Just in time for holiday shopping, Grande River Vineyards is releasing five new wines, according to new owner Richard Tally. On Monday the winery will begin bottling and labeling Merlot 2020, Riesling NV, Cabernet Franc 2019, Aromella 2019 (dessert), and Sauvignon Blanc 2018. A Primitivo (port) will follow a little later to allow for aging.
“We’re hoping to do a soft opening as soon as we get our wine in the bottles this week” Tally reports. “That’s probably going to fall this first weekend of December. We’re already had dozens of people stopping by to see if we’re open yet.”
Tally admits that delays in receiving goods needed to open has slowed down the original timetable. “Just like everybody else, we’ve been dealing with supply chain issues,” he explains. “In fact, we’re still expecting one label to come in anytime now.”
He also announces that the winery is now offering the new Legacy Wine Club membership, which can be accessed only through the GrandeRiverVineyards.com website at GrandeRiverVineyards.com.
To join, Legacy Wine Club members can click on the secure sign-up link on the website and follow the prompts. Details about the club and its advantages will be available there.
Former Grande River wine club members need to log on to the new website and join as new members. The old membership does not automatically transfer because of upgraded technology.
On Saturday, January 22, 2022 GRV will host its Inaugural Legacy Wine Dinner at Caroline’s Restaurant in the Wine Country Inn to introduce the new wine releases.
New members can call Wine Country Inn directly at 970-464-5777 to make reservations for the Wine Dinner and/or lodging for a special room rate for Legacy members only. Reservations will NOT be offered online at either the winery or hotel websites.
“We’re giving our new Wine Club members a preview of our first releases, for which our Executive Chef Chad Griffith is designing a menu especially to showcase those wines,” adds Tally.
A full lineup of classic varietals will be released in the spring. The four annual Release and Pick Up dates will be in January, March, June and September.
Grande River Vineyards was founded by Stephen Smith in the 1990s. Richard and Jean Tally, who own Wine Country Inn next door and have a long history with Smith, purchased the winery on June 17 of this year.
“While we honor our legacy as an historic winery, we are a totally new operation,” emphasizes GRV Manager Daniel Vice. “I think our patrons will be happy with the upgrades.”
According to Vice, renovating the Tasting Room and loft upstairs has created a cozy lounge area where guests can enjoy a flight of wine with the newly added winery food service created by WCI Chef Griffiths.
He points out that the inviting loft area will be available for rental to groups for lunch, card games, social clubs, meetings or just friends who want to enjoy a flight of wine together.
“We’re excited to be opening any day now. We’ve been really busy, but so many people have been asking or stopping by, it will be great to hear the buzz of activity again,” Vice confirms.
While Winemaker Rainer Thoma and his crew are bottling and labeling wine, the Tasting Room staff is putting the finishing touches on merchandise displays of various wine paraphernalia, cooking aids, specialty gourmet foods and logo goods in addition to the new wine releases. After the wine is bottled, stocking racks is next.
Finally, the next generation Grande River Vineyards is coming together. Patrons are encouraged to keep checking social media and the GRV website for the GO Signal that the doors are open!
CONTACT:
Ten Acre Winery LLC, DBA Grande River Vineyards
787 Grande River Drive
Palisade, CO 81526
970-464-5867
