Restoration Vineyards — Attraction in Palisade

The mesa above town on the fruit and wine byway has long been home to the majority of Palisade's best wineries. Those in the know will often take a gorgeous drive through this less trafficked agricultural paradise, rather than fight through the hordes of bike tourists downtown as they crisscross through its streets eager to check as many wineries off their lists as possible.

Restoration Vineyards has not only survived but thrived on east orchard mesa, and they have restored more than just the old rundown vineyard that was there before them. They have been instrumental in reinvigorating the entire area. Parking lots are full and roads are cluttered with more bicyclists than ever as people venture away from downtown and up the steep road to see what all the fuss is about. Restoration has proven that if you make your place an undeniable and noteworthy destination, the crowds will come no matter the distance from town.

What a destination it is too. Years ago after my first visit I left thinking that they had a cute spot with the best lawn in Palisade, with wine that was drinkable yet short of remarkable. It's been a joy to watch them grow and refine both their winemaking and winery into truly one of the Grand Valley's very best. Their space is perfectly laid out with a nice indoor bar, covered patio with couches, and an enormous lawn. This lawn is full to the brim with tables and chairs of all kinds and sizes to provide whatever vibe best suites you.

It is the perfect spot to take in live music from the bandstand while soaking up the unparalleled views of Mount Garfield. The owners and their handpicked staff are all exceptionally kind and eager to share their passion with you. If looking for a tasting experience each glass will be served to you wherever you are on the property, a very nice touch. However, this space truly shines when bringing a picnic or grabbing lunch from the rotating food truck and sharing a bottle or two of exceptional wine with friends.

I'm obviously a big fan of Restoration Vineyards, and I have no doubt you...

Garbage, ill mannered and poor taste vineyard. Traveled for multiple hours to visit. There was no "at capacity " sign upon walking down the dirt road to the winery. As we approached the front entrance and pathway, this establishment thought it'd be best practice to spray the only entrance path continuously (at 3:50pm, an hour and 10 minutes before close). At entry, a staff member allegedly by the name of Deborah turned us away because they were at capacity, which is totally understandable. What was not appropriate or understandable, was that she told us to walk through the pathway that was being continuously doused with water (where everyone else avoided, and not a single patron walked upon while we were present). She said "we don't really let people walk through the grass area", where there were dozens of people standing, yapping, sipping AND sitting. How absolutely disgusting. Restoration is a negative star venue that employees some of the most disrespectful, poor taste, ill willed individual that I've experienced at our many wine country trips nationally. I will make sure to let my loved ones aware and anyone I come across that are interested in visiting, how grotesque our...

Tl;dr: Go here!

We made a quick detour during our drive from Telluride to Denver so my wife could finish an assignment, my dog could get a break from the car, and I could get get some wine. I did a quick search for dog-friendly wineries that were still open when we were passing through town and happened upon this place. I am very glad that we did.

The atmosphere was great, and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful--not only on their own product, but we also got a stellar recommendation for grabbing some fresh produce on the way out of town.

We had just spent a week of vacation doing nothing but dog-friendly activities in dog-friendly places, but this was the most radically welcoming place we stopped.

And bonus, the wine was great! I am not usually a white wine drinker, but all three whites were delightful. My glass of sauvignon blanc paired exceptionally well with the 100 degree temperatures outside. The three reds were also very good--I picked up a bottle of the Barbera, but I already regret not having picked up a couple more.

It was such a good experience that this little detour got us planning a long weekend to this side...