vineyard

Garfield Estates Vineyard

The View from Garfield Estates

Garfield Estates sits on more than 13 acres of fertile farmland, with majestic Mt. Garfield towering dramatically nearby. Many visitors to Garfield Estates make an extra trip to their car to retrieve their cameras in order to take back not only the fine wine from Garfield Estates, but photos of the incredible views from the vineyard. Indeed, a familiar saying that visitors to Garfield Estates hear is, “If you like our views, you’ll love our wines!”

The Winery

In addition to gorgeous views from Garfield Estates, you will also find a charming 80-year-old two-story barn and three-bedroom, ranch-style house, along with several smaller buildings. This was all part of the original homestead known as Garfield Views, which dates back almost 100 years.

We renovated the barn, put in a new foundation and created a very beautiful and contemporary mixed-use facility that has served us well. Our green and white barn with terra cotta trim in the middle of our vineyard, with its distinctive Garfield Estates weather vane on top has quickly become a landmark for people.

This converted 1910 vintage barn at Garfield Estates houses the fermentation room, barrel cellars, lab, vineyard offices, case storage and tasting room, situated in the former hayloft. To us, the barn represents tradition and respect for the past. It is these same values that we bring to Garfield Estates, upholding the traditions of winemaking, respecting the past and keeping things simple.

Location and Climate

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Our vineyard is located in the Grand Valley of the Western Slopes of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. While at first this may seem an odd place to grow grapes, upon closer inspection the location and climate actually make this an ideal grape growing area. The combination of high altitude (4,720 ft), hot, dry summers and cool nights give us the excellent growing conditions. At almost a mile above sea level, Garfield Estates has another unique advantage. At this elevation, the sun is very intense, resulting in higher quality grapes, rich in color and high in acid content.

Soil

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The soils at Garfield Estates Vineyard are excellent for cultivating vines and provide unique qualities to the grapes. The soils are primarily comprised of a fine sandy clay loam and are rich in mineral content. Soils are predominately made from the Mancos shale formation, which is one of the major formations forming Mt. Garfield along with the overlying Mesa Verde sandstones. It is the Mesa Verde that contributes the sandy quality to the soil. These soils are ideal for the Grand Valley grape-growing climate. They are deep and retain moisture well, which is an advantage in our warm dry climate.