Palisade, Colo. -- As the new director of Colorado Mountain Winefest, Sarah Catlin already is orchestrating major changes in the organization that will hold its 18^th annual namesake event Sept. 17-20.

Staff for the event, which raises money for the Colorado Association of Vintners and Enologists (CAVE), recently moved into new offices designed by Robert Melot of Castle Rock Construction. "He's really a visionary for this little community, and it's wonderful," Catlin said. "He wants this community to be seen more as a destination town. Mesa County, this whole area, is really a destination for many people, whether it's wine tasting or biking or skiing."

Catlin says she found memorabilia from Winefests of years past when she took over the directorship Jan. 1. She'll be selling those items, as well as other Colorado wine merchandise, when the organization opens its retail space at the new office in downtown Palisade.

The previous office wasn't ideal for foot-traffic, but efforts to enliven downtown Palisade seem to be working. Catlin likened the small, agricultural area to Napa or Sonoma 30-40 years ago, calling it a "small, tight-knit community of growers." She hopes to have the retail spot open around July 1.

"The way I see it, half of my job is putting on a successful event, and the other half is to sell Colorado wine," she said.

"Last year, Colorado Mountain Winefest sold out of its 6,200 tickets, and this year Catlin says the event is getting even bigger. She's added a fourth day to the schedule, hosting golf and a reception on Thursday at the Redlands Mesa Golf Course at the foot of Colorado National Monument.

Other events include a talk from Colorado enologist Steve Menke, who serves as resident state wine researcher, traveling around the state to advise wineries on matters of business and winemaking. Menke's talk will focus on how to sell wine to restaurants.

Colorado State University viticulturist Dr. Horst Caspari is scheduled to discuss the challenges of winegrape growing at high altitudes. The extreme weather for which the state is known can pose problems for some varieties, Catlin said, but others positively thrive. Rhône varieties, for instance, are gaining traction with many growers on the Western Slope.

Catlin said she's found that wine drinkers who are interested in the winemaking process come out to hear from the experts. Maximilian Riedel, of the famous Austrian crystal family, will be giving a tasting Friday, and another seminar, Resetting Your Tastebuds, will review food and wine combinations, and how they react with one another. An amateur winemaker reception allows home winemakers a venue to share their creations.

The most-attended part of the weekend is the all-day Festival in the Park on Saturday, with dozens of wineries (CAVE represents 80 Colorado wineries) and artisan food producers sharing their wares. Catlin said they'll sell about 7,000 tickets to the event, which takes place at Riverbend Park along the Colorado River. An annual tradition is the Tour de Vineyards, which gives participants the chance to bicycle through vineyards and orchards in the area surrounding Palisade, with the ride ending at the Festival in the Park.

At the end of July, the Winefest staff gathers wines in competition for the Best of Fest and sends them off for judging by an accredited committee, which picks the single "Best of Show" winner, as well as awarding medals.

For more information about Colorado Mountain Winefest, visit coloradowinefest.com.