Family-owned and exceptionally knowledgeable about their wines. Kristen was a fantastic host -- warm, engaging, and clearly passionate about what they do. We honestly didn't even realize two hours had passed! Needless to say, we left with a case of wine and will absolutely be back. read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Palisade, Colorado

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This by far has been the very best wine tasting I have ever experienced. Alex and his side kick Grace were so warm and welcoming and Alex gave my friend Doug and I premier lessons on how to drink and enjoy wine. Thank you Alex and Grace!! Russell from Alabama. read more

We had the most wonderful experience here. Alex was incredible from start to finish and made our visit beyond exceptional. From the knowledge he shared with us regarding wines and drinking etiquette, to their flavor, plus the beautiful atmosphere, and incredible unique and delicious wines - Varaison takes the cake for the best winery in Palisade. We bought many wines bottles and will absolutely be back! read more

Just an incredible time. Dropped in with a few friends expecting to get a small flight of wines and head out, but instead we were met with an immersive and curated tasting. Our guide knew his wines WELL and was able to read us and match the experience accordingly. We were taught the science behind the wine and how to get the best taste for each type. We went from a group of cheap-boxed-wine-enthusiasts to junior sommeliers in about an hour. We finished off our tasting with a pairing of homemade lemon fudge and a delightful dessert wine. Absolutely opened my eyes to the world of wine and could not recommend it enough!! read more

First stop of our winery tour we did a little wine tasting class. We learned so much information on how to really taste and experience each Type of wine and the whole process. The people working were great and so knowledgeable and friendly! read more

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Adorable little winery! Kristen put on the best wine tasting experience, and taught us so much about wine drinking. She (and everyone else on property) were so friendly and welcoming! The wine was delicious and we definitely left with a few bottles! If you are going to stop at any winery in Palisade- let it be Varaison! read more

If you want to leave Palisade with more than just a bottle of wine, look no further. Kristen, being a teacher herself, eloquently described each flavor profile of every wine we tasted with an in detail step by step on how to properly consume white and red wine. (If you don't know, it's completely different). The methods we learned not only alter the flavor profile completely, but convince a "red wine only" individual, into a red wine connoisseur. read more

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This is our 3rd time at Varaison and we love it. Alex is amazing and so much fun! We learn something new from him every time. The wine is so good, I'm so excited for the box of wine we are taking home. read more

The Varaison wine tasting experience is like none other. You feel like you are sitting at a table with friends who just happen to know a lot about wine. They teach you about how to select and drink wine, understand what you are tasting, and the history behind their craftsmanship. They do all this without pretentiousness, opening the world of wine appreciation to the common person. We've had the pleasure of meeting much of the West family here and at Brix Bistro (owned by Andy, and another great place to dine!). They are all warm and welcoming. Do yourself a favor and have a tasting at Varaison; it will be an experience you won't forget. read more

If you don't know much about wine--or how to taste it--this place will change that. My wife and I took a weekend trip to Palisade. I liked wine occasionally (maybe 2-3 times a year), but I could only ever tell you if it was "good" or "bad." I never understood how people picked out flavors in wine--until we had a tasting with the owner and winemaker, Alex. He's not only incredibly knowledgeable, but also an excellent teacher. He explained every detail: why they chose certain winemaking approaches, how each decision affected taste and production, and why making wine with care matters so much. I still enjoy my old favorites, but Alex opened up my taste buds. I started to understand how and why people love wine the way they do. The *only* downside to starting your wine journey here? It spoils you. After Varaison, other wineries just don't compare. Alex teaches you how to taste additives, rushed winemaking, and shortcuts--things you used to love might not taste so great anymore. It's a blessing and a curse: a curse because you won't want to drink mediocre wine again, and a blessing because you'll know how to choose wine that's actually worth your money (and that doesn't mean more expensive). Outside of wine, we went to their "Fire Pit Friday." Incredible pizza--some made with fresh Palisade peaches, some with smoked pork--and wine or iced tea to go with it. Alex and his family make you feel like you've been invited to a cousin's backyard BBQ. It's top-notch food and wine, but also the most welcoming and enjoyable place to hang out. We loved it so much, we came back the next night for their 4th Annual BBQ Challenge. Alex and a chef from a local restaurant (13 Bricks) served smoked pork, chicken, and ribs. It was amazing--worth every dollar. You'll find other wines and experiences in Palisade you'll enjoy, but this winery should be the *center* of your trip. You won't regret it. You can't find their wine in stores, but they'll ship anywhere in the U.S. (except Utah, apparently!). Their family-style hospitality extends to their customer service--they just want to take care of you. Places like this are rare. You'll love it. read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery - So proud of our new wine baby. - Wineries Near Me - Palisade, Colorado

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What a great experience. So much better than my first many years ago. Maybe it's me who knows but I learned so much talking to the wine maker. We first approached the barn and ask if we could go to the house because my wife had seen it prior and I had not . The lady ran in to ask if it was OK, fortunately it was so we headed in. There was a true experience. Learn how to drink wine how to distinguish quality wine versus not quality wine how to drink it so that the different darknesses were blended, etc.. learned about the history of the vineyard and the location who built the house. It was very educational and we very much appreciated it. Lastly, we were able to enjoy a glass of wine on the front porch, which I'm sure has happened for 100 years which was very cool. Very much appreciate our experience and wine maker was full of knowledge. Highly recommended. read more

Just opened a bottle we took home from a visit to Varaison 2 years ago and was reminded how impressed we were here. The creme brulee chardonnay is absolutely delicious. While I love a Russian River chardonnay, this is the best chardonnay I have ever had outside of Northern California. It is rich and buttery and can stand alone or makes a nice food pairing. As a Colorado resident, I would proudly serve this to my fellow wine snob friends! The tasting here was also super fun as we were hosted by the husband and wife who own Varaison inside a charming old house. Highly recommend! read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery hosted a private dinner for my 40th Birthday and created the most warm and intimate experience for myself, my husband, and our closest friends and family. Ron, Kristin and Alex executed an exemplary menu with perfect wine pairings that left us all wanting more. Alex's wine education blew our minds. To think that I have been drinking white wine wrong for decades! Thank you so much Ron, Kristin and Alex for making such a wonderful memory for my friends and I and for making my birthday the best one yet! read more

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My absolute favorite winery in all of Palisade! The quality and service is like no other. The tasting is free and you get such an array of different wines to try. If you're lucky enough to meet the owner then you will see the amount of passion that goes into this business. read more

Upon the advise of a friend, our group decided to make this our first stop along our tasting journey in Palisade. We heard it would help us learn wine tasting. I have been to wine tastings all over the world, so I really wasn't excited about this but went with it. Wow, am I glad I did this! Alex was amazing at explaining things I had never known before about wine tasting! He brought to light some pretty amazing ways to experience a tasting. I would 100% recommend visiting. I bought a bottle to take home and it was absolutely delicious. read more

Wonderful experience! We were treated to a wine drinking lesson that changed the way we approach wine forever. The wine was delicious. The owners were the friendliest and the location was beautiful. Check it out! read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Palisade, Colorado

There are not enough words to describe this magical winery, and these wonderful people, however I will try! We booked one of their private dining experiences this last week for our small wedding party, we were able to say our vows on their beautiful grounds and then go inside their stunning Victorian house, for, quite literally, the BEST meal I have ever had! Ron really knocked it out of the park!! Of course, this meal was paired perfectly with Varaison wines that are absolutely out of this world! Kristen gave us a great class while enjoying their lovely wines. The table was set beautifully with gorgeous china and the most thoughtful details. Kristen and Ron are the most welcoming, lovely and knowledgeable human beings and made our wedding so very, very special! Even though we were guests in their home, I felt like they were guests at our wedding and I could not imagine it without them. If you are looking for any kind of intimate dinner/gathering or even just a wine tasting experience, Varaison is the best in the Grand Valley! I have been to many and have always walked away from Varaison more impressed than I was before! Don't walk, RUN to Varaison, you won't be disappointed! read more

We're on a westward trip from Nebraska to CA. Randomly decided to stop here! It was amazing. Alex & Alex were wonderful. Their tours are a little more educational while still being enjoyable. Incredibly hospitable and personable. I prefer more semi-sweet wines & my husband prefers dry wines but all of their wines are so smooth while being enjoyable to those who like each kinda of wine! read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery - Outside of the winery! - Wineries Near Me - Palisade, Colorado

Let me premise, that anyone who has anything negative to say about this winery and tasting experience, in my opinion does not understand the value of this gem. Let me start by saying my husband has over 20 years in 5 star Michelin restaurants on the Las Vegas strip. He has tasted and enjoyed wines upwards of $30k and has completed many, MANY wine and spirit courses. When I insisted we visited this winery he grumbled a bit feeling he couldn't be wowed here. Then when we tried this small vineyard in Colorado he actually grew excited about some of the wines we experienced. The wines were good and the experience of the tasting was great. They really took their time to give us detailed information on what they poured. The care and attention to detail the producers an staff provide is beyond exceptional. read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery - wine glasses on a table - Wineries Near Me - Palisade, Colorado

What a great experience! Never expected this quality wines in Colorado. Kristen was so knowledgeable and taught us more about wines than we've learned at any other winery on our travels to California or Oregon. You won't be disappointed here read more

We visited this winery on a Thursday afternoon and Kristen invited us to do a tasting in the front room. The front room had some wine accessories for sale off to the side and a tall sturdy bar where the tasting took place. We got to try 4 or 5 different wines during our time there. We ended up going home with 2 bottles. I've been to wine country in California and done tastings there but have never received wine knowledge before like I have at varaison. We learned a lot about both red and white wines, the proper way to drink wine and hold the glass and confidently buy a good bottle of wine in store. We enjoyed our experience and if we're in the area again, we'll be back. Thanks Kristen!! read more

This is a family owned winery run by the most phenomenal humans! They make you feel so welcome and explain wine in a way that makes it approachable and understandable. I will be going back as often as I can and bringing anyone I can! read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Varaison during a recent visit to Palisade. Owner Ron led our tasting and was so knowledgeable, accessible, and engaging. The staff was so nice and the grounds are beautiful; we'll most definitely be back next time we're in town. read more

Was served wine in a dirty glass. Not even great wine. Not worth the stop and certainly not a good example of Palisade wine.

Best wine in Palisade. Not only was the wine the best but the experience was next level. The whole staff was welcoming, gave us a great time, and made sure we were happy! The winery was the perfect combo of inside/outside, I'd spend my whole day there if I could! read more

I found this winery through a Google search--they advertised special "wine and food" private dinners. I called to find out more and booked it. Kristin, my contact, tried to talk me into a tasting also but I said no. She said oh but you will learn how to pick out wine. I told her politely, no, my husband and I lived in wine country in California for 20 years, so we are familiar with wines, how to drink them and how to pick them out. I said your winemaker dinner sounds like a great thing because we can taste the food and the wines at the same time. When we arrived at the winery, Kristen greeted us and led us to a small bar where she showed us how to drink wine, so it landed on a certain part of our tongue. She also showed us how to swirl or not to swirl and how to hold a wine glass. Everything I told her that I did not want. There were four of us for dinner, at $100 each. Now, when I pay this much for a dinner, I want it to be something special, something I could not make for myself. The pasta and overcooked chicken we were served were very disappointing. And, while the winery harvests and bottles red wines, we were not served any. The white wines were mediocre at best. During dinner, we were given a presentation by the winemaker and chef, Ron, who has five degrees in chemistry and is very erudite and well-traveled. Just ask him, he'll tell you, and tell you, and tell you. But no, you won't have to ask him, he'll tell you anyway. If we would have known that we were going to have to sit through an hours-long speech, and have to pay for it, we wouldn't have booked the dinner at all. Ron, instead of telling us a few facts, then leaving us alone to eat, stayed in the dining room the whole time and watched us eat. My friend said afterwards, I wanted to talk to you during dinner, but the winemaker/chef guy wouldn't leave. At one point my friend sent me a text that read "Will this guy ever stop talking?" I felt like I was at a time share presentation, but without the gift at the end. He didn't engage us at all. He didn't ask us where we were from, what kind of wine we liked, our dog's name, nothing. He didn't pause at all while talking about himself. His speech was not about wine, or the winery, it was about him, and how great he is. Overall a disappointing experience that did not live up to our expectations. I hope if you read this and decide to book the dinner, you have a different experience. I think these people mean well but don't have any self awareness about how they present themselves to customers at their winery. read more

We had a private tasting and dinner for 5 of us ladies having a vacation getaway in Palisade. Ron and Kristen were wonderful!! we had a wine tasting and instruction first and a 4 course dinner after. Everything was excellent! I highlight recommend coming here for an amazing evening! This was our first night and nothing the rest of the week compared to our experience here. They both love what they do and it shows! The wine and food prepared were amazing!! and they are great people! read more

Everybody absolutely loves this place because they have a good show with the wine tasting. It's also a really pretty venue. ASIDE FROM THAT, the wine they actually sell you is pure crap. It's basically a BAIT & SWITCH scheme! If you scroll through lots of comments and find the ones from people who buy a case of wine and they get home and they open it and can't drink it ... who actually have to pour it down the drain, because it tastes like sour vinegar! They sell you BAAAD WINE and it is expensive! It happened to me I spent a lot of money that went down the drain and I will never go back. Don't believe me? Check reviews on Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, etc.... PISSED EX CUSTOMER read more

A wonderful place for newcomers to try. The tasting is a very educational experience for those who have never been to a winery or do not understand wines and tastings. We left with a better knowledge of wines and a love for all varieties. read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery - Wineries Near Me - Palisade, Colorado

Stop here for a fantastic wine tasting and information on a vast variety of wines. The information that is shared is totally priceless. The wines are my favorites, team members make you feel so welcome. My favorite vineyard of all time. read more

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Fabulous wine and tastings are first rate! Love this vineyard and the people who work there. Owners are delightful as well,

One of my favorite wineries in Palisade, CO. Always get a GREAT wine education, learning about wine drinking and wine making. Also, always great conversation with the owners when I visit (family owned and run). And, the wine tasting is complimentary, not $15 - $20 per tasting at many of the other Palisade wineries! The wines they make are incredible. I'm a red wine person but they got me out of my comfort zone to try some other types and I'm really glad they did. read more

My Husband, friends, and I recently went and did a wine tasting here. The staff is absolutely incredible. We starting our tasting with Marissa and she was absolutely phenomenal. She was wonderful at keeping our group entertained and extremely knowledgeable about the wine making process. We also had the pleasure of having the wine maker Alex join for the last bit of our tasting. He was very funny and incredibly knowledgeable about his craft. Truly the best wine tasting experience I have ever been on. If you find yourself in the area this is the wine tasting to go on! read more

The positive - the wine tasting experience was first rate with nice wines. They would've had a 5 for the tasting if we hadn't purchased wine. The negative - purchased three different wines, one white and two reds, based on our tastings. When we opened them at home they were, unfortunately, vinegar. All three. We contacted the winery in case it was a bottling line or cork infection. They asked us to ship the wines back for lab testing but, after already spending close to $200, we didn't want to waste more money on it. So I guess the free tasting cost us $200 read more

My family and I were so thankful to find this winery. We were blessed to be able to spend time and get educated from the winemakers!! The whole family is so friendly and kind. They truly care about making a top quality product. We took home a few bottles and look forward to following them on Facebook to stay up to date. This was the highlight of our trip to Grand Junction! A must visit!! read more

Firepit Friday is an awesome experience. The tasting room here is an education in wine tasting. Alex and Andy are extremely knowledgeable and share all this knowledge freely. Enjoy the rose garden which is beautiful when in bloom the gazebo in the center is perfect for couple pictures with the Mesa as a backdrop. The peach pizza is to die for, as well as the piggy figgy. If your eating pizza there ask Alex, Andy or Kristin what pares best with which pizza, you will not be disappointed. Also a beautiful place to have an event. Service is very friendly, they make you feel like family! read more

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Wine is fine, I bought some to go, the grounds are beautiful and I would have liked to enjoy them more. The experience is the problem. No matter how much you know about wine or the fact that you've been drinking and evaluating wine for longer than your server has been alive, you are forced to sit through their (not always accurate) lecture on proper tasting procedure. It really ruins it. Last thing I want on my holiday is a one hour lecture from a kid barely old enough to drink. It is made worse by said kid snapping at you and getting huffy for not doing things at their pace or for not giving them enough attention. I am not there to babysit their staff, I'm there to taste wine. Another winery stated that the staff here are required to run through the whole spiel, which is worse because now my attempts to actually enjoy my time there and ignore the unpleasantness of their lecture might end up being a mark against them. So basically taste their wines elsewhere and only stop by to buy to go. read more

Went for Friday night fireside wine and pizza and it was lovely! Pizza was delicious and wine was also great. The staff were extremely welcoming and friendly, would recommend to anyone visiting Palisade!! read more

Varaison Vineyards & Winery - Wine - Wineries Near Me - Palisade, Colorado

Sat with the owner and had a wonderful educational experience on how to properly taste wine. Kristin was amazing. So grateful for her time spent with us. read more

Amazing wines and we had out tasting with the vintner who was hilarious and funny. He made the experience so fun and memorable. The wines were so yummy. They had lots of cute wine merch and the winery was beautiful. I would definitely go back here for their tasting, which is free by the way. They are so confident in their wines they don't charge for the tasting. Highly recommend! read more