Popular Metro Denver tasting room features Colorado and California-based wines
November 22nd – Englewood, CO – Richard Crockett, owner of Ladron Cellars in Englewood, Colorado, and co-founder of Emercy Cellars in Paso Robles, California, has partnered with California-based winemaker, Orion Stang. Together, the duo, along with Tracy Crockett, will co-own and operate both wineries. Stang will helm winemaking at Emercy Wines in Paso Robles, California, while Crockett oversees winemaking at Ladron Cellars, where Stang was brought in as a partner when Emercy Wines was established.
Ladron:
Ladron is Spanish for thief, a cheeky reference to the fact that the fruit sourced for Ladron wines finds its provenance not only in Colorado, but also in California and Washington. Currently, Ladron’s vineyard sources include BookCliff Vineyards (Palisades, Colorado) Rancho Boa Vista Vineyards, Bien Nacido Vineyards, Zaca Mesa (Santa Barbara County) and G2, Defiance, Glenrose, Jada Vineyard (Paso Robles), Ciel du Cheval (Red Mountain, Washington) and Frenchman Hill’s (Royal Slope, Washington). The Ladron portfolio of wines is intentionally diverse, and includes varietal wines made from Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Chardonnay, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. “I have the luxury of sourcing fruit from three geologically diverse states. My intention is to make a collection of wines that appeal to a broad range of wine lovers,” says Crockett.
The Ladron tasting room, under the creative direction of Tracy Crockett, has premiered in metropolitan Denver, Colorado, and offers a robust calendar of events that include yoga, charcuterie classes and live music. Guests may enjoy small bites created by the popular urban eatery, Yaya’s Euro Bistro. Colorado Springs-based artist, Phil Lear, has developed a suite of atmospheric, colorful and at times, playful labels, each with a fanciful name referencing the Ladron theme: Grifter, Stowaway, Vault, Heist, Escape Artist, and Evidence, to name a few.
The Ladron house style favors a light oak touch. “I don’t like to hide the fruit behind oak aging. Grapes are mysterious, and when fermented, their aromatics can suggest licorice, beef jerky, dusty cola, oyster shell, salinity, baking spices—all kinds of intriguing things. When I use oak, I’m thinking about completing the texture of a wine, not dramatically changing its flavor profile,” Crockett says.
Emercy:
Emercy Wines is located in the Tin City annex of Paso Robles. Stang, who held successful winemaking stints at Booker Vineyards, Law Estate and Dilecta, produces a collection of wines sourced from coveted sites throughout the Central Coast, including Bien Nacido Vineyards (Santa Barbara County), and G2 and Full Draw Vineyards (Paso Robles), among other esteemed designates. The Emercy collection of wines will be available direct-to-consumer and in the wholesale sector in select markets. The wines are identified by a series of visually arresting labels by artists Betty and Harry Wick, Stang’s mother and uncle respectively. Fanciful names identify each wine, including “Into the Void,” “Enshroud,” and “Beyond the Veil.” The Emercy tasting room is cosmopolitan in tone, possessing a modern, understated sensibility. A sleek members lounge is tucked away from public view, while a welcoming, open environment greets guests as they enter.
The Culture of Connecting Flights:
“When we joined forces with our brands, it felt like an organic evolution for both wineries,” says Stang. The nearby San Luis Obispo airport runs daily connecting flights to Denver, which makes sharing customers fun and really entertaining. I love it when folks arrive at Emercy from Denver, and our local customers love having a connection in Denver; a place to go and hang out when they travel. Holding events in-market in both locations has been a blast.”
To learn more about Ladron Cellars, please visit: https://www.ladroncellars.com/
To learn more about Emercy Wines, please visit: https://www.emercywines.com/
