Larry Meinert lmeinert@smith.edu or 413-585-2657
Eric Nelson enelson@mines.edu

This trip will cover the geology, climate, and other natural factors affecting the quality of Colorado's western slope vineyards and the wines produced.   On May 17 the group will make a few key geology overview stops through the Rocky Mountains en route to the wine country on the western slope near Grand Junction.

On the western slope the physical factors that allow great wine to be grown in Colorado will be explored and these factors will be compared to the rest of the world.  Two vineyards will be visited for tasting and discussion of terroir, followed by a banquet dinner with further discussions of terroir and a lecture by Meinert on terroir of some of the other wine regions of the world.

The group will spend the night in Grand Junction and on May 18 other wineries will be visited for tasting, lunch will be at a winery, with a return to Keystone (and Denver) in the late afternoon.