Nestled among the heart and treescape of Black Forest, you’ll find local star Latigo Winery. Their tasting room—pouring whites and reds and offering fresh-batch, fresh-fruit sangria and wine slushies—is open Wednesday to Sunday. Extending onto a quaint front porch for those sunny Colorado days, it fills quickly. At once organically rustic and polished, Latigo Winery is welcoming and community invested.
“It’s the perfect location,” says owner Lisa Nelson.
Award-Winning Wines
Helmed by local founders Lisa and her husband, winemaker Ben Nelson, their mutual backgrounds in the food and hospitality industries laid the foundation for creating Latigo. Sprouting from an idea that began 10 years ago, with roots making small batch wines at home, Latigo has grown from a cloud dream to an award-winning concept over five years. The tasting room celebrated its first-year anniversary August 9th, and production has doubled for next year.
Latigo’s most popular wine, Bella’s Blend, recently won gold at the 2025 Colorado Governor’s Cup Winemaking Competition, with Latigo’s chardonnay receiving a silver medal, and their riesling winning bronze.
“It’s a misnomer [that all Colorado wines are sweet],” Ben says.
His favorite: Latigo’s The Wrangler, a blend of Syrah, Chambourcin (Lisa’s favorite) and Primitivo, with notes of dark chocolate and espresso. Using three different growers in Palisade, Latigo uses only 100 percent Colorado-grown grapes.
“Cheers” of the Black Forest
Both kid-friendly and dog-friendly, Latigo works collaboratively with local food trucks that complement the varietals in their wine lineup. From local pizza maker Pizzarte Food Truck to 4th Avenue Crepes, Latigo is always working toward community impact and support.
“Our favorite thing is people,” Lisa says.
Their newly introduced Wine Club—Pikes Peak Crush Club—replete with personalized wine glasses hanging in the tasting room has grown to fifty members, with a waitlist to join.
“We want our guests to relax and be social and feel comfortable. We want our wines to be approachable. You can know as little or as much as you want. We want to be the Cheers of Black Forest,” Lisa says. “We’re changing the Colorado wine reputation one person at a time.”
Can’t make it to the tasting room? Find Latigo Winery at this year’s Peaks & Pours 2025 Festival, October 4th, from noon to 5 pm at the Rocky Mountain Vibes Stadium.
Website: https://www.latigowinery.com/
Facebook + Instagram: @LatigoWinery