Fox Fire Farms :: Winery & Vineyard
Fox Fire Farms has a long history of being the southwest's premier certified organic farm. Located 30 miles southeast of Durango as part of an 1,100, acre organic farm in a stunning Colorado setting.
Stroll the vineyards, and taste our wine. Our vineyards are home to an array of wildlife that exists in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with the grapes. Walk among the vines and let the bees and birds transport you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Fox Fire Farms is a soothing place to spend the day, resting your spirit and reconnecting with nature. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a bottle of one of our wines as you gaze out over our tranquil pastures. You're always welcome at Fox Fire Farms.
Growing grapes at high altitude has its challenges…
The most distinct wines come from areas where ‘mesoclimates’ occur. Vineyards perched above 5,500 ft of elevation, much like the vineyards in Europe and parts of Argentina have advantages of creating some of the most sought after wines in the world.
The high altitude winemaker faces both the benefits of high altitude growing and its challenges. Vineyards in the Rocky Mountains are concerned with the winter hardiness of their vines. They can count on periods of very cold temperatures, which can kill the vine at the root level if precautions are not taken. The high elevation winemaker takes great care to ensure his vines survive the harsh winters with the knowledge that his grapes will produce wines that have a distinct regional bouquet.
Steep slopes, rocky conditions, and thin soils stress the vines and produce smaller fruit with superior natural acidity compared to lower altitude grapes. Good acidity in fruit benefits the production of high quality, well-balanced wine with intense concentration, body and flavor. Since Roman times, mountain vineyards have been recognized for the high quality wines they can produce. Despite the challenges of high altitude vineyards, growers, and wine enthusiasts are increasingly attracted to their wines, which have unique qualities of taste and capacity to age.
In addition to the potential to produce better tasting, longer aging wines, grapes grown at higher latitudes with full UV exposure have the highest amount of resveratrol, an important antioxidant found in the thicker grape skins. They may also have antiviral, neuro-protective, anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory effects.
Higher altitudes can provide a diverse set of benefits. For example, greater UV radiation can cause the skins of the grapes to be thicker and have higher levels of color and tannins, which can be smooth and less astringent. Argentinean research illustrates that the skins of grapes grown at high altitude can be five times thicker than grapes grown at sea level.
Wine enthusiasts are discovering these small regional wineries as a source of some of their favorite wines.