Our winery is named for a historic bridge over the Gunnison River right outside our door.
We planted our first wine grapes in 1997. They thrived… and we were hooked on the adventure of growing grapes and making wine! From the earth – that’s the origin of Black Bridge Winery.
People say a great wine begins in the vineyard
Western Colorado’s terrain and weather have produced an excellent grape-growing region for more than a century. As we are situated at an altitude of 5800 feet, with 13 inches of precipitation annually, 150 frost-free days, 3% slope and Agua Fria stony loam, our ideal locale and farming expertise produce premium classic wine grapes: Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot. Plus, we are one of the few Colorado vineyards where Pinot Noir grapes are successfully cultivated.
Handcrafted small batch, high quality West Elks estate-grown wines
At harvest the grapes are hand picked, destemmed, and reds are fermented in bins then pumped into aging barrels, while whites are pressed and the juice goes into stainless steel tanks to ferment. Within two weeks fermentation is complete.
Visit the Black Bridge Winery Tasting Room to experience our wines
Black Bridge Winery takes its name from the century-old bridge spanning the North Fork of the Gunnison River that borders our farm. Our wines include classic reds and red blends, white wines and full-flavored fruit wines from our orchards. All are delicious. Read more about our wines.
As our wines are produced in limited quantities, the wines you’ve sampled sell out and are difficult to find elsewhere. We encourage you to stock up at the Tasting Room or buy wines online. Please note: we ship wine only within Colorado.
Awards
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling – Governor’s Cup Awards
Pinot Noir – Double Gold, Colorado Mountain Winefest
You pick – a memorable family farm experience.
Paonia’s “soon to be world famous” sweet cherries – you pick – we pick.
Orchard Valley Farms & Market is not only the growing place of just-picked sustainably grown local produce, it’s also a great place to get a taste of the country. Spend the day on a working farm and orchard, nestled in a beautiful river valley surrounded by the West Elks Mountains. You can get your hands dirty picking your own, or just soak up the atmosphere while you stroll the gardens.
Know your farmer, know your food
Our farm is family owned and operated. Lee Bradley, has a Bachelors of Science degree in Ag Education and a Masters in Agriculture Marketing and Management from Colorado State University. Kathy Bradley has a Bachelor degree and a Masters in Physical Education from the University of Northern Colorado. You have to stay in shape if you own a farm!! Ryan Bradley has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education from Colorado State University and Kendal Bradley has a Bachelor of Science degree in both Agricultural Education and Animal Science from Colorado State University.
From peaches to tomatoes – whether you pick it at the peak of tender sweet ripeness or we do – you can’t get fresher than that at Orchard Valley Farms! Select some fruit, cheese and wine from our farm market, then relax and picnic here along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. We’re a little farther away than your grocery store, but the scenery and the farm experience is worth the trip.
We’re known for U-pick
To find out what is available for you pick, sign up for our e-news. Eat fresh from June through fall: raspberries and cherries are first, followed by vegetables, peaches, nectarines, blackberries, apples and ending the season with pumpkins and winter squash in October.
Destination: a well-stocked farm market
Stop by our farm market for just picked fruits, vegetables and tender beef that is raised by the meadows, mountains, and rangelands of the North Fork Valley.… all ready to grab and go. Enjoy eating fresh during the summer and fall seasons! To enjoy seasonal flavors year ’round, check out fantastic, locally produced jams, sauces, salsas, chutney, salad dressings & more in our online store.
Orchard Valley Farms Harvest schedule: what & when
These are usually the harvest times the following fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. However – remember Mother Nature is the boss around here… please call 970-527-6838 if you are looking for something specific.
- Mid-June – Raspberries
- Late-June – Cherries
- Late-July – Early peaches
- August – Peaches, nectarines, blackberries, raspberries; tomatoes, chili peppers, okra, cucumber, eggplant, summer squash
- September – Peaches, apples, nectarines
- October – Pumpkins, winter squash
Starting when he was a strapping youth of 16, owner Lee Bradley learned the traditional method of pruning fruit trees while balancing on a pair of stilts! Since then he’s developed the legendary green thumb for growing luscious fruit.
Spend some time exploring a working farm that has utilized sustainable practices for decades.
At Orchard Valley Farms, we utilize sustainably grown practices to raise healthier food
What is “sustainably grown”? It means environmental stewardship of the land and water, and caring for our people. We control erosion, use technology to minimize salts from entering the water supply, and by maintaining soil health, we reduce the amount of carbon returning to the atmosphere. We provide reliable working and living conditions, along with a safe and pleasant atmosphere for our farm workers.
We use an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach that gives us many tools
- Use insect mating disruption.
- Monitor pest populations by observation and traps.
- Use pest resistant root stalks.
- Learn to tolerate small amounts of pest damage.
- Use organic chemicals when appropriate as well as soft chemicals.
- Raise a cover crop between rows to discourage insects from attacking the vines, trees and fruit.
- Understand the life cycle of pests to know the best time to use control measures when the insect is most susceptible.
These control methods can be very effective and cost efficient and present little or no risk to people or the environment. Using sustainable agricultural practices throughout our family farm is better for you and your family, our workers, and for the earth.
Another measure of healthy: Orchard Valley Farms is food safety certified (GAP)
What does that mean? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) operates an audit/certification program to verify that farms use Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). To become GAP-certified a farm must pass a rigorous GAP audit.
Why is this important? The increasing incidence of food borne illness in fresh produce in the U.S. has resulted in a demand for food safety assurance by minimizing the risks of microbial hazards. Adopting Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) enables Orchard Valley Farms to verify our production and handling practices are in accordance with recommended safety guidelines.
