2026 Awards of Excellence Nominations

2025 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
The CAVE Board of Directors have established an annual tradition of honoring individuals or industry friends who have made stellar accomplishments to the Colorado wine industry. The CAVE Award for Excellence recipients are selected by the CAVE Board of Directors and then honored at the annual VinCO Conference in January. In continuing with this tradition, CAVE will honor accomplishments for 2025 and the award categories will include:

•Winery of the Year: Presented to a winery that has advanced the widespread recognition and quality reputation of Colorado wines.

•Grower of the Year: Presented in recognition of the grower who has made exceptional contributions to the Colorado grape and wine industry.

•Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry: Presented to an individual who has made a major contribution in advancing the interests of the Colorado grape and wine industry.

ELIGIBILITY We are looking for outstanding individuals and/or businesses that in various ways have made major contributions in 2024 to the Colorado grape and wine industry. The nomination period is open until December 5, 2025. Only CAVE members are eligible to submit nominations; however, the individual, organization or winery nominated does NOT have to be a CAVE member. No self-nominations will be accepted.

NOMINATION PROCESS Nominations must include all information requested and include a narrative describing the reason for the nomination (no more than 250 words). The narrative needs to describe the nominee’s significant performance/accomplishment/contribution and specifically why the nominee should be considered to receive the Award. Please feel free to submit any additional information you feel would support this nomination.

SELECTION The award winners will be chosen by the CAVE Board of Directors.
Previous Award Winners

2024 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Hillary & Casey Eales – Grape Grower of the Year

LaNoue DuBois Winery – Winery of the Year

Juliann Adams – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2023 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Dallas Black – Grape Grower of the Year

The Storm Cellar – Winery of the Year

Doug Caskey – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2022 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Phil Patton – Grape Grower of the Year

Sauvage Spectrum – Winery of the Year

Stephen Smith – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2021 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Bennet Price – Grower of the Year

La Belle Vie – Winery of the Year

Monty Haltiner – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2020 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Keith & Diana Reed – Grower of the Year

Carlson Vineyards – Winery of the Year

Josh Niernberg – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2019 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Galen Wallace – Grower of the Year

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey – Winery of the Year

Jenne Baldwin-Eaton – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2018 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

John Garlich – Grower of the Year

Creekside Cellars – Winery of the Year

Winiarski – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2017 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

John Behrs – Grower of the Year

Red Fox Cellars – Winery of the Year

Alpine Bank – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2016 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Jay and Jennifer Christianson – Grower of the Year

Mesa Winery – Winery of the Year

Brenda Wray/Theo Otte – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2015 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Bruce Talbott – Grower of the Year

Carlson Vineyards – Winery of the Year

Gordon Burns – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2014 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Kaibab Sauvage – Grower of the Year

Infinite Monkey Theorem – Winery of the Year

Sandie Cooper – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2013 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

Dave Tewksbury – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

Sylvia Sharpe – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

Barb Bowman – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

Debbie Kovalik – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

2012 CAVE Awards of Excellence Recipients

James Mayrose – Friend of the Colorado Wine Industry

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE NOMINATION FORM

Nominations are due on or before December 5, 2025.
Nominator Information*

First NameLast Name
Organization
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Email
example@example.com
*Only CAVE members are eligible to submit nominations; however, the individual, organization or winery nominated does NOT have to be a CAVE member. No self-nominations will be accepted.

Awards will be announced at the Wine Industry Awards Banquet January 21, 2026.

For additional information, please contact the CAVE office at 464-0111

Winery of the Year
Winery that has advanced the widespread recognition and quality reputation of Colorado wines.
Primary Contact Name

First NameLast Name
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Narrative- Why are you nominating this winery?

Grower of the Year
An individual who has contributed extensively to Colorado’s grape and wine industry.
Contact Name (if different then above)

First NameLast Name
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Narrative-Why are you nominating this grower?

Friend of the Industry
Individual or Organization who has made a significant contribution in advancing the interests of the Colorado Wine Industry.
Contact Name (if different from above)

First NameLast Name
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Narrative-Why are you nominating this individual or organization?
Should be Empty:

2025 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE NOMINATION FORM