Tinderbox Kitchen

Scott and I took our wives on a little "business" trip.  We all piled in and drove about 5 hours across the Navajo and Ute Reservations, through Monument Valley to one of the most surprising Valleys in Southwestern Colorado.   As we traveled east into McElmo Canyon we transported from rural high desert to lush agricultural land with horses, cattle, pastures and YES, grape vines.  About 15 miles from Cortez, Colorado along the McElmo Creek is the Sutcliffe Vineyard.  We were invited by Proprietor John Sutcliffe and Nor for a first-hand look at how, with the talents of wine maker Joe Buckel and farmer Jesus "Pancho"  Castillo, incredible wines are being made in this isolated area.  Although the vines were not yet budding, we could see the painstaking precision that this Wine Making Team has undertaken to deliver such an incredible product.  We walked the vineyard, toured the barrel room and, of course, sampled the goods.  The Sutcliffe Vineyards completes the entire process on site–they grow their own grapes, harvest them, crush them, barrel them and then bottle them.  John put us up in a house on his property and together we all cooked incredible meals and paired them with Sutcliffe's wines.  The stories, and laughs, were plentiful (as was the wine).  We came away not only enjoying the "time off" but making new friends and understanding, first hand, with what pride this wine is produced.

Now, its time for you to try…through a partnership with Sutcliffe Vineyards, Tinderbox Kitchen has designed a wine list within our list featuring a good selection of what Sutcliffe has to offer at any given time.  Right now you can try the Rose of Syrah, light and crisp from 100% Syrah, it is a stunning brick red with strawberry and watermelon aromas.  Red fruit is the dominant taste, but it finishes with a hint of licorice and spice; the Viognier, a limited production varietal with scents of citrus, tropical fruit, honeysuckle and peaches. Dry and elegant, the flavors are big but balanced; the Sauvignon Blanc, crisp with hints of tropical fruit; the Chardonnay Signature, a premium Chardonnay grown on a specific small portion of the vineyard-the nose has toasted almond, honey and dried apricots with a delicious, dense  fruit taste of ripe melon, poached pear and white peaches; the Merlot, bold in color and taste, structured and balanced. It has a warm, soft mouthful with acids to give it a clean, precise finish; the Cabernet Franc, with exceptionally ripe fruit fermented in new French oak to give us an elegant and structured wine with depth and richness and a lingering finish; the Cinsault, a limited 161 case production with red currant and ripe cherry flavor, it is a vibrant wine with flavors that reflect the beautiful clear color.  This wine is the perfect pair with Chef Scott's menu; or, our favorite, the Syrah, bold, deep color and all the muscle and fullness you might expect from a great Syrah.  The taste is luscious fruit with a wonderful hint of cocoa, but with fine acids and tannins.

Come on in to Tinderbox Kitchen and get a taste of this great partnership we have struck.  Our staff can assist you in pairing the wine and maybe Scott or I will fill you in on some of the great stories and laughs we had visiting Sutcliffe Vineyards.