                Key Note: Aged for 24 months in American Oak barrels.

• 2011 Colorado Cabernet Sauvignon (Barrel #172) (Whitewater Hill)
• 2008 Colorado Cabernet Franc (Barrel #2055) (Avant Vineyard)
• 2009 American Petite Sirah (Barrel #140)

Dessert:
















 

• Balistreri Port (Barrel #966)

            Key Note: This port is produced with three Portuguese grape varietals: 35% Touriga, 35% 
            Tinto Cao, 30% Alvarelhoa.  These grapes were grown in Amador County, CA and crushed in
            Denver.  Balistreri fortifies with 190 proof grape spirits.

• 2008 Colorado Late Harvest Merlot (Barrel #2297)
• 2010 Late Harvest Zinfandel (Barrel #6-011)

• Colorado Cherry (Barrel #36-10)

A photo of 2012 Colorado Sangiovesse in the glass: 

 

Colorado Cherry in the fermentation process: 

 

Awards:

About Colorado wines:Colorado’s wines will taste much different than wines from Napa Valley or Carneros in California, Bordeaux in France, the Mosel Valley in Germany or the Barossa Valley in Australia. Because Colorado’s vineyards are the highest in North America (4500 to over 7000 feet above sea level) and only slightly lower than some of the vineyards in Argentina, because our humidity is very low and our soils quite alkaline, our wines are unique. [source: http://www.coloradowine.com/]

About the Grand Valley AVA: 

 

The Grand Valley AVA, along the Colorado River, once called the Grand River, forty miles east of the Utah border—begins where the mouth of DeBeque Canyon opens onto the lush green oasis along the valley floor at Palisade, sheltered by the largest flattop mountain in the world, Grand Mesa, the AVA then spills up onto East Orchard Mesa and Orchard Mesa along the south bank of the river, and stretches right to the foot of the Colorado National Monument west of Grand Junction. Elevations range here from just over 4000 feet above sea level to over 4500. DeBeque Canyon and the Colorado River provide constant breezes to cool this area in summer and warm it up during the sometimes harsh winters. The chalky, south-facing Bookcliff Mountains reflect solar energy onto the valley floor, making for some great conditions for Syrah, Viognier and other Rhone varietals, as well as the Bordeaux grapes, especially Cabernet Franc, that flourish on the slightly higher and cooler Orchard Mesa. This was the site of Colorado’s first grape industry that began in earnest in the 1880-1890s. The Grand Valley gets as many [degree days] as Napa Valley, Tuscany or Bordeaux, but in a shorter period of time. Due to the similarity of climate with the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain, Tempranillo also is proving to be well suited to this region.  [source: http://www.coloradowine.com/]
Other Links:
Colorado’s Unique American Viticultural Areas
Colorado Wineries