Info

Varaison Vineyards produces only single vineyard, single variety, single vintage, Estate bottled Merlot. Merlot grapes, one of the Noble Varieties of vitis vinifera, have been made famous by the French Chateaus of the Bordeaux region. Merlot is ideally suited to the Grand Valley Appellation consisting of high desert climates buffered by the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers in Western Colorado. All of our grapes are grown in the Grand Valley AVA, picked at their peak of ripeness, hand sorted, fermented, and then gently pressed to release their juice. The wine is then cellared, and bottled at our facility in Palisade. Primary fermentation is started in temperature-controlled stainless steel vessels, and then transferred to oak barrels for final fermentation with yeast and lactic acid bacteria. These wines are then barrel-aged sur-lees for up to two years and racked for another year in our cellar. Experience the difference of hand crafted Merlot with a fine meal or picnic today!