West Elks AVA

Location

The American Viticultural Area West Elks is located near the town of Paonia in the management unit Delta County. The area is surrounded by mountains of the Rocky Mountains and can only be reached through mountain passes. The name derives from the nearby West Elk Mountains.

The vineyards of West Elks lie at altitudes from 1500 to 1950 meters above sea level, making them the highest in the northern hemisphere. In Delta County there are warm, sometimes hot summers and cold, snowy winters. In particular, the temperature differences between day and night are sometimes extremely and extend the growing cycle of the vines. So it can be quite cold in the summer, despite the high daily temperatures at night. The rainfall ( 400-500 mm per year ) are distributed over the whole year, while the summer is slightly wetter.