By Mark Condon
June 28, 2021; Delta County Independent
The West Elks AVA wine road trip is beginning to gain momentum. As I pack up my wine and say goodbye to Steve and Jayme of The Storm Cellar in Hotchkiss, I set my navigation to Garvin Mesa and Stone Cottage Cellars in Paonia. As my Ford downshifts, and motors up Garvin Mesa, the landscape and views become increasingly spectacular. The magic of this bird’s eye view of the valley captures the fullness and expanse of the landscape and stimulates the imagination. Each winery on our road trip creates a unique entrance, and Stone Cottage Cellars is no exception.
The owners of the Stone Cottage Cellars, Karen and Brent Helleckson, welcome my guests and me to their tasting room which feels more like we are being welcomed into their living room…
As Brent poured their Gewurztraminer, he said this was the first wine they produced in the mid-’90s. Many Colorado wine country historians believe this is the specific wine that has inspired a generation of West Slope wine makers. This wine carries the clean, fresh taste that is the signature of the West Elks AVA…
Brent and Karen will continue to produce the wines Stone Cottage is known for; however, we should keep an eye out for their new Vintner’s Adventure offerings. They will set foot on new terrain producing Petit Verdot and Petit Syrah. After 27 years of wine making, they deserve to mix it up a little.
One of my goals in writing this West Slope wine and food column was to educate readers on the treasures we possess in our Delta County wineries. Only about one third of Stone Cottage visitors come from the local community. I would encourage more of you to visit these wineries in your own backyard. You will not be disappointed…
