The Ordinary Fellow: Not-So-Ordinary Warehouse Now Home To Winery + Tasting Room In Palisade
Photo by Kim Fuller
In 2019, winemaker Ben Parsons moved back to Colorado’s Western Slope to focus on his passion project, The Ordinary Fellow Winery.
“Parsons had found the old United Fruit Growers Co-Op warehouse abandoned in the center of Palisade and decided it was the ideal location for his new venture,” shares Amelia Perea, hospitality director at The Ordinary Fellow.
The warehouse is one of Palisade’s original peach packing sheds. During the early 20th century, local farmers loaded peaches from the warehouse onto trains heading to Denver. It’s situated next to the railroad tracks in what is now Palisade’s entertainment district.
Photo courtesy of The Ordinary Fellow
In 2020, Parsons set about renovating the historic site and transforming it into what is now The Ordinary Fellow Winery and Tasting Room.
“Four wines are currently available,” Perea reveals. “A 100% Colorado riesling from our own vineyard in Cortez, Colorado, as well as an albariño, a rosé and a red blend that Ben makes in Washington State. This spring we will debut our sparkling rosé from Washington.
“In late spring/early summer,” adds Perea, “our first Colorado chardonnay and pinot noir will be released from our estate vineyard, and we also have a Colorado cabernet sauvignon on the horizon.”
Stop by the tasting room this spring. While they sip, guests can enjoy some local eats from LeSnack, a food truck stationed on The Ordinary Fellow patio.
“We will continue our monthly Wine & History talks in collaboration with the Palisade Historical Society,” explains Perea. “We will have a monthly market inside the winery where local vendors can sell their work on the first Saturday of each month. We plan on having music, DJs and acoustic bands on a weekly basis.”
Other plans on the horizon include monthly wine pairing dinners at the winery featuring chefs from restaurants all over the state, along with Paint & Sip events and evening movie screenings on the open-air patio.
Originally published in the Spring 2022 of Spoke+Blossom.