State wine board meets in Salida

Members of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board were in Salida Sunday and Monday for a retreat.

"Salida and Cañon City have great wineries, but they're a little out of the way and they are on their own, with no other wineries in the area," Doug Caskey, executive director of the board, said.

"We try to spread our meetings around the state, and Salida and Cañon City don't get much attention, so we decided to come to Salida this time."

Retreats are designed to keep Colorado wineries abreast of legislative and other changes, discuss public relations and budget questions and in general keep up-to-date regarding interests of the wine industry.

The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board of Boulder was established in 1990 and began keeping records in 1991.

Nine members are appointed by the governor, representing wine makers, grape growers, wine wholesalers and retailers, general public and ex officio members from Colorado State University and the Colorado Tourism program.

The executive director is hired by the wine board. Fourteen members attended the Salida retreat.

"There are 74 wineries throughout the state, not just the Western Slope," Caskey said. "We actually have more wineries along the Front Range than in the Grand Valley near Palisades and Grand Junction."

Since the board began keeping records, Colorado wine production increased 10 times.

A 2006 economic impact study by CSU showed annual wine industry economic impact on Colorado is $21 million and the figure doubles if wine tourism is included.

Wine tourism includes such things as people touring wineries and then staying in the area for dining, lodging and shopping.

"Wine is a huge draw for tourism," Caskey said, smiling. "I guess you might call wine a sexy industry. It's the shining star in the agricultural sector and it's growing in popularity with consumers.

"Wine draws people's attention and it has a greater impact on the economy than you might expect."

The group gathered Sunday evening at Mountain Spirit Winery and Gallery where winery owners Dr. Michael Barkett and Terry Barkett offered hors d'oeuvres and wine tasting.

Dinner was in the adjoining Twisted Cork Café owned by Andrew and Summer Ritchie.