LITTLETON, Colo — Wine consumption nationwide is on the decline, but some local wineries in Colorado are charting a different course by focusing on unique experiences and innovative wine making practices.
Carboy Winery is an example of one that’s finding success, with four different locations across Colorado and a flagship winery in Littleton.
“We came into this in 2016 when the wine industry was a little stagnant, and we just wanted to bring a cool experience to Colorado,” said Carboy Winery CEO Kevin Webber. “It’s really making wine, culturally, part of what Colorado is known for.”
Coming from the restaurant industry before moving into wine, Webber attributes a lot of their success to the hospitality that they provide. He also said that wineries in Colorado are in a unique position where they can lean into providing a place for outdoors enthusiasts.
“You can finish a day mountain biking in Breckenridge or in Palisade and end in a winery, as opposed to a brewery,” he said. “The first thing you think of culturally, is outdoor recreation, and that's something that we've been really big at with Carboy. Trying to make Colorado wine an accessory to that.”
Executive Director of the Colorado Wine Industry Development board Kyle Schlachter notes that what Carboy is doing isn’t typical. Wineries across the country, and many in Colorado, are struggling right now. There’s been a nationwide drop in wine sales of about 4 to 5% per year since the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency in early 2023.
“The state of the wine industry is in flux right now,” said Schlachter. “The last couple years have been hard. Nationwide wine sales are down. We have a lot of wineries struggling in Colorado, but there are some wineries doing a good job here too, as well.”
Still, he sees potential in Colorado’s unique offerings, evidenced by how Carboy’s wine club membership has increased by nearly 10% the past 2 years.
“A lot of consumers are interested in new and different types of wines,” Schlachter explained. “It's a lot of our Colorado wineries here that are exploring with different varieties, different styles, being innovative, and pushing the envelope on the wine industry.”
Many of Colorado’s roughly 160 wineries are shifting towards growing cold-hardy grape varieties that thrive in the state’s cooler climate, while also still growing wine staples like Chardonnay, Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Colorado's wine is leaps and bounds better in quality the last five years than probably the previous 25,” said Webber. “There's just a better understanding of what grows best here, how to deal with Mother Nature's unpredictability and the climate.”
The more unique grape varieties not only flourish here, but they also give wine a unique flavor profile.
“The flavor is really created by where the grapes were grown, and the environment here in Colorado is different than anywhere else in the world,” said Schlachter. “Those qualities come through in the wine, and they can have a little different experience.”
“We're always thinking outside the box of how we can be different, how we can keep it exciting, and so that innovative mindset has really led us to thinking that there's no rules,” said Webber. “We're not bound or fettered by convention of what a winery should be, and what wine should be, and how people should enjoy it.”
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