Arizona may not be a place that you normally associate with wine; however, maybe it is about to change. Arizona is one of the 50 states producing US wine. A Spaswinefood visit to the Sedona area was the perfect opportunity to check out the Arizona wine scene. Arizona wines, like the other southwestern states, were first produced as sacramental wine by the Spanish missionaries. Since the mid-1970's Arizona winemakers have been working hard to produce good Arizona wines. The first success stories came from southeast Arizona vineyards. In recent years winemakers are achieving similar results in Northern Arizona. Both Snooth and Wine-seacher provide a brief history and general overview of Arizona wines. Dan Sorenson describes the recent history and speculates on the future of the Arizona wine industry.
Arizona vineyards are located in the high desert. The elevation of these vineyards ranges between 3800 ft. to 6000 ft. At this elevation the hot days and cool nights result in a good grape growing conditions. There are three main regions where vineyards are found. These main regions are 1) the Sonoita/Elgin area in southern Arizona, the only designated AVA (Sonita AVA), 2) the Willcox area in Cochise County, and 3) the Verde Valley near Sedona. It is no doubt that these Arizona wine regions have been buzzing with excitement in recent years. An Edie Jarolim's article highlights some of the recent happenings in Arizona's wine regions. Richard Ruelas provides a list of Arizona wineries to check out. Spaswinefood encountered some of the excitement in the Verde Valley.
Arizona wine stories
When you research Arizona wines there are certain wine stories and names that emerge. Here are two of the stories that Spaswinefood encountered while researching the Verde Valley Wine Trail.
Callaghan Vineyards wine scores a 90+
Dan Sorenson notes "But it wasn’t until Callaghan Vineyards of Elgin scored a rave review from famed wine critic Robert Parker that people outside Arizona—and soon outside the United States—began to take Arizona wine making seriously. Indeed, if southern Arizona’s wine potential ever became official, it was when Parker, of The Wine Advocate, blessed a 1993 bottle of Callaghan Vineyards’ Buena Suerte Cuvee with a score of 92. Suddenly, Arizona wine became more than a liquid gift shop gimmick peddled to tourists from a shelf next to the scorpion bolo ties and stuffed jackalopes."
Eric Glomski (winemaker) and Maynard James Keenan (rock star)
Joe Robert in his review of two Arizona wines introduces two names that surface when discussing the wine scene in Arizona. These names are Eric Glomski (winemaker) of Page Spring Cellars and Maynard James Keenan (rock musician) of Caduceus Cellars (see story). Together they also founded Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. Mike Rosenberg describes some wines produced by Page Springs Cellars and Caduceus Cellars.
Eric Glomski's name surfaces again in connection with 2010 Syrahs (Page Springs Cellars, Colibri Vineyards, Syrah Clone 174 and the Burning Tree Cellars, Colibri Vineyards, Syrah). These two Syrahs were awarded 90 points by Wine Spectator (see Richard Ruelas article).
The Verde Valley Wine Trail
Before Spaswinefood visited wineries and tasting rooms on the Verde Valley Wine Trail it was essential to consult Verde Valley wineries and vineyards and the Northern Arizona Wine Trail. For further suggestions on wineries and tasting rooms to visit you might also see Sedona area wine tours and a beginner’s guide.
On the Verde Valley wine Trail we discovered tasting rooms in Cottonwood and Jerome and wineries in Cornville.
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| Vineyard at Page Springs Cellars © Spaswinefood |
Arizona wine stories
When you research Arizona wines there are certain wine stories and names that emerge. Here are two of the stories that Spaswinefood encountered while researching the Verde Valley Wine Trail.
Callaghan Vineyards wine scores a 90+
Dan Sorenson notes "But it wasn’t until Callaghan Vineyards of Elgin scored a rave review from famed wine critic Robert Parker that people outside Arizona—and soon outside the United States—began to take Arizona wine making seriously. Indeed, if southern Arizona’s wine potential ever became official, it was when Parker, of The Wine Advocate, blessed a 1993 bottle of Callaghan Vineyards’ Buena Suerte Cuvee with a score of 92. Suddenly, Arizona wine became more than a liquid gift shop gimmick peddled to tourists from a shelf next to the scorpion bolo ties and stuffed jackalopes."
Eric Glomski (winemaker) and Maynard James Keenan (rock star)
Joe Robert in his review of two Arizona wines introduces two names that surface when discussing the wine scene in Arizona. These names are Eric Glomski (winemaker) of Page Spring Cellars and Maynard James Keenan (rock musician) of Caduceus Cellars (see story). Together they also founded Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. Mike Rosenberg describes some wines produced by Page Springs Cellars and Caduceus Cellars.
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| Arizona Stronghold Tasting Room © Spaswinefood |
The Verde Valley Wine Trail
Before Spaswinefood visited wineries and tasting rooms on the Verde Valley Wine Trail it was essential to consult Verde Valley wineries and vineyards and the Northern Arizona Wine Trail. For further suggestions on wineries and tasting rooms to visit you might also see Sedona area wine tours and a beginner’s guide.
On the Verde Valley wine Trail we discovered tasting rooms in Cottonwood and Jerome and wineries in Cornville.
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| Cottonwood, Arizona © Spaswinefood |
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| Arizona Stronghold Tasting Room, Cottonwood © Spaswinefood |
3. Pillsbury Wine Company
Cornville has three wineries.
1. Javelina Leap Winery
2. Oak Creek Vineyards
3. Page Spring Cellars
In future articles Spaswinefood will review wines tasted on the Verde Valley Wine Trail. Overall some the Arizona wines that we tasted were good. Most of these wines were produced from grapes grown in southern Arizona. One of the exceptions was a Page Spring Cellars Estate Vineyard, Landscape 2012 that was produced from their estate vineyard. If that wine is any indication then we should look forward to some amazing wines coming from northern Arizona vineyards.
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| Pillsbury Wine Company, Cottonwood © Spaswinefood |
Scenic Jerome has two tasting rooms Caduceus Cellars and Cellar 333.
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| Jerome, Arizona © Spaswinefood |
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| Cellars 333, Jerome, Arizona © Spaswinefood |
1. Javelina Leap Winery
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| Javelina Leap Winery © Spaswinefood |
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| Javelina Leap Winery Tasting Room © Spaswinefood |
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| Oak Creek Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
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| Oak Creek Vineyards © Spaswinefood |
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| Page Spring Vineyards & Cellars © Spaswinefood |
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| Tasting Room at Page Springs Cellars © Spaswinefood |
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| Page Springs Cellars, Estate Vineyards, Landscape 2012 © Spaswinefood |
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| Page Springs Cellars, Estate Vineyards, Landscape 2012 © Spaswinefood |
While wine tasting in northern Arizona it was not a surprise to find wineries that are using grapes grown in southern Arizona vineyards. It was however, a surprise to discover that in some cases wines are made with 100% California grapes. It was indeed odd when some insisted these wines were Arizona wines because the wines were made in Arizona. In fact this is at odds with the Arizona Wine Growers Association (AWGA). The AWGA states "state law requires that wine must have 75% Arizona grown grapes to be marketed as an Arizona Wine".
Spaswinefood's northern Arizona wine country visit provided insights into recent developments in Arizona wines. A future visit is planned for southern Arizona to experience first hand the wine scene there. I
invite you to join me in my travels in Arizona and elsewhere in search of
the best in Spaswinefood.
Sharon
June
2014
Sedona,
Arizona
©
Spaswinefood
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