Life & Work with Courtney Gayer of RiNo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Gayer.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Aquila Cellars started out as a tiny natural wine project on the Wester Slope – we worked as land managers to rehabilitate abandoned vineyard sites, then used those grapes to make delicate, balanced wines that reflect this states terroir. Four years later, we are working with more sites, including our own estate vineyard, to explore and expand on Colorado’s winemaking region.

We make living, unfiltered wines that favor energy over power, freshness over richness. Our wines are uniquely Coloradan, grown at the highest elevations of North America and produced with the highest vibrations.

Today, we operate two tasting rooms that aim to present our wines in an unpretentious, educational environment. The Painted Pig, in Carbondale, is a hotel, cafe, bottle shop and bar. The Green Room, in Denver’s RiNo district, is a cozy attic space that offers our lineup on a tasting menu and sources a 100% domestic + organic guest bottle list.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Making wine in Colorado is incredibly challenging – weather, logistics, and industry reputation have all been uphill battles for us. Since we are a very young growing region, Colorado doesn’t necessarily entice the consumer right away – the most popular response we get is something along the lines of “you can make wine here?”. Yes you can! But not without significant commitment to farming in extreme situations and getting very resourceful with machinery and equipment.

A huge undertaking is simply to understand this region and what varietals work best here. We’ll always be learning, adjusting, and growing along with the vines.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my eyes, there are always two major parts of winemaking. There is the larger agricultural part, honestly the most important part – the soil structure, climate, elevation, inputs, history, and management – as well as the more ethereal, creative process that starts once the fruit is picked.

Brandt has always been the visionary for Aquila’s farming and winemaking, but some of the cellar treatments and art direction have come from my experience in natural wineries across the world and my fine arts background.

As it happens, I was rejected from art school and instead got a very practical degree in Soil Science and Hydrology. I spent my college years working in hospitality and moved out to California in 2015 to try to get a job in a vineyard – hoping to unite my interest in wine and soil. Instead, I found myself in a cellar in the Sierra Foothills and became obsessed with fermentation. The sensory experience of harvest completely entranced me.

I worked for several years as a cellar worker across the world, apprenticing in New Zealand, Australia, France and South America. I’ve helped mega-wineries produce bulk wine, luxury estate farms sanitize every grape that comes through the door, and really caught my stride when I started working with Jauma in South Australia. James Erskine greatly influenced my winemaking, and we still take cues from him at Aquila today. He taught me that wine can be simple, easy, and lovingly made to express it’s natural qualities. Chemical manipulation is a choice you can make, but it’s not necessary and oftentimes it obscures a wines most charming qualities.

Artistically, I became really inspired to tap back into my design and illustration background once we started making wines. I have always done side projects for friends and small clients, but this new venture fostered my creativity in a new way and I’ve been super happy with how Aquila has creatively blossomed. I maintain and direct all art direction within our winery and tasting rooms, and it’s a pleasure to be able to illustrate how we operate.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I try to read as much as a can – but not specifically in the wine realm. I love immersing myself in a different world and I really think it helps me concentrate more on my personal/professional life. Maybe it’s just that slight break that helps cleanse your palette? I’m a big fan of George Saunders, Cormac McCarthy, and some corny romances.

I’ve also been very inspired by all the small wine/cider zines we’ve seen in the past few years. Malus, Pipette, and The Wine Zine bring me a lot of joy to flip through – I feel like I always come away with a new idea even if it’s the hundredth time I’ve looked at them.

Pricing:

• Our tasting room offers wine at retail pricing, with no restaurant/bar markup.
• Our wines are currently the only natural wines being made in the state.
• Our wine club offers exclusive small batch wines that don’t make it our=t to the public (I can provide a link)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aquilacellars.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquilacellars/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/thegreenroomdenver/

Image Credits
Karen Lane