<\/p>\n
A Colorado State University study found the wine industry contributed $144 million to the state\u2019s economy in 2012, a figure that has more than tripled since a similar study was conducted in 2005.<\/p>\n
Colorado wine sales surpassed $28 million during the most recent fiscal year, up from $11 million in 2005.<\/p>\n
Though many of Colorado\u2019s wineries are along the Front Range, Fox Fire Farms, Sutcliffe Vineyards and Guy Drew Vineyards make wine in Southwest Colorado.<\/p>\n
Richard Parry, who owns Fox Fire south of Ignacio with his wife, Linda, said the state\u2019s wine industry should continue to grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s going to keep growing because the technology is there, and the cold, hearty varieties are there to grow,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Fox Fire produces wines such as Colorado Riesling and Colorado cabernet sauvignon.<\/p>\n
Fox Fire is a relatively small winery, producing about 500 cases per year. The winery operates seasonally and has up to eight part-time employees.<\/p>\n
Sutcliffe and Guy Drew are near Cortez. Another nearby winery, Wines of the San Juan, is near Navajo Lake, east of Aztec, N.M.<\/p>\n
The CSU study said Coloradans drink 3.1 gallons of wine per person each year, 24 percent more than the U.S. average. The state\u2019s consumers spend more on Colorado wines than other wines, the study said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see this as an indication that Colorado wine drinkers consider our local wines as a special-occasion selection, perfect for their holiday feasts,\u201d Dawn Thilmany, a CSU professor who was the lead researcher for the study, said in a news release.<\/p>\n
Colorado wineries harvest nearly 2,000 tons of grapes annually, according to the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board. The board is part of the Colorado Department of Agriculture and commissioned the CSU study.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Colorado wine industry is increasingly strong and vibrant,\u201d said Doug Caskey, executive director of the wine industry board. \u201cWe are ecstatic about the results of the study, and excited to see these numbers validate all of the hard work of our growers, winemakers and everyone involved in wine production.\u201d<\/p>\n