|
| 1873: |
English traveler
Isabella Bird described the lush
landscape she encountered during her horseback ascent up the St.
Vrain Canyon on her way to Estes Park: “Cottonwood trees were
green and bright, aspen trees shivered in gold tremulousness, and
wild grape vines trailed their lemon-colored foliage along the
ground.” (A Lady's LIfe in the Rocky Mountains, published 1879 |
| 1882: |
Gravity canal irrigation is introduced into the Grand
Valley. Colorado River water is diverted into gravity canals at the
mouth of De Beque Canyon near Palisade. |
| 1883: |
Arthur E. Pabor first recognizes the fruit producing
potential of the Grand Valley and plants grapes, apples, pears, peaches,
cherries, and plums near Fruita. |
| 1890: |
Governor George A. Crawford, who founded Grand Junction
in 1881, plants sixty acres of grapes and other fruit on Rapid Creek
above Palisade. |
| 1899: |
U.S. Department of Commerce, Census of the United States
- Agriculture reports a Colorado grape harvest of 586,300 pounds and
wine production of 1744 gallons. |
| 1909: |
U.S. Department of Commerce, Census of the United States
- Agriculture reports a Colorado harvest of 1,037,614 pounds from
254,292 vines of bearing age and 101,332 vines of pre-bearing age.
1034 Colorado farms are involved in grape production. |
| 1916: |
The General Assembly of Colorado enacts a prohibition
statute. Colorado goes "dry" four years before the passage of the
18th Amendment which creates national prohibition. Commercial winemaking
ceases in Colorado and wine grape vineyards are uprooted. |
| 1933: |
The 18th Amendment is repealed and national prohibition
ends. |
| 1968: |
Gerald Ivancie opens Ivancie Winery, the first modern
Colorado winery. Ivancie also develops experimental plantings of premium
wine grapes in and around the Grand Valley. |
| 1974: |
Colorado State University's Orchard Mesa Research center,
located in Grand Junction, begins vineyard research. |
| 1977: |
The General Assembly enacts the Colorado Limited Winery
Act which creates a special permit for small "farm wineries." |
| 1978: |
Jim and Ann Seewald open Colorado Mountain Vineyards in Golden but eventually move their winery production to Palisade, where the grapes are being grown. |
| 1982: |
Rocky Mountain Association of Vintners and Viticulturists,
now known as CAVE (Colorado Association for Viticulture and Enology),
an association of winemakers and grape growers, is formed. |
| 1990: |
The General Assembly enacts the Colorado Wine Industry
Development Act (Colorado Revised Statutes 35-29.5) which creates the Colorado Wine Industry Development
Board.
Grand Valley American Viticultural Area (or AVA), along the Colorado River between the mouth of DeBeque Canyon in Palisade to the foot of the Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, is approved and recognized by what is now the Federal Tax and Trade Bureau.
|
| 2001: |
West Elks American Viticultural Area (or AVA), along the North Fork of the Gunnison River between Bowie and Hotchkiss, is approved and recognized by what is now the Federal Tax and Trade Bureau.
|
| 2005: |
The Colorado General Assembly ammends the limited winery statute, replacing the requirement to use 75%
Colorado fruit with a more informative labeling regulation for Colorado wine.
|
