… Colorado wine is climbing, rising in production and quality, and gaining national attention for doing what the state does best – pulling off elevated feats. Deeply drawn to this terrain, it’s no surprise producers across the state join the broader industry’s conscientious drive to protect natural resources through land management. … Vineyards have long relied on flood irrigation, dousing vineyards with thousands of gallons of water from river canals. For days, the onslaught soaks the land, but it also loses water to evaporation and pulls nutrients through erosion. Every drop counts across the state’s Western Slope, which relies on the precious and nationally contested Colorado River. Maison La Belle Vie partnered with the National Resources Conservation Service to try something different for its 4.5 acres of grapes. This summer, the family-run vineyard will have a new pump, water lines, and microjets, preserving the river and land by targeting vines more efficiently with less water.