Yesterday, Char, Beeko and I went to the Balistreri winery in Denver. They have a very unique process that results in very uniquely wonderful wines. The vintner is focused on making wine “the old fashioned way”; free of sulfites, container-crushed and fermented, and barrel-aged to perfection. There are no stainless steel tanks to be found at this winery.
And the taste? Every wine we had, barring one that the hostess warned us about, was excellent, with a few wines bordering on the best I’ve ever had. Even the wine that we were warned about was just simply not that great. It wasn’t awful. Without the fining agents, sulfites, and other additives, the fruit is allowed to really shine. Balistreri also does no blends (every wine is vineyard-specific), so the taste of each region, each year, is front and center.
The pure depth of the tasting was something to behold with over twenty wines on the docket. It was certainly a marathon, with grapes, crackers, and cheese in between.
Aside from the fact that they have great wines, the vintner’s wife, who was the hostess, was the most enjoyable part of the experience. Her candor and willingness to share in the joy of their winemaking was second to none. This is a family-run, and family-loved experience and it shows. Talking to several of the regular customers that were present when we were there, it’s apparent that the Balistreri’s bring their customers in for that experience.
The room itself is small and nice, and they have a small garden where they serve small plates. It seemed very nice, but we were there for winetasting and wine buying and had already eaten, so maybe next time.
It’s been almost a decade since Char and I started winetasting and I can say without a doubt that this winery provided the most memorable experience we’ve had to date. If you are in the Denver area and find yourself wanting a wine tour, I strongly recommend that you make some time for them.
Chillin
Mischievous
