4 As fall arrives we realize what a busy summer we’ve had. There were many fun events held around the state and we were lucky enough to attend a few of them! Sonoita’s 1st Annual Wine & Dine was a great time! Pairing tasty morsels from the local restaurants with the fine wine from that region was a hit! Dos Cabezas debuted their new expanded tasting room in Sonoita. There was also the 1st Annual Consumer Choice Awards at Whole Foods in Chandler. What a great turnout. If you want to find out the winner, turn to our Events Section on page 52. We are very proud to say that we bottled our very first Arizona wine over the summer. We made a 2008 Syrah with grapes sourced from Sweet Sunrise Vineyards. Josh named it “Baron de la Tierra” (that’s Land Baron in Spanish for our gringo friends). Check out the labels to the right. We should have a batch of 2009 Chardonnay fermenting by the time this goes to press. I’ve been busy with the AWGA and there are many exciting things happening! Upcoming events, fun changes to our membership benefits & more! Josh has been busy selling vineyards! Two of the vineyards are currently in escrow. It’s nice to see new blood coming in to the Arizona wine scene. Speaking of which, Caduceus opened their tasting room in Jerome as well as Bitter Creek. Carlson Creek should be opening soon in Willcox and Lightning Ridge in Sonoita. Thanks again to all of our wonderful writers that supply us with so much great content. We’re always open to new ideas for articles and how to make this an even better resource for our readers. Ciao!
Rhonni & Josh Moffitt
Want to get published? We’re accepting submissions from volunteer photographers and writers! Email them to us and we’ll use them at the editor’s discretion. Please remember that anything submitted to Arizona Vines and Wines becomes the property of the magazine. We need your help! Please provide us any omissions or oversights to help us keep our information up-to-date and accurate. It’s an ever changing industry and we intend to be the PREMIER resource for Arizona’s wine industry. Please feel free to email us at info@arizonavinesandwines.com. Thank you for your continued support!
Arizona Vines & Wines PUBLISHED BY Arizona Vines & Wines, LLC CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Paula Woolsey Christina Barrueta Eric Glomski Joel Mann Josh Moffitt CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rhonni Moffitt Mike Barnacastle Michell Jonas SUBSCRIPTIONS $19.95 for annual subscription Four issues subscriptions@arizonavinesandwines.com CONTACT THE PUBLISHER Josh & Rhonni Moffitt (480) 306-5623 publisher@arizonavinesandwines.com THIS MONTH’S COVER View of Pillsbury Wine Co. Vineyards Syrah Vine
8
Unique Perspectives on Wine in Arizona by Paula Woolsey
Ready to go wine tasting? Let us help plan your trip.
10 Featured Wine “Director”
16 NORTHERN ARIZONA
14 Frost In Arizona
32 SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA
Meet Sam Pillsbury of Pillsbury Wine Co
By Eric Glomski
42 The Arizona State of Wine
24 SONOITA/ELGIN 40 IN THE CITY
By Joel Mann
44 Social Media & Wine
50 Chef’s Table - John Hall
46 Reviews by Rubee
52 Wine Events
48 Wine Down
55 Quick Reference
Prado at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort & Spa
Wine Bar Listings around Arizona
Page Springs Cellars
Chef Hall of Canela Bistro in Sonoita shares a recipe Grilled Della Terra Pork Chop Wine-related fun around the state
Easy listing of all current wineries
Photo courtesy of Michell Jonas
By Josh Moffitt
Sip Savor
Join us for 3 days and nights as Scottsdale celebrates Arizona’s signature flavor and culture.
Celebrate Your Cravings October 22-24 Sample until your heart (and stomach) are content.
For more delicious details, visit cravearizona.com.
S P O N S O R E D BY
SAVOR SCOTTSDALE
FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE, SOUTHERN WINE & SPIRITS, AND SCOTTSDALE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
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Grape Perspectives . . . From the viewpoint of Paula Woolsey CSW, Wine Eductor & National Sales Manager for Arizona Stronghold & Caduceus Cellars.
Trailblazing Arizona Wines
adj. Suggestive of one that blazes a trail; setting out in a promising new direction; pioneering or innovative.
T
railblazing. When I am traveling around the country introducing people to Arizona Wines, this is my favorite word to use. I feel like a true pioneer when I open up new markets for Arizona wines. I take pride in being one of the few lucky enough to carry the wines from Arizona across our borders. Having been in the Arizona wine industry for the past 17 years, I can honestly say that up until a few years ago the words; quality, terroir, interesting, longevity, sell through, marketable and good, rarely were used to describe a wine from Arizona. This is changing. Our wines are wonderful, they do represent quality, they do express terroir, and they speak about our state in a positive way. We have a unique product to share with the rest of the country that we are proud of. Now you are probably saying, “Paula, it’s your job, as the National Marketing Manager for Arizona Stronghold Vineyards to say that” and you would be correct. It is my job, but when you have a product that you can genuinely be excited about, it shows, it sells, and buyers everywhere want to get involved. There is a big wine consuming world out there, and until now Arizona wines have been flying way under the national radar. We all are proud of our vineyards, our wineries, our wines and what we as Arizonans have worked to achieve here in Arizona. But when it comes to introducing our wines to other states, there are some challenges. The average consumer has probably never heard of wines from Arizona (outside of Arizona). It takes the vision of a few pioneering wine professionals to get the ball rolling. We need people with a voice in their respective wine markets to take a chance on our new product to get the wines into the hands and mouths of the restaurateurs, the sommeliers, the retail buyers, and the consumers. Then, with some luck we will achieve continued support of the Arizona wine industry. When doubts arise, I like to remind the wine industry folk about a little New Mexico winery called Gruet. I was working for an Arizona distributor back in the early 90’s when we were introduced to this new sparkling wine from New Mexico. We were all very doubtful about the future of this lone sparkling wine producer from New Mexico, nobody was selling wine from there, no one ever heard of wines from there. However, we tried the wines, we loved the wines, we introduced the wines to our markets, and we sold the wines. Guess what? Gruet now sells over a 100,000 cases a year of their wines. You can find these New Mexico wines in almost every state in country, who knew? The industry trailblazers, that’s who knew!
Although we have only just begun on our journey to national recognition, we are already enjoying great praise. Here’s what some wine industry professionals have been saying: “While touring the vineyard properties and winemaking facilities with Maynard, Eric and Paula, we immediately understood why this was a special place, capable of producing wines that we could stand on our soapbox and be proud to sell. Ascending the winding roads into the mountains two hours north of Phoenix (near Sedona), we were able to see for ourselves what this team saw in the soils of Arizona. For those of us who once considered Arizona to be marred by desert conditions, too hot and dry for grape vines of any consideration or consequence — take off your blinders and come see for yourselves! These sites are characterized by limestone and volcanic soils, average elevations of 4,000 ft. above sea level and climatic conditions that are conducive to Rhone, Bordeaux and Italian varietals.” Photo courtesy of Paula Woolsey
trail•blaz•ing (trāl’blāzĭng)
Dan Redman is one of our biggest wine advocates in the state of Texas. He is the owner of Mosaic Wine Group. I had the pleasure of meeting Dan and introducing him to our wines this past March; he was so excited about our wines that he made a trip out to Arizona to see for himself. Above is an excerpt from his wine blog www.mosaicwinegroup.com. Similarly, food and wine historian, Italian translator, and wine writer Jeremy Parzen Ph.D. created his blog “Do Bianchi” to offer readers a humanist perspective into the world of Italian wine and food. Since its creation, he has expanded its coverage to include a wide range of food and wine experiences. We met Jeremy in May, he also wanted to come and see in person what we were up to in Arizona. Below is an excerpt from his blog www.dobianchi.com. Turned on, tuned in, and dropped out somewhere near Sedona “Did I turn on, tune in, and drop out somewhere near Sedona? Have I drunk the Kool-Aid? Did I inadvertently eat the brown acid? I have to confess that I was skeptical: the thought of finding anything less than entirely spoofilated wine in Arizona seemed chimerical. But what I discovered instead was honest winemakers trying to make real wine. The wines I tasted and the people I talked to gave me a lot to think about. Terroir, I remembered, is not just about soil, exposure, and climate. It’s also about people and what they believe in. Every tradition (and every cult, as it were) has to begin somewhere.” I could go on and on about what the wine professionals are saying in places like Chicago, Las Vegas, Virginia, Massachusetts, Florida, Colorado, DC, Maryland, just to name a few. I am pleased to announce that the consensus is the same! Wines from Arizona are being received with excitement throughout the wine industry all over the country. It is a joy and honor to continue with my humble job - trailblazing into new territories, bringing the nation a taste of Arizona! Cheers - Paula Woolsey.
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FEATURED WINE “DIRECTOR”: Sam Pillsbury of Pillsbury Wine Co.
Sam Pillsbury has led an amazing life. He’s a famous Hollywood and New Zealand film director, producer and writer. He has been producing award winning Arizona wine for about ten years. He has a Master’s Degree in English Literature, has taught Shakespeare in college, has worked as a building contractor, played the drums in a band and the list goes on. His biography reads like a novel, one you don’t want to put down because you want to see what happens next. The first thing you’ll notice about Sam Pillsbury is his endless energy. He is constantly bouncing around and extremely passionate in his speech, regardless of the topic. He is always quick with a smile and a laugh, the occasional “F-bomb” and a zest for life that’s contagious. Sam speaks with a Kiwi accent, but surprisingly was born and raised in New England. At the age of 14 his family moved to New Zealand. As a young adult Sam got involved in the film industry, starting first with documentaries and then eventually moving toward bigger independent as well as bignamed studio ventures. Having been involved in the industry since he was 23 years old, Sam expanded into the feature film market in 1980. He has written, directed and produced documentaries, TV series and movies, feature films and cult classics. His movies have been invited to the Cannes Film Festival and he has won awards in the United States, New Zealand as well as internationally. Sam travelled to Europe a lot in the 1970’s and 80’s on film business, which is where he stumbled onto Châteauneuf du Pape and just fell in love with wine. The delicate balance of flavors, not overpowering but instead a perfect partner with food, he felt this wine expressed his belief system. Live in balance with your environment and be a partner with everything that surrounds you. This wine was like that . . . not overpowering, not a blockbuster, instead a beautiful compliment to cuisine. Sam believes that this was where his love affair with wine began. Soon after this experience he purchased some land in New Zealand which would’ve been prime for growing vinifera, but he moved back to the states and had to put his vision on hold, at least temporarily. Sam lived in Los Angeles and also had a home in Phoenix. Busy
making movies and shuttling back and forth between the two locations, Sam’s dream was on the back burner, but definitely not lost. One day Sam tasted his first Arizona wine - a 1997 Dos Cabezas Reserve Chardonnay, made by Kent Callaghan. He loved it. He now knew it was possible to make really great wine in Arizona. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Sam had seen an area start from relatively little recognition to worldwide fame . . . remember, he saw this happen in New Zealand. Sam was aware that he had to keep working in the film business to finance his vision. He knew he needed a place where he could plant and grow vines but would also have the assistance of a vineyard manager and wine maker. Sam met Al Buhl, the owner of the Dos Cabezas vineyard and winery (at that time) and after talking to Al, he determined that they shared a similar vision. Sam had found his partner and the dream was now turning into reality. Al already owned 40 acres of vines. With this new partnership, they decided to purchase the 40 acres adjacent to the north and very quickly planted some Rhone varietals, including Syrah, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre and Grenache. Sam would focus on marketing, while Al would manage the vineyard and the winemaking. It turned into a great collaboration. Sam would visit throughout the year, tasting the wines in the barrel and working with Al to create the wines he’d envisioned. Throughout the journey, the team would also include winemakers Frank DiChristifano and Todd Bostock. Sam’s wine philosophy is to create a range of wines, bringing out the best flavors of the grape and the best use of the wine. Influenced by his visits to Europe, he decided to create wines that would be a part of a larger overall experience. Europeans drink wine with lunch and dinner; an overpowering stand-alone wine does not fit into this picture. Instead the wine is an integral PART of, but not the focus of the experience. Sam produces blends that compliment food while also producing stand alone single-varietal wines that have strength of flavor. A bit eclectic himself, his wines are not produced to fit into a single role, but instead come together as a cast would in a movie. He says “Of course I want to make spectacular wines. But I don’t want each wine to be a blockbuster...I think
11 I have a more holistic view than that...I want to make fine, balanced wines of finesse and complexity that will accompany different foods, because I think wine should be an everyday part of our lives, not just something explosive for a special occasion. Then I’d like to have one or two that blow your mind as well...like the 2007 Petite Sirah.” There are many parallels between Sam’s work in the film industry and the process of making wine. When he described the challenges of making a film, they were similar to the challenges of making wine: time, money, weather, temperament of players involved and equipment breakdown. The solution Sam has found is to create a successful collaboration. He does this in his films as well as making wine. He lays out his goals from the beginning so that everyone knows the end result he’s looking for. Every player in the cast is important and everyone needs to see the goal or the end result won’t be successful. Yearning for more creative control, Sam decided to break from Dos Cabezas in 2006 and created Pillsbury Wine Company. He still sources grapes from the old Dos Cabezas vineyard that he helped plant, but he is now growing his own vines on a 100 acre parcel just across the road. His vines are on their second year and will be ready for their first harvest next year. Judy Lechtenbohmer of Sweet Sunrise Vineyards has served as Sam’s vineyard manager and has nurtured the vines for their first few years of growth. They have planted 6000 vines over two years, including Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Mourvedre. Future plans are for Picpoul Blanc and Viognier to be added to the roster.
pleasing art and music, something Sam intimately appreciates in his own life. Throughout his career in the wine industry, Sam has been intimately involved in the marketing of the wines. Ten years ago, he says, it was a year long process to get Arizona wines into a retail store or restaurant. Now between the commitment to supporting local products and the overall increase in quality of Arizona wines, he finds it much easier to get in the door. He is even finding certain resorts are getting directives from the corporate level to find Arizona wines to put on the wine lists. It’s a great sign of the times. If you haven’t had the opportunity to try one of Sam’s wines, you can find him showcasing his wines at events around the Valley. He doesn’t currently have a tasting room, but is looking to open one sometime this next year. Sam sees the future of Arizona wine through the eyes of someone who has seen other regions go from humble beginnings to experiencing the recognition they deserve. New Zealand went through growing pains and it took time to get successful. Sam remembers a time when the locals would laugh if someone ordered a New Zealand wine but now they’re recognized on an international level. He sees the same potential in Arizona. Sam’s vision includes actively participating and he currently serves on the board of the Arizona Wine Growers Association as Vice President representing the southeastern region.
Sam’s winemaking panel consists of Eric Glomski and his team at Page Springs Cellars and Arizona Stronghold. Sam loves it. He has complete creative freedom and he’s involved in the process along the way. The process allows Sam to ‘direct’ the project. In order to achieve the final product he envisions, he works with Eric to determine when the crop should be harvested, what level of Brix (sugar level) the grapes should attain, how the wine is aged and for how long, what grapes will be used for blending, etc. It’s a very complicated process that requires good teamwork. The dynamic between Eric and Sam works very well, and the communication they share is crucial. Sam shares his vision and works with Eric through many barrel tastings and discussions to achieve the final product. Sam’s dream doesn’t end with producing fine wine; he also has plans to open up Pillsbury Vineyard Estates . . . a community where one can live amongst the vines, a sort of “Wine Country Village”. Sam believes in beautiful, elegant spaces that create a synergistic relationship with the environment. Admittedly frugal, Sam is not cheap. Sam places a value on not wasting the resources around him and hopes to emulate that concept through his businesses and his lifestyle. His concept for the estates will utilize the resources available at the compound including fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs grown on the property, meats available from the local Willcox ranchers and environmentally
Filmography (Feature Films) Endless Bummer - Director/Screenplay Writer/Producer 2008 Where the Red Fern Grows - Director/Writer 2003 Crooked Earth - Director 2001 Morgan’s Ferry - Director 1999 Free Willy 3: The Rescue - Director 1997 Zandalee - Director 1991 Starlight Hotel - Director 1987 The Quiet Earth - Writer/Producer 1985 The Scarecrow - Director/Writer 1982
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Special Advertisement Section
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How does it work? Vinturi applies Bernoulli’s principle, which states that as the speed of a moving fluid increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases. When wine is poured in the Vinturi, its design creates an increase in the wine’s velocity and a decrease in its pressure. This pressure difference draws in air, which is mixed with wine for perfect aeration. The first product in the Vinturi line, the Vinturi Red Wine Aerator, launched in 2007, has reinvented the standards for aeration, quickly becoming the bestselling wine accessory in both retail stores and online, being used by notable restaurants nationwide, and becoming the chosen aeration tool of over 100 top wineries. According to Charlie Palmer, Chef and hospitality entrepreneur: “We use Vinturis across our restaurants. There are so many wines that need to be open and aerated prior to consuming, and the restaurant dining environment is not really ideal for allowing enough time to sufficiently open a wine. But it’s also that way for me at home. Most people aren’t planning a great deal ahead of time at home, so the big advantage is that the Vinturi speeds up the process and benefit of having oxygen in the wine. And it makes an incredibly fun sound.”
A great product that truly works . . . A Vinturi delivers a better bouquet, enhanced flavors and a smoother finish. Any wine that benefits from aeration will be improved by use of the appropriately designed Vinturi. To try this for yourself, pour two glasses of wine from the same bottle, with and without the Vinturi, looking for: A Better Bouquet – Sample the nose of the wine. Appreciate the subtle aromatic differences and the full aroma of the wine. Vinturi allows wine to display its intended aromas. Enhanced Flavors – Take a sip. Vinturi aerated wine tastes better, richer and more expensive, more flavorful with better mouthfeel.
A Smoother Finish – Vinturi aeration results in a much more pleasant and extended finish. Any bitterness or aftertaste is reduced or eliminated.
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To order for yourself or as a gift, go to www.GrapeGoodies.com To order for your business, contact Who International at (480) 922-4304
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FROST IN ARIZONA
What the Rest of the Country Doesn’t Know By Eric Glomski Arizona Winemaker When I first talked to people about growing grapes in Arizona, they all thought I was nuts. Without fail, people’s jibes and concerns centered around one basic issue: that Arizona is too hot to grow grapes. Interestingly, this came from folks as far and wide as Europe, New England and California (where I was living and making wine at the time). I am still convinced that peoples’ perceptions of the Arizona landscape are all based on the Looney Tunes Roadrunner and Coyote cartoons… It’s funny looking back now that I have been making wine and growing grapes here in Arizona for several years. Heat certainly is not a problem. Cold, on the other hand (in many shapes and forms), most definitely is a problem. There is no better vintage than 2009 for me to talk about the subject. On April 17th, 2009, a good chunk of the Sulphur Springs Valley (where Willcox, Arizona sits) dipped below freezing for seven hours. Within this seven hour period, the low was twenty-seven degrees for four hours. This phenomenon would be inconsequential if it weren’t for the fact that several grape varietals, in a number of vineyards, had anywhere from four to twelve inches of delicate, moist, fresh, young, green-growth on them. Just imagine standing outdoors at twenty-seven degrees for four hours after being sprayed down with a hose… All of this new growth was fried off the plants. At our Arizona Stronghold and Bonita Vineyards, we lost almost all of our Chardonnay, most of our Pinot Gris, most of our Riesling and a great deal of Sangiovese and Syrah. We estimate a loss of around 70 tons. Rod Keeling of Keeling-Schaefer Vineyards said that he lost sixty to seventy percent of his oldest block of Syrah and Grenache and had damage in his newer plantings as well. Rod estimated that he lost 25 tons of grapes. Also hit by the frost was John McLaughlin’s Dragoon Vineyards and Jim Graham’s Golden Rule Vineyard – both of which are also in the Sulphur Springs Valley.
I also put in a call to Bob Webb, the original owner of Stronghold, to see if he could add historic perspective to the situation. He recounted a frost in the 80’s that wiped out his whole 20 acre vineyard “as if someone had hit it with a flame thrower”… Have I made my point yet? Interestingly, there are a number of things growers can do to help dodge the frost bullet (and we aren’t even talking about “Winter Kill”, which I will have to cover in another article). The two most important ones are to pick the least frost prone sites that still maximize fruit quality (because the flip side of the frost coin is that cooler sites can lead to better wine structure and more complex flavors) and to plant varietals that bud later in the spring, thus avoiding the frost. Additionally, late pruning is also very effective. Each winter, wine growers prune back the previous year’s growth to shape and control the growth of the vine. If one waits to prune until the plant has awakened (is just about to push out new green growth) in the spring and then prunes, the plant is affected hormonally in a way that can delay subsequent budding by up to two weeks. Of course there are all kind of other options like fans (to help keep cold air from sinking), heating devices (to warm and stir air in the vineyard), frost sprinklers (that dump water into the vineyard to change its thermal mass and/or to protect young buds with a thin layer of ice), and even sheets and blankets that create small greenhouse environments. This list could go on and on. So, just remember this article the next time someone makes a comment about how ridiculous it is for folks to be growing wines in a desert. Remind them that most grapes originated in the drier parts of the Mediterranean (i.e. a desert) and that the biggest challenge of growing grapes in Arizona is not heat, but cold.
Colibri Vineyard
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Page Springs Cellars At Page Springs Cellars the goal is to create delicious wines that express the unique character of the landscape. They trust that their wines and winemaking convey their philosophies concerning family, education and living life to the fullest. Owner and Winemaker Eric Glomski feels strongly that growing grapes, making wine and raising a glass is a cultural ritual that fosters friendship, brings together families and unites communities. “Good wine is not strictly the esoteric fare of nobility. Wine is for the people.” Not only does Eric have a vineyard in northern Arizona, he owns a second vineyard in Willcox, AZ, Arizona Stronghold, a second venture with Maynard James Keenan. Eric’s vision is at Page Springs Cellars the forefront of bringing Arizona wines onto the national stage! He also sells the Caduceus label from his tasting room. For more information—www.pagespringscellars.com.
Caduceus Cellars Maynard James Keenan created this label for his northern Arizona vineyard, Merkin Vineyards. One day while sipping some fine wine on his patio in the hills of Jerome, Arizona, he realized that the climate in the area was similar to the climates where some of his favorite wines were produced. Why not grow a vineyard here? When asked about the type of wine he intended to grow, he answered, “My art and music has been described as ‘thick, dense, rich complex, engaging, emotional, and spiritual,’ by those who are fans. And an ‘acquired taste’ for those kind others who are not. “ He felt that Arizona aligned with this description and that they were a match made in heaven. “Surely these qualities will be reflected in the wine that Arizona will present to us”. (Oh, did we forget to mention he is the lead singer for Tool). His wines can be purchased at a precious few stores, including his beautiful tasting room featured here, and at his website www.caduceus.org.
Alcantara Alcantara Vineyards is a dream venture created by Owner Barbara Predmore. Barbara and her husband Bob started the vineyard to provide their family and partners the opportunity to work and develop a vineyard community and winery, making wines that are comparable to the best of California and Europe. Barbara had spent four years of research and diligence using the best consultants from the University of Arizona and UC Davis, as well as support from her family at the noted Martin-Weyrich Vineyards in Central California. Alcantara Vineyard is perched on 87 acres of sloping terrain off the Verde River and Oak Creek. The Tuscan Farmhouse serves as the tasting room, where they host the many friends and guests that visit from around the globe. Check out their new “green” winery building when you visit! Explore their website at www.alcantaravineyard.com.
Echo Canyon Jon Marcus, a former attorney from Detroit, bought 32 acres of fertile land just outside Sedona. About 100 years ago, Echo Canyon was home to a farm that produced fruits and vegetables for the mining camps in Jerome. Nestled along the banks of the pristine Oak Creek, the rock-walled vineyards have produced wines that rival the finest made anywhere. They have planted only the best grape clones and utilized organic and biodynamic farming methods. Varietals include Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel. Also check out Jon’s other venture Crop Circle Winery in Willcox. For more info go to www.echocanyonwinery.com.
Javelina Leap Winery Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery is located just 10 miles outside the scenic town of Sedona Arizona, adjacent to the green belt of lower Oak Creek across from an Audubon bird sanctuary and state fish hatchery. The property was part of the historic ranches in a valley known as Page Springs for its abundance of natural springs. The estate vineyards are on the slopes of an ancient volcano. These soils lend intense characters of minerals, earth and fruit to the wines produced here. The owners and winemakers Rod and Cynthia Snapp welcome you to their quaint tasting room that is fashioned after a turn of the century western saloon. Many accolades and media attention have been given to the wines they produce here. They ask that you share these handcrafted wines with your friends and loved ones. The tasting room is open daily from 11am till 5pm. For more information visit their web site at www.javelinaleapwinery.com.
Freitas Vineyards Freitas Vineyard is hidden away on the outskirts of Cottonwood, AZ. It’s a small vineyard, the dream of Ray Freitas. She planted the 3 1/2 acre vineyard, located near the Verde River, in 2000 and has been tending her vines since then. Her 2006 harvest of Malvasia, Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot have provided the first bottling of 100 cases. Ray calls her Malvasia “Sunlight in a bottle”. Freitas Vineyard produces only Estate Grown wines, utilizing the European Tradition. Ray is currently establishing sales venues for her limited quantities of the 2006 wines and is looking forward to bottling her 2007 harvest, which will include a Petite Sirah. For more information call Freitas Vineyard at (928) 639-2149 or (928) 202-9568.
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Granite Creek Vineyards Granite Creek Vineyards is a family-owned and operated vineyard and winery near Prescott, Arizona. In Chino Valley, nestled in a unique valley at 4600 ft., the vineyards are surrounded by rugged granite peaks and high elevation rolling prairie. Vines bask in the intense sunshine this fabulous microclimate provides, with hot days and cool nights lasting late into the fall. These perfect ripening conditions combined with organically farmed granite soil and pure well water develop truly delicious fruit. The vineyard was established in 1974 by the Hoult family and has been managed organically its entire life. The first certified organic farm in Arizona, Granite Creek Vineyards today is one of only a handful of wineries in the United States that make 100% Certified Organic wines without sulfites. To learn more visit their website at www.granitecreekvineyards.com.
Oak Creek Vineyards Deb Wahl, owner of Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery, has heard many times that “good wine grows on gentle slopes with a river nearby” which is why her vineyard is located near beautiful Sedona, across from Oak Creek. In the higher elevations of the property, they grow Syrah & Merlot and in the lower portion they produce Zinfandel and Chardonnay. There is great sun exposure and currently they have approximately 4000 plants on just over ten acres. They produce full-bodied flavorful reds and lean whites in small batches, giving individual attention to each barrel. Visit www.oakcreekvineyards.net to learn more!
Jerome Winery Jerome Winery was built on the side of Cleopatra Hill between Prescott and Sedona in the historic town of Jerome, featuring over 30 uniquely handcrafted, individually distinct wines. The Vintner’s philosophy is to create wines that are enjoyable for the novice and the connoisseur alike. The owner/ vintner learned the art of wine-making by training as an apprentice under master winemakers throughout the United States and Europe. Wine varieties include Pinot Grigio, Mourvedre, White Zinfandel, Syrah, Muscat, Zinfandel, Sparking Wine, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, 15-yr-old Port and others that are soon to be added! In addition to the Jerome Winery, they have 80 acres of vines planted in southeastern Arizona, the Dragoon Mountain Vineyards. For more info please visit the website at www.jeromewinery.com.
Sycamore Canyon Winery Sycamore Canyon Winery is located on the banks of Oak Creek just south of Sedona. Their mission statement is to create the finest quality wines available anywhere in the world. The location of the vineyard was chosen because of the perfect microclimate for growing grapes: plenty of sunshine, clean water and a cold breeze that comes down from the Mogollon Rim which cools the grapes off every evening. All of their custom wines can be sampled at the Art of Wine located in Sedona at the Hyatt Piñon Pointe Shopping Center. They are open seven days a week. www.artowine.com
San Dominique An Arizona original, San Dominique is nestled at 4600 feet, in the hills south of the Verde Valley. Atop a hill, just off the freeway, you can’t miss the winery and tasting room. Also passionate about garlic, you’ll find garlic flavored “everything” here - even wine! San Dominique is home to Bill Staltari, cellarmaster and garlic purveyor. Winemaking has been a tradition in Bill Staltari’s family, stemming back to Calabria, Italy where his father, Joseph, learned the art from his father, who in turn was taught by his father and his father’s father . . . through five generations. Be sure to visit Bill next time you’re passing through. His website is www.garlicparadise.com.
Bitter Creek Winery Jerome’s newest wine venture. An avant-garde ambiance of artwork in a first-class gallery showing some of the area’s finest artists is the place to be for a wine tasting. Our vintner invites you to experience all of his Nouveau varieties while watching the panoramic view across the Verde Valley with Sedona Red Rocks in the distance. You will encounter a grand selection of unique, special press and hard to locate varietals. Our vineyard has 52 different varieties from cuttings taken from exceptional vineyards in Europe and the US. We aim to please even the pickiest palate. Make sure to plan ahead because once you’re here, you won’t want to leave! Open daily from 11am to 6pm. For more information please call (928) 634-7033 or just stop by!
Painted Lady Vineyard In Skull Valley, Painted Lady Vineyard grows Gewurztraminer grapes organically, without the use of toxic chemicals. Their one-acre vineyard, originally planted in 2006, suffered two years of grasshopper infestations and late frosts. Jodi and Fiona, the owners and growers, are hoping that 2009 will at least offer the opportunity to make a small batch of special reserve wine from the vines that have taken hold in the soil of Skull Valley. The farming life still has its surprises (some good, some not) but optimism runs high! In the meantime Eric Glomski of Page Springs Cellars, their winemaker, will continue to perfect the Painted Lady Vineyard Gewurztraminer from California grapes, fermenting all the sugar out of the wine creating a beautiful dry wine. To learn more call at (928) 442-9381.
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Where to stay . . . There are many locations throughout the Verde Valley. Here is a list of B&Bs, as well as a list of select resorts. To explore Sedona further visit www.Sedona.TV (take a virtual tour!) or Sedona’s Chamber of Commerce site at www.visitsedona.com.
B & Bs
A Sunset Chateau of Sedona A Territorial House B&B A Touch of Sedona B&B Adobe Grand Villas Adobe Hacienda B&B Inn Adobe Village Graham Inn Alma de Sedona The Annabel Inn Apple Orchard Inn Boots & Saddles B&B Briar Patch Inn Canyon Villa Inn of Sedona Casa Sedona B&B Inn Cozy Cactus B&B Creekside Inn at Sedona Desert Rose B&B Ghost City Inn Hacienda de la Mariposa B&B Inn on Oak Creek Lantern Light Inn Las Posadas of Sedona Lodge at Sedona Moestly Wood B&B Page Springs B&B The Penrose B&B Sedona Cathedral Hideaway The Sedona Dream Maker B&B The Surgeon’s House Sycamore Springs Guest House Wishing Well B&B
(888) 988-3988 asunsetchateau.com (800) 801-2737 territorialhousebb.com (800) 600-6462 touchofsedona.com (866) 900-7616 adobegrandvillas.com (800) 454-7191 adobe-hacienda.com (800) 228-1425 adobevillagegrahaminn.com (800) 923-2282 almadesedona.com (928) 649-3038 theannabelinn.com (800) 663-6968 appleorchardbb.com (800) 201-1944 oldwestbb.com (888) 809-3030 briarpatchinn.com (800) 453-1166 canyonvilla.com (800) 525-3756 casasedona.com (800) 788-2082 cozycactus.com (800) 390-8621 creeksideinn.net (928) 646-0236 desertrosebandb.com (888) 634-4678 ghostcityinn.com (888) 520-9095 lamariposa-az.com (800) 499-7896 innonoakcreek.com (877) 275-4973 lanternlightinn.com (888) 284-5288 lasposadasofsedona.com (800) 619-4467 lodgeatsedona.com (888) 334-4141 moestlywood.com (928) 634-4335 pagespringsbandb.com (888) 678-3030 thepenrose.com (866) 973-3662 sedonacathedralhideaway.com (866) 563-9134 sedonadreammaker.com (800) 639-1452 surgeonshouse.com (928) 634-4033 ssguesthouse.com (800) 728-9474 sedonawishingwell.com
RESORTS Amara Resort & Spa El Portal Enchantment Resort Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa Hyatt Pinon Pointe Resort L’Auberge de Sedona Los Abrigados Resort & Spa Mii Amo Spa at Enchantment Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa
(928) 282-4828 (928) 282-1661 (928) 282-2900 (928) 284-4040 (928) 204-8820 (928) 282-1661 (928) 282-1777 (928) 203-8500 (928) 203-4111
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here to eat . . . There are many great dining
choices in Sedona and the Verde Valley. These places cross the spectrum from casual to elegant . . . and they pour Arizona wines! • Amara Resort (928) 282-4828 •
The Asylum
•
Bistro Bella Terra
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
(928) 204-2000
Cowboy Club
(928) 282-4200
Dahl & Diluca
(928) 282-5219
Cucina Rustica El Portal Sedona Elote Café
Fork in the Road Bistro
(928) 203-7771 (928) 284-3010
(928) 203-9405
(928) 203-0105
(928)284-9322
Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge
(928) 282-3343
Joey Bistro at Los Abrigados
(928) 204-5639
Heartline Café Judi’s
L’Auberge de Sedona Manzanita Inn
Oak Creek Brewery Pinon Bistro
Pizza Picazzo
(928) 282-0785
(928) 282-4449 (928) 282-1661
(928) 634-8851
(928) 282-3300
(928) 649-0234
(928) 282-4140
Reds at Sedona Rouge
(928) 203-4111
Savannah’s
(928) 282-7959
Relic’s
Stakes & Sticks Troia’s
(928) 282-1593 (928) 204-7849 (928) 282-0123
Yavapai Room at Enchantment (800) 826-4180
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hat else is there to do . . . Here are a few
• amararesort.com elportalsedona.com enchantmentresort.com hiltonsedona.com hyattpinonpointe.hyatt.com lauberge.com ilxresorts.com miiamo.com sedonarouge.com
(928) 639-3197
Barking Frog Grille
• • • • •
ideas! This is just the tip of the iceberg . . .
Verde Canyon Railroad - “Grape Train” (800) 320-0718 | www.verdecanyonrr.com
Sedona Adventure Tours “Water to Wine Tour” (928) 204-6440 | www.sedonawinetours.com
Laura VandeGrift’s Tours “Sedona Wine Country” (928) 554-4072 | www.sedona-tour-guide.com A Day In The West “Jeep/Wine Tasting Tour” (928) 282-4320 | www.adayinthewest.com
First Class Charter ”Verde Valley Winery Tour” (877) 832-3007 | www.gofirstclasscharter.com Silver Spur Tours (800) 600-4006 | www.silverspurtours.com
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Dos Cabezas WineWorks Dos Cabezas WineWorks has been producing wines in Arizona since 1995. Their awardwinning wines have even been served at the White House. The winery was originally located on 80 acres near Willcox, Arizona. Just after the harvest of 2006, winemaker Todd Bostock purchased the winery with the help of his wife Kelly and his parents Frank and Paula. The winery was moved to Sonoita, close to the vineyard the family planted in Elgin in 2003 - Pronghorn Vineyards. They have since opened a tasting room at the winery and look forward to seeing you there soon! Visit them at www.doscabezaswinery.com.
Canelo Hills Vineyard & Winery Callaghan Vineyards Located in the rolling oak-dotted hills of southeastern Arizona, at an elevation of 4800 feet, Callaghan Vineyards produces rich, complex red and white wines from its 25-acre vineyard. Mediterranean and Spanish varietals - Petit Verdot, Petite Syrah, Tempranillo, Mourvedre and Grenache - are the basic buiding blocks for their red blends, while Viognier and Riesling are blended for the estate wine. They soon will also include Marsanne, Roussane and Malvasia Bianca. From their first vintage in 1991, their wines have received many accolades from the most respected wine writers/publications in the world. Please visit them at www.callaghanvineyards.com.
Rancho Rossa Vineyards Rancho Rossa Vineyards is one of the largest family-owned wineries in the Sonoita area. They specialize in UltraPremium varietal bottlings from their 22 acres of estate plantings, using only 100% estate-grown fruit in their wines, the only winery in the area to do so. Their first vines were planted in 2002 and their second vineyard was planted in 2003. Rancho Rossa will donate $0.10 to the American Cancer Society for every bottle of wine sold. Please visit the website at www.ranchorossa.com to learn more.
Canelo Hills Vineyard and Winery is a family-owned and operated winery established in 2003 by Tim and Joan Mueller. Joan grows the grapes for the wine Tim makes, and daughter Kathryn does the marketing. They have six acres planted and are currently bottling Syrah, Riesling, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Chardonnay. Every April they host the Canelo Hills Wine & Farm Festival, where you can taste wines from Southern Arizona wineries, meet the winemakers and buy local farm products. All their wines are made on-site from 100% Arizona fruit. Learn more about them at www.canelohillswinery.com.
Sonoita Vineyards Dr. Gordon Dutt, owner and founder of Sonoita Vineyards, is a retired soil scientist from the University of Arizona. As part of a research project back in 1973, he established an experimental vineyard on the red, acidic clay of the Babacomari Ranch in Southern Arizona. The success of that vineyard and the quality of the wines from those grapes led to the planting of a commercial vineyard in 1979, the first in the Sonoita-Elgin area. Sonoita Vineyards’ winery opened in 1983 with a first-vintage production of 300 gallons. Today Winemaker Fran Lightly is producing nearly 4000 cases (9500 gallons) per year from 10 different grape varieties including Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Over 90% of this production is sold through a beautiful and spacious tasting room, gift shop and special events facility with picturesque views of hillside vineyards, rolling grasslands and scenic mountain ranges. This facility is open daily (except major holidays) from 10AM to 4PM. Visit www.sonoitavineyards.com for more info.
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Village of Elgin Winery
Lightning Ridge Cellars
The Village of Elgin Winery emphasizes terroir. They stomp the grapes, use natural yeasts, hand craft and use only new wood casks. The winery accents small-lot red, white and rosé wines ranging from single varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese to traditional blended delights. Each wine is handcrafted by the winemakers/owners Gary and Kathy Reeves. The Village of Elgin Winery is home to the WORLD renowned Tombstone Red which has spawned three other wines including a seven-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon named Tombstone Gunslinger and two whites, Tombstone Rain and Tombstone Showdown. Their Dry Rosé was the Rosé category Best of Class at the Governor’s Choice. Please visit them at www.elginwines.com.
After their first trip to Tuscany, Ron & Ann Roncone decided the wine they’d make would be based on their Italian heritage. Lightning Ridge Cellars, a small family winery, was established in 2005. It represents years of personal endeavor from the ground up. The old world style of wines they make are simply the wines they enjoy most. Their estate wines are proudly made from classic Italian varietals: Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, Primitivo, Malvasia and Muscat Canelli. Located at 5,100 ft. elevration, their vineyards enjoy long warm summers and cool nights to provide the perfect combination for rich, full-bodied wines. They’re excited to open in October of 2009, and welcome you to their Tucsan-themed winery and tasting room. Until they open, feel free to call or email for a tasting appointment. (520) 678-8220 www.lightningridgecellars.com
Charron Vineyards As you venture off I-10, on Hwy 83 toward Sonoita - you’ll want to stop by Charron Vineyards in Vail. Nestled in a secluded location southeast of Tucson, Leo Cox began building his dream of having a vineyard. Five years of living and working in Spain clearly defined his destiny as a ‘Wine Grape Grower and Maker’. The chance discovery of this location in Arizona was Mr. Cox’s fulfillment of an extensive ten-year search, covering all Western grape growing regions. Today, Charron Vineyards hand crafts about 200 cases of White Merlot. Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo vines are being planted as well. Please visit them at www.charronvineyards.com.
Wilhelm Family Vineyards In 2003, Kevin and Karyl Wilhelm bought 20 beautiful acres of rolling Sonoita-Elgin wine-growing land to begin their winemaking dream. Today Wilhelm Family Vineyards is planted with seven different varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Tempranillo and Albarino. Other Spanish and Rhone varietals are currently being explored. Along with their wines, the Wilhelm’s 6,000 sq. ft. winery is available for custom crush processing operations, barrel storage and small individual lot winemaking. Karyl, their resident winemaker, is currently completing studies at U.C. Davis in the Winemaking Certification program. She prefers time-honored winemaking styles with patient guidance to nature’s best. Please visit www.WilhelmFamilyVineyards.com for the most current information about tasting hours, wine selection, and winery facility availability. Make sure you add Wilhelm Family Vineyards to your wine tour list. Come meet the family, sample their wines, and perhaps even try your harvesting and winemaking skills at their facility.
Four Monkey Wines Four Monkey Wines, one of Arizona’s new wineries, produces quality wines at reasonable prices; the four wines retail for under $11/bottle. The winery produces the Playful Monkey, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2007 Governor’s Choice Wine Competition Silver Medal Winner. The other three wines are the Sinful Monkey, the Naughty Monkey and the Cheeky Monkey—encompassing two reds and two whites, all representing individual personalities. For tastings visit the Village of Elgin Winery. Learn more at www.fourmonkeywines.com.
Kief-Joshua Vineyards Kief-Joshua Vineyards is a small family business on 20 acres in beautiful Elgin. The first planting was in 2003 and currently they have about ten acres under vine, consisting of eight different varieties: Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Riesling, Semillon and Viognier. The winemaker, Kief Manning, pursued viticulture studies in Australia, where he earned both a graduate and undergraduate degree in Viticulture and Enology. He practices traditional winemaking methods of minimal interference, open fermentation and barrel aging. He has also been practicing biodynamic growing procedures in the vineyard since 2006. KiefJoshua Vineyards is a winery defined by family, passion & enthusiasm, with a commitment to winemaking that will exceed expectations. www.kj-vineyards.com.
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hat else is there to do . . . Sonoita is an area with a
lot of charm. Horse ranches cover the countryside as well as Alpaca farms. Patagonia has a distinctive character and is a great town to visit. Here are some fun ways to enjoy the area . . . Arizona Horseback Experience - (520) 455-5696
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here to stay . . . When traveling to wine country it’s a great
idea to make a weekend of it and have time to enjoy the area you are visiting. Here are some great places to stay while visiting your favorite wineries in Sonoita. Sonoita/Elgin
www.horsebackexperience.com
La Hacienda de Sonoita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5308
Arizona Sunshine Tours - (520) 803-6713
Rain Valley Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 456-2911 Rainbow’s End Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-0202
Try their “Wine Tasting Ride” www.arizonasunshinetours.com
Wine Country Tours
Square Top Alpacas- (520) 455-4600 www.squaretopranch.com
www.haciendasonoita.com
www.rainbowsendbandb.com
Canelo Stone Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (303) 384-0471 www.vrbo.com/90775
Sonoita Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5935 www.sonoitainn.com
Crown C Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5739 www.crowncranch.com
Rancho Milagro Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-0380 www.milagroranch.com
Walker Guest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 400-1088 www.thewalkerranch.com
Whisper’s Ranch Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-9246 www.whispersranch.com
Santa Cruz County Fair
September 18, 19 & 20, 2009 www.sonoitafairgrounds.com
Arizona Cowboy Symposium November 13, 14 & 15, 2009
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www.arizonacowboysymposium.org
here to eat . . . There are some great dining experiences
to be had in the area. You’ll find everything from pizza-togo to fine dining. Here are a few of your choices . . . keep in mind that none of the wineries serve meals (you’ll find some snacks at a few) - so plan ahead, bring some sandwiches and have a picnic! • • • • • • • • • • •
Cafe Sonoita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5278 Canela Bistro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5873 Gathering Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2097 Grasslands Natural Foods Bakery & Cafe . . . (520) 455-4770 Home Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2344
Xanadu Ranch Getaway B&B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-0050 www.XanaduRanchGetAway.com
Patagonia
The Duquesne House Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2732 www.theduquesnehouse.com
The Enchanted Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 604-0070 www.enchantedgardenaz.net
Casita Frontera Guest Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 604-6762 www.lafronteraaz.com/id60.html
La Palomita de Patagonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2036 Painted House Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2740 Red Mountain Guest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2977 www.redmtncottage.com
Roadrunner Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 455-0220 www.southernarizonavacationrentalhomes.com
Spirit Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (866) 394-0121 www.spirittreeinn.com
Studio Gallery & Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2978 Cross Creek Cottages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 400-7230 Dos Palmas Vacation Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (866) 394-0056 www.dospalmasaz.com
Viaggio Italiano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5282
Circle Z Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2525
Sonoita Crossroads Cafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-0040
Patagonia Oaks - A Birder’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (410) 527-0304 Black Dove B & B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2080
Ranch House Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5371 The Steakout Restaurant & Saloon . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5205 Velvet Elvis Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2102 Wagon Wheel Restaurant & Saloon . . . . . . . (520) 394-2433
www.circlez.com
www.theblackdovebb.com
Stage Stop Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2211
Santa Cruz County
Hacienda Corona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 287-6503 www.haciendacorona.com
A Room With A View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 397-9297 www.patagoniaview.com
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Pillsbury Wine Company Sam Pillsbury, noted filmmaker, started his dream project in 2006 with 100 acres of prime desert vineyard land in the Willcox Bench area of Kansas Settlement in Willcox. Sam’s dream was to celebrate the local Terroir . . . an Arizona Chateauneuf, a sustainable Rhøne vineyard producing premium quality hand-made 100% Arizona boutique wines, and ultimately an architecturally stunning wine village with 27 dwellings, a Winery, Spa and Restaurant serving food grown organically on the land. The bare land is now a showpiece 100% Sonoita soil vineyard, the first 3 wines have won stellar reviews and are in some of the best restaurants and resorts in the State, and the next architectural stage is under way. We celebrate and are immensely proud of the rare beauty of the Apache Country location, and the complexity, fragrance and individuality of the wines that come from the vines we grow there. With the help of attorney/businessman Rob Dunaway and Vineyard Manager Judy Lechtenbohmer, we are planting more vines and developing our resort, and with winemaker Eric Glomski, Pillsbury Wine Company is producing 5 stellar wines for sale, a Pinot Gris, a Rosé, the Roan Red, Diva, and a Petite Sirah. Learn more at www.pillsburywinecompany.com.
Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Eric Glomski and Maynard Keenan purchased the historic Dos Cabezas Vineyards in early 2007 and renamed the Willcox vines Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. They believe that the soils and climate at the vineyard stand up to the finest in the world, feeling strongly that their wines express, first and foremost, Arizona, and secondarily the grapes and hands of the vignerons involved. Their desire is to bring Arizona to the national wine stage, promoting their wines as value and quality based. They believe that great wine doesn’t have to be expensive; it doesn’t have to be pretentious; and it shouldn’t be hard to find. It just has to be great and it has to be made by people that care. Arizona Stronghold Vineyard’s philosophy is all about place, people, quality and value. Their white wine, Tazi, premiered in spring 2008, while their two reds are set to be released in late fall/early winter of 2008. With sixty acres of actively producing vines, they are currently the largest producing vineyard in the state, although they realize that they won’t be alone for long and welcome other quality winemakers to join them in the region. To learn more about their venture, visit their website at www.arizonastrongholdvineyards.com.
Cimarron In the shadow of the Chiricahua Mountains at 4300 ft., lies the fertile Kansas Settlement farmland. Oregon pinot pioneer Dick Erath chose this unique site to plant his Cimarron Vineyard. Planting traditional grapes alongside unique varietals, Erath plans to create wines to please the most discerning palate while retaining Arizona’s unique terroir. His first vintage was released through select Fox Restaurant locations and future releases will be available through the tasting room at Dos Cabezas WineWorks in Sonoita.
Keeling Schaefer Vineyards Located 12 miles south of the Chiricahua National Monument, Keeling Schaefer Vineyards is a premium Arizona wine producer. Their vision is to produce exclusively estate grown and bottled wine on 21 acres of vineyards located on Rock Creek on the western slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in far southeastern Arizona. At 5000 ft. above sea level, the summer climate of warm, sunny days and cool, high desert nights combines with the unique Rhyolite volcanic soils to create wine with special characteristics. They grow Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier and Petite Sirah. The winery and vineyard is not open to the public, however, they do accept visitors by appointment. Tastings are $5 and include a commemorative glass. Please call (520) 824.2500 or email at jan@keelingschaefervineyards.com. Or visit their website at www.keelingschaefervineyards.com.
Coronado Vineyards Nestled between the majestic Mt. Graham and Dos Cabezas mountains in the Coronado National Forest, a unique wine tasting experience awaits you. Managing owners, Mark and Jacque Cook, and their partners dreamed of owning a beautiful winery and producing outstanding wines for many years. On November 18th, 2006 that dream became a reality with the Grand Opening of Coronado Vineyards. Coronado Vineyards presents nine unique wines, from a sweet white table wine to a dry red wine. The winery and on-site vineyard offer the perfect setting for a private event. With full catering services and a warm and inviting staff, your special event is sure to be one to remember. Come experience all that Coronado Vineyards has to offer; an adventure awaits. www.coronadovineyards.com
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Colibri Vineyards
Fort Bowie Vineyards
Before Bob Johnson became a plant scientist, his wife Mickey, a physician, and he spent most of their adult lives in the medical field. One spring morning in 1995, he discovered a restless apple orchard with wonderful rows of trees arm in arm. This land “called to him”. As he stood surveying the buildings and grounds, his gaze caught sight of a beautiful stone arch up on a hilltop, carved thousands of years ago by combined forces of nature. Without hesitation, he and his wife purchased the property, named it Colibri and began to create their dream.
Fort Bowie Vineyards & Orchard Products features the freshest and finest products. Currently the Orchards produce Pecans, Walnuts, Peaches and Cherries. A variety of nut products including specialty roasted Cinnamon Sugared Pecans, Salted and Roasted Pecans, Chocolate Pecan Clusters and Pecan Oil can be purchased at their store year round. The Vineyards produce a unique diversity of wines ranging from their famous Arizona Sweet Water, a sweet white dessert wine, to their Pecan Delight, a distinctive sparkling wine with the essence of pecans. Fort Bowie Vineyards recently introduced a new line of Chocolate Wine Sauces and Wine Truffles. Wine tasting is offered daily. Find out more at their website at www.fortbowievineyards.net.
Crop Circle Vineyards Jon Marcus’ vision for the 80 acres of land in Willcox at his Crop Circle Vineyard and Winery is to have a completely green, solar, biodynamic farm, producing not only grapes for wine, but various foods such as nuts and fruits. A new way of thinking, he is utilizing Mayan Circle planting techniques for the vines. There will also be plenty of pasture space provided to allow animals on-site. The winery and antique-themed tasting room facility is twice the size of that at his Echo Canyon Vineyard in Sedona.
August of 2003 marked a spectacular first harvest with their friends and family. Since then their vines are producing exceptional wines, better than they could have ever imagined. We encourage you to visit their website for more Jon is excited about what the future holds for the land in the southeastern region of Arizona and information at www.colibrivineyard.com. believes that this area has great potential for the state’s ever-growing wine industry.
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•
Cochise Stronghold B&B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 826-4141 www.cochisestrongholdbb.com
•
Dos Cabezas Spirit & Nature Retreat B&B . (520) 384-6474 www.doscabezasretreat.com
•
here to stay . . . Willcox has some great B&Bs. If you
enjoy meeting some great people and staying in a beautiful environment - you’ll love it!
• • • • • • • • • •
Copper Queen Hotel (Bisbee) . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 432-2216 www.copperqueen.com
Down By The River Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . (520) 720-9441 www.downbytheriverbandb.com (St. David) Dreamcatcher Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 824-3127 www.vtc.net/~kirk Grapevine Canyon Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 826-3185 www.gcranch.com Letson Loft Hotel (Bisbee) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 432-3210 www.letsonlofthotel.com
here to eat . . .
• • •
Muleshoe Ranch @ Nature Conservancy . . . (520) 212-4295
•
Sunglow Guest Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 824-3334 www.sunglowranch.com (closed during the summer)
•
Strawbale Manor Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . (888) 414-3077 www.bbonline.com/az/strawbale
Coronado Vineyards Lunch Tues - Sat 11AM to 2PM Friday Dinner & Sunday Brunch (520) 384-2993 Big Tex BBQ Dine in a railroad car! (520) 384-4423 Salsa Fiesta (520) 384-4233
Hopi Grill At the Best Western Plaza Inn (520) 384-3556
Saxon Steakhouse Steaks & down-home favorites (520) 384-2626 El Ranchero Fine Mexican Restaurant (520) 384-2660
Some of the B&Bs also serve dinner if requested.
Triangle T Guest Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 586-7533 www.triangletguestranch.com
W
hat else is there to do . . .
•
Visit Chiricahua Nat’l Monument
•
Kartchner Caverns State Park (520) 586-2283
•
www.nps.gov/chir/
•
Amerind Foundation Museum (520) 586-3666 www.amerind.org Hike Cochise Stronghold
•
Tour the Rex Allen Museum
•
Visit Tombstone
www.cochisestronghold.com www.rexallenmuseum.org
www.cityoftombstone.com
•
Apple Annie’s (520) 384-2084
www.appleannies.com
They are seasonal - so check to see if they’re open!
40
Su Vino Winery Su Vino Winery in Scottsdale is the second installment of the award-winning winery founded in Grapevine, TX. The winery is familyowned and operated; it’s located in the Arts District of Downtown Scottsdale. Su Vino is an award-winning winery with over 40 medals for their wines. They are the first and only winery in Scottsdale and the first to offer customers the opportunity to have a wine made specifically for them and their palate. They strive to make wine more fun and friendly by breaking down the barriers of wine-speak and wine snobbery. The sophisticated yet fun tasting room is offered for corporate mixers, team building meetings, wine education classes or customer appreciation events. Visit their website at www.suvinowineryaz.com.
Casavino Custom Winery
Studio Vino
As Arizona’s premier onsite custom winemaking facility, Casavino Custom Winery lets you make quality fine wine with your own custom-designed front and back label. No experience (or stomping) necessary!!
Studio Vino is a custom winery, conveniently located in Tempe, AZ where you can make, bottle and label your own wine. A contemporary, yet comfortable atmosphere, with very friendly service. Start with a tasting and sample the different varietals that are made onsite. Based on your preference, you can make your own batch (28 bottles) and customize to your liking. You can also choose a 1/2 batch (14 bottles) or combine two halfbatches for a variety. Once you decide on the wine you’d like to make, work with Studio Vino experts to mix the ingredients and start fermentation. Studio Vino will rack, filter and test and after about 3 months, you’ll return for your bottling event. You’re encouraged to bring friends, family and/or colleagues! The more the merrier - quite a unique group event. The final touch on your custom wine is your own personalized label. Design your own or work with Studio Vino to create your perfect label. At the end, you will come away with wine that you have made, bottled and labeled... perfect for entertaining, gift giving, sharing with friends or saving for special occasions. Studio Vino is delighted to work with bridal parties, corporate and/or team building events, birthday parties, anniversaries or any other group that is interested in making and bottling wine. Studio Vino’s mission is to provide affordable, custom-labeled wine in a casual, comfortable and modern winery. An experience you’ll remember for years to come ... especially as you share your custom wine! Visit their website at www.studiovino.com.
Come into the winery, select your favorite wine to make (over 200 different types), and with staff consultation, start fermentation of a batch (yielding 30 bottles). In about six weeks, it’s ready for bottling and labeling. Their graphic artists will design a label for you based on your needs, or you can design it yourself! All custom label design work is free. They are planning to open up a new location later this year. Call them for details or visit their website at www.casavinowinery.com.
Kokopelli Winery NOW AT TWO LOCATIONS! Don and Carol Minchella and 5th & 6th generation wine-makers Herve & Florent Lescombes combined their Italian and French heritages to launch the Kokopelli Winery in 1994, capitalizing on their expertise to produce 24 award-winning wines of Arizona. Kokopelli continues to be family-owned and operated, today under the care of 4th generation winemaker, Dennis Minchella. Now with two locations in the Valley! Check out their location in historic downtown Chandler and their newest venue in Surprise on Grand Avenue. Visit their website at www.kokopelliwinery.com.
42
The Arizona State of Wine By Joel Mann Consulting Winemaker & Freelance Writer
If you’re looking for big fruity Cabs, or lush buttery Chards like you get from most of California, or places like Australia, I’m sorry to say, you’re probably going to be a little disappointed. Every wine region has its own unique character. Different grape varieties perform well in certain places, and don’t in others. Most of Arizona is rustic and rugged. The vines that perform well here share that same character. The top performers so far are names like Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, and Malvasia. They’re vines that are hardy, handle the heat of summer, retain good acidity in that heat, and can tolerate hot sunny days without getting too thirsty. Think more Don Quixote in La Mancha than the street cars of San Francisco when it comes to Arizona and its wines. The regions you should be looking for as a comparison are the southern Rhône Valley in France, Rioja or Priorat in Spain, the Alentejo, Douro, and Dão of Portugal, and many of the southern Italian wine regions such as Apulia, Abruzzi, or Sicily. The wines are predominately red, often have a rustic spiciness, and are geared more towards being served with dinner than sipped by themselves.
As for the characters in the play, Arizona is slowly accumulating a population of experienced and educated veterans to drive premium quality. Chief among them so far has been Eric Glomski from Page Springs Cellars. He’s a former winemaker for David Bruce Winery in the Santa Cruz area, and through tireless effort has built one of Arizona’s larger wineries, while also being a lobbyist for the local industry with the state legislature. Kent Callaghan from Callaghan Vineyards has long been recognized as one of the state’s top quality producers. New faces on the scene include Kief Manning at Kief-Joshua Winery, who studied viticulture and enology at the University of Melbourne in Australia, and Fran Lightly at Sonoita Vineyards, who studied at Fresno State. Arizona even has an established name in the wine business starting up operations, with Dick Erath from Oregon planting a vineyard in the Willcox area. The one thing Arizona currently lacks is the infrastructure that comes with an established wine region: labs, bottling services, auxiliary businesses, and the myriad of marketing and consultation firms. These are under development though. Yavapai Community College is looking to start an associate’s course in viticulture and enology. Arizona Stronghold has pondered being a lab service provider. Arizona also has a facility that was built for the purpose of allowing custom crush production with the opening of Wilhelm Family Vineyards in the Sonoita/Elgin area. I have yet to check out the property, but look forward to Keeling Schaefer Vineyards it after recently meeting owner and winemaker Karyl Wilhelm. Photo courtesy of Mike Barnacastle
Picture this in your mind. You’re part of a small wine producing region that while garnering respect amongst the wine savvy locals, is considered a bit of a backwater in the respected wine world. You know you make good stuff, but the intellectuals on the topic only care about established names or regions, so your product is typically scoffed at, or at best is considered quaint. Think I’m talking about Arizona? Actually, it’s Napa Valley circa 1975. Yes, even the mighty Mecca of American wine was at one point and time considered irrelevant on wine’s world stage. That was until a handful of Napa wineries showed up in Paris for a blind tasting versus several renowned Bordeaux Chateaux in 1976. What was the result? The critics oohed and aahed about many wines, and speculated which top Chateau they came from. When the bottles were revealed though, the top honors were all Yankee upstarts. Ever since then, the name Napa Valley bestows instant respect, earned or not. Arizona may not be Napa Valley in 1975, but it is developing the foundations that lead to a successful wine industry, and is fast approaching the critical point of respectability as a developing region. I wanted to share with you a little about Arizona wine as an industry insider familiar with the scene and many of the characters behind it.
The future for Arizona wine is looking bright. The state is where many developing regions in the western U.S. were just before experiencing a boom in both quantity and quality. The number of Arizona wineries has grown rapidly in the past few years, and many more wineries are in the planning and development stages. Some trial and error still needs to occur in order to match the best grapes to the best vineyard sites, particularly for white wines; and to raise the overall standard of quality control amongst inexperienced producers. Once these facts play themselves out though, Arizona does have the potential to be a top quality wine producer. So rather than scoff at the notion of Arizona wines, I encourage you to seek out a few, and discover the gems hiding in your own back yard. Many wineries are an easy day trip away, and you’ll not only help support a local industry, but you can have an adventure to enjoy in the process.
44
WINE & SOCIAL MEDIA
What is Social Media? If you have to ask, you’re probably getting old. Just kidding, I’m getting old, too. I fought it for awhile. I gave quite a valiant effort to resist change in my stance against Facebook and Twitter. When my wife started “Twittering”, I could hardly stand it (or understand it). So it seemed that Facebook was everywhere, including Oprah! And this Twitter thing was all over the news every time I turned around. Mass text messages of 140 characters or less to thousands of people, most of which you’ve never met. Who cares? Who has the time? I caved into Facebook first. It turned out to be a great way to stay in touch with friends and find old friends from the past. You can also become a “fan” of a business you’re interested in. I’m a fan of businesses like The Farm at South Mountain and Queen Creek Olive Mill. It’s a great way to keep up with their special events and promotions like wine tastings and winemaker dinners. I was still fighting Twitter. I was not going to waste my time with this nonsense. Then one night, Rhonni and I went to a winemaker dinner at Quiessence. We sat across the table from a nice couple and started chatting over wine. My lesson in Twitter and its value was about to begin (and so is yours). So, earlier in the day Rhonni had “tweeted” (the text message that is sent out via Twitter) “Getting ready to attend Pillsbury Winemaker Dinner at Quiessence tonight! What a great way to enjoy AZ Wines with great food”. This “tweet” happened to get to the man across the table from us because he was following @AZVinesandWines (Rhonni’s Twitter handle – all names start with the @ symbol). They were actually expecting to see us there! I learned that we were speaking to @IAmTimHardy (Tim) and asked him what he did for work. As it turns out, Tim is a Social Media Consultant. Okay, I was fighting a losing battle at this point - if you can’t beat em’ join em’. We have stayed in touch with @IAmTimHardy and his wife since then. Tim even came over and helped me bottle my wine. I’m glad they saw Rhonni’s tweet that day. What a great way to make new friends! So I decided to give Twitter a shot. Within two weeks, I had over 700 people following me. I got a Direct Message from @SaludScents, who was following me because she likes the magazine. There was a reporter from Inc. Magazine looking for a vineyard real estate expert to comment in an article. Long story short, I wound up with a full page article in the September issue of Inc. Magazine on one of my listings, Charron Vineyards – Free. What a great way to promote your business! Through Twitter and Facebook we are able to stay up to date with the latest happenings in what matters to us – The Arizona Wine Scene. People will post links to interesting articles about Arizona wine from a newspaper or magazine or cool videos or interviews from TV and blogs. Winemakers will post about harvest, or when they are having a special event or when a new wine will be released. Todd Bostock (@DosCabezas) posts pictures from his vineyard like deer tracks or pictures of the grapes. Kent Callaghan will discuss the latest wine he has tasted in detail on Facebook (and he’s a prolific taster of wine!). Right now everyone is posting about the harvest and including pictures – really cool. You get to be a part of it. When it comes to Twitter, I follow people with similar interests as mine, especially wine. Common sense dictates that if you follow someone with “wine” in their handle, it’s likely that they will tweet about wine. I sell vineyard land in Arizona, so my twitter name is @AZVineyardGuy. Check out the column to the right for a list of active Arizona wine Tweeters. So back to @IamTimHardy, his name doesn’t tell you much, but you can see who he is following. If he is following @AZVinesandWines and @AZVineyardGuy, there’s a good chance he is interested in Arizona wine. You can check his posts or “Tweets” and see if they interest you. If so, you would follow him. He would see that you are following him and probably follow you back. Don’t worry; if some crazies start following you, you can block them. People routinely have thousands of followers and follow just as many
By Josh Moffitt Publisher themselves. You can even just be a fly on the wall and never post anything yourself, just follow other people. To make all of this a little easier, there are programs to help you organize and categorize all this stuff. There’s a bunch of them, but we use TweetDeck. There is a column for everyone you are following, there’s one for a specific group of people you are following. There’s one for special searches like “Arizona Wine”, any tweet in the world that includes the words “Arizona” and “wine” in the 140 characters will pop up. There is even a column for Facebook, so you can do all of this stuff from one platform. Of course, you can also do all of this from your cell phone too. There’s a lot more out there in the social media world. There’s Myspace, which seems to be more for the younger crowd. There’s LinkedIn, which is more for professionals to network. On and on, there’s new stuff every day. It’s a brave new world out there, so check it out! Careful though, people might accuse you of being “hip”.
ARIZONA WINES ON TWITTER
Arizona Wine Growers Assn - @AZWineries Arizona Vines & Wines - @AZVinesandWines Alcantara Vineyards - @Alcantara_Wine Caduceus Cellars - @CaduceusCellars Page Springs Cellars - @pagespringswine Kokopelli Winery - @kokowine Studio Vino Winery - @StudioVino Su Vino Winery - @SuVinoWineryAZ Canelo Hills Winery - @CaneloHills Dos Cabezas WineWorks - @DosCabezas Kief-Joshua - @kjvineyards Village of Elgin Wines - @AZWineaux Wilhelm Vineyards - @AZWinemaker Arizona Stronghold - @AZStronghold Pillsbury Wine Co - @PillsburyWineCo
ARIZONA WINES ON FACEBOOK Alcantara Vineyard & Winery Caduceus Cellars Javelina Leap Page Springs Cellars Studio Vino Winery Su Vino Winery Scottsdale Callaghan Vineyards Canelo Hills Vineyard & Winery Dos Cabezas WineWorks Kief-Joshua Vineyards Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Coronado Vineyards
46
REVIEWS BY RUBEE . . .
Prado - A Mediterranean Oasis I love arriving at the Montelucia Resort, which sets the mood for its signature restaurant, Prado. Inspired by the Moorish and Spanish architecture of Andalusia, its golden yellow walls and vibrant splashes of cobalt blue and red immediately transport you to Southern Spain.
Prado at Intercontinential Montelucia Resort
4949 E. Lincoln Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85250
480.627.3004 www.pradolife.com Satiny slices of this high-quality domestic prosciutto are served with crusty bread on a wooden board, and we often order two.
Prado is named after the famed museum in Madrid, and stepping through the wooden double doors, you feel as though you’ve entered a luxurious European villa. It’s a beautiful space with soaring arched ceilings and exposed beams. There’s a marble-topped bar with high tables that opens onto the pretty courtyard, a cozy lounge delineated by plush banquettes and low tables, and an elegant dining room featuring a woodburning brick oven. A highlight is the mosaic-tiled outdoor terrace that overlooks the row of fountains, especially romantic at dusk with the backdrop silhouette of Camelback Mountain. Our first visit was Prado’s MBar for Happy Hour, and it’s still a favorite way to spend time with good friends, sipping a glass of Spanish wine or well-crafted cocktail (a favorite is the Amante
Picante with organic tequila, cucumber, lime, and a splash of green Tabasco) and $5 tapas. Some of our favorites are the crispy calamari with smoked paprika aioli, the spicy Merguez lamb sausage, and the grilled whole prawns with Cacho de Cabra chili from Peru. The burrata (a fresh mozzarella with an oozy, creamy center) with sweet slow-roasted tomatoes is another perfect tapa, and I also love the La Quercia prosciutto.
While a meal can be made of tapas alone, Prado’s menu is extensive. In addition to the regular menu, there is a full page of daily specials. As an active member of the Slow Food movement, Chef Claudio Urciuoli’s priority is on quality ingredients and seasonality, and I’m always drawn to this page to take advantage of what is local and fresh. Recent specials included “Tutti Frutti” farm heirlooms (sonamed because the tomatoes were from a variety of AZ farms), served with mozzarella di bufala and fragrant wild oregano which is imported still on the branch from Italy. Artisanal ingredients also showcased the red and yellow beet salad with “lollo rossa”, a delicate frilly red leaf lettuce, dill pollen, and Minus 8 vinegar (a limited production vinegar made from frozen grapes in the style of ice wine). Every time I visit Prado, I’m introduced to a new pasta. This time it was “calamarata”, a tubular pasta cut in wide calamari-like rings, served as both white and black squid-ink calamarata, with day-boat scallops and Controne beans, a delicious heirloom variety imported by a single farmer in Italy. I love to see whole fish offered on a menu and so had to order the wood-grilled Orata. Stuffed with orange, fennel, and lavender, and served with a side dish of cranberry beans, pioppini mushrooms, and local “Tim’s” bacon (of Tim Wilson’s Meat Shop), this was fantastic. The quality of the seafood at Prado also shone in the halibut special, served over thinly sliced purple Peruvian potatoes, smoky pork shoulder, and roasted tomatoes. Desserts are also well thought-out. If you’re a chocolate fan, leave some room for the crispy churros with warm chocolate sauce for dipping, or the chocolate pot de crème - luscious and rich, made with Claudio Corallo’s amazing artisan chocolate. Another recent highlight was the warm blueberry and nectarine cobbler, served in its own terra cotta cazuela. Last month, we attended an Arizona wine dinner featuring the excellent wines of Pillsbury Wine Company in Cochise County. Hosted by the evergracious General Manager, Pavle Milic, this was truly a special evening.
On arrival, we were led to reserved seating in the lounge where we joined Sam Pillsbury and the other guests as his 2008 Rosé “One Night Stand” was poured - perfect with the passed hors d’ouevres of grilled Medjool dates with habanero and Tim’s Bacon, heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella, and La Quercia prosciutto-wrapped figs. When dinner was ready, we were led to King Ferdinand’s Cellar, a lovely private dining room glowing with flickering candles. Prado had chosen to keep the group small so that we could dine together and Sam could discuss his wine and answer questions. I loved the intimacy of being able to sit at one table and, as Pavle mentioned, he wanted us to feel like we were guests at someone’s beautiful home. Well, he certainly succeeded! Chef Claudio also spent time with us describing his philosophy and the passion he brings to sourcing out ingredients. We started with grilled wild prawns (so sweet and tender, I ate them crispy heads and all) with those wonderful Controne beans and wild oregano, paired with Pillsbury 2008 Pinot Gris Casa Blanca. The pasta course was Croxetti with Maida yellow tomatoes and Cilento olives, a medallion-shaped pasta that in medieval times was traditionally stamped with a coat of arms, paired with Pillsbury 2006 Roan Red. This was followed by a Colorado lamb T-bone with harissa-spiced Merguez sausage (made locally by Schreiner’s), olive pesto, and grilled vegetables picked hours earlier from Singh Farms, all paired beautifully with the limited production Pillsbury 2007 Petite Sirah. We ended this spectacular meal with melon from Duncan’s in Litchfield Park with truffle honey and fennel pollen, paired with a Spanish liqueur called Patxaran. Pavle explained this was a family favorite - a Basque liqueur flavored with anise, Spanish sloe berries, and coffee beans. I’m always impressed by Chef Urciuoli’s technique for cooking authentically and simply to allow the quality ingredients to shine through, and especially appreciate the everchanging menu with its focus on seasonality and freshness. A passionate chef, exquisite food, and a magical ambiance. It all comes together at a restaurant called Prado. All photos courtesy of Prado Restaurant at InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa
WINE BARS Around the State
48 WEST VALLEY
SCOTTSDALE
Grazie Pizzeria - Buckeye grazie.us (623) 852-1717 Ground Control - Goodyear groundxcontrol.com (623) 935-2604 The Tasting Room - Peoria thetastingroomllc.com (623) 455-4100 WineStyles - Peoria winestyles.net (623) 872-7900
EAST VALLEY
Arrivederci - Ahwatukee azitaly.com (480) 759-9292 Caffe Boa - Ahwatukee caffeboa.com (480) 893-3331 My Wine Cellar - Ahwatukee no website (480) 598-WINE Va Bene - Ahwatukee vabeneaz.com (480) 706-4070 Cork - Chandler corkrestaurant.net (480) 883-3773 Down Under Wines - Chandler downunderwinestore.com (480) 705-7131 D’Vine Wine Bar & Bistro - Chandler dvinebistro.com (480) 482-5550 Pesto’s Pizza & Wine Bar - Chandler pestospizza.com (480) 821-0035 Whole Foods Market - Chandler wholefoodsmarket.com (480) 821-9447 98 South - Chandler 98south.net (480) 814-9800 Romeo’s Euro Cafe - Gilbert eurocafe.com (480) 962-4224 Vine Expressions - Gilbert vineexpressions.com (480) 663-0730 D’Vine Wine Bistro - Mesa dvinebistro.com (480) 654-4171 Il Vinaio - Mesa ilvinaio.com (480) 649-6476 La Bocca - Tempe laboccapizzeria.com (480) 967-5224 Sun Devil Liquors - Mesa no website (480) 834-5050
Armitage Bistro armitagewine.com (480) 502-1641 AZ Wine Co. azwineco.com (480) 423-9305 Bacchus Wine Made Simple bacchusaz.com (480) 368-1743 Cafe Forte cafeforte.com (480) 994-1331 Centro Paninoteca centropaninoteca.com (480) 443-7162 Cru Fine Wines crufinewines.com (480) 222-4098 Crush’d Wine Bar crushdwinebar.com (602) 445-6176 Crust Pizza & Wine Cafe crustscottsdale.com (480) 948-3099 Grazie Pizzeria (DC Ranch) grazie.us (480) 538-8466 Grazie Pizzeria (Old Town) grazie.us (480) 663-9797 Javino’s javinos.com (480) 315-9900 Kazimierz World Wine Bar kazbar.net (480) WINE-004 Kitchen: Market Cafe & Wine Bar thekitchenscottsdale.com (480) 612-0100 Phoenix Wines phoenixwine.com (480) 948-0520 Sportsman’s Fine Wines sportsmans4wines.com (480) 948-0520 Rare Earth Coffee & Wine Bar rareearthwine.com (480) 513-6252 Razz’s Restaurant & Wine Bar razzsrestaurant.com (480) 905-1308 Terroir Wine Pub terroirwinepub.com (480) 922-3470 Uncorked uncorkedwinebar.com (480) 699-9230 Village Wine Cellar vwcaz.com (480) 556-8989 Wine Styles winestyles.net (480) 767-1391
NORTH VALLEY Blue Sky Wine Bar - Carefree blueskywinebar.com (480) 595-9909 AZ Wine Co. - Carefree azwineco.com (480) 488-6203 Brix Wine Spot - Cave Creek brixwinespot.com (480) 575-9900
Cave Creek Coffee Co. & Wine Bar cavecreekcoffee.com (480) 488-0603 Cellar 13 - Carefree no website (480) 437-1313 Grapeables - Fountain Hills grapeables.net (480) 816-5959 Underground Wine Bar - Fountain Hills (480) 874-1123
PHOENIX - NORTH
25 Degrees at City North 25degreesrestaurant.com (480) 502-1125 Cave Creek Wines cavecreekwines.com (602) 482-8600 Copa Habana Wine thecopahabana.com (602) 993-6800 Enotria Land of Wine landofwine.com (602) 253-9201 Magnum’s Cigar Wine Spirits magnumscigarwineliquor.com (602) 493-8977 Press Coffee, Food & Wine presscoffeefoodwine.com (480) 419-6221 Vino 100 vino100phoenix.com (480) 502-8466 Whole Foods Market wholefoodsmarket.com (480) 515-3700 Wine Styles - Paradise Valley winestyles.net (480) 922-4771
PHOENIX - CENTRAL
Backstreet Wine Salon backstreetwine.com (602) 550-7900 Bar Bianco pizzeriabianco.com (602) 528-3699 Bombay Spice Grill & Wine Bar bombayspice.com (602) 795-0020 Bombero’s Cafe & Wine Bar vabeneaz.com (602) 687-8466 Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar cheuvront.biz (602) 307-0022 District districtrestaurant.com (602) 817-5400 Lisa G Cafe & Wine Bar lisagwinebar.com (602) 307-0022 Lola Tapas lolatapas.com (602) 265-4519 Portland’s portlandsphoenix.com (602) 795-7481 POSTINO winecafe postinowinecafe.com (602) 852-3939 POSTINO Central postinowinecafe.com (602) 274-5144 Silver Wine & Martini Bar silver136.com (602) 253-8300 Sportsman’s Fine Wines sportsmans4wine.com (602) 955-WINE Tarbell’s tarbells.com (602) 955-8100
49 TUCSON
Armitage Wine Lounge Cafe armitagewine.com (520) 682-9740 CataVinos catavinoswines.com (520) 323-3063 The Dish Bistro & Wine Bar rumrunnertucson.com (520) 326-0121 Enoteca Pizzeria & Wine Bar enotecarestaurant.com (520) 623-0744 Feast eatatfeast.com (520) 326-9363 Hacienda del Sol haciendadelsol.com (520) 529-3500 Pastiche pasticheme.com (520) 298-3694 Zona78 zona78.com (520) 888-7878/296-7878
PRESCOTT
Bin 239 bin239.com (928) 455-3855 Jazzy’s Wine Bar jazzyswine.com (928) 776-8886 The Library on Gurley thelibraryofwine.com (928) 541-9900 Saffron Bistro & Wine Bar no website (928) 772-2726
FLAGSTAFF
Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar brixflagstaff.com (928) 213-1021 Cuvee 928 Wine Bar & Cafe cuvee928winebar.com (928) 214-WINE The Wine Loft no website (928) 773-9463 WineStyles winestyles.net (928) 226-8565
BULLHEAD CITY
Cork & Beans corknbeans.biz
(928) 758-2009
SEDONA & BEYOND
Art of Wine artowine.com Dahl & Diluca A’Roma a-romasedona.com L’Auberge Wine Bar lauberge.com Made In Arizona madeinazsedona.com Wild West Wines no website Grapes no website
(928) 203-9463 (928) 284-1556 (800) 905-5745 (928) 282-0707 (928) 282-5136 (928) 634-8477
50
Chef’s Table
Local chef’s recipe featuring local products and paired with an Arizona wine
Grilled Della Terra Farms Pork Chop with Heirloom Pumpkin Gnocchi, Green Tomato Pecan Salsa & Sage Brown Butter By Executive Chef/Owners John Hall & Joy Vargo Sonoita, AZ
HEIRLOOM PUMPKIN GNOCCHI 1 Farm Fresh Egg Yolk (Sonoita Feed) 1 C. All-Purpose Flour 1/2 C. Heavy Cream 4 lg. Russet Potatoes 1 C. Heirloom Pumpkin Puree {1 small Heirloom Pumpkin} (Native Seeds Search Farm)
PREPARATION Peel potatoes and place in large stockpot of salted cold water. Bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork tender. In the meantime, roast heirloom pumpkin in 350° oven until tender. Scoop pulp out of shell and puree in a food processor. Set aside. Remove potatoes from water, drain and pass them through the small die of a food mill/ricer. On a clean work surface dusted with flour, make a well in the center of the potatoes. Add the egg yolk, cream, pumpkin puree, salt and flour to the well and gently incorporate all ingredients together. Knead the dough very gently until light and billowy. Cut dough into 4 equal portions. On a well floured surface, roll each portion of the dough into a cylinder roughly the thickness of a thumb. Cut each cylinder into equal 2 inch pieces and set aside on a lightly floured surface.
GREEN TOMATO SAGE PECAN SALSA 3 lg. Green Tomatoes (Querencia Organic Farm) 2 ea. Green Apples (Douglas Orchard) 1/4 C. Toasted & Chopped Pecans (Green Valley Pecan Co.) 1 Tbsp. Minced Shallots (Avalon Organic Gardens, Farm & Ranch) 1 tsp. Minced Garlic (Canela Bistro Garden) 1 Tbsp. White Balsamic Vinegar 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Queen Creek Olive Mill) Juice of 1 Mexican Lime To Taste Kosher Sea Salt PREPARATION Dice tomatoes and apples into small, equally sized pieces. In a large mixing bowl toss together all salsa ingredients and season to taste with Kosher sea salt. Set aside.
GRILLED DELLA TERRA FARMS PORK CHOP
4 Bone-In Pork Chops (Della Terra Farms) Kosher Sea Salt Fresh Ground Black Pepper PREPARATION Pat pork chops dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill over Mesquite Charcoal until temperature reaches 140°. Remove from heat and let rest.
www.canelabistro.com (520) 455-5873
Recommended Pairing:
Dos Cabezas WineWorks 2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Name Address
SAGE BROWN BUTTER
City
4 Tbsp. Butter 2 Tbsp. Julienned Sage (Canela Bistro Garden)
Phone
ASSEMBLE THE DISH Melt half the butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the gnocchi and saute until golden brown on each side. Remove gnocchi from the pan and add the remaining butter to the pan. Once the butter begins to bubble and turn slightly brown add the sage and swirl to incorporate. Place gnocchi onto the plate in a small mound and gently place the grilled pork chops over the gnocchi. Spoon desired amount of salsa over the top of the pork chops and drizzle the sage brown butter around the plate to finish the dish.
Serves 4
State
Zip
EVENTS CALENDAR
T
he heat of summer didn’t put a damper on celebrating with Arizona wines! Sonoita had it’s first “Wine, Dine and Unwind” event, put on by the Sonoita Chamber. It was fun for all with tasty morsels from the local restaurants being paired with the quality wines being made from that region! Whole Foods Market in Chandler had their first ever “Consumer Choice Awards” with the big winner . . . drum roll, please . . . Javelina Leap’s Arizona Barbera. There were wineries from all over the state and it was a lot of fun for all the participants. Dos Cabezas enjoyed a celebration for their expanded tasting room. And Sonoita Vineyards had their annual Harvest Festival. No end to the fun all year round! Check ArizonaVinesandWines.com Events page for up-to-date event information! Have a fun autumn!
THROUGH OCTOBER SEPTEMBER EVENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
WholeFoods Consumer Choice Awards
Granite Creek Saturday Concert Series every Saturday! Enjoy music, wine and fun! ............... GraniteCreekVineyards.com
9/4 9/5 10am - 3pm 9/6 5pm 9/11&12 9/12 6pm - 9pm 9/12 4:30 - 6:30pm 9/19 4:30 - 6:30pm 9/19&20 10am - 5pm 9/25 6pm - 9:30pm 9/25 9/26 9/26 11am - 5pm 9/26 6pm - 8pm 9/26 6pm - 9pm 9/26&27 11am & 2pm 9/26&27 11am - 4pm
Grape Train Escape: Tour of Italy................................................................................................................VerdeCanyonRR.com Phoenix Cooks!................................................................................................................................................PhoenixCooks.com Page Springs Cellars Harvest Festival 2009.........................................................................................PageSpringsCellars.com Kokopelli Bluegrass Festival..................................................................................................................... KokopelliWinery.com Third Annual Corks & Chords Phoenix - An Evening of Wine & Music........................................aza.NationalMSsociety.org Harvest BBQ and Scavenger Hunt at Canelo Hills Winery.....................................................................CaneloHillsWinery.com 2nd Annual Tastes of Arizona Wine Country - Sierra Vista....................................................................................(520) 508-7201 Sedona Community Fair presents Sedona Wine Fest..........................................................................................SedonaFair.com Grape Expectations - Benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities............................................................. RMHCTucson.org Kokopelli 15th Anniversary Winemaker’s Dinner - Surprise Location.................................................... KokopelliWinery.com Kokopelli 15th Anniversary Winemaker’s Dinner - Chandler Location................................................... KokopelliWinery.com Alcantara Harvest Festival.................................................................................................................... AlcantaraVineyard.com Wine Tasting & Silent Auction to Benefit Breast Cancer Research - Wine Styles Paradise Valley...................... WineStyles.net First Annual Corks & Chords Tucson - An Evening of Wine & Music................................................aza.NationalMSsociety.org Page Springs Cellars “Punch Down Contest & Harvest Education” ....................................................PageSpringsCellars.com Village of Elgin 27th Annual “Harvesting of the Vine Festival”.........................................................................ElginWines.com
10/2 7pm - 10pm 10/2 5pm - 9pm 10/3 11am - 5pm 10/3 6pm - 9pm 10/17 4:30 - 6pm 10/17-18 10am - 5pm 10/18 6pm - 12am 10/24 4pm - 6pm 10/22-24
Tucson Culinary Festival: Reserve Tasting................................................................................... TucsonCulinaryFestival.com City of Cottonwood’s Rhythm & Ribs with Alcantara Vineyard.......................................... ci.Cottonwood.AZ.US/ribs2.php City of Cottonwood’s Rhythm & Ribs with Alcantara Vineyard.......................................... ci.Cottonwood.AZ.US/ribs2.php Tucson Culinary Festival Grand Tasting....................................................................................... TucsonCulinaryFestival.com Cheese-Making Demo & Wine Pairing with Canelo Hills Winery..........................................................CaneloHillsWinery.com Willcox Wine & Art Festival featuring an Arizona Wine Garden................................................................ AZWineFestival.com Uncorked & Unplugged at Desert Ridge Marketplace............................................................. UncorkedAndUnplugged.org Wine & Dine with Kief Joshua & Village of Elgin Wines......................................................................................ElginWines.com Crave Arizona: Food & Wine Festival............................................................................................................... CraveArizona.com
11/6 10am - 5pm 11/7 10am - 4pm 11/13-15 11/14 11/20-22 11am - 6pm 11/21 3pm - 5pm 11/22 1pm - 5pm 11/22 5pm
Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival........................................................................................................ ThunderbirdArtists.com Sonoita Vineyards St. Martin’s New Release Festival............................................................................ SonoitaVineyards.com Dos Cabezas Cosecha..............................................................................................................DosCabezasWinery.com Walkin’ on Main - Cottonwood Celebration...............................................................................................................OldTown.org Thunderbird Artists Fine Art & Wine Festival - City North........................................................... ThunderbirdArtists.com Wreath Making Workship at Canelo Hills Winery........................................................................ CaneloHillsWinery.com Arizona Wine Grower’s Festival at the Farm.................................................................AZWineFestivalAtTheFarm.com Arizona Wine Grower’s Celebration Dinner at Quiessence.............................................AZWineFestivalAtTheFarm.com
OCTOBER EVENTS
NOVEMBER EVENTS
IN DECEMBER:
Dec 4th - 6th: Tempe Festival of the Arts and Arizona Wine Festival ...................................... TempeFestivaloftheArts.com
Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market Chandler
SEASON OF HARVEST, SEASON OF CELEBRATIONS!
Nov. 22, 2009 TICKETS ON SALE NOW (limited quantity available) - The Farm at South Mountain | Phoenix, Arizona Shake hands and drink the juice of Arizona's own wine grape farmers and wine producers at the first annual Arizona Wine Growers Festival at the Farm on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009. - Interactive, walk-though exhibits - Live, educational seminars including wine tasting 101, food & wine pairing and more - Wine tasting with Arizona’s top wineries - Participation in the "People's Choice Awards" - Live music by local musicians - Professional tasting award ceremony
Presented by the Arizona Wine Growers Association and The Farm at South Mountain
480-282-8521 | www.AZWineFestivalAtTheFarm.com
Quick Reference to Arizona Vineyards & Wineries For Tasting Room addresses, please see individual map pages Bitter Creek
Caduceus
Echo Canyon
Jerome - 928.634.7033
Jerome - 928.639.WINE caduceus.org
Page Springs - 928.634.8122 echocanyonwinery.com
Freitas
Granite Creek
Javelina Leap
Jerome
Cottonwood - 928.639.2149
Chino Valley - 928.636.2003 granitecreekvineyards.com
Cornville - 928.274.0394 javelinaleapwinery.com
Jerome - 928.639.9067 jeromewinery.com
Oak Creek
Page Springs Cellars
Painted Lady
San Dominique
Cornville - 928.649.0290 oakcreekvineyards.net
Cornville - 928.639.3004 pagespringscellars.com
Skull Valley - 928.442.9831
Camp Verde - 602.549.9787 garlicparadise.com
Northern AZ
Alcantara Verde Valley - 928.649.8463 alcantaravineyard.com
Sycamore Canyon | Sedona - 877.903.WINE | artowine.com Kokopelli
Kokopelli
Studio Vino
Chandler - 480.792.6927 kokopelliwinery.com
Surprise - 623.556.4810 kokopelliwinery.com
Tempe - 480.897.1800 studiovino.com
Su Vino | Scottsdale - 480.994.8466 | suvinowineryaz.com
Canelo Hills
Charron
Dos Cabezas WineWorks
Elgin - 520.455.5499 canelohillswinery.com
Vail - 520.762.8585 charronvineyards.com
Sonoita - 520.455.5141 doscabezaswinery.com
Four Monkey
Kief-Joshua
Lightning Ridge
Rancho Rossa
Elgin - 520.455.9309 fourmonkeywines.com
Elgin - 520.455.5582 kiefjoshuavineyards.com
Elgin - 520.404.3755 lightningridgecellars.com
Elgin - 520.455.0700 ranchorossa.com
Sonoita
Village of Elgin
Wilhelm Family
Elgin - 520.455.5893 sonoitavineyards.com
Elgin - 520.455.9309 elginwines.com
Elgin - 520.455.9291 wilhelmfamilyvineyards.com
Colibri
Coronado
Crop Circle
Portal - 520.558.2401 colibrivineyard.com
Willcox - 520.384.2993 coronadovineyards.com
Willcox - 520.384.3022
Keeling-Schaefer
Pillsbury Wine Co.
Sweet Sunrise
Pearce - 520.824.2500 keelingschaefervineyards.com
Willcox - 310.508.3348 pillsburywineco.com
Willcox - 520.384.3787 sweetsunrisevineyard.com
Benchmark Estate
Broken Glass
Carlson Creek
Casa Pointe
Pearce
Willcox
Willcox
Page Springs
Casa Verde
Casavino
Clear Creek
Gallifant Cellars
Sonoita
Ahwatukee
Camp Verde
Golden Rule
Erath’s Cimarron Cellars
Hannah’s Hill
Juniper Well
Dragoon
Willcox
Sonoita/Elgin
Skull Valley
Lawrence Dunham
Odyssey Cellars
San Pedro Valley
Sandor
Pearce
Willcox
Benson
Pearce
Tombstone
Venado Cola Blanca
Wayward Winds Winery
Tombstone
Patagonia
Willcox
Upcoming
Fort Bowie Bowie - 888.299.5951 fortbowievineyards.net
SE Arizona
Arizona Stronghold Willcox - 928.639.3004 azstronghold.com
Sonoita Area
Callaghan Elgin - 520.455.5322 callaghanvineyards.com
Phoenix
Casavino Fountain Hills - 480.816.8466 casavinowinery.com