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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
May 15, 2001   
Contact:	Doug Caskey    
		(720) 304-3406    
		dcaskey@coloradowine.com   
   
New area established as prime for wine industry    
   
LAKEWOOD, Colo. - The West Elks area in eastern Delta County has become   
Colorado's second American Viticultural Area (AVA), a distinction that   
recognizes areas ideal for growing grapes.    
   
"This new AVA adds credibility to the Colorado wine industry and   
differentiates the West Elks region from other vineyards in the state," said   
Doug Caskey, executive director of the Colorado Wine Industry Development   
Board.    
   
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms approved West Elks as an   
American Viticultural Area because of its specific soil, climate and   
topography for grape growing. Colorado's first American Viticultural Area,   
the Grand Valley AVA, was recognized in 1991.   
   
An AVA must have a unique viticultural character, which is based on geology,   
climate and water content. An application for an AVA designation must detail   
geological character and microclimate and then differentiate those   
characteristics from the surrounding area. This differentiation is also part   
of what defines the physical boundaries of an AVA.   
   
"Microclimates in Colorado can change from one mesa to the next, within the   
span of a few yards, so it is hard to pin down a viticultural area here,"   
said Caskey.    
   
He said the West Elks AVA recognizes the unique character of the North Fork   
of the Gunnison Valley stretching from Bowie to Hotchkiss. The area's   
elevation ranges from 5,300 to 6,900 feet above sea level, which makes it a   
cool climate region ideal for the Alsace vinifera varietals of Riesling,   
Gewürztraminer and even Pinot Noir.    
   
Encompassing roughly 75 square miles, the West Elks area includes   
approximately 70 acres planted in vinifera grapes, the variety of European   
grapes that produces Chardonnay and Merlot wines, and three licensed   
wineries. One of these wineries, Terror Creek, is the highest commercially   
producing winery and vineyard in North America. Colorado wine makers using   
grapes from the West Elks can label wines specific to the West Elks AVA.    
   
For more information, contact Doug Caskey at dcaskey@coloradowine.com or by   
phone at (720) 304-3406.    
   
###   
Linh Truong   
Public Information Officer   
Colorado Department of Agriculture   
phone (303) 239-4100   
fax (303) 239-4176   
linh.truong@ag.state.co.us