Choosing Colorado Wines for Your Fall Table: A Tasting Guide to Paonia

Perhaps there’s squash waiting on the counter, a favorite pasta recipe coming back into rotation, or a Thanksgiving invitation on the calendar. Bring those plans into the tasting room. They give you something familiar to talk about and a useful way to choose which wines you’d like to take home.

Before your wine-country day, think of one or two dishes you make often. Include the details that give them flavor: a cream sauce, roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, a little heat, or something sweet alongside the main course.

“What would you serve with squash ravioli?” gives the person pouring a clear starting point. So does “We cook a lot of spicy food” or “I’m bringing wine to dinner, and I don’t know the menu.”

Mention your budget, too. A bottle for Tuesday’s supper and a gift for someone special may call for different choices.

The North Fork Valley’s wineries offer some useful ideas for bringing wine and food together.

Stone Cottage Cellars pairs its acorn squash ravioli with rosemary cream sauce with Pinot Noir. It’s an inviting autumn combination. If squash is part of your own menu, ask which available wine the tasting-room team would suggest with the way you prepare it.

For a creamy pasta supper, another starting point is Stone Cottage’s 2023 Chardonnay, which the producer recommends with pasta Alfredo. That gives you a concrete pairing to discuss while tasting, especially if richer sauces are part of your cool-weather cooking.

At The Storm Cellar, the winemakers explain Riesling’s versatility at the table. Its acidity can refresh the palate alongside rich food, while an off-dry style can work with spicy dishes. Riesling comes in several styles, so ask about the sweetness of the particular wine in your glass.

Treat these as starting points. The bottle you enjoy, the way you cook, and the preferences of the people at your table all matter.

Thanksgiving brings several flavors together: savory stuffing, rich gravy, sweet sides, and tart cranberry sauce. When tasting with that meal in mind, describe the whole plate.

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s Thanksgiving pairing guide suggests dry or off-dry Riesling with the main meal and sweeter styles with desserts such as pumpkin pie. The grape’s name alone won’t tell you how sweet the wine will taste.

You might choose a white and a red that your guests will enjoy, then let people decide what works with their plates. Include an appealing alcohol-free option for anyone who would prefer one.

You can learn plenty without a technical vocabulary:

• What would you cook with this wine?
• Is this dry, off-dry, or sweet?
• Where were the grapes grown?
• Would you open it now or save it?
• How would you serve it at home?

The question about grape origin is especially useful when choosing Colorado wine. Qutori, for example, describes a collection featuring fruit from both the West Elks and Grand Valley AVAs. Asking about the particular bottle helps connect what you’re tasting with the place it came from.

Take a photograph of the label and jot down the dish you discussed. Those small notes are handy when you’re home deciding what to open.

If you’re bringing wine to someone else’s house, share their preferences with the tasting-room team, along with your price range.

A short note can make the gift personal: where you found it, what caught your attention, or a meal the producer suggested. For a dinner invitation, ask the host whether they’d like something for that evening or a bottle to enjoy another time.

Check current tasting-room hours before visiting. The West Elks AVA winery directory is a useful starting point for producer links and seasonal information. Specific wines and vintages can change, so ask what’s available when planning your visit.

If you’d like help arranging a wine-country day, tell Western Colorado Wine Tour about your dates and interests. Share what you enjoy drinking, whether you’re looking for gifts or dinner wines, and the pace that suits your group. We’ll help explore a tour that fits current winery availability.

The next time you open a bottle at home, you’ll have a meal in mind and a little more of its story to share.