Two Colorado wines receive ‘best’ awards

The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, part of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, has just announced the winners of the 2015 Governor’s Cup Wine Competition, which took place on May 16 and 17 at Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center.

The only statewide winemaking competition exclusively for Colorado wines, this year’s competition drew 241 entries from 37 local wineries, and was judged by a panel of sommeliers, winemakers, writers and wine experts from around the country.

“I think the wines this year show great balance and wonderful winemaking skills,” said judge and winemaker Warren Winiarski of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon from the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting.

The 2015 Governor’s Cup “Best of Show” went to two wines, both made from Syrah. When the sweepstakes tasting was complete, Canyon Wind Cellars’ 2013 Anemoi Lips and Turquoise Mesa Winery’s 2013 Syrah were tied. The 15 judges preferred to name both wines as Best of Show rather than break the tie with a vote.

Syrah is a red grape variety that originates from the Rhone region of France. The 2015 Governor’s Cup Case features the top 12 rated grape wines from the competition, but new this year is the special “niche” four-pack of cider, mead, fruit and flavored wines.

“I’m excited to hear that our 2013 Anemoi Lips won Best of Show,” Jay Christianson said. “We’re quite humbled that one of our wines has been awarded Best of Show two years in a row!”

Turquoise Mesa Winery, like Canyon Wind Cellars, placed two of its wines in the Governor’s Case Cup.

Downtown hotel well awarded

On the heels of celebrating its one-year anniversary in May and the 100th anniversary of the historic building in which it is housed, the Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel within the Colorado National Bank has earned several awards this year.

Recent honors include a Downtown Denver Partnership Award, a finalist in the Urban Land Institute Impact Awards, an Expedia four-star rating, Denver Business Journal Real Estate Champions Award and several others. The Renaissance Denver Downtown offers a 230-room modern luxury hotel experience accented by pieces of the building’s storied past, including a series of murals from the iconic Western muralist Allen Tupper True and three original bank vaults turned meeting spaces, complete with original 33-inch-thick, 60,000-pound steel safe doors.

“We are ecstatic to have earned such renowned distinctions,” said Michael Damion, general manager of the hotel. “We have received an overwhelmingly positive response since opening last year, and we look forward to continuing our property’s engagement in the community.”

The property also received several ColoradoBiz Magazine accolades, including Best Business Hotel and Best Business Lunch for the hotel’s original concept restaurant, range, and runner-up positions for Best Meeting/Event Venue and Best Place to Get a Martini for the lobby lounge, Teller Bar.

Landmark welcomes Bad Daddy’s

East West Partners, a Colorado-based real estate developer and the master developers of Denver Union Station (along with Continuum Partners), has announced that Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, the chef-driven burger concept with locations in Denver, the Carolinas and Tennessee, will open its fourth location in Denver at The Landmark.

Located at 5380 S. Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, adjacent to Hapa Sushi, the new Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar location will join a slew of new retail tenants brought to The Landmark since East West Partners took over the community in November 2013, including Upstairs Circus, The Palate Food + Wine Bar and Espresso Americano.

Patrons to The Landmark location will enjoy Bad Daddy’s menu favorites including the “Bad Ass Burger,” “Mama Ricotta’s Burger,” “Texican Salad,” the option to create your own burger from seven different patty options, 24 fresh toppings and 10 cheeses or create your own salad from dozens of toppings choices, as well as hand-cut fries, crispy tater tots, house-made potato chips and homespun milkshakes.

“We’re very excited to be opening our fourth Denver location at The Landmark,” said Boyd Hoback, president and CEO of Good Times Restaurants Inc., of which Bad Daddy’s International is a wholly owned subsidiary. “This is a great location for us given the significant daytime crowd of the Denver Tech Center surrounded by upscale residential as well as evening entertainment options. We hope to provide a unique dining option for the wide variety of customers that frequent the area for lunch, dinner and weekends.”

Chick flicks at Viewhouse

The team at ViewHouse (2015 Market Street – www.viewhouse.com) is putting a summer twist on movies in the park with its Thursday night “Flicks for Chicks.” Every Thursday night this summer, ViewHouse is hosting an evening under the stars out on The Green, downtown Denver’s own backyard.

Grab your gal pals, some blankets, and settle in to watch a movie on the giant, outdoor 147-inch LED TV. Movies start at sunset for guests 21 and over. Free popcorn and free drinks for the ladies from 9 p.m. until midnight. Screenings include “Pitch Perfect,” “Mean Girls,” “Legally Blonde” and other tried-and-true chick flicks. Not ready to leave when the movie’s over? Stay for the DJ and dancing afterward.

ViewHouse also has a suburban location in Centennial.

Overheard

Eavesdropping on a woman talking to her husband: “Driving around town, we’ve decided that those orange traffic cones are Colorado’s new state flower.”

Penny Parker’s “Mile High Life” column gives insights into the best events, restaurants, businesses, parties and people throughout the metro area. Parker also writes for Blacktie-Colorado.com. You can subscribe and read her columns (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at www.blacktie-colorado.com/pennyparker. She can be reached at parkerp1953@gmail.com or at 303-619-5209.

 

 

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