Colorado River Valley
GRAND VALLEY AVA

GRAND MESA VINEYARD
This 12-acre site overlooks the Colorado River from a steep bluff on its southern edge. The mesa is more than 100 feet above the river bed and breezes persist throughout the day. The eastern half of the vineyard is planted in Cabernet Franc and the western half in Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is the first vineyard in Palisade, perhaps in all of Colorado, to use the Geneva Double Curtain (GDC) trellising system commercially. The GDC system trains the shoots of the grapevine to grow downward from double 5-foot-high cordons on either side of the vine. The GDC system slows down the growth of overly vigorous vines and puts that energy into fruit growing. Also, the high position on the fruit zone of the vine allows for excellent exposure to sunlight. With ample sunlight, full ripe-berry flavors and deeper color will develop, along with more even ripening of the grapes.

Grand Mesa Vineyard uses a microjet system of irrigation. The microjet system uses small sprinkler heads, allowing for full water saturation between rows. This in turn encourages full root growth around the vine. Clover and Ephraim grass planted between the rows help cool the vines during hot summer days and replenishes needed nitrogen organically to the vines.