Palisade, Colo.
My first stay with a Harvest Host!
Well, you can stay in a truck stop or a Walmart if you just want a quick overnight in populated areas - OR, you can stay in a beautiful vineyard with a tasting room and views (although you'll still be parked in a parking lot).
Grand River Vineyard is just off I-70 in Palisade, Co. It is one of the oldest wineries in Colorado. They only use locally grown grapes (about 10 acres of their own grapes as well). They make an impressive variety of wines, although dry reds are their specialty.
The vineyard is sheltered by 'The Books' to the North - a ridge of rock that I've been following for the last 150 miles. The winter sun bounces off the Books and keeps the vines from freezing in the winter - although a hard freeze did wipe out their chardonnay grapes a few years ago.
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| Some of the vineyard, with the impressive 'Books behind them. |
They usually harvest in late October or early November, but it's been so hot this year, they are expecting an early harvest - probably early October. They are producing about 4,000 cases a year.
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| Not quite ready yet! |
Canals bring water up from the nearby Colorado River to irrigate the farm land. Irrigation is cut-off after harvest in November.
After a tour and a tasting (and spending $$ on wine), I retreated to a shady picnic area with a breeze and am contemplating opening my recent purchase - a 4 yr old reserve Cabernet Franc - Yum!
One last benefit of camping with Harvest Hosts is that after wine tasting, and even a glass, one doesn't have to drive home - just meander back over to the trailer.
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| oops - I guess I succumbed . . . |
Your back. And on the road. Full time! The wine looks good. Are you using Harvest Host quite a bit? I like the picture of your new trailer.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time using HH. I tried to stay at an Alpaca farm in Washington a couple months ago - but, bad timing - the women who ran it had just retired and left the HH program. I suspect I'll use it more in cooler weather. Since it's boondocking, I only have my fan - it's currently 92 inside the trailer!
DeleteBut, the wine is yummy! And the view of the sunset will, I think, be pretty good.
This is my first time using HH. I tried to stay at an Alpaca farm in Washington a couple months ago - but, bad timing - the women who ran it had just retired and left the HH program. I suspect I'll use it more in cooler weather. Since it's boondocking, I only have my fan - it's currently 92 inside the trailer!
DeleteBut, the wine is yummy! And the view of the sunset will, I think, be pretty good.
Harvest Hosts has really grown. What a great concept.
ReplyDeleteHello Anne,
ReplyDeleteWe enjoy staying at Harvest Hosts also. And we get to meet interesting people like you at interesting places like Grand River Vineyards!
Kevin and Cathy Graff