Colorado has more than 90 commercial wineries and wine tasting rooms, and more than half of them will be pouring samples at the Colorado Mountain Winefest, September 15–18. Now in its 20th year, the festival, held in Palisade, has an impressive lineup of events for wine lovers interested in learning more about the state’s growing wine industry.

There are seminars on wine and food pairing, a chef’s demonstration and dinner by Kevin Kidd, the executive chef of Salt in Boulder, a chocolate and wine tasting dessert extravaganza sponsored by Enstrom, and an early morning bicycle tour of wineries.

The event that draws Front Range travelers by the carload is the daylong Saturday Wine Festival in the Park, which includes wine tasting booths, cooking demonstrations, live music, and a Riedel wine glass seminar that’s guaranteed to make you a wine glass snob. (The size and shape of a glass really do matter.)

The Fine Print: Saturday’s festival is a steal at $43 for general admission. All other events and seminars are priced separately.

970-464-0111, info@coloradowinefest.com