West Elks AVA

The Region

Named for the vast, untamed, mountainous wilderness that culminates with the peaks of Mount Lamborn and Lands End, the West Elks wine region is located in the heart of Colorado’s North Fork Valley, which stretches along a scenic corridor between the towns of Hotchkiss and Paonia, where the mountains meet the mesas.

The Terroir

The area’s high-elevation, alpine-desert climate provides warm days, cool nights, and a steady breeze. Its volcanic mesas, agricultural benches, and alluvial valley floor have been cultivated for well over a hundred years. Some of Colorado’s most highly regarded organic farms, vineyards, ranches and orchards thrive here.

The Wine

Each of the stops along the West Elks Wine Trail offers a unique view and experience, and the bottles you will discover here are just as distinctive. The local wineries and cideries produce some of the state’s most award-winning selections, which consistently show depth, bright acidity, finesse, concentrated aromatics and bold flavors.

The Experience

While this rugged region is home to world-class fly fishing, hiking, and mountain biking, it is also a quiet, idyllic location to indulge in a full range of wine country experiences. Guided tastings, vineyard tours, farm stays, seasonal dinners and live music are happening on any given weekend over the summer season.