Wine tour in Palisade
There are a few things you need before tackling Palisade’s wine scene: at least 21 years on this planet, a safe mode of transport and, as is required for any good attack or courtship, a foolproof strategy.
Our challenge is to taste as much as possible from Palisade’s 20 or so wineries, which are spread out over several miles. Of course, we’re all responsible adults here, and we’re not driving while drinking, so cars are out of the question. Oh, and we’re also on the clock; we’re subject to the confines of tasting-room hours, which tend to be, at best, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Some open as late as noon and close as early as 4 p.m.)
The best way to do this in a single day is via a seven-ish mile loop that hits seven noteworthy — and very different from one another — wineries by bike. If the bike part intimidates you, it shouldn’t. It’s surprisingly easy to navigate the town and find the wineries, and this is coming from someone who hadn’t been on a bicycle in years and had to borrow her mom’s bike and daughter’s “Frozen” helmet (complete with broken plastic crown) for the journey.
If you don’t own a bicycle or have a mom who’ll lend you hers, Rapid Creek Cycles will rent you one (from $36.95 for a cruiser to $54.68 for an electric bike).
THE ROUTE
Your longest tasting of the day will be at the familyowned Varaison Vineyards, where, if you’re lucky, you’ll get assistant winemaker Alex West as your guide. This is a good place to start, for there’s almost no way you’ll leave the brick Victorian without learning something new. While value isn’t really the right word for something you’re not paying for, your time invested with the eight tasting wines will be wellspent. 401 W. First St.; varaisonvineyards.com.
Tastingroom hours: Sun.thurs. 10 a.m.5 p.m.; Fri.sat. 10 a.m.6 p.m. Noteworthy wines: Bin 3115 Merlot, 2012 Barbera and 2014 Montagne Doux Viognier.
The outandback ride to Colterris Winery is the longest you’ll go without a drink today (thank goodness you just had eight at Varaison), but the superpicturesque (and largest) vineyards are worth the distance. Tastings of the awardwinning wines run three for $5 or seven for $10. You may not want to leave the stunning courtyard set amid the vines, but onward and upward, right? 3907 N. River Road; colterris.com.
Tastingroom hours: Sun.sat. 10 a.m.5 p.m. Noteworthy wines: Rosés, 2016 Petit Verdot and wines in a can.
Plum Creek Winery holds the oldest winery license of any existing vineyards in the state. The vibe at the tasting room is fun, bachelorettepartyfriendly and giftshoppy. Don’t let that fool you, though; there are some good wines here. Five dollars gets you five tastes. 3708 G Road; plumcreekwinery.com.
Tastingroom hours: Sun.sat. 10 a.m.5 p.m. Noteworthy wines: 2016 Riesling and 2016 Pali