History
The View from Garfield
Estates
The Property
The Terroir of Garfield
Estates
The Varietals
of Garfield Estates
Bios
History
(The short version)
Garfield Estates Vineyard &
Winery was organized in January of 2000 by two
former employees of Netscape Communications who
left to pursue their dream of growing grapes and
making great wine in Colorado.
(The longer version)
Garfield Estates Vineyard &
Winery was organized in January of 2000 by two
former employees of Netscape Communications who
sold their stock options prior to the stock market
downturn, bought a 13-acre farm in Palisade,
Colorado in April of 2000, planted their vineyard
that spring and opened their wine tasting room to
the public in June of 2002.
Today, this small winery is
quickly gaining recognition for making vibrantly
flavorful, distinctively delicious wines, grown in
the dramatic elevations of the Rocky Mountains on
the Western Slope of Colorado.
But like fine
wine, the dream and vision of Garfield Estates was
many years in the making. It involved two winding
roads of life that eventually converged to create
this unique winery high in the Rocky Mountains set
amidst lush peach and apple orchards near the
Colorado River.
In the early
1980s, while Jeff Carr was getting his engineering
degree from Colorado State University, he
developed an interest in premium wines and wine
tasting. After graduation in 1986, he began
working in the computer and technology industry.
This allowed Jeff to also have the opportunity to
visit many of the famous wineries of Napa and
Sonoma Valley in northern California. It was
during those visits that Jeff fell in love with
the wine country and winery life.
Meanwhile, Dave
McLoughlin’s path in life started in Michigan,
where he graduated with a degree in music and a
minor in computer science from Central Michigan
University. Shortly after graduating in 1983, Dave
started his career in microcomputer software in
California.
The two roads of life for Jeff
and Dave converged in 1997 when they both met
while working together in the Denver, Colorado,
office of Netscape Communications Corp. Jeff’s
dream of owning and operating a winery one day
rubbed off on Dave. Together, the two began to
dream.
Call it luck, Providence or
great timing, but a few more twists and turns in
the road of life next turned the dream into
reality for these two high tech sales engineers.
First, Netscape was purchased by America Online in
1998. Second, thanks to the Bull Market, Jeff and
Dave were able to sell their Netscape stock
options for a handsome price before the stock
market turned sour. They now had the capital to
finance the dream.
“We went from raising our kids
and making good money to raising grapes and making
great wine,” explained Jeff. “The challenging part
is we are still raising our young families while
running a business that is both fun and demanding
at the same time. And while we love making wine,
the money-making part is more elusive with all the
investments in equipment, overhead, upgrades,
etc.”
Dave agrees, saying, “Starting a
vineyard and winery from scratch requires a
long-term commitment. We’re talking 10 to 15 years
minimum. We’re in this business for the passion,
not the money, although, of course, money does
help keep the fires of passion
burning.”
During the week Dave is still
holding down his “day job” in Boulder, Colorado,
as a sales engineer for Motive Communications, a
distributor of intelligent service solutions. In
January of 2003 Jeff left his “day job” as vice
president of sales for Vericept, a Denver-based
network security software company, to devote all
of his time on marketing and operations at
Garfield Estates. “Being able to focus all of my
efforts on building Garfield Estates into
Colorado’s premier winery is very exciting,” Jeff
said.
When they are not tending to
their dream at Garfield Estates, Jeff and Dave
have their full-time winemaker, Cameron Lyeth,
running things at the winery. Jeff’s wife, Carol,
also helps with keeping the books and paying the
bills. “It’s your typical family start-up business
with everyone pitching in,” said Jeff. “Our kids
will grow up with memories of training the vines
in the summer, crushing grapes in the fall and
helping to pack up after wine tasting events,”
Dave added.
He noted that the pair
considered starting their vineyard and winery in
California, but the lure of Colorado’s natural
beauty won out. “Plus, we were attracted by the
energy and excitement of Colorado’s young wine
industry and the privilege of being part of
something still in its infancy. Colorado’s wine
industry is where California was 30 years ago and
where Washington State was 15 years ago,” Jeff
said. “And as we always like to joke, we wanted to
take winemaking to a higher level, so we started
our winery in Colorado,” adds Dave with a
smile.
The View from
Garfield Estates
Garfield Estates sits on more
than 13 acres of fertile farmland, with majestic
Mt. Garfield towering dramatically
nearby.
“I’ve been to at least 100
wineries in California and many throughout the
world, including France and Spain, but honestly,
Garfield Estates is surrounded by some of the most
breathtaking, awesome beauty found anywhere,”
commented Jeff. “It’s one of the things that makes
the place so special. The scenery is truly
inspiring, and it changes everyday depending on
the time of day and positioning of the
sun.”
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
Property
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 went 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,” Jeff said. “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,” Dave said.
The Terroir of
Garfield Estates
The sunny days, hot, dry summers
and cool high country nights makes the Grand
Valley of the Western Slope in Colorado ideal for
growing grapes. Meanwhile, the fine, sandy, clay
loam soil is rich in mineral content and retains
moisture well, an advantage in the dry climate of
Colorado.
At an altitude of 4,720 feet,
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.
The Varietals of
Garfield Estates
Upon purchasing the farm that
became Garfield Estates, Jeff and Dave planted 11
acres of grapes, mostly Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah.
Smaller quantities of Viognier, Muscat Ottenel and
Semillon were also planted. The niche they are
carving out is premium Rhone-style varietal wines.
Jeff and Dave have a strong belief that these
varietals are well-suited to the unique
micro-climate and terroir found in Palisade,
Colorado. They believe their most outstanding wine
so far has been their Fumé Blanc, which combines
the intense tropical and citrus fruit flavors of
Sauvignon Blanc with the rich and creamy
characteristics of many Chardonnays. “Great U.S.
wineries such as Robert Mondavi first pioneered
the Fumé Blanc style, which is made from the
Sauvignon Blanc grape,” explained Dave. “We’re
just taking Fumé Blanc to a higher level, one that
shows off the unique characteristics only possible
with Colorado-grown grapes.”
“Currently, we are making five
wines ---- Vin Rosé, Fumé Blanc, Merlot and
Reserve Merlot and Reserve Cabernet Franc,” Jeff
said. “We are adding Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon
for the 2002 harvest.”
Following is a brief description
of the grape varieties planted at Garfield
Estates:
Viognier: Long revered
and one of the most coveted white grape varietals
in the Rhone Valley in France, Viognier is quickly
being discovered in the U.S. Viognier grapes are
deep yellow with beautiful floral aromas of
apricot, peaches and blossom.
Muscat-Ottonel: This is
an experiment for Garfield Estates. Jeff and Dave
want to see how well Muscat does in Colorado’s
climate. They will blend it with their Sauvignon
Blanc so that the fruity character of the Muscat
grape shines through with full, luscious
flavors.
Semillon: This
much-overlooked grape is traditionally blended
with Sauvignon Blanc to make a dry white wine that
can range from medium to full body and flavor
intensity, with an aroma of ripe apricots or
peaches.
Sauvignon Blanc: With
hints of citrus and bright melon fruit flavors,
this variety can be made into a great light wine,
perfect for a hot afternoon when served chilled.
Sauvignon Blanc is often blended with Semillon and
it has a heavy oak essence with tropical fruit
flavors.
Syrah: Currently the most
popular grape variety worldwide, Syrah has
garnered critical acclaim for its balance and
complexity. Syrah produces a spicy, aromatic wine
best associated with the wines of northern Rhone
and Australia (where it is known as Shiraz). This
full-flavored grape is known for producing strong,
sturdy wines of deep purple color, capable of
aging for many years.
Bios
Jeff Carr - co-owner
age: 43
Just the Facts:
My love for wines began shortly
after college, like many I began by enjoying
touring wine country, visiting vineyards and
starting to collect wines for my cellar. Along
this path I eventually decided that I needed a
more intimate involvement with wine. In the late
90's the opportunity to start Garfield Estates
presented itself and I seized the moment. Today I
enjoy my role as the vision behind Garfield
Estates and our wines. My ultimate satisfaction is
the success we have had with our wines and also
ensuring that everyone who visits our winery has
an outstanding wine experience.
In addition to my passion for
wine I have spent to the last 20 years in the
computer and software industry. I initially worked
for larger technology companies such as NCR and
Oracle and later in my career focusing on startup
companies in the Internet security market place. I
seem to enjoy building companies, whether in the
wine industry or technology.
I grew up in Ohio and after
moving to Colorado attended Broomfield High School
in 1982. I graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor's of
Science degree in engineering and a minor in
mathematics from Colorado State University. Jeff
makes his home in the Park Hill area of Denver,
Colorado, with his wife, Carol, and their
daughters, Amy, 18, Allison, 9, and Lucky, the
golden retriever.
Just for Fun:
Favorite Book Harvests of Joy by
Robert Mondavi
Currently Reading Several books
on winemaking
Besides your own, what’s your
favorite wine? -- Too many to list, but here’s
three great wines I really like: Vega Sicilia
"Unico" (Spain), Le Cigare Volant (Bonny Doon),
Curtis Winery Viognier
Favorite winery to visit
(besides Garfield Estates) -- Codorníu in Spain
Name one thing about yourself
people would be surprised to learn. -- I took my
first trip to Napa Valley when I was 22 years old,
and have been absolutely hooked ever since!
Who is your hero? -- Jesus
Christ he turned water into wine!
Favorite movie? --
Casablanca
Favorite places to travel? --
Spain
Favorite music? -- Frank
Sinatra!
Brad Harmon - partner and
assistant winemaker
age: 43
Just the Facts:
Brad, like Jeff, has had a
career in the software development business for
over twenty years. He currently works out of
his Palisade home for a human resource
software company based in Denver. In his spare
time (which is every minute that he is not
creating software) he is at the winery. As an
assistant winemaker he is learning anything and
everything he can from our winemaker, Rainer.
Brad's passion for wine goes far beyond what would
be considered 'normal'. Whether it be giving
winery tours, working in the tasting room, or just
drinking wine with friends, Brad always conveys a
sense of 'love and respect' for wine and a true
enjoyment in talking about it. Educating people
about wine is one of Brad's biggest passions. His
educational talks about wine are a welcome
surprise for visitors to the winery.
Rainer Thoma - winemaker
Age: 36
Just the Facts:
Rainer is a native of
Koenigheim, Germany where his family manages their
own family vineyard. Rainer grew up around the
wine business and holds a degree in winemaking.
After graduation he worked at several wineries,
including Europe’s largest. Since
moving to the United States in 1999, Rainer has
worked for wineries in both Washington state
and Colorado.
Rainer, his wife Cara, twin boys
Brody and Quayden, their Golden Retriever Max and
their newly acquired Black Lab puppy Jetta, make
their home in Palisade,
Colorado.
