2019 Reds Coming Soon - You are the first to know

You may want to know

We started to bottle the 2019 vintage of red wines, beginning with the Ensemble and the Friday's Folly Red. Next up will be Crescendo and the Reserve wines. This made me realize that Bookcliff Vineyards has a long history of creating red blends going back to 1999 when we released the first vintage of the Ensemble. Below you can read about the story and learn about the facts behind each blend.

Make sure to check out our upcoming events: (1) Feast in the Vineyard during Palisade Winefest (menu included), (2) Sunset Saturday in Palisade and (3) First Friday in Boulder.

Cheers,

Ulla & John

Red Blends - Your Choice

The idea of creating red blends opens the door to a winemaker’s dream. There seems to be no limit to the number of variations that can be explored. The wine does not have to follow a certain flavor profile, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec and the end product can showcase the strength of each participating variety be it the color, the mouthfeel, the finish or the tannin structure. There are also no constraints to naming the wine or the artistic expression on the label. Just think of the Prisoner, an iconic red blend and a classic example of busting the traditions.

Bookcliff Vineyards did not stop with creating one red blend, but currently produces four red blends, one for each pocket book.

The first red blend we introduced was the Bookcliff Meritage in 1998, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, just to find out that the term “Meritage” is licensed and in order to use it requires membership in the Meritage Alliance and an annual fee. Thus, Ensemble was born with the 1999 vintage, a classic Bordeaux blend now made from the five different Bordeaux varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The Ensemble is the first red wine we bottle each vintage. The Ensemble is a collaboration with Will (winemaker), and John (owner) making the final decision after tasting upwards of 20 different variations over multiple sessions. During the final steps the participating varietals are transferred to a tank in the appropriate quantities before the blend is tasted again and adjusted as needed. The Ensemble has received numerous awards over the years – Jefferson Cup, Colorado Governor’s Cup Best of Show, Double Gold at San Francisco International Wine Competition.

The second blend we created was the Friday’s Folly Red. The concept originated from a survey at the farmer’s markets where we asked “What would entice you to buy Colorado wine?”. The answer was - a pleasant and affordable wine for everyday drinking. We introduced the Friday’s Folly Red in 2007 with a retail price of $9.99. “Friday’s Folly” is a climb on the “Third Flatiron” in Boulder which inspired the label with an appeal to a younger audience. At times we refer to the Friday’s Folly Red as our pizza, pasta, burger wine as it is a great companion for these everyday dishes. The introduction of the Friday’s Folly Red also led to the creation of the Friday’s Folly White as our go-to, summer, party wine.

Our next foray into red blends took us in the opposite direction when it comes to price, as we created the Crescendo which was first released with the 2013 vintage. It also launched us further into the concept of musical terms. We felt that the Crescendo called for a new packaging design with a new label, a special bottle and originally a fire-engine red wax dipped closure. The main components of the Crescendo blend are Syrah and Petit Verdot. Both varieties “play-well” with others, meaning they are excellent for blending. In the past wines with Syrah and Petit Verdot as their main varieties received “Best of Show” in the Colorado Governor’s Cup wine competition. As a secret ingredient we blended in some Souzao which adds a unique flavor component and intense color.

Finally in 2018 we introduced Cadenza, a blend of Syrah and Merlot to round out the different price points. Once more we chose a musical term. Cadenza is on the lighter side of the flavor spectrum and pairs well with vegetable and pork dishes.

Friday’s Folly Red $14

Cadenza $17

Ensemble $23

Crescendo $40

So far this year we bottled the 2019 Ensemble and the Friday’s Folly Red, which has also been released already.

You can find a red blend from Bookcliff Vineyards to match any occasion, whether you are looking for a wine for everyday drinking (Folly Red), a wine to pair for a particular dish (Cadenza and Ensemble) or you are celebrating a special occasion (Crescendo).

Feast in the Vineyard

We are excited to announce our Feast in the Vineyard on our Vista above our Palisade tasting room. Just imagine being surrounded by vineyards located below Grand Mesa enjoying a four course dinner each paired with wine. Our chef Matt Collier will prepare a delicious dinner with locally sourced ingredients prepared on site.

Don't miss this once a year experience and buy your tickets now.

First Course

Grilled Rainbow beets, baby lettuces, mozzarella, sweet peppers, hakurei turnips sherry vinaigrette, reduced balsamic & fried quinoa - Paired with Viognier

Second Course

Beef Brisket with sweet corn polenta, grilled mushrooms, carrots, delicata squash, bok choy, apple-kohlrabi chutney & red wine jus - Paired with Tempranillo

Third Course

Herbed Lamb Shoulder, roasted broccoli, romanesco cauliflower, radish, red onion, purple potatoes, arugula and peach-plum relish - Paired with Malbec Reserve

Fourth Course

Chocolate-raspberry tart with plum coulis, grilled peaches and Chantilly - Paired with Merlot/Souzao port-styled wine

Purchase Now

Date:Friday 9/17, 2021

Time: 5:00pm

Cost: $120 plus tax and gratuity

Location: 670 39 Road, Palisade, CO 81526

Sunset Saturday at our Palisade Tasting Room

Join us every first and third Saturday at our Palisade tasting room.

Watch the sun go down over Mount Garfield from our "Vista" while enjoying a glass of wine with friends.

Turn this into your dinner stop and purchase a dish from the food truck (on-site) to enjoy with your glass of wine.

Purchase Now

Date: Saturdays, 8/21, 9/4, 9/18

Time: 5:00pm until dark

Location: 670 39 Road, Palisade, CO 81526

First Friday at our Boulder Tasting Room

You asked we delivered. First Friday is back with wine and cheese flights. Relax after a busy week and enjoy three wines paired with three cheeses from Cured Boulder.

Thanks for coming out to our inaugural First Friday last month and checking out this exceptional line-up of wine and cheese pairings.

VIOGNIER 2020 paired with Montealva, (Goat’s Milk Cheese from Spain)

TEMPRANILLO 2018 paired with Pecorino Fondatore (Sheep’s milk cheese from Italy)

MOSCATO 2020 paired with Caveman Blue, (Cow’s milk cheese from Oregon)

Date: Friday 9/3/21

Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Location: 1501 Lee Hill Road #17, Boulder, CO 80304

If you joined us for one of our past events, we want to say thank you for your patronage! I hope we will see you in the future, as you make BookCliff Vineyards your stop for local wine purchases.

Cheers,

Ulla & John