(Grand Junction Daily Sentinel - 8/24/01)

Wine industry toasts success

By MARIJA B. VADER

The Daily Sentinel

The Colorado wine industry has had a sweet, full-bodied year.

Colorado wines continue to gain in the market share among wines sold in Colorado, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue. The industry's statewide market share jumped nearly 8 percent last year.

Colorado-made wines account for less than one bottle for every 100 sold in the state. Despite that, their 0.91 percent market share for fiscal year 2000 was a record high.

The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board hopes to increase that market share to 1.5 percent over the next three years.

"Our goal is to get up to 1.5 percent of the sales of wine in Colorado being Colorado wine," said Parker Carlson, owner/winemaker at Carlson Cellars in Palisade.

"Even though the economy is the way it is, things are picking up for Colorado wines," Carlson said.

Carlson Cellars' tasting room "has just exploded," Carlson said. "We're way over 10 percent over last year. Each year keeps getting bigger and bigger."

"We're almost shocked at how well the tasting room is working for us this year," added Carlson, whose winery is the state's fourth-oldest.

"Our quality is gradually improving." said Doug Caskey, executive director of the Colorado wine board. "As long as we can increase the awareness of Colorado wines. I'm confident people will discover they like them and they will come back for more."

The state's 33 licensed wineries, up from 28 in 1999, produced about 505,000 bottles of wine with a retail value of $5 million in 2000. That represents a 19.5 percent increase from 1999 in production and sales.

Wine experts say Colorado's climate can help produce good wines. Warm summer days and cool nights on the Western Slope, where most Colorado grapes are grown, result in fruit with high levels of sugar and acid. producing crisp. full-flavored wines.

At the Terror Creek Winery in Paonia, winemaker Joan Mathewson said sales gradually have increased as consumers become more aware of Colorado-produced wines.

Terror Creek sold out its entire production, 800 cases, of its 1998 vintage. Mathewson said.

Marija B. Vader can be reached via e-mail at mvader@gjds.com.