Arizona is not a place you may associate with wine production, but there are some great things happening there! I am fortunate to be able to visit Arizona often (our Alex son and daughter in law Bridget live there) and I’ve been able to experience the AZ wine scene firsthand.
On a trip several years ago, Alex took me to Merkin Vineyard’s tasting room and bistro in Old Town Scottsdale. I was skeptical…I mean, it’s the project of rock star Maynard James Keenan from Tool! Seriously?
But I was pleasantly surprised, and on a subsequent trip we went up to the Verde Valley, near Jerome and Sedona, to check out Page Springs Cellars. And another trip we went to Merkin’s tasting Room and Osteria in Cottonwood (a real cool old timey western town!). And then back to Old Town Scottsdale….next trip we will try the Verde Valley Wine Trail and maybe head down to Tuscon to check out more vineyards.
Keenan is not just a rock star, he’s really a winemaker. Since he first discovered the Verde Valley in 1995 and planted a vineyard in 2000, he’s been the rock star of Arizona’s budding wine industry. He now owns 4 vineyards in the Verde Valley which supply grapes for his Caduceus Cellars wines and another vineyard near WIlcox, in southeast AZ, that produces Merkin Vineyards wines. He’s on a mission to make Arizona the next big wine destination in America. And if climate change and fires keep at California, it will definitely be a good and viable region where you may see some of the wine makers expanding or relocating.
Red, White, Rose and Bubbles
If you go to any of Keenan’s tasting rooms, you’ll be treated to a wide range of interesting single varietals and blends, some with fun names like “Chupacabra” or “Shinola”; but don’t let the levity fool you. Paired with the delicious charcuterie or bistro fare, these wines are Instagram worthy …and you may even buy a few bottles to take home (unfortunately they are not yet widely available).
Note: you CAN order these wines online for shipment (they ship to most states in the US), and they have a Wine Club: Caduceus Cellars: Home
Check out their Old Town Scottsdale location….
Or venture up to Cottonwood and pay a visit to this throwback to the olden days’ town….
Here’s a link to plan your next visit: Merkin Vineyards | Merkin Vineyards | Verde Valley, Az
For more information on the Verde Valley Wine Trail, visit Verde Valley American Viticultural Area | Central Arizona (verdevalleyava.org)
As we venture out to the other regions, I’ll post again. Have YOU tried any Arizona wines?
Arizona’s Wine History
The AZ wine industry dates back to the 1880’s when the first winery opened in Mesa, just east of Phoenix. But even before that, all throughout the Southwest, California, Mexico and Latin America, missionaries from Spain were cultivating the vine for sacramental wine. This terroir is similar in many ways to California, minus the oceanic influence, but it has elevation to keep things cool. There’s a huge elevation change once you get up into northern Arizona, and while it is dry, it is not the Sonoran Desert landscape anymore. There are valleys with microclimates, different aspects, influenced by streams and rivers, and you might think you are in Spain or southern Italy. In fact, many of the varieties are warm weather tolerant, drought resistant grapes that you find in Europe’s warmer climes.
AZ’s Three American Viticulture Areas (AVAs)
In the Sonoita AVA (established 1984) in southeast Arizona, you’ll find winemakers growing Sangiovese, Garnacha, Mouverdre and Tannat, among others. The stars of the other southestern region, the Wilcox AVA (established 2016), are Viognier, Tempranillo, and Mourvèdre.
The Verde Valley AVA was just established in 2021. There they grow more than 40 wine grape varieties to produce wine, including the white grape varieties Malvasia Bianca, Viognier, Chardonnay, Vermentino, Seyval Blanc and Picpoul Blanc. Red grape varieties in the Verde Valley AVA include Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Tannat and Barbera.
