The Ordinary Fellow Albariño 2025
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The Land
Albariño built its reputation in Galicia, where Atlantic storms drop rain most of the year. This one grows in a high desert. The Grand Valley AVA around Palisade sits at roughly 4,700 feet on the western slope of the Rockies, with a 182-day growing season — the longest of any agricultural region in Colorado — and vines drinking from the Colorado River rather than the sky. Hot afternoons ripen the fruit; cold mountain nights lock in the acidity Albariño needs. Each morning the katabatic wind locals call the "million dollar wind" pours down DeBeque Canyon, softening frost risk in the vineyard belt. The vines for this bottling stand in sand, silt, and loam.
The Wine
Albariño from Grand Valley fruit, hand-harvested and bottled January 29, 2026 — just 203 cases made. The numbers read like a coastal Spanish white: 13.3 percent alcohol, pH 3.38, and 7 g/L of titratable acidity, which is where that desert diurnal swing shows up in the glass. The aromatics lead with lemon balm and sea salt — an odd trick for a vineyard 1,000 miles from any ocean — moving into a citrus-pith palate with real grip and length. The finish is saline and mouthwatering rather than soft.
The People
Ben Parsons studied enology at the University of Adelaide, landed in Palisade in 2001 to work at Canyon Wind Cellars, and went on to found The Infinite Monkey Theorem, the Denver urban winery that put Colorado wine in cans and, by industry accounts, helped put the state on the national map. The Ordinary Fellow is his return to the vineyard: opened in October 2021 inside the original United Fruit Growers peach-packing shed at 202 Peach Avenue in downtown Palisade. Vineyard manager Juan Adan, who has farmed Grand Valley orchards and vineyards since the 1990s, oversees the sites from February through November. Farming is sustainable and regenerative, with every cluster picked by hand.
Food Pairing
Baja-style fish tacos with shredded cabbage and lime crema — the wine's acidity does the work a squeeze of lime would. Whole grilled trout with lemon and thyme, where the saline finish reads like seasoning. Scallops seared in brown butter, because the citrus pith cuts richness while the wine's texture keeps pace. Green chile chicken enchiladas, since bright, low-oak whites handle moderate heat better than most reds. Albariño from Colorado wine country, made twenty minutes from the orchards that stock Denver's farmers markets: this is the white for the dinners you cook after a day outside.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Riesling is a truly noble grape, known for its incredibly high acidity and a flavor profile that can range from bone dry to lusciously sweet. Germany is its heartland, and it's responsible for some of the world's most age-worthy examples, but Riesling also thrives in Austria, where it usually is dry. In Alsace, it takes on a slightly richer texture, while in parts of Australia, like the Clare and Eden Valleys, it displays a uniquely powerful and lime-tinged aromatic profile. This is a grape that has no problem showcasing its origins, and it's a fantastic example of how one variety can show many different expressions, each with its own unique appeal.
Riesling
"Unknown" farming method indicates that the specific vineyard practices used to produce the wine have not yet been clearly identified or verified. Due to limited publicly available information, complexity of research, or lack of transparency from certain wineries, it can sometimes be challenging to accurately categorize each vineyard's farming practices. Our team is actively working to research and update our records to provide the most accurate information on every wine we offer. We understand the importance of transparency and sustainability and strive to categorize and communicate farming methods as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
