Entry No. 50 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: wine-cave
Alfred Eames Cellars
Buried beneath a working vineyard in Paonia is a concrete wine cave commissioned from an artist out of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico — and the only way to see it is to call ahead and ask Alfred or his son Devon to let you in. You taste in their actual work area, surrounded by barrels and the smell of aging Pinot Noir, while one of the two walks you through the cave they built. The property looks like someone's farm first and a winery second, which is exactly the point.
The story
Turn off the main strip onto County Road 4050 outside Paonia and you’ll think you pulled into the wrong agricultural plot. Puesta del Sol Vineyards doesn't advertise itself with gilded gates or manicured hedges; it looks like a working farm because that is exactly what it is. Buried directly under the soil sits a subterranean concrete wine cave commissioned from an artist brought in from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
You won't find a marble tasting bar, charcuterie boards, or branded merchandise here. Tastings happen in the actual working cellar, right beside the aging barrels and fermenters. Alfred Eames or his son Devon will walk you down into the concrete vaults they built, pouring pours like their Syrah and Pinot Noir while discussing how the structure came to be under the dirt.
In a state where wine country is often sanitized into predictable suburban tasting rooms, this North Fork Valley cellar remains unapologetically utilitarian. It is built underground for climate control and run entirely by the family whose hands handled every barrel in the room.
What it's like
Do not attempt a walk-in visit; if you show up without an appointment, you'll likely be staring at a locked gate on a dirt county road. When you call ahead, Alfred or Devon will meet you on the property and lead you directly down into the cellar. The temperature drops fast once you step inside the cave, so bring a sweater even in mid-July. Expect dirt, the damp scent of oak and aging grapes, and zero pretense.
The move: Drive out to the North Fork Valley, call ahead for an appointment, and spend an hour in an underground cave with the people who made every bottle you're tasting.
📍 Before you go Appointment required — call before you go; walk-ins have found it closed. Property is a working farm, not a manicured tasting room. Road 4050 is a rural county road; standard passenger cars are fine.
- 📍 Paonia
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 11931 4050 Rd, Paonia, CO 81428
Hours: Added 2026-06-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Elsewhere Studios — Swap subterranean wine barrels for Paonia's quirky, hand-built artist residency less than three miles away.
- Blue Sage Center for the Arts — Head into downtown Paonia after your cellar tour to check out this longtime community arts space on Grand Avenue.
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Night Sky Programs & AstroFest — Finish the day driving south toward the dark sky preserve at Black Canyon once night falls.
Good to know
Do I really need an appointment to visit?
Yes. This is a working family farm without standard open-door retail hours. Walk-ins routinely find the gates locked unless they've called ahead to schedule time with Alfred or Devon.
What are the driving and road conditions like?
The vineyard sits on Road 4050, a rural county road just south of Paonia. Standard passenger cars handle the unpaved stretches with no issue; you don't need high clearance or four-wheel drive.
What kind of tasting experience is this?
It is an intimate, work-in-progress style tour hosted by the winemakers themselves inside an underground concrete cave rather than a commercial showroom.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: uncovercolorado.com · Tripadvisor · vogaco.org · gjsentinel.com
last checked: 2026-06-21