ST. GEORGE, UTAH — Named for the altitude at which its grapes are grown, Terra 5047, a winery owned by respected Las Vegas hospitality entrepreneurs Cindy and Gary Ellis, is making a bold debut with the mission to craft the highest quality wines from Utah-grown grapes. Terra 5047 is Utah’s highest elevation vineyard located in Pine Valley Mountain, ten miles from St. George. The launch follows a recent blind tasting at Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley for Utah’s wine industry experts. Tasters were given the opportunity to rank five world-renowned Super Tuscan and five Cabernet Sauvignon wines with Terra 5047’s Sangiovese blend and Cabernet Sauvignon among them.
All 25 participants ranked Terra 5047’s Sangiovese blend as their first or second favorite among the five in competition, ultimately tying with Tuscany’s Antinori Tignanello. Terra 5047’s Cabernet Sauvignon received first place honors, beating out Chateau Lynch-Bages from France’s Médoc region. Terra 5047’s Winemaker and Vineyard Manager Kristian Lange was on site to help lead the tasting.
“We were confident we had created something special, but we wanted further validation from Utah’s most sophisticated wine palates. A blind tasting during which our varietals went head-to-head with the world’s finest Super Tuscan and Cabernet Sauvignon wineries seemed like a sensible albeit risky approach,” said Gary Ellis. “The results astonished the participants and confirmed our belief that our boutique Utah vineyard has the terroir to create exceptional fruit and our powerhouse team the skill to create first-rate wine.”
Further validation of Terra 5047 comes from Sonoma wine icon Pete Seghesio, the founder and managing director of acclaimed Seghesio Family Vineyards before selling it to Crimson Wine Group. Seghesio first visited Terra 5047’s site in 2022 and became an advisor to the Ellis family who owned the land.
“No one could have been more surprised than I was to discover this diamond in the rough in Southern Utah, of all places,” said Seghesio who was on hand at the blind tasting. “The vineyard’s higher elevation creates favorable conditions for growing high-quality grapes with more desirable flavor characteristics. The fact that it’s typically ten degrees cooler here slows the pace of ripening which generates a more refined flavor. The increased sun exposure produces grapes with thicker skin that contribute to the deeper color and more robust tannins in our wines.”
From his first visit to Terra 5047, Seghesio has been fiercely committed to ensuring the winery would reach its full potential. He began by advising the Ellis family on the selection of the best winemaking equipment. Seghesio was also instrumental in recruiting Northern California wine production experts to help oversee the vineyard and winemaking operations: Bryan Kvamme, an apprentice of Helen Turley, and Tyler Klick, who manages some of the top vineyards in Sonoma and Napa.
In the wake of the blind tasting, which served as a catalyst to launch the Terra 5047 brand, five varietals are now available. Terra 5047 can be discovered at early adopters Glenwild Golf Club (Park City), Montage Deer Valley (Park City), Glitretind Restaurant at Stein Eriksen Lodge (Park City), Sugar House Station (Salt Lake City), Southern Spirits & Wine (St. George), and Silver Reef Brewery (St. George), which is owned by the Ellis family.
Terra 5047 wines include:
Rosé – A blend of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, this high elevation Rosé is 100 percent fermented and aged in concrete egg tanks. A nice, bright acidity paired with its floral nose and hints of strawberry and watermelon make for a well-balanced wine perfect for a warm afternoon.
Chardonnay – The 2023 Chardonnay comes from grapes picked at the peak of maturation and partially fermented in concrete egg tanks. It has a nice minerality accompanied by flavor stone fruits and white blossoms.
Alessio – The old-world style Zinfandel blend is blessed with thick skins and a rich deep ruby color. This jammy and fruit forward blend offers flavors of cherries and plumbs balanced out by structured tannins.
Chanela Super Tuscan – Predominantly Sangiovese, this blend shines with a bright freshness with a fruit forward nose and tastes of dark cherry and red currant.
Cabernet Sauvignon – captivating notes of blackberry and red cherry mingle with a balanced and smooth tannin structure that dance harmoniously on the palate.
About Terra 5047
Utah’s highest elevation, family-owned winery, Terra 5047 brings together some of the greatest minds in the wine industry with the mission to craft the best wines possible from Utah grown grapes. Fruit is sourced exclusively from the estate vineyard at an elevation of 5047 feet outside St. George. Terra 5047 is owned by Las Vegas casino and hospitality entrepreneurs Cindy and Gary Ellis who are committed to elevating Utah’s wine industry and putting it on the map. For more info, visit Terra5047.com.