Display until March 2012
As we write this letter, harvest is just ending and a there is snow in the high country already. Winter is on its way. With each passing season we are cognizant that time is passing faster and faster. We just realized that this is our 16th quarterly release of Arizona Vines & Wines. For those of you who remember, we started as a small 8-page brochure, and we’re now up to 84 pages! We’ve been honored to have many great submissions, both photographic and editorial. We are so thankful to those of you who have supported us throughout the years, helping us grow into something we’re very proud of! The fun part is that we’ve had a chance to be an integral part of this burgeoning industry, full of promise and passion, meeting many wonderful people along the way and, of course, tasting some spectacular wines! Speaking of wine, congratulations to Arizona Stronghold for becoming the official Arizona Centennial vino. The Centennial wines include a pink, a white and a red. From their press release, “The Arizona Stronghold Centennial series celebrates 100 years of determination and dedication to the Grand Canyon state’s growth as part of the United States.” Taste the centennial wines alongside those of other Arizona Wine Grower Association members at the two remaining Best Fests early next year. Learn more at www.az100years.org. The 2011 season has now passed. With a late spring frost and last year’s early winter frost, the yields were a little low this year. But from what we’ve heard, the quality is very high. It sounds like winemakers around the state are excited about the 2011 vintage. Luckily, Arizona has some new plantings to add to future years' tonnage. We hope you had a chance to visit some of the harvest festivals around the state, from Page Springs Cellars and Alcantara Vineyards in the north to Dos Cabezas WineWorks and Sonoita Vineyards in Sonoita/Elgin and Coronado and Keeling Schaefer in Willcox. There was definitely something fun for everyone! Congratulations and welcome to some of the newest wineries to Arizona Vines & Wines. You heard from Megan Haller of Hops & Vines in the Grape Perspectives in the last issue. Their grand opening is set for January 2012. Be sure to stop by, say “hi” and taste their wine on your next visit to Sonoita. Pleasant Valley Winery in Young, Arizona has also joined the fray. There’s a new tasting room in Old Town Cottonwood, too, called The Wine Cellar featuring wines from Dionysian Cellars, from winemaker Darin Evans, who has been making wines for our featured winery, Freitas Vineyard. Be sure to stop in and sample their wine. Cheers,
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Arizona Vines & Wines PUBLISHED BY
Arizona Vines & Wines, LLC
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Robert S. Lynch, Esq., Steven Ayers, Greg Gonnerman, Stacy Reinstein, Eric Glomski, Todd Brinkman, Natalie & Chris Morris, Rhonni Moffitt, Alison Bailin Batz, Stacey Wittig, Sam Pillsbury, Thomas Ale Johnson, Tim Hilcove, Christina Barrueta, Chef Nathan Schreiber, Josh Moffitt, Lisa Pender
PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTORS
Karl Mullins, Mike Barnacastle, Steven Ayers, Robert S. Lynch, Esq., Ken Rodenberg, Fleming's, Sergio Photographer, Natalie & Chris Morris, Michell Jonas, Rhonni Moffitt, Greg Gonnerman, Holland America Line, Tom Plant, Stacey Wittig, Thomas Ale Johnson, Christina Barrueta, Erica Bailin, Nathan Schreiber, Ron Adcock, Shutterstock, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Holly Baumann Photography, Scott Dahmer Special thanks to Stacy Reinstein
ADVERTISING SALES
sales@arizonavinesandwines.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS $19.95 Annual Subscription Four quarterly issues subscriptions@arizonavinesandwines.com CONTACT THE PUBLISHER
Josh & Rhonni Moffitt (480) 306-5623 publisher@arizonavinesandwines.com
Josh & Rhonni Moffitt
ABOUT THIS MONTH’S COVER
NOW AVAILABLE ON NEWSSTANDS AT THESE FINE LOCATIONS
The cover photo was taken on October 7, 2011 just after harvest at Freitas Vineyard in the suburbs of Cottonwood. The photo was taken by Karl Mullins Photography. Learn more about Karl and his photography at kfmdesigns.com. This is Karl's third cover for us.
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - WINTER 2011
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
10 GRAPE PERSPECTIVES
62 POINT OF BREW
12 FEATURED WINERY
64 RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
14 HOME WINEMAKING
66 WINE ABOUT TOWN
16 MY VINEYARD WEDDING
68 HAPPY HOUR HIGHLIGHT
18 MYSTICAL WINEMAKING
70 FEATURED WINE BAR
20 BECOMING A SOMMELIER
72 CHEF'S TABLE
22 FEATURED ARTISAN
74 CRUSHING IT
50 EVENT CALENDAR
76 UN-WINE-DING
52 EVENT UPDATE
80 QUICK REFERENCE
Freitas Vineyard by Steven Ayers
Cellaring Wine by Greg Gonnerman
By Stacy Reinstein By Eric Glomski
By Todd Brinkman
Tracy Dempsey by Chris & Natalie Morris
By Alison Bailin Batz
54 VAGABONDING LULU Wine & Cruising by Stacey Wittig
56 PAGE SPRINGS TO PROVENCE By Sam Pillsbury & Eric Glomski
58 WINE IN THE CITY
Keeling Schaefer Vineyards Harvest 2011
By Thomas Ale Johnson
Arrowhead Grill by Christina Barrueta
Fleming's 100 by Tim Hilcove
Eddie's House by Christina Barrueta Vine Expressions by Rhonni Moffitt
By Nathan Schreiber of Cliff Castle Casino Aridus Winery by Josh Moffitt
Near the Chiricahuas by Rhonni Moffitt Easy listing of all Arizona wineries
TOUR WINE COUNTRY 24 NORTHERN ARIZONA 34 SONOITA/ELGIN 44 SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA
Photo by Mike Barnacastle
Unique Perspectives on AZ Wine by Robert S. Lynch
GRAPE PERSPECTIVES: Fighting the Good Fight
Article by Robert S. Lynch, ESQ., Attorney At Law
All of a sudden, small wineries in Arizona were in trouble. It wasn’t that our law created barriers to out of state wineries. It was that our law didn’t recognize them at all, a different form of discrimination. The threat was obvious and immediate. Without a valid state law recognizing the needs of Arizona’s small wineries, they would be thrown into the traditional “three-tier system” (producer to wholesaler to retailer), which they couldn’t afford. We needed a new law. That’s where I came in. The Arizona Wine Growers Association asked me to put together proposed legislation that would allow the small Arizona and out-of-state wineries to do business here without the costly requirements of the “three-tier system.” I did so. We got it introduced. You’d have thought we’d committed treason.
the way in order to get business done. So he got people in a room and hammered out a compromise that became the Domestic Farm Winery law. Did we get everything we wanted? Of course not. Did we get a lot more than anybody suspected we would? You bet. Are we done? Can we rest on our laurels? Unfortunately, no. The major liquor industry players have now taken the fight to Congress. Both in the last Congress and in the current one, legislation has been introduced to “confirm the status quo.” It is a subterfuge. The current bill, H.R. 1161, could be the springboard to putting small wineries out of business, not only in Arizona but nationwide.
Photo provided R.S. Lynch
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n 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court threw the United States liquor industry a curve ball. In a case called Granholm v. Heald, the Court struck down wine laws of Michigan and New York because they discriminated against out-of-state wineries. Until then, most of the liquor industry thought that the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution repealing prohibition (the Eighteenth Amendment) had turned liquor regulation, including wine, over to the states. The Supreme Court thought otherwise. It held that the Commerce Clause (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3) had been put to sleep (i.e., made “dormant”) by the Twenty-first Amendment when it came to liquor. However, the Court said that where facially discriminatory state laws provide barriers to out-of-state wineries, the Commerce Clause “wakes up” and bars such discrimination.
Discrimination against small wineries comes in two forms. The first is state legislation that is discriminatory on its face. That’s what the Supreme Court struck down in 2005. The second form of discrimination is more insidious, a law that looks fair but is discriminatory in effect.
H.R. 1161 would take away the small wineries’ right to object to a state law that is discriminatory in effect. It would even allow state legislatures to facially discriminate if the discriminatory law “advances a legitimate local purpose that cannot be adequately served by reasonable and non-discriminatory alternatives.” I have no idea what that means. I do know it means an opportunity for big liquor to lobby the state legislatures against small wineries.
"The current bill, HR 1161, could be the springboard to putting small wineries out of business, not only in Arizona but nationwide."
One thing we learned while lobbying the Domestic Farm Winery bill in 2006 is that Arizona consumers, and I rather suspect consumers everywhere, really do want to have choices in their lives, including what wines are available for them to buy. Most consumers don’t understand how our liquor laws limit their choices. If this bill passes, states will limit those choices even further under pressure from large liquor interests.
The liquor industry was up in arms. Alternative bills that would have ruined the small wineries were introduced. Lobbying began in earnest, even going so far as radio commercials and mailers into the districts of selected senators and representatives. Before it was over, we guesstimated that the opposition had spent on the So the fight isn’t over. It just has migrated to a larger arena. Small order of $1 million while the AWGA had racked up about $75,000 wineries across the country have their work cut out for them. in bills. We had our champions. Former State Senator Barbara Their fans need to engage. Leff in the Senate and former Representative Lucy Mason led the charge. Along the way, then Representative, now Senator Michele Mr. Lynch devotes most of his practice to water, electricity and environmental law issues. He litigates and consults on issues concerning federal and state water, power, Reagan provided a key vote. The Speaker of the House, Jim Weiers, environmental and public land issues and federal and state legislation and regulations. got involved as well. It wasn’t that he loved us. It was just that we Further information about the firm can be found at www.rslynch-az.com. were causing so much trouble that he had to get this issue out of
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FEATURED WINERY:
Freitas Vineyard Article By Steven Ayers
And if you have ever tasted the final product, the stuff made from the grapes that weren’t cast to the vineyard floor, you would not only forgive, you would encourage.
“How hard could it be?” they asked themselves. On March 4, 2000, the couple set about answering the question. With plenty of beer, barbecue and more than a few pickaxes, Ray, Ray and friends planted the first 300 vines. Having little if any expertise to go on, they initially planted a little of everything. In the end they settled on two-and-a-half acres of Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Merlot and Malvasia Bianca. Photo by Steven Ayers
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t is a scene not unlike a western movie where two cowboys tear up the backside of a bar. Only instead of a barroom floor covered in glass, it’s the floor of a vineyard strewn in grapes—literally hundreds of clusters, laying about in the sun, slowly turning to raisins. To the first time observer, it’s disconcerting, if not wasteful. But if you had been around last year, or the year before, or the year before that, you’d understand there is a method to the apparent madness.
The rotting grapes are not a sign of waste. They are a statement of quality. They are a philosophical statement of the vineyard owner, Ray Freitas. They are her way of saying she will accept only the best.
Then the worst happened.
Photo by Karl Mullins Photography
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - WINTER 2011
The notion that her land would support wine grapes came about in 1999 after a visit to John Marcus’ Echo Canyon Vineyard on Oak Creek. There, on similarly marginal soil, Marcus was proving an idea first offered by the Spanish conquistador Antonio Espejo, who, upon arriving in the Verde Valley in 1583, noted that where wild grapes grew, wine grapes would likely grow.
In 2005, Ray lost his battle with leukemia. Ray lost her best friend, her business partner and her desire to tend their dream. The vineyard, in her words, “went to hell in a hand basket.” Perhaps it was the voice of her father who always told her “if you are not moving forward, you are going backwards.” Or perhaps it was the kindness of fellow vineyard owner and winemaker Eric Glomski, who came and lent a hand. Whatever it was, Ray Freitas rebounded. Soon afterwards, she met Darin Evans, a talented young winemaker with a philosophy not unlike that of her late husband. Evans was looking for someone with his commitment to making great wines. Freitas was looking for someone to carry on where her husband had left off. Photo by Steven Ayers
Tucked away in an eclectic neighborhood, just outside the corporate limits of Cottonwood, Arizona, is the dream of Ray Freitas, Owner Freitas Vineyard Ray Freitas and her husband Ray Freitas. The three-and-a-half-acre property, much of it now covered in vines, was to have been a fruit orchard. But, in what would be one of many humbling experiences over the last 15 years, Ray Freitas learned that the alkaline soil on her property, the sediments laid down by a 10-millionyear-old lake, wasn’t the ideal ground for fruit trees.
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But where Marcus was credited as a pioneer and an innovator, the Freitas’ tiny plot was considered a novelty. No one, at least in their minds, took them seriously.
Darin Evans, Winemaker ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Photo by Rhonni Moffitt
That following harvest, for the first time, Freitas started kicking fruit to the floor. Ray Freitas still works her day job in the radiology department at Verde Valley Medical Center, tending her dream in the evenings and on weekends. She leaves the winemaking as well as the care of the vineyard to Evans and his partner Scott Waltz. Over the last few years, fellow winemakers as well as wine drinkers have begun to take her little-vineyard-that-could seriously. Hers is the only vineyard in the valley that can make the statement that every ounce beneath the label is estate bottled. She remains as committed as ever to proving the Verde Valley can make world-class wines.
MORE THAN A LABEL When Ray & Ray Freitas planted their vineyard, Ray still held a full-time job working at a hospital. When she would get home from the "day job," she would change her clothes and Ray and Ray would work in the vineyard together. They discovered the work never ended so they decided that there must be a good stopping time. When the light was on the red mesa that was out in the canyons of Sedona (the view overlooking the vineyard) then it was time to quit. The couple would stop what they were doing, make a cocktail and sit on the porch, holding hands and looking at the mesa in the distance. This became known as "post time" around the Freitas Vineyard. As Raymond got sick he would sit on the porch and watch the mesa, calling out "post time" to Ray in the vineyard when the time came to come in for the evening. Raymond died before the first bottling in 2006. In tribute to Raymond, Ray called it "Ray's Mesa" and wanted the branding of Freitas Vineyard to always be the mesa that helped build the vineyard. So to "health, happiness and prosperity" - Ray Freitas Written by Ray's friend, Lisa Pender . . .
And now that Marcus’ vineyard has gone fallow, Freitas Vineyard has claim to being the oldest in the Verde Valley. She has yet to open a tasting room—and probably never will. If you want to taste her wine, you will have to go to Pillsbury Wine Company in Old Town Cottonwood. And like all farmers, she has become somewhat of a philosopher. She will tell you that in spite of all that has happened she considers herself blessed, times ten. Photo by Karl Mullins Photography
She will tell you that the wine she makes has always been, and will always be, a labor of love. She will tell you that the reason she lets so much fruit get kicked to the floor is because, “You don’t second guess the surgeon, or the winemaker.” And she will tell you that no matter what life sends your way, “You don’t mess with the Almighty.”
Freitas Vineyard Cottonwood, AZ Taste at Pillsbury Wine NORTH 1012 N. Main Street www.FreitasVineyard.com ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
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Home Winemaking - Cellaring Wine By Greg Gonnerman, AZWineMakers.com
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Photo courtesy of Ken Rodenberg
n the U.S., the average time between the purchase and consumption of wine is only about four hours. Since you're reading this magazine, you probably like stocking up on good vintages or you may be trying to build a collection of your favorite wines. Maybe, though, you're among the increasing number of hobbyists who make their own wine.
Fluctuations in temperature should be avoided since they can compromise the cork by way of expansion and contraction of the wine. Humidity is likely the second most important consideration. Between 55% to 75% is considered perfect. Any higher than this and mold may develop on labels and corks; lower than this corks, can dry out. With our early summer humidity levels hovering around 5%, you may think that achieving 55% would be a problem. In fact, in most homes, humidity levels stay at a reasonably constant 30% to 35%. If necessary, humidity in a cellar may be increased by adding a small water fountain or a container of water. Light should not be overlooked either. Anyone who enjoys wine and has a collection will want to be able to see it, but direct sunlight or even a bright artificial light can bleach color. Tinted glass doors and the lack of a persistent light source are both important features for any cellar. Finally, vibration may be a consideration. The concern is that vibration may "unsettle" the wine and interfere with proper aging. The impact of vibration is open for debate however.
Photo by Greg Gonnerman
Even though we normally think of a cellar as a below-grade room, it may be above-grade or just be a cabinet or a cooler of some type. If you are among the lucky few in the southwest with a basement then you have the perfect spot to build out a cellar. If you don't, you still have a number of options.
Regardless of your reasons, cellaring wine in a hot climate presents some challenges. Room temperature in most homes in Arizona is around 78° F - too warm for long term storage. Wines with a lot of tannin, sugar, acid or alcohol (the primary preservatives in wine) may hold up well for a few years, but lighter wines (whites, rosés, and nouveau style wines) may become noticeably off in as little as six months. As wines age, a number of different processes occur; tannins bind with other molecules and precipitate out of the solution, color changes, acid reacts with alcohol to form esters, etc. Combined, these processes radically change the character of a wine over its life. The most important consideration is temperature. Generally, 50° to 60° F is recommended, with whites and sparkling wines being kept at the lower end of that spectrum and reds at the higher end.
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Although generally prohibitively expensive, it may be possible to excavate for a below-grade cellar. Several large and elaborate cellars have been built in recent years at private residences in Arizona and Southern California which lacked a basement. These below-grade cellars still require supplemental cooling. Most of us must consider other options. An unused closet, pantry, or room could be converted into a cellar. Fred and Patricia Kagie of Gilbert did exactly that. Their home has a two story ceiling over their first floor dining room. They took half of an overlooking loft space, walled it in, and converted it into a wine cellar. If a major home remodel is not in your future, there are a number of wine cabinets made by Sub-Zero, Vinotemp, Le Cache, and others. These come in a wide range of sizes and there is a correlation between capacity and cost, but you can expect to pay between $1,500 and $4,000 for most models. Capacities generally range from 150 to 800 bottles. If you are considering a high-end cabinet, do your research as these cabinets aren't entirely free from faults.
Photo courtesy of VinoTemp
Not ready to spend several thousands of dollars on a wine cooler? There are other options. You could get an inexpensive cooler at your local home center, or simply use a refrigerator. Set to the highest temperature, many refrigerators maintain a nearly perfect 60° F. The small wine coolers sold at most home centers usually accommodate 42 to 52 bottles. Craig's List and Goodwill are good alternative sources for these inexpensive coolers.
While those in the wine trade will often tout the benefits of the more expensive coolers, they will sometimes admit that at home they have an inexpensive unit. The high end units do have some advantages, but not only do they cost a great deal up front, should they ever fail, they are expensive to repair. No matter your circumstances, there's no excuse for not having a wine cellar in your home. Greg Gonnerman is an amateur grape grower and winemaker in Mesa, Arizona, and he’s also a founding member of AZ Wine Makers (www.azwinemakers.com)
My Vineyard Wedding Article by Stacy Reinstein
W
hen I was planning my now husband Matt’s and my April 2011 wedding, wine country was the first thing on our minds. But wine country where? One of the first trips we took together, two months into dating, was to Napa. Over the years, Napa was followed by Carmel, Monterey, Temecula, Rhode Island (yes, there is a wine country in Rhode Island!), Ensenada, Mexico, and more trips to Napa and Sonoma. And of course, we dreamed of going to Tuscany together some day. But our most memorable and enjoyable wine country travels have been in Arizona, from Sonoita to Sedona, and everywhere in between.
Page Springs Cellars, we came up with a unique celebration of our marriage and love for Arizona wine – a blending ceremony after our vows. Justin, Matt and I tasted several different varietals to ultimately come up with the best blend. It wasn’t until after we decided on the blend based on taste that we realized Eric’s tasting notes fit us perfectly as well: “2009 Grenache Colibri Vineyards: Our most intensely flavored Grenache, it’s both a little unruly and a little refined. The polished feminine fruit, silky texture and hint of lipstick on the nose are balanced by a wild green spice, gritty tannins & an unmistakably Colibri earthiness.” “2009 Syrah Norte Block: The Syrah is among the best from the vineyard and always in high demand. It is dark and powerful, yet approachable with an elegance that defies its ability to age well. Its vineyard designation every year is a testament to its consistency and quality in this often unpredictable environment.” You can guess for yourself who’s who!
We ultimately decided we wanted to showcase everything we know and Our ceremony was followed by a love about Arizona – the wine tasting with Justin featuring food, the wine, the beer, "We ultimately decided we wanted to showcase everything we know Page Springs Cellars and Arizona the flowers – and give and love about Arizona . . . and give our friends and family a Stronghold during our cocktail our friends and family a hour, and PSC served throughout chance to experience it chance to experience it through our love." the evening at our dinner and through our love. During the process we had the lucky reception. Our wedding weekend ended with a Build-a-Blend event at Page fortune of finding Dancing Apache Lodge in Cornville, Springs with our family and a few close friends, including Justin helping us along Arizona. When I first visited the Lodge, I knew it was as we fumbled our way through the blending! THE place. The Lodge reminded me of the “big house” After our at my Northern California summer camp, and when I honeymoon found out that the family’s vines were planted and vinted in Italy where in partnership with the one and only Eric Glomski and we tasted and Page Springs Cellars, I was smitten. learned even Over the course of several months, Matt and I met with Eric and we talked about our plans for the wedding and desire to feature Arizona wine and beer. Eric asked his Events Coordinator Justin Ove to reach out to us. Through our friendship with Justin and many visits to
more about wine, Matt and I visited the Page Springs tasting room for the first time since the wedding and discovered a new wine on the tasting menu – Dancing Apache Red Barn Zinfandel – made with grapes from the Dancing Apache Lodge vineyards. It was all so fitting. And that’s what I love about living in the midst of our burgeoning Arizona wine country – the opportunities it creates for us to relive wonderful memories over a glass of delicious Arizona wine. EDITOR'S NOTE - We thank Stacy Reinstein for submitting her article about her unique personal
Photos By Sergio Photographer
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experience with wine in Arizona. Would you like to do the same? Submit your article to us at publisher@ arizonavinesandwines.com. Please keep in mind that submissions become the property of Arizona Vines & Wines and there is no guarantee that submissions will end up in print. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
The Mystical Quality of Winemaking By Eric Glomski, Arizona Winemaker
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oday is Friday…I think. Yes, it should be because people in the office are talking about the weekend. I don’t remember what day it is because I’ve been working every day for some time now. As I am sure many of you know, when you work seven days a week and often through the night, weekends and holidays lose their significance. Time blends and warps. When I do have a “day” off, it usually means that I spend the day with my family and then go into work after the kids have gone to sleep. I even make it to parent-teacher conferences and sports events for my kids…since I’m young and still have the energy of three (well maybe two these days) people, I figure I can get away with this pace just a little bit longer. It’s harvest season. From the outside it is easy to write off the long hours and no days off as self-glorifying martyrdom. Some might ask, why not just hire more people? Number one, it is hard to hire qualified people for just a few months, but I think Tim White, our winemaker at Arizona Stronghold, said it best when he noted that he and his winemaking crew “don’t want to miss a day.” They feel disconnected otherwise. A lot can happen in a 24-hour period – missing a day of fermentation for a passionate winemaker is analogous to risking not being there for your child being born or walking for the first time or maybe a teen’s graduation. Harvest is a unique, mystical time of year vitally connected to the earth. For a winemaker, it is a naturally created holiday that, unlike “Labor” Day, means extreme toil rather than rest. I am not alone in observing harvest through hard work. Every day I work with all kinds of people critical to the construction and growth of our winery: carpenters, electricians, handymen, and grape growers – to name a few. I have a tremendous amount of respect for these people. Once in the past I was working on the official Labor Day in the cellar with Bill (our Assistant Winemaker at the time). I needed to get a breath of fresh air, so I walked down to our River Deck. Paul, our electrician, was working on this holiday, too. He was, among other things, installing lighting over our BBQ for evening dinner events. He asked me some questions about making wine and being a winemaker. Paul asks a lot of questions - I really like this about him. I don’t recall exactly what he said, but I remember trying to explain to him that what I do isn’t really any different that what he does. With time, one gains a set of “tools” and applies them to life’s inevitable challenges. I suppose the most successful of us are those who can consistently and creatively overcome these challenges and find beauty in it.
I once read a book about the history of winemaking in Napa in which the author referred to startup winemakers as “heat seeking missiles.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. True winemaking combines pure and gritty hard work with an unwavering will to find refinement and clarity in those “eye of the hurricane” moments. It is a quest to be an artist and harvest season is the epitome of this quest. It is literally a birth. The creation of wine quality does not wait. Just think about the labor involved in growing tons of grapes, then picking, transporting, destemming, and fermenting them over days and weeks, having to tend to them all hours of the day and night, watching temperaturestemperatures–temperatures, pressing them, pumping them into tanks then barrels, aging them, testing and testing, tasting and tasting, cleaning up constantly and then cleaning some more, and, of course, maintaining all the equipment to make this all possible. This is but a glimpse of what goes into a great bottle of wine. We get stressed and tired and burnt out. But just a little way past complete exhaustion lays those green, wildflower-dotted pastures of enlightenment. It’s all about the second wind, the “after midnight,” the potato chip and burrito beer-addled early a.m. hazes. (I just love drinking a beer when everyone else is having breakfast…) Ask anyone who has really committed to a “crush.” They’ll talk to you like an addict who knows they’re about to experience some real pain and can’t quite explain why they are so excited and happy about it. They can’t walk away. Winemaking speaks to the soul somehow in a very magical way, building solidarity among its participants. I suppose it’s like being in the war trenches, except at the end of the day you have created something beautiful. You get to know yourself better as the people you are working with are doing the same. By the time you all read this article our harvest should be over. Many people have said that they want to be there when we bring in the grapes, and all I can say is, “Come on down, any time between August 15th and November 1st each year.” If you really want a taste of it, bring some chips—don’t bother with the beer, we have plenty—and plan on spending the night. And, oh yeah…there is absolutely something amazing about watching the sunset and sunrise in the same shift!
But…I still have to recognize that an overwhelming number of people have the idea that winemaking possesses an ethereal quality in league with the likes of Emerson and Thoreau. I have to smile and genuflect to all the American winemakers of days past. (Or maybe to the marketing folks who have stood beside them – yes, stood…marketing folks aren’t dumb enough to run as hard as a winemaker). How did they manage to create this numinous winemaking aura?
"Winemaking speaks to the soul somehow in a very magical way, building solidarity among its participants." 18
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Path to Becoming a Sommelier By Todd Brinkman, General Manager, L'Auberge, Sedona
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s a Certified Sommelier and Wine Director, I am often told that I have the greatest job. I agree. My path to this level of wine service has been over 17 years in the making and is not as glamorous as you may think. There is frequent heavy lifting, and consequently a persistent sore back. I am lucky enough to taste hundreds of wines and meet the characters that make them, and there are plenty of characters. A question I am frequently asked is “how did you get this job?” To be honest, I was extremely lucky to get where I am. I started as a restaurant manager for a major hotel group in the Midwest and was fascinated by the mystique of the wine world. I found that the servers, guests, and just about everybody else knew more about wine than I did. I started reading a lot of books on the subject. I still highly recommend The Wine Bible by Karen McNeil as a go-to for beginners and as an excellent reference for those with a more advanced palate. Anyone who can retain all of the information in that book can earn their Sommelier Certification. Now that I have almost two decades of wines sales and service under my belt, I have started to focus on taking my skills and abilities to the next level of Wine-Geekdom. This past summer I sat for the Advanced Certification with the Court of Master Sommeliers. This consists of five days of courses and exams with the best of the best teaching everything from blind tasting to service technique and theory. The mere mention of the theory exam gives me chills. This is where I think it is important for the general public to understand the difference between being a working Sommelier and a studious Sommelier. A working Sommelier is a dedicated professional whose job is to find great wines, maintain an accurate inventory and menu of said wines, and walk dining guests through options to find the right fit for their palate. Pretty simple and straightforward when you think about it. There is a lot of knowledge needed to be good
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at doing this. It usually includes tasting lots and lots of wine. That is one of the perks for sure. Practice, practice, practice. A good Sommelier will read people, understand their preference in wine (that includes price) and find the perfect fit. At the Master Sommelier level, and this applies to the Advanced Certification as well, there is a much deeper level of knowledge and experience needed. A Master Sommelier should be able to walk into any restaurant or hotel in the world and have a mastery of their beverage program. If in a Michelin three star restaurant in central France, one needs to have a mastery of French regions, geography, history, viticulture, wine styles, vintages, and cuisine. The same thing applies if you step into a spot in Italy or Sheboygan. For example, when in Greece it would be good to know three dessert wines from the Patras region of the Peloponnese, (actual question from the theory exam). In order to get to that level, there is an insane amount of studying and memorization of practical and impractical wine knowledge. I have heard fellow Sommeliers discuss the merits of certification and the pros and cons of programs like the Court of Master Sommeliers. Many of the details of these tests will never be used in practical experience on the floor. However, I am surprised how often that level of knowledge is useful. The studious side of being a Sommelier helps me know when a wine snob comes in and is trying to impress his or her friends. I will never call out a guest for shenanigans, but it is good to know when it is happening. It has been my experience that the more you know about wine; the more you realize how much you don’t actually know. There is always more to learn and taste. New makers, new regions, new vintages. The way I see it, being a Sommelier is not about attaining a certification or making the perfect food and wine pairing. It is a long journey of continual discovery, making people happy, and growing as a professional. Not a bad gig at all.
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Tracy Dempsey: The Sweet Life Article & Photos by Chris & Natalie Morris It’s Sunday night. We’re within walking distance of SouthBridge, one of Scottsdale’s more vibrant and influential fine dining areas, but the neighborhood is dark. The only cars parked along the street belong to Tracy Dempsey and her student assistant, Kaylee. Much of the Phoenix culinary world has taken the night off but Tracy has just dug in for a “light” evening of preparing the desserts local food enthusiasts count on at many locations throughout the Valley. The kitchen is filled with the scents of cooked sugars and baked apples.
For Tracy utilizing Arizona producers goes beyond just supporting local, she likes being able to work with people she considers friends. “We’re all trying to make a living doing something we’re passionate about.” Her Originals line features ingredients from Rainbow Valley, Fossil Creek Creamery, Carol’s Delectables, Maya’s Farm, and Queen Creek Olive Mill. Her scope of influence even extends beyond her recipes; while at Cowboy Ciao she worked to get Arizona wines added to the extensive wine list. Despite her prominent role in today’s Arizona food community, Tracy wasn’t always a likely candidate to be influencing the local community through her choice of ingredients. Born in Orange County, her Dad’s career as a geologist forced the family to move frequently. They spent time in Texas, Oklahoma, Singapore, Indonesia, and London before settling in Arkansas where Tracy attended college. It wasn’t until she met her husband, Chuck, and moved to Oklahoma to pursue a master’s degree in French Language and Literature that her passion for food developed.
A batch of glistening chocolate batter spins in the stand mixer. What looks like cookie dough is being rolled into bite-size morsels. Tonight’s “light” evening merely includes making fleur-de-sel caramels, Mexican Chocolate Mousse Cake, cheesecake donuts, and Pig in the Orchard, an apple-bacon bread pudding. During baking and cooling periods, they’ll be packaging her signature item, Bacon-Pecan Brittle.
She and Chuck began hosting dinners for their friends, refining their culinary skills in the process. They planted their first garden. They got a catalog from Murray’s Cheese Shop in New York City and hosted a cheese party. They ventured into the worlds of bread baking, wine, soup, and, yes, dessert. Cooking remained only a hobby as Tracy continued her education and travels. She moved to France, working as a teaching assistant while she studied.
Since graduating from the culinary program at Scottsdale Community College in 1999, the soft-spoken pastry chef has established herself as one of the preeminent confectioners in Arizona. She oversees the dessert programs at Crudo, Citizen Public House, The House at Secret Garden and Karsten’s Grill, and produces Tracy Dempsey Originals, her line of packaged sweets available at restaurants and retail spaces in Arizona and California. While making her name in the kitchens of notable restaurants such as LON’S at the Hermosa and Cowboy Ciao, Tracy began making connections with local farmers and producers, featuring their products in her menus whenever she could, “I love showcasing the bounty we have, and we really do have a bounty.”
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In 1994 Chuck accepted what was to be a temporary position in Arizona. Tracy began teaching at Arizona State University. In 1995, on a break from ASU, Tracy got her first professional taste of the culinary world with Santa Barbara Catering Company. A few years later she gave up teaching at the university to pursue culinary studies. Tracy’s career as a chef has not totally superseded her career as an academic. She has incorporated her past experience into her present success by teaching in the very culinary program she graduated from at Scottsdale Community College. “I will always teach,” she stresses, “It is important to have an impact on future generations of chefs. The only way is to take these things that are so important and teach them.” With so much going on presently, there’s not much time to focus on the future, “Wherever I live I will always seek out some sort of way to have an impact on that society,” she says, “I want to have something that lasts—to facilitate some sort of change.” For now, its time to bag the Bacon Pecan Brittle. And we’re okay with that. www.TracyDempseyOriginals.com Natalie and Chris Morris are Arizona natives who regularly interact with local farmers and producers in their roles with the Phoenix Public Market. They are working with Todd and Kelly Bostock of Dos Cabezas WineWorks on the launch of an exciting new project, Cultivate Santa Cruz.
www.cultivatesantacruz.org
Alcantara Vineyards 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 “green” winery building when you visit! Explore their website at www.alcantaravineyard.com.
Caduceus Cellars Maynard James Keenan created this label for his northern Arizona vineyards, 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 select retail outlets as well as their tasting room in Jerome. Also available online at www.caduceus.org.
Juniper Well Ranch Vineyards Juniper Well Ranch and Vineyards is located at the base of Granite Mountain in Skull Valley just minutes from Prescott. Their delicious handmade wines will delight you as you enjoy a glass on their Fiesta Patio or a bottle in a charming and private log cabin in front of a cozy fire. Their high altitude vineyards boast Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon & Sauvignon Blanc. www.juniperwellranch.com
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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!
Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery is located just ten miles outside the scenic town of Sedona, 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 newly remodeled 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.
Pleasant Valley Winery We make good tasting wines for people who like to enjoy wine. Since 2000, we have been making wine in Pleasant Valley (Young, Arizona). Known for its beautiful vistas, cold mountain climate, rarefied air, and pure crystal waters, Young is also the home of the historic Graham-Tewksbury feud of 1886; the Pleasant Valley Range War was the bloodiest in American history. Please come to Young for an enjoyable day or week. Call us before you leave and we will happily open up the Little Log Cabin Wine Shop for tasting and sales. Try our award-winning Honey Mead wine. We're looking forward to seeing you there. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Granite Creek Vineyards From a love of the land sprang a relationship with grapes that culminated in superb, award winning, living wines with no added sulfites. Granite Creek Vineyards was founded in 1974 when owners Kit and Robin Hoult planted grapevines and began the 36-year legacy of Arizona’s first and only Certified Organic Vineyard. Dedicated to environmental stewardship, Granite Creek Vineyards is a scenic environment to enjoy the ambiance of the vineyard’s rural roots. Relax with picnics and great live music on this historic 100-year-old Arizona farmstead that has been nurtured to become sips of the enduring pleasures of fine wine. To learn more visit their website at www.granitecreekvineyards.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. Her mission is to produce fruit forward wines, well balanced in flavor, color and aroma in order to stimulate and enhance your wine tasting experience. Ray calls her Malvasia “Sunlight in a bottle”. Freitas Vineyard produces only estate grown wines, utilizing the European tradition. You can taste Ray’s wines at Pillsbury Wine Co. NORTH in Old Town Cottonwood. For more information visit www.freitasvineyard.com.
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 two additional vineyards in Willcox, AZ, including Arizona Stronghold, a second venture with Maynard James Keenan. Eric’s vision is at the forefront of bringing Arizona wines onto the national stage! Learn more about their wines and events at www.pagespringscellars.com.
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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! 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. Their 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. Their vineyard has 52 different varieties from cuttings taken from exceptional vineyards in Europe and the US. They aim to please even the pickiest palate. Once you’re here, you won’t want to leave! Open daily from 11am-6pm. For more information please visit www.bittercreekwinery.com or just stop by!
Painted Lady Vineyard In Skull Valley, the Painted Lady Vineyard grows Gewurztraminer grapes organically, without the use of toxic chemicals. Their one-acre vineyard, originally planted in 2006, was harvested for the first time on August 31, 2009. This was supplemented with Gewurztraminer grapes from southern Arizona to create the first totally Arizona grown Gewurztraminer wine the Painted Lady Vineyard has offered. 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, continues to perfect the Painted Lady Vineyard Gewurztraminer, fermenting all the sugar out of the wine creating a beautiful dry Alsace-type wine. To learn more call at (928) 442-9831 and check out their website at www.paintedladyvineyard.com. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Burning Tree Cellars
Dionysian Cellars
Burning Tree Cellars is the Brainchild of long time Verde Valley resident and wine geek, Corey Turnbull. Alongside friend and partner, Mitch Levy, Corey has been working to make this dream a reality for the last four years.
Dionysian Cellars was founded in 2007 by owner and winemaker, Darin J. Evans, with one goal in mind: to produce ultra-premium wines. All wines are created in a Dionysian fashion with respect to each wine's unique personality. We produce Barbera, C h a r d o n n a y, Te m p r a n i l l o , Syrah, Pinot Noir and Malbec - and are adding new and exciting varietals every year. Darin and assistant winemaker, Scott Waltz, have been making estate wines for Freitas Vineyard since 2007 and are in the process of planting vineyards in Northern Arizona. You can find our wines only at Wine Cellar in Old Town Cottonwood and in very select restaurants around the state. More at www.dionysiancellars.com. A True Cult Winery
Burning Tree specializes in small batch, meticulously maintained, boutique wines utilizing the finest available fruit sources, quality oak, patience, and a whole lot of love. Batches are kept small and wines are kept close the vest. We want to share the wines with those who seek them out. To say the least, you will not find any of these wines in your local supermarket! The 2009 Lotus and the 2009 Dragon are available now while the 2010 Peasant is slated to be released in late 2011. These handcrafted wines are only available at the Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Tasting Room located in Old Town Cottonwood as well as the Page Springs Cellars Tasting Room located in Page Springs. Make sure to check us out online at www.burningtreecellars.com
Pillsbury Wine Company Sam Pillsbury, noted filmmaker, first planted vines on the Willcox Bench in 2000 when he was a partner in Dos Cabezas with Al Buhl. Since then he started his personal dream project in 2006 with 100 acres of prime desert vineyard land nearby his original vineyard in Kansas Settlement. Sam’s dream was to celebrate the local terroir . . . an Arizona Chateauneuf, a sustainable Rhøne vineyard producing premium quality handmade 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 three wines won stellar reviews and are in some of the best restaurants and resorts in the state, and the next architectural stage is underway. Pillsbury Wine Company NORTH is open in Old Town Cottonwood, a place where you can taste Sam’s wines, view stunning art and visit with other Arizona wine lovers. Learn more at www.pillsburywineco.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. The Stronghold vineyard is nearly planted out at 80 acres. They also recently acquired the Bonita Springs Vineyard adding another 40 acres of vines and another 120 acres for potential expansion. Their tasting room recently opened in Old Town Cottonwood, in northern Arizona. Visit their website at www.azstronghold.com.
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 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 100 acres of vines planted in southeastern Arizona, the Dragoon Mountain Vineyards. Please visit their website at www.jeromewinery.com.
Cellar Dwellers Cellar Dwellers Wine Co. was started by two childhood friends, Chris Babin and John Scarbrough. With enthusiastic fervor, a love of winemaking and Arizona, Chris and John have set out to create great Arizona wines that are hip, fun and accessible to all wine lovers. The first label released was their Tarantula Hawk, a 2008 Zin. Although the 2009 Canvas blend has sold out, you can find the 2009 Tarantula Hawk for sale at locations around Northern Arizona and select locations in the valley. The 2010 Cicada, a Sangiovese Cabernet blend, will be released this winter. Find our more at www.cdwineco.com. Also check us out on Facebook.
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Where to stay in Northern Arizona - B&Bs, RV resorts, hotels and high
end resorts. Check out videos of the area on www.Sedona.TV. Also check out Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce at www.cottonwoodchamberaz.org.
W
here to eat . . . There are many great
dining choices in Sedona and the Verde Valley. These places cross the spectrum from casual to elegant, something for every palate.
Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
(800) 524-6343
cliffcastlecasino.net
L’Auberge de Sedona
(928) 282-1661
lauberge.com
Jerome Grand Hotel
(888) 817-6788
jeromegrandhotel.com
Juniper Well Ranch (Prescott)
(928) 442-3415
juniperwellranch.com
The Orchards Inn of Sedona
(928) 282-2405
orchardsinn.com
Prescott Spring Hill Suites
(928) 776-0998
marriott.com/prcsh
Prescott Residence Inn
(928) 775-2232
marriott.com/prcri
•
Barking Frog Grille
(928) 204-2000
•
Cowboy Club
(928) 282-4200
Dahl & Diluca
(928) 282-5219
Adobe Grand Villas
(866) 900-7616
adobegrandvillas.com
Adobe Hacienda B&B Inn
(800) 454-7191
adobe-hacienda.com
Adobe Village Graham Inn
(800) 228-1425
adobevillagegrahaminn.com
Alma de Sedona
(800) 923-2282
almadesedona.com
Amara Resort & Spa
(928) 282-4828
amararesort.com
The Annabel Inn
(928) 649-3038
theannabelinn.com
Baby Quail Inn
(866) 87-QUAIL
Canyon Villa Inn of Sedona
(800) 453-1166
canyonvilla.com
Casa Sedona B&B Inn
(800) 525-3756
casasedona.com
babyquailinn.com
Cozy Cactus B&B
(800) 788-2082
cozycactus.com
Desert Rose B&B
(928) 646-0236
desertrosebandb.com
Enchantment Resort
(928) 282-2900
enchantmentresort.com
Flying Eagle Country B&B
(928) 634-0663
flyingeaglecountry.com
Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge
(928) 282-3343
garlandslodge.com
Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa
(928) 284-4040
hiltonsedona.com
Hyatt Piñon Pointe Resort
(928) 204-8820
hyattpinonpointe.hyatt.com
The Inn on Oak Creek
(800) 499-7896
innonoakcreek.com
Junipine Resort
(800) 742-7463
junipine.com
Las Posadas of Sedona
(888) 284-5288
lasposadasofsedona.com
Lodge at Sedona
(800) 619-4467
lodgeatsedona.com
Lo Lo Mai Springs
(928) 634-4700
lolomai.com
Los Abrigados Resort & Spa
(928) 282-1777
ilxresorts.com
Mii Amo Spa at Enchantment
(928) 203-8500
miiamo.com
Red Agave Resort
(877) 284-9237
redagaveresort.com
Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa
(928) 203-4111
sedonarouge.com
Need a ride to wine country? From Phoenix or in Sedona/Verde Valley? Call AZ Wine Tours - Travel in Style (480) 528-2834 | AZWineTours.com
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•
The Asylum
(928) 639-3197
•
L’Auberge de Sedona
(928) 282-1661
• • •
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Harry's Hideaway
(928) 639-2222
Open Range Grill & Tavern (928) 282-0002 Taos Cantina
Belgian Jenny’s
Cucina Rustica Elote Cafe
(928) 282-2405
(928) 639-3141 (928) 284-3010
(928) 203-0105
Enchantment’s Yavapai Room (800) 826-4180 Fourno’s
(928) 282-3331
Heartline Cafe
(928) 282-0785
Reds at Sedona Rouge
(928) 203-4111
Stakes & Sticks
(928) 204-7849
Nic’s Italian Relic’s
Troia’s
W
(928) 634-9626 (928) 282-1593 (928) 282-0123
hat else is there to do . . . Here are a few ideas! This is just the tip of the iceberg . . .
•
Sedona Adventure Tours
•
Tasting Arizona
•
Verde Valley Olive Oil Traders
•
Rendezvous In Old Town
•
Dancing Hands Massage
•
Bonne Lait
•
Out of Africa
“Water to Wine Tour” & Assorted Wine Tours (928) 204-6440 | sedonawinetours.com Beautiful views, AZ wines & brews, Uptown Sedona . . . (928) 282-1700 | tastingaz.com Olive Oil Tasting! (928) 634-9900 | vvoliveoil.com
Taste Arizona wines & beers in Cottonwood (928) 634-3777 | RIOTCottonwood.com Massage in the vineyard at Page Springs Cellars (928) 300-3708 | DancingHandsMassage.net Cheese & Chocolate Experience in Old Town Cottonwood (928) 634-5535 An exciting and new view of wildlife (928) 567-2840 | OufOfAfricaPark.com
Lightning Ridge Cellars
Rancho Rossa Vineyards
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 welcome you to their Tuscan-themed winery and tasting room. www.lightningridgecellars.com
Rancho Rossa Vineyards is one of the largest family-owned wineries in the Sonoita area. They specialize in Ultra-Premium 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.
Wilhelm Family Vineyards
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 Sirah, Tempranillo, Mourvedre and Grenache - are the basic building 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.
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, has completed 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. 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, Dos Cabezas WineWorks has been producing wines in Arizona since 1995. Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Their award-winning wines have even been served at the White House. The Zinfandel, Riesling, Semillon and Viognier. The winemaker, Kief winery was originally located on 80 acres near Willcox, Manning, pursued viticulture studies in Australia, where he earned Arizona. Just after the harvest of 2006, winemaker both a graduate and undergraduate degree in Viticulture and Todd Bostock purchased the winery with the help of Enology. He practices traditional winemaking methods of minimal his wife Kelly and his parents Frank and Paula. The interference, open fermentation and barrel aging. He has also been winery was moved to Sonoita, close to the vineyard the practicing biodynamic growing procedures in the vineyard since family planted in Elgin in 2003 - Pronghorn Vineyards. 2006. Kief-Joshua Vineyards is a winery defined by family, passion They have since opened a tasting room at the winery and look forward to & enthusiasm, with a commitment to winemaking that will exceed seeing you there soon! Visit them at www.doscabezaswinery.com. expectations. www.kj-vineyards.com.
Kief-Joshua Vineyards
Dos Cabezas WineWorks
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Canelo Hills Vineyard & Winery
Hops & Vines
Canelo Hills Vineyard and Winery is a family owned and operated winery established in 2003 by Tim and Joan Mueller. They specialize in small production wines made from 100% Arizona grapes, and their wine reflects the influence of the Sonoita Appellaion's high desert. Offerings range from crisp, dry whites to full-bodied, spicy reds made form varieties like Syrah and Tempranillo. Visitors to the winery receive personal attention in the "warehouse chic" atmosphere of their tasting room. Learn more about them on their website at www.canelohillswinery.com (be sure to check out their blog).
Partners Megan Haller, Shannon Zouzoulas and Summer Cantu created Hops & Vines to fulfill their collective dream. On a shoestring, they've created a unified vision that is opening in early 2012. Megan has worked at Sonoita Vineyards as well as with Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards. Rounding out her education by experience, she's also worked with Chris Hamilton of Rancho Rossa and Ann Roncone of Lightning Ridge Cellars. Creatively they've started their vision from scratch and intend to serve top quality wines and craft beers in their tasting room on Hwy 82. Be sure to stop by and enjoy the great views overlooking the rolling hills of Sonoita. Find out more on Facebook or on their website at www.azhopsandvines.com.
Charron Vineyards Charron Vineyards is a small boutique winery producing hand-crafted Arizona wines. The winery’s signature White Merlot is made from grapes that are hand picked from mature vines grown at an elevation of 4023 feet. The long warm summer days, cool nights and Empire Mountain terroir sets their Merlot grapes apart. Milton and Susan Craig invite you to taste their wines while enjoying the spectacular views of the Santa Rita and Empire Mountains. They are located in Vail, 3/4 of a mile off scenic highway 83 between Tucson and Sonoita. The tasting room is open Friday - Sunday 10AM to 6pm and weekdays by appointment. Please visit their website for more information. www.charronvineyards.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 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.
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. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
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here to stay . . . When traveling to wine country it’s a great
here to eat . . . You’ll find everything from pizza-
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 La Hacienda de Sonoita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5308 www.haciendasonoita.com
Sonoita Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5935 www.sonoitainn.com
Canelo Stone Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (303) 384-0471 www.vrbo.com/90775
Casita Dole Che . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5687 www.casitadoleche.com
Crown C Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5739 www.crowncranch.com
Rain Valley Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 456-2911 Whisper’s Ranch Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-9246 www.whispersranch.com
Xanadu Ranch Getaway Guest Ranch / Hybrid B&B . . . (520) 455-0050 www.xanaduranchgetaway.com
Patagonia Roadrunner Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 455-0220 www.roadrunnerretreat.zoomshare.com
Spirit Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (866) 394-0121 www.spirittreeinn.com
Casita Frontera Guest Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 604-6762 www.lafronteraaz.com/id60.html
Circle Z Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2525 www.circlez.com
Cross Creek Cottages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 400-7230 Dos Palmas Vacation Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (866) 394-0056 www.dospalmasaz.com
The Duquesne House Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2732 www.theduquesnehouse.com
The Enchanted Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 604-0070 www.enchantedgardenaz.net
La Palomita de Patagonia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2036 Painted House Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2740 Patagonia Oaks - A Birder’s Haven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (410) 527-0304 Red Mountain Guest House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2977
to-go to fine dining. Here are a few choice. 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! •
The Steakout Restaurant & Saloon . . . (520) 455-5205
•
Gathering Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2097
•
• • • • • • •
Canela Bistro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5873
Home Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2344 Viaggio Italiano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5282 Ranch House Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5371 Sonoita Crossroads Cafe . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-0040 The Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5044 Velvet Elvis Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2102 Wagon Wheel Restaurant & Saloon . . . (520) 394-2433
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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 a couple of fun things to do when visiting the area . . . Square Top Alpacas - (520) 455-4600 Meet an alpaca! www.squaretopranch.com
Sonoita Limo - (520) 954-5314 Have someone else do the driving! www.sonoitalimo.com
Or visit the artist's community of Tubac, about an hour's drive from Patagonia
www.redmtncottage.com
Studio Gallery & Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2978
Santa Cruz County Tubac Golf Resort & Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 398-2211 www.tubacgolfresort.com
A Room With A View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 397-9297 www.patagoniaview.com
Hacienda Corona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 287-6503 www.haciendacorona.com
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Sierra Bonita Located northwest of Willcox in a valley created by the Winchester, Pinoleno, and Galiuro Mountains, Sierra Bonita’s name was inspired by its location adjacent to the historic Sierra Bonita Ranch. Here the Smith family cultivates the vines and produces wonderful wines with only estate fruit. Their first vineyard was planted in 1997 with Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. A second vineyard was planted gradually, devoted to Petite Syrah, Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc, Mourvedre and Tannat. There are now 11 acres of vines in production. The rootstock and clones were carefully chosen for this climate and soil, no pesticides are used, and all the skins and cuttings go back into the vineyards to reinvigorate the vines. The 2009 Cab and a Syrah were just released. www.sierrabonitavineyards.com
Lawrence Dunham Vineyards We create hand crafted wines that reflect the unique characteristics of southeastern Arizona. Our philosophy of winemaking is to select the perfect varietals and let nature do its magic with as little intervention as possible. We let the fruit speak for itself. Rhone-varietals flourish in the volcanic soils of our 5,000-foot elevation estate in the Chiricahua Mountain foothills. Add clean air, pure water, mountain breezes, and four seasons and we have the key ingredients that make up our outstanding terrior. Visit this magical place and experience the unique wines of the Lawrence Dunham Vineyards. Go to www.lawrencedunhamvineyards.com or call 602.320.1485 to join the Chiricahua Circle or wine club, purchase our wines, arrange for a visit, or attend an upcoming event. Wine tasting by appointment only.
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Fort Bowie Vineyards 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.
Keeling Schaefer Vineyards At 5000 feet 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. We produce estate grown and bottled wine on our 21 acres of vineyards located on Rock Creek on the western slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in far southeastern Arizona. We live on the estate, a little wine ranch on the side of the mountain, a quiet place far from the city, where one’s life plays out along with the wine season. The winery and vineyard are not open to the public, however, we do accept visitors by appointment. Our new tasting room in Historic Downtown Willcox is open Thursday - Sunday 11-5. 520.824.2500 or www.keelingschaefervineyards.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.
Golden Rule Vineyards Nestled near the northern tip of the Dragoon Mountains, Golden Rule Vineyards enjoys an exciting blend of quartz and limestone soils and excellent water resources in combination with a high desert climate that provides intense sunlight, warm days, cool evenings and nearly constant air flows. Owners Jim and Ruth Graham and vineyard manager Don Sobey are proud of our young wines and enjoy sharing them with our friends. We believe our abundantly flavored wines represent our distinct terroir and our passion for excellence both in the growing of our fruit and the making of our wines. Varietals currently in production include Zinfandel, Sangiovese and Shiraz. We eagerly anticipate future wines produced from our developing vineyard blocks that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Visit our website at www.goldenrulevineyards.com to learn more about our wines and vineyard operation. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Sand-Reckoner Located on the Willcox Bench at 4300 feet in elevation, Rob and Sarah Hammelman tend to Sand-Reckoner Vineyards. The vines, grown on rocky, sandy loam soil, contend with the elements to fully express Arizona's rugged high desert. Rob's winemaking endeavors have taken him to Australia and France, and his wines represent a synergy between New and Old World winemaking. Wines produced by this new venture include Malvasia Bianca, a Rosé based on Nebbiolo, and reds from Sangiovese, Syrah, Graciano and Petit Verdot. Tastings are offered at their Willcox winery location by appointment. www.sand-reckoner.com.
Coronado Vineyards In the early morning shadows of the Dos Cabezas Mountains Mark and Jacque Cook planted the first vines at their El Pinito Vineyard in spring 2005. The vineyard is named for its lone, majestic pine tree, all that remains of what once was a golf course. The vines flourished and Coronado Vineyards is now proud to introduce you to their award winning wines. Each wine is drafted to be a unique experience: sweet table wines and exciting blends; gold medal sparkling wine Dolce Veritas; and fine varietals including Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. El Pinito vineyard and on-site Taste of Coronado Restaurant, offer the perfect setting to enjoy wine and appetizers with a few friends, or hold a large private event or wedding. Chef Zach Hoffman and his warm and inviting staff can insure that your special event will be one to remember. Come experience all that Coronado Vineyards has to offer. An adventure in wine tasting awaits you. www.coronadovineyards.com
Carlson Creek Carlson Creek Vineyard is dedicated to the production of fine wine from Arizona. We are family owned and operated. Although we are a young company, we are filled with a passion for the grape vine. Our vineyard’s elevation provides a perfect climate for growing wine grapes. All of us at Carlson Creek Vineyard hope you will come and visit us in our new Willcox tasting room. Learn more by checking out our website at www.carlsoncreek.com.
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here to eat . . . • • • •
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A Taste of Coronado..................................... (520) 384-2993 At Coronado Vineyards - overlooking the vines Mon, Thurs, Fri & Sat Dinner beginning at 5PM Sunglow Ranch Cafe.................................... (520) 824-3334 Delicious & healthy serving natural, organic & local foods Reservations required
Big Tex BBQ......................................................(520) 384-4423 Some of the B&Bs also serve dinner if requested.
hat else is there to do . . . •
Apple Annie’s (seasonal) | www.appleannies.com
•
Kartchner Caverns State Park | (520) 586-2283
• • • •
Visit Chiricahua National Monument | www.nps.gov/chir/ Amerind Foundation Museum | www.amerind.org
Hike Cochise Stronghold | www.cochisestronghold.com Tour the Rex Allen Museum | www.rexallenmuseum.org
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here to stay . . . Willcox has some
great B&Bs. and guest ranches. If you enjoy meeting some great people and staying in a beautiful environment - you’ll love it! •
• • • • • • •
Sunglow Guest Ranch (520) 824-3334 www.sunglowranch.com Cochise Stronghold B&B www.cochisestrongholdbb.com Dos Cabezas Spirit & Nature Retreat B&B www.doscabezasretreat.com Down By The River Bed & Breakfast www.downbytheriverbandb.com (St. David) Dreamcatcher Bed & Breakfast www.dreamcatcherbandb.com Muleshoe Ranch @ Nature Conservancy (520) 212-4295 Strawbale Manor Bed & Breakfast www.bbonline.com/az/strawbale Triangle T Guest Ranch www.triangletguestranch.com
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EVENTS CALENDAR
Don’t forget to check updated event listings on our website at www.AZWineEvents.com
ONGOING EVENTS Arizona Stronghold - Every Friday night: "Live Music at the Tasting Room" - ArizonaStrongholdWines.com Javelina Leap Vineyards - Every Friday & Saturday: 11am-3pm "From Berry to Bottle" - Educational Winery Tours - JavelinaLeapWinery.com Pillsbury Wine Co. - Every Saturday 8am-1pm: Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market - PillsburyWine.com
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
DECEMBER EVENTS 12/2-4 10am-5pm Tempe Festival of the Arts TempeFestivaloftheArts.com 12/2-4 various Page Springs Cellars: Gruel & Grog PageSpringsCellars.com 12/3 3pm-4:30pm Washington vs. California Cabernet Wine Tasting at Cheuvront Cheuvronts.com 12/7 6:30pm Artist's in Residence Series at Lon's presents: Jeffrey Siegel, Pianist HermosaInn.com/lons/ 12/8 6pm-9:30pm BLT Steak features Flowers Winery BLTScottsdale.com 12/8 6:30pm-9pm B Cellars Wine Pairing Dinner at Lodge on the Desert LodgeOnTheDesert.com 12/8 Studio Vino Winery Fundraiser "A Toast for the Girls of Kenya" StudioVino.com 12/9-11 10am-6pm 4th Avenue Winter Street Fair - Tucson FourthAvenue.org 12/10 4:30pm Callaghan Vineyards Dessert Wine Tasting CallaghanVineyards.com 12/10 11am-5pm Granite Creek Vineyards Holiday Party GraniteCreekVineyards.com 12/11 4pm-7pm Oak Creek Vineyard's Christmas Dinner OakCreekVineyards.net 12/17 Christmas Crafts in the Castle at Wilhelm Family Vineyards WilhelmFamilyVineyards.com 12/29 6:30pm Champagne & Caviar Holiday Celebration in Lon's Wine Cellar HermosaInn.com/lons/ 12/31 Kokopelli New Year's Eve Winemaker's Dinner KokopelliWinery.net
JANUARY EVENTS 1/13-15 1/13-15 1/19 6:30pm 1/20-22 various 1/29 5pm-7pm
Birds & Wine at Lawrence Dunham Vineyards LawrenceDunhamVineyards.com 19th Annual Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival ThunderbirdArtists.com Wagner Family Vineyards featuring Caymus at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn HermosaInn.com/lons/ Arizona Centennial Best Fest in Tucson AZ100Years.org Phoenix Rotary: The Grape Arizona Wine Event Rotary100.org
FEBRUARY EVENTS 2/9 6:30pm Oregon Wine Dinner at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn HermosaInn.com/lons/ 2/10&11 Days of Wine & Roses at Kokopelli Winery KokopelliWinery.net 2/10-12 various Arizona Centennial Best Fest in Phoenix AZ100Years.org 2/10-12 Talking Stick Fine Art, Wine & Chocolate Festival ThunderbirdArtists.com 2/10-12 10am-5pm Wigwam Festival of the Arts VermillionPromotions.com 2/11 6pm-midnight First Press Fine Wine Auction FirstPressArizona.com 2/11 10am-4pm Coronado Vineyards 6th Annual Wine & Chocolate CoronadoVineyards.com 2/11&12 11am-5pm Granite Creek Vineyards Valentine's Day Celebration GraniteCreekVineyards.com 2/11&12&14 Oak Creek Vineyards' Valentine's Day Event OakCreekVineyards.net 2/14 Kokopelli Valentine's Day Winemaker's Dinner KokopelliWinery.net 2/17-19 Camp Verde Pecan, Wine & Antique Festival PecanAndWineFestival.com 2/17-19 1st Annual Waterfront Fine Art & Wine Festival - Scottsdale ThunderbirdArtists.com 2/18 4:30pm Callaghan Vineyards Barrel Tasting CallaghanVineyards.com
EARLY MARCH EVENTS 3/2-4 3/8 6:30pm 3/10&11 11am-3pm 3/10&11 9am-5pm
17th Annual Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival ThunderbirdArtists.com Spanish Wine Dinner at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn HermosaInn.com/lons/ Devoured Phoenix Culinary Classic DevouredPhx.com Litchfield Park Art & Culinary Festival VermillionPromotions.com Photos by Rhonni Moffitt
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Devoured
Tempe Festival of the Arts
Lon's at the Hermosa Inn
Pecan,Wine & Antique Festival 12th Annual
Camp Verde Community Center
February 17, 18, & 19, 2012
Friday: Noon-6pm • Saturday: 9am-6pm • Sunday: 10am-5pm T he
HORN
Festival Admission: $12.50
Includes Wine Glass & Tasting Tickets Fi
Music, Food, Antiques, Art and much more!
Presenting Sponsor:
ne
Wine
And Sponsored By: The Horn Saloon
s & Craft
T he
HORN
www.pecanandwinefestival.com
Fi
Portion of the proceeds benefit CCCVL • A Verde Entertainments Production
ne
Wine
s & Craft
Bre
color comp: #1
Sunday, January 29, 2012 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm The Musical Instrument Museum presented by phoenix rotary 100 benefitting the field of dreams Please join us to enjoy the best Arizona has to offer from the following vineyards: Carlson Creek Vineyards Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery Pillsbury Wine Company Bitter Creek Winery Jerome Winery
Bre
Sierra Bonita Vineyards Arizona Stronghold Page Springs Winery Sand-Reckoner Vineyards For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.rotary100.org or email info@rotary100.org
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Event Update by Alison Bailin Batz
Arizona Biltmore Goes Hollywood The Arizona Biltmore is no stranger to hosting Hollywood types. But, this past summer the resort took it up a notch with Hollywood & Wine, a threemonth showcase of matinée idol music, glamour gossip, TV talent, movie screenings, theater productions, comedy, and myriad marquee events.
The event also featured a special twist when actor Jason Priestly surprised guests by appearing on stage to preview his popular Canadian wine program, “Hollywood and Vines,” and then sticking around to sample varietals and sign autographs. Turns out the famed 90210 teen idol got hooked on wine while filming Calendar Girls back in the 1990s when his director took him into a 3,000-bottle cellar for a tasting.
Photo courtesy of Erica Bailin
Its signature event – a wine weekend festival that included wine tastings from more than 20 celebrityowned wineries as well as wine barrel art displays from the likes of John Drury, 25-year veteran of Disney Imagineering, and Christian Hope, who has worked for Universal Studios, Samsung, Sanrio Paramount Parks International and The Walt Disney Company.
Jason Priestly at Hollywood & Vine
Phoenix Gets Uncorked The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale was again the proud presenter of Uncorked & Unplugged, one of the Valley’s premier annual taste events, which raised critical funds for the organization and the many children it serves. Tanzy, The Grind and Tommy Bahama were among the dozens of restaurants that stepped up to support the event with scrumptious samples from their fall and winter menus.
Photo provided by Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale
“We had so many great culinary options that we couldn’t help but bring in the best of the best in wine and spirits as well. With the support of Alliance Beverage and Diageo Chateau & Estates Wine again this year, we know we accomplished just that,” said Allen Thompson, co-chair of Uncorked & Unplugged. As such, this year’s event included some new features such as a champagne tasting, scotch tasting, international wine tasting, reserve wine sampling, and more from the likes of Acacia Vineyards, BV Coastal Estates, Ceretto Wines, Chalone Vineyards, Cherry on Top Winery, Domaine Chandon Wines, New Harbor Wines, Rosenblum Cellars, Snap Dragon Wines, and Terrazas Wines. In addition to gourmet foods and beverages, the event also featured three stages of live entertainment including Rock Lobster, appearing at Uncorked & Unplugged for a record sixth time; The JJ’s Band, a nine-musician band known for high-energy sets; The Nate Williams Band, an acousticbased funk, reggae and rock band; and EastonAshe, who were fresh off an appearance on Simon Cowell’s X Factor. Since 1954, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale has provided more than 100,000 Northeast Valley youths with a positive, supervised environment to explore the power of their potential.
Four Seasons Provides Unique #WineWednesday Social media is becoming an increasingly popular way to share one’s passion for wine. For the past several years, the Four Seasons at Troon North has been active in social media, eager to share its own passion for vino with the community at-large. So much so, this fall its own Onyx Bar & Lounge hosted a special, holiday-themed wine tweetup (hashtag #FSWine), an interactive hour of tasting and tweeting on Twitter lead by Four Seasons top sommeliers. The virtual wine event featured a comparative tasting of perfect sips for the upcoming holidays: sparkling wines. “Our goal was to explore an often overlooked wine genre, connect with wine lovers around the globe, and tap directly into a wealth of wine knowledge from Four Seasons experts in advance of holiday menu planning,” said Kim Cole of the Four Seasons. Leading the virtual tasting were four wine gurus with more than 30 years combined experience: James Tidwell, Master Sommelier and co-founder of the Texas Sommelier Association; Brick Loomis, credited for the inclusion of Culina, Modern Italian in Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants of 2011; Dana Farner, recognized by Bon Appétit Magazine as “one of the best around”; and Mark Sayre, one of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 7 Best New Sommeliers. The group guided wine enthusiasts through the distinct flavor profiles of three sparkling wines while sharing seasonal pairings that illustrate how bubbly can be a match for almost any course of a holiday meal. A Q & A about all things wine as well as a bevy of canapés for on-site participants closed the event.
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CONGRATULATIONS
2011 ARIZONA REPUBLIC COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS The Grower's Cup honors wines made in Arizona using grapes grown in Arizona. Winemaker's Medal honors any wines made in Arizona. Grower’s Cup Medal - Red GOLD - 2009 Callaghan Vineyards Wayne's Grenache
Grower’s Cup Medal - White GOLD - 2010 Page Springs Cellars "Gimme Some Skin" Malvasia
SILVER (tie) - 2010 AZ Stronghold Site Archives, ASV Syrah "Mid" SILVER (tie) - 2008 Sierra Bonita Vineyard Syrah
SILVER - 2010 Frietas Vineyard Malvasia Bianca Private Reserve
Grower’s Cup Medal - Rosé
GOLD - 2010 Page Springs Cellars La Flor Rosa SILVER (tie) - Dos Cabezas WineWorks Pink SILVER (tie) - 2010 Pillsbury Wine Co. "One Night Stand" Rosé BRONZE - 2010 Caduceus Merkin Vineyards Bonita Rosé BRONZE - 2010 Caduceus Lei Li Rosé BRONZE - 2010 Sand-Reckoner Rosé Winemaker's Medal GOLD - 2009 Caduceus Anubis, CA SILVER - 2009 Burning Tree Cellars "The Lotus," CA/AZ BRONZE - 2010 Page Springs Cellars Vino de la Familia, CA/AZ BRONZE - 2008 Alcantara Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles BRONZE - 2008 Dionysian Cellars Syrah, CA
BRONZE - 2010 Canelo Hills Vineyards Riesling BRONZE - 2010 AZ Stronghold Site Archive, Bonita Springs Chardonnay BRONZE - 2010 Alcantara Vineyard Viognier Grower’s Cup Medal - Dessert GOLD - NV Sonoita Vineyards Peach Sparkles SILVER - 2010 Page Springs Cellars "Pergola Dried" Riesling BRONZE - 2009 Canelo Hills Vineyards Finale BRONZE - 2010 Coronado Vineyards Riesling BRONZE - NV Coronado Vineyards Cibola Gold Photo by Holly Baumann Photography
BRONZE - 2010 AZ Stronghold Site Archive, ASV Syrah "Norte Co-Ferment" BRONZE - 2009 Dos Cabezas WineWorks El Campo BRONZE - 2009 Dos Cabezas WineWorks La Montaña
VAGABONDING LULU
An Excellent Pairing: Wine and Cruising by Stacey Wittig, Travel Writer
You see, Chef Hervé is a very accomplished, meticulous, and intense French chef. So to lose a word is as intolerable as lifting your eyes while making a white wine cream sauce. The connoisseur served as Master Chef and instructor at Le Cordon Bleu in London and Sydney; Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon, France; and HOSTA in Switzerland. In 2004, the Frenchman opened The School of Culinary Arts in Central America and has since taught in the Spanish language. “I am thinking in French, translating to Spanish and then trying to speak in English,” apologized the genius, sweeping a glass of white wine under his nose. Chef was invited by the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association to speak on food and wine pairings. He found his word and gallantly dashed along. Chef Hervé shared the stage with Don Reha, our guest winemaker, who led us in wine tastings. Reha directed us to taste our first glass of wine, a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from Niner Wine Estates in Paso Robles, California. “The winemaker is a woman,” explained Don Reha of Reha Wines, Inc. “The crisp acidity would pair well with coconut curry, cashews, or white chocolate.” As a vintner, Don began at Fetzer Vineyards in Redwood Valley, spent almost a decade at Thorton Winery in Temecula, and studied at UC Davis. The pairing of the California beach boy with the acclaimed French chef was making for quite a show.
Wine and cruising go together on Holland America's Westerdam
“Before you taste, swirl the wine for 15-20 seconds,” interrupted Chef Hervé. “Do not be afraid, you will not break the wine.” Our group of writers laughed, picked up glasses and swirled away. Since we are on Holland America’s ms Westerdam whilst cruising Alaska, the food of choice is salmon and Chef Hervé is showing us how to prepare distinctly different sauces to accompany the Alaskan delicacy. “I love sauces. You get many tastes depending on the reduction,” announced Chef Hervé. He was preparing three: a red wine sauce with maple syrup that “gives a little sweetness to the sauce,” a creamy white wine sauce with zest of orange added in the final minutes, and a sweet-and-spicy papaya and ginger sauce. Fortunately, we were in Holland America’s state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Center where overhead mirrors and huge TV monitors set among stainless kitchen appliances made it easy for us to see the preparations and interact with Chef Hervé and Don. Although we have brought along our own experts for the writers group, Holland America’s chefs and wine experts have also presented gourmet cooking demonstrations and classes in this setting throughout the cruise. Holland America’s cooking theatre on the Lower Promenade Deck is sponsored by Food & Wine magazine.
Chef Herve Laurent is passionate about properly pairing food and wine. Photo courtesy of Tom Plant, Wineormous.com
I
t was an awkward moment. From the stage, Celebrity Chef Hervé Laurent looked straight into my eyes, his face twisting around his penetrating stare. His eyes bulged as he searched for the right word, and he looked at me as if I were hiding it. If he didn’t find the word soon, I was sure that his face, now becoming the color of a fine red Côtes de Bordeaux, was going to explode all over the wine flight lined in front of me.
Photo courtesy of HAL
One of my favorite events shipboard was our welcoming champagne reception. Sponsored by Thornton Winery, we enjoyed a sparkling wine flight of their 2004 Brut Reserve, Non-Vintage Brut, Non-Vintage Blanc de Nois and Non-Vintage Cuvée Rouge. Faithful to the Méthode Champenoise, Thornton produces award-winning sparkling wines. I just didn’t know they produced so many finelybubbled delights.
As a vintner, Don began at Fetzer Vineyards in Redwood Valley, spent almost a decade at Thorton Winery in Temecula and studied at UC Davis. Chef Hervé sliced the thick, cooked salmon fillets into two-inch bites and placed four on every plate. “I need one volunteer for each of the sauces. You will spoon your sauce over one of the pieces on each plate,” commandeered the chef. I jumped up and grabbed the heavy white wine sauce pan and started dabbing the pink morsels. On the fourth piece of salmon, Chef Hervé crumbled bacon. Then he invited the audience to come up and taste. Cruising is a great way to experience wines and learn more about food. On this cruise we’ve tasted rhubarb in a Roche 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma, velvety licorice in a Scheid 2007 Syrah from Monterey and dark Swiss chocolate and Dutch cream in Chocolais, a new specialty wine. We’ve paired Edam cheese with an off-dry Riesling from Loredona Vineyard another Monterey vineyard, soft cheeses with an acclaimed J. Lohr Vineyard Pinot Noir from Paso Robles and Amsterdam cheese with a splendid Merlot from Chateau Julien, Carmel, California. Reha offered a theory about why Merlot is the best selling red in the U.S. “Merlot is still one of the easiest varietals to pronounce,” jested Reha. “You can order a Merlot and not risk looking like a fool on a first date.” Later Reha predicted that the next red wine will be Syrah. If the complex tastes of Zaca Mesa 2008 Syrah from Santa Barbara are any indicator, then I could agree. Stacey “Vagabonding Lulu” Wittig is a freelance travel writer based in Flagstaff, Arizona who enjoys food and wine. Enjoy this article? Follow her escapades at www.vagabondinglulu.com.
You can make your cruise more wine-friendly by engaging the knowledgeable wine stewards – we had fourteen on our cruise. They introduced me to enjoyable wines that I would not have tried on my own. Or ask your cruise line ahead of time if they offer special wine experiences. For instance, Holland American offers a Sommelier Dinner once per sailing. The cellar master, or “sommelier,” introduces combinations at course intervals, revealing the background and basis for each blend while a culinary team of six -including the executive chef -- collaborates to produce the Sommelier Dinner. Another option is to book your cruise to your favorite wine country. Years ago I enjoyed a Cruise West small ship cruise to Napa and Sonoma in the fall. But why wait that long? It’s summertime in South America and Buenos Aires is calling. This vagabond would opt for Holland America’s shore excursion where, under the tutelage of a Buenos Aires wine expert, you’d taste Argentine wines in private two-hour tasting sessions. In the next port, tour vineyards and wineries of Uruguay and at the end of the voyage experience culinary and wine tasting near Valparaiso, Chile. Book now, the ms Veendam sails from Buenos Aires on January 23.
Photo by Stacey Wittig
Photo courtesy of Tom Plant, Wineormous.com
California winemaker Don Reha leads the group in tastings.
Chateau Julien Wine Estate - Carmel, CA www.chateaujulien.com Holland America Line www.hollandamerica.com J. Lohr Paso Robles Wine Center www.jlohr.com Roche Winery - Sonoma, CA www.rochewinery.com Scheid Vineyards - Salinas, CA www.scheidvineyards.com School of Culinary Arts Central America Master French Chef Hervé Laurent San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America www.scarts.com.sv Thornton Winery - Temecula, CA www.thorntonwine.com Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards - Los Olivos, CA www.zacamesa.com
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - WINTER 2011
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From Page Springs to Provence With Sam Pillsbury
And with Eric Glomski
I got a phone call asking if I’d take part in this and I didn’t even ask any questions…I just said yes. Here’s why:
When AMA Waterways approached me and asked if I would be willing to co-host a float up the Rhone in the South from Arles (just South of Cotes du Rhone Villages), through the communes of Chateauneuf du Pape, St. Joseph, Croze Hermitage, Hermitage, Condrieu, and Cote Rotie along with a side trip to Beaujolais – I thought I was dreaming! What was even more exciting was the notion of hosting this with my friend and colleague Sam Pillsbury.
I grew up in New Zealand. My parents drank a lot of wine, and I mean a lot, so I was exposed to vino from a tender age. I think they were more interested in the alcohol content (my dad made VERY dangerous Daiquiris) than in the complexity and elegance of fine wines. This exposure did stimulate me to explore other New Zealand wineries, who were mostly Dalmation families using dodgy grapes. The best value was a half gallon called Hearty Red. These guys were just starting to plant classical varieties in odd places. Pretty much though, NZ Reds were thin and testy then, so I grew up on Aussie Shiraz and Cabs. These jammy reds were so much more interesting than most NZ reds that this became how reds should be to me, and the bigger they were, the better I liked it. My first feature film, The Scarecrow, was in the Cannes Film festival in 1982. I’d been before to check Cannes out, but this time I decided to take another couple of weeks and explore the South of France.
I can just picture it now – a small hundred room, luxury ship with multiple gourmet chefs, a galley full of savory French meats, cheeses and fresh produce and storerooms of Page Springs Cellars, Arizona Stronghold and Pillsbury wine!
I found myself completely by accident in the Rhone Valley. I had heard of Chateauneuf de Pape but never tried one…the name was exotic enough for me. So I stopped at a winery and tasted. In a single instant I was transformed. There was a totally new kind of lightness and fragrance to the wine. It was luminous and feminine instead of masculine and inky dark. It didn’t clutter the palate, but left it clean and fresh and wanting more. It wasn’t drowned in alcohol, overripe fruit and oak. It had delicate levels and a lingering, clean finish. I could taste the sun shining on the grapes. It left a warm radiance in my stomach. Suddenly I knew this was something I wanted to make.
This does sound like a nonstop party extraordinaire, but we will also have educational seminars on winemaking and the fascinating parallels between the Rhone and our vineyards in Arizona as well as many excursions into the vineyards and wineries of the region that have inspired many of Sam and my own vinous creations. And, of course, Sam and I (especially Sam) will be on hand to enrich and liven up the experience.
Eighteen years later in 2000, I planted 20 acres of Rhone varieties in Cochise County with Al Buhl, and now I strive to make excellent wines in this style.
We have just started filling rooms and there is an early bird discount. Many friends and Wine Club members have already signed up. So, if you are looking for the wine trip of a lifetime – please join us in November 2012. Check out www.avenuesoftheworld.com/html/ wine-cruise.htm.
I have been back to France several times since, at Cannes and other festivals, but never back to the Rhone Valley. So this trip is a kind of pilgrimage for me. I am hugely excited to make this journey with Eric and, apart from having a ball, and eating myself silly on the best food in the world, check out whether I have lived up to my own expectations.
ARIZONA WINEMAKER’S CRUISE PROVENCE, FRANCE
Sail with Eric Glomski & Sam Pillsbury along the Rhone River; Experience the Wines of Provence, France with your favorite Winemakers! Eric
ki loms
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NovEmbER 8-15, 2012 oN boaRd thE mS AmADAgio 7-NiGht cRuiSE: $2,699 PER PERSoN*
» Receive a $100 credit per booking toward the purchase of Pillsbury Wine Company, Arizona Stronghold Vineyards or Page Spring Cellars wines!
» Book by March 15, 2012 and receive $500 off, upgrade and $100 Spa Voucher per stateroom! DAy
DEStINAtION
ACtIVItIES
Nov. 8 Nov. 9
Arles Arles
EMbARKAtION Les Baux & Olive Farm Excursion OR “Van Gogh” tour, Walking Tour Papal Palace OR Pont du Gard Excursion, Châteauneuf du Pape Visit & Wine tasting Grignan & Truffle farm Excursion, L’Hermitage Winery Event, Chocolate Tasting & Wine Excursion Free Time Mini-Train tour OR Château-Roussillon Excursion Beaujolais Winery event, Beaujolais Excursion City Tour DISEMbARKAtION
Nov. 10 Avignon
Sam Pillsbury
Nov. 11 Viviers Tournon
io
Nov. 12 Tournon Vienne Nov. 13 Trevoux Nov. 14 Lyon Nov. 15 Lyon
ADAg
MS Am
Avenues of the World trAvel
Visit avenuesoftheworld.com & click on “Wine cruise 2012” for more information.
Phone: 800-230-3322
*Rate is based on double-occupancy in Category E. All guests who book will receive a $100 per stateroom ($50 per person) credit towards the purchase of Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, Page Spring Cellars or Pillsbury Wine Company wines. $500 savings and $100 spa voucher is per stateroom. Offers valid on new bookings made by March 15, 2012. Complimentary upgrade is for one category only & applies to Cat. E to D, or C to B, or B to A. Free upgrades from D to C, or A to Jr. Suite are excluded. Roundtrip air, taxes and fuel surcharges are additional. Port charges of $147 are additional. All prices are listed in U.S. Dollars. AmaWaterways reserves the right to revise any errors on the flyer; itinerary subject to change. CST #2065452-40
WINE IN THE CITY - Wine Bars & More PHOENIX - NORTH
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/paradisevalley (480) 922-4771
PHOENIX - CENTRAL
Bar Bianco pizzeriabianco.com (602) 528-3699 Bombay Spice Grill & Wine Bar bombayspice.com (602) 795-0020 Brick Urban Kitchen & Wine Bar brickphx.com (602) 258-3665 Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar cheuvrontrestaurant.com (602) 307-0022 Compass Lounge phoenix.hyatt.com (602) 252-1234 District Kitchen & Wine Bar districtrestaurant.com (602) 817-5400 Duck & Decanter duckandecanter.com (602) 274-5429 The Parlor Pizzeria theparlor.us (602) 248-2480 O.H.S.O. ohsobrewery.com (602) 955-0358 Phoenix Urban Grocery & Wine Bar foodconnect.org/phxmarket/ (602) 493-5231 Portland’s portlandsphoenix.com (602) 795-7480 POSTINO winecafe postinowinecafe.com (602) 852-3939 POSTINO Central postinowinecafe.com (602) 274-5144 Province provincerestaurant.com (602) 429-3600 Sportsman’s Fine Wines sportsmanswine.com (602) 955-WINE Switch Wine Bar switchofarizona.com (602) 264-2295 Timo timocentral.com (602) 354-3846
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - WINTER 2011
EAST VALLEY
Arrivederci - Ahwatukee azitaly.com (480) 759-9292 Caffe Boa - Ahwatukee caffeboa.com (480) 893-3331 My Wine Cellar - Ahwatukee mywinecellarphx.com (480) 598-WINE Va Bene - Ahwatukee vabeneaz.com (480) 706-4070 Wedge & Bottle - Ahwatukee wedgebottle.com (480) 704-1255 Cork - Chandler corkrestaurant.net (480) 883-3773 D’Vine Wine Bar & Bistro - Chandler dvinebistro.com (480) 482-5550 The Living Room - Chandler livingroomwinebar.com (480) 855-2848 Pesto’s Pizza & Wine Bar - Chandler pestospizza.com (480) 821-0035 Whole Foods Market - Chandler wholefoodsmarket.com (480) 821-9447 Alchemy - Fountain Hills copperwynd.com (480) 333-1880 Grapeables - Fountain Hills grapeableswinebar.com (480) 816-5959 Down Under Wines - Gilbert downunderwinebar.com (480) 545-4900 Romeo’s Euro Cafe - Gilbert eurocafe.com (480) 962-4224 Vine Expressions - Gilbert vineexpressions.com (480) 633-0730 D’Vine Wine Bistro - Mesa dvinebistro.com (480) 654-4171 Il Vinaio - Mesa ilvinaio.com (480) 649-6476 Sun Devil Liquors - Mesa sdliquors.com (480) 834-5050 Caffe Boa - Tempe cafeboa.com (480) 968-9112 La Bocca - Tempe laboccapizzeria.com (480) 967-5224 Taste of Tops - Tempe topsliquors.com (480) 967-2520 VinciTorio's - Tempe vincitoriosrestaurant.com (480) 820-2786
SCOTTSDALE
Arcadia Farms Cafe & Wine Bar arcadiafarmscafe.com (480) 941-5665 5th & Wine 5thandwine.com (480) 699-8001 Armitage Bistro armitagewine.com (480) 502-1641 AZ Wine Co. azwineco.com (480) 423-9305 Cafe Forte cafeforte.com (480) 994-1331 Casablanca Lounge thecasablancalounge.com (480) 970-7888 Crust Pizza & Wine Cafe crustrestaurants.com (480) 948-3099 Enotria Land of Wine landofwine.com (480) 513-3086 Grazie Pizzeria (Old Town) grazie.us (480) 663-9797 Kazimierz World Wine Bar kazbar.net (480) WINE-004 Narcisse Champagne & Tea Lounge narcisselounge.com (480) 588-2244 Phoenix Wines phoenixwine.com (480) 948-9202 Rare Earth Coffee & Wine Bar rareearthwine.com (480) 513-6252 Razz’s Restaurant & Wine Bar razzsrestaurant.com (480) 905-1308 Rhythm & Wine rhythmandwine.com (480) 478-6999 Terroir Wine Pub terroirwinepub.com (480) 922-3470 The Cove Trattoria thecovescottsdale.com (480) 951-8273 Uncorked uncorkedwinebar.com (480) 699-9230 Village Wine Cellar vwcaz.com (480) 556-8989
WEST VALLEY
Grazie Pizzeria - Buckeye grazie.us (623) 853-1717 Ground Control - Goodyear groundxcontrol.com (623) 935-2604 The Tasting Room - Peoria tastingroomaz.com (623) 455-4100 WineStyles - Peoria winestyles.net/parkwest (623) 872-7900
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
WINE IN THE CITY - Wine Bars & More NORTH VALLEY Amaro Pizza & Vino Lounge - Cave Creek amaroaz.com (480) 502-1920 AZ Wine Co. - Carefree azwineco.com (480) 488-6203 Brix Wine Spot - Cave Creek brixwinespot.com (480) 575-9900 Cartwright’s - Cave Creek cartwrightssonoranranchhouse.com (480) 488-8031 Cave Creek Coffee Co. & Wine Bar cavecreekcoffee.com (480) 488-0603 Cellar 13 - Carefree no website (480) 437-1313 Tonto Bar & Grill - Cave Creek tontobarandgrill.com (480) 488-0698 Wild Vines - Anthem wildvines.net (623) 465-0010
TUCSON
PRESCOTT
Armitage Wine Lounge Cafe armitagewine.com (520) 682-9740 CataVinos catavinoswines.com (520) 323-3063 Core Kitchen & Wine Bar ritzcarlton.com (520) 572-3000 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 Maynard’s Market maynardsmarket.com (520) 545-0577 Pastiche pasticheme.com (520) 325-3333 Zona78 zona78.com (520) 888-7878/296-7878
Bin 239 bin239.com (928) 445-3855 Jazzy’s Wine Bar jazzyswine.com (928) 776-8886 Raven Cafe ravencafe.com (928) 717-0009 Veritas Int’l Wine Institute & Wine Cellar thebistrorh.com (928) 771-2566
WINERIES
FLAGSTAFF
Studio Vino - Tempe studiovino.com
(480) 897-1800
Casavino - Fountain Hills casavinowinery.com (480) 816-8466 Kokopelli - Chandler kokopelliwinery.com Su Vino suvinowineryaz.com
(480) 792-6927
(480) 994-8466
VERDE VALLEY
Made In Arizona no website (928) 282-0707 Grapes - Jerome grapesjerome.com (928) 639-8477 L’Auberge Wine Bar - Sedona lauberge.com (800) 905-5745 Tasting AZ - Sedona tastingaz.com (800) 905-5745 The Horn - Camp Verde thehornsaloon.com (800) 827-1160 Wild West Wines - Sedona wildwestwineco.com (928) 282-5136
1899 Bar & Grill 1899barandgrill.com
(928) 523-1899
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 Vino Loco vinolocoflag.com (928) 226-1764 WineStyles winestyles.net/flagstaff (928) 226-8565
Arizona Vines & Wines Favorite Locations to buy & Enjoy AZ wines: Total Wine & More
Art of Wine
L'Auberge de Sedona Rendezvous Sedona LAuberge.com
Old Town Cottonwood RIOTCottonwood.com
Storytellers
Asylum
Steak Out
Quiessence
Raven Cafe
Tasting Arizona
Taos Cantina
The Horn
Canela Bistro
7 Arizona Locations TotalWine.com
Jerome AsylumRestaurant.com
Sedona ArtoWine.com Sonoita AZSteakOut.com Sedona OrchardsInn.com
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - WINTER 2011
Phoenix QuiessenceRestaurant.com Camp Verde TheHornSaloon.com
Prescott RavenCafe.com
Camp Verde CliffCastleCasino.net Uptown Sedona TastingAZ.com
Sonoita CanelaBistro.com ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
POINT OF BREW
Homebrew Guy Meets Microbrew Man: Part 2 Article & Photo By Thomas Ale Johnson
S
uperman has Metropolis. Batman has Gotham City. The Microbrew Men at Borderlands Brewing Company have Tucson. When we left them in Part 1 of our saga, they had combined their powers to build a machine which would start a chain reaction. This creation would release a chemical compound gradually improving the quality of life for everyone dwelling in the downtown Tucson arts district, then all of Tucson and surrounding areas, and eventually the entire state of Arizona. This device would be known as a brewery.
has programmable controls. It also takes about the same amount of time to brew 5 gallons or 100 gallons, so bigger kettles and fermenters mean more reward for the labor involved. A major issue that arises when the leap is made from homebrewing to microbrewing is availability of ingredients. If Homebrew Guy wants a certain type of hop or grain he can usually get it, although he may pay a premium. Fourteen pounds of grain and three ounces of hops at double or triple the normal price is a justifiable sacrifice to make for his creation. Microbrew Man must create a financially viable beer. When he can’t get the desired grain or hop he must decide if the recipe can be altered to accommodate a grain or hop substitution.
It is a well documented fact that most microbrewery business plans fail within the first three beers of the initial discussion. Naturally then, questions remain. Did our heroes succeed in creating this brewery? Has the predicted chain reaction started? In search of answers I went to Borderlands headquarters adjacent to Dinnerware Artspace. Upon my arrival, I found that the Borderlands machine had already been deployed! Blake Collins (A.K.A. The Brewmaster) welcomed me into the brewery and presented his exciting new superhero gadgets including a legion of black kegs, chilled stainless steel tanks, water purification systems, and automated brewing equipment. I told him that I still had unanswered questions. He handed me a glass containing an amber liquid and said, “The answers you seek are in this vessel.” I drank this elixir of truth and all was revealed. The yeast was happy, the hops were balanced for the style of beer, the water had been properly filtered, and the fermentation temperature seemed to be ideal. The chain reaction had begun! In their quest to incorporate local ingredients into their beers, they are working with Native Seeds/SEARCH to find possible future fermentables such as white wheat & Tohono O’odham watermelon. Sourcing Arizona ingredients for their beers and perhaps one day making an ENTIRELY Arizona-grown beer are regular topics of discussion. There is also a possibility that local vineyard owner & winemaker Rod Keeling will plant a test block of hops at Keeling Schaefer Vineyards. They also plan to occasionally brew 100-gallon batches with guest homebrewers. Borderlands has a super power few homebrewers possess - a liquor license. Some aspects of brewing at a larger scale proved to be easier than small-scale homebrewing. For example, the professional equipment
going.”
Borderlands didn’t expect to leap obstacles in a single bound, but working as a team they’ve been able to see their dream become reality. As Mike Mallozzi explains, “Myles has done an amazing job of navigating the more-than-complicated legal and business hurdles to get us off the ground. Blake has likewise been incredibly good at coming up with outstanding brews, and even better at adjusting those recipes on the fly to accommodate a hop or grain change. Even our investors have come through by providing not only money but know-how and connections to the Tucson business and professional communities to help get us
Mike (A.K.A. The Microbiologist) neglected to mention the valuable scientific skills he supplies, ensuring healthy yeast and quality beer from Borderlands. To illustrate, I’ll share a recent conversation. Me: “Were there any interesting microbes in that wild ale sample I gave you?” Mike: “I was only able to isolate one kind of non-bacterial microorganism. I think I’ll probably just sequence the ribosomal RNA gene to find out what species it is.” Me: “Good idea, do that then.” As I write this, Borderlands beers are showing up in their first locations in Tucson. Would you like to support the cause of these local heroes? When you see the Borderlands logo on a tap handle you’ll know what to do.
Thomas is an experienced graphic artist and copywriter, he operates TRUST (the gallery), and he brews beer and makes wine. See www.willcoxtrust.com and www.tmf.net for more information
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ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
FEATURED BREWERY Borderlands Brewing Company By Thomas Ale Johnson
I’ve been following the adventures of Blake, Myles, and Mike since early in their endeavor to start Borderlands. Many Southern Arizona beer lovers (myself included) will enjoy seeing how they grow and develop as time goes on. They are starting with a strong lineup of sessionable beers. From that platform they plan to release seasonal beers and special brewery reserve batches. My current favorite from their lineup is OL’ LOCO IPA. This beer is lighter in color than many other IPAs, very floral, and shows notes of tropical fruit and citrus including pineapple and grapefruit. Blake explains, “One of the things I really don’t like about the majority of IPAs is that they try to match the malt profile to the hop profile and it becomes an overwhelming beer. An IPA should be hop-centric. The malt profile we use is just enough to support that.” Other Borderlands beers include a lager, brown ale, amber ale, vanilla porter, and prickly pear wheat. I’ve tried prototype and production versions of some of these beers and have been impressed by their consistent quality and great flavor profiles. The brewery will be open to the public on a limited but regular basis so you can enjoy the cool location while sampling their beers. My narration ends here, but you can continue following the story by finding some Borderlands beer.
Borderlands Brewing Company 119 E. Toole Avenue Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 261-8773
CRAFT BREWERIES NORTHERN AZ
Barley Brothers www.BarleyBrothers.com Beaver Street Brewery www.BeaverStreetBrewery.com Flagstaff Brewing Company www.FlagBrew.com Grand Canyon Brewing Company www.GrandCanyonBrewingCo.com Lumberyard Brewing Company www.LumberYardBrewingCompany.com Mogollon Brewing Company www.MogBrew.com Mudshark Brewing Company www.MudsharkBrewingCo.com Oak Creek Brewing Company www.OakCreekBrew.com Oak Creek Brewery & Grill www.OakCreekPub.com Prescott Brewing Company www.PrescottBrewingCompany.com
PHOENIX METRO
BJ’s Brewhouse www.BJsBrewHouse.com
Papago Brewing www.PapagoBrewing.com
Dave’s Electric Brewpub www.DavesElectricBrewPub.com
Rock Bottom Brewery www.RockBottom.com
Four Peaks Brewery www.FourPeaks.com
San Tan Brewing Co. www.SanTanBrewing.com
Gordon Biersch www.GordonBiersch.com
Sleepy Dog Brewing www.SleepyDogBrewing.com
Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. www.Oggis.com
Sonoran Brewing www.SonoranBrewing.com
Old World Brewery www.OldWorldBrewery.com
Sun Up Brewing www.SunUpBrewing.com
TUCSON METRO/SOUTHERN AZ Barrio Brewing www.BarrioBrewing.com
Four Gentle Ben’s www.GentleBens.com
BJ’s Brewhouse www.BJsBrewhouse.com
Nimbus Brewing Company www.NimbusBeer.com
Borderlands Brewing Co. www.BorderlandsBrewing.com
Old Bisbee Brewing Company www.OldBisbeeBrewingCompany.com
Thunder Canyon Brewery www.ThunderCanyonBrewery.com
www.BorderlandsBrewing.com ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - WINTER 2011
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RUBEE’S RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT . . . Arrowhead Grill
A Neighborhood Cut Above the Rest Article By Christina Barrueta / Photos by Michell Jonas Photography
L
iving in Northwest Phoenix, I’m always on the lookout for great independent or chef-owned restaurants on this side of the valley. Chef Charles Wade Schwerd’s unpretentious steakhouse is a favorite and I’ve been a fan ever since it opened its doors in 2008. The high-quality prime steaks are expertly prepared and that’s no surprise with Chef Schwerd’s background, from family heritage (his father owned a meatpacking business), to two decades of experience including stints at Ruth’s Chris and as executive chef at Mastro’s. Of course, the hand-cut aged steaks at Arrowhead Grill take center stage, arriving sizzling on their hot plates with a well-seasoned toasty crust glistening with maître d’hôtel butter. Filet mignon, the little worked and most tender muscle, is offered on the menu in 8 or 11 oz. cuts, wrapped in bacon or, my favorite, as a 13 oz. bone-in filet for even more flavor. Well-marbled rib eyes, juicy strip steaks, rosy rare prime rib, elegant rack of lamb and a fat 48 oz. porterhouse for those hearty eaters are some of the classic steakhouse choices. Individualize your dish by topping it with crumbled blue cheese or encrusting with gorgonzola, or perhaps add a side of cognac-peppercorn or béarnaise, the time-honored white wine and tarragon sauce. However, I simply can’t resist the beefy richness of the signature 10 oz. Delmonico. Made famous by Chef Ranhofer of Delmonico’s in New York City, Chef Schwerd has perfected this historical steak based on Ranhofer’s specifications in his 1894 book “The Epicurean.” It’s delicious as is, but
crowning it with the addition of garlicky shrimp scampi elevates it to a new level, with every bite of superb beef complemented by succulent shrimp. Chef Schwerd also has a way with impeccable seafood. All entrees can be ordered Oscar style, adorned with a crab cake, asparagus and béarnaise. The colossal shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce or rémoulade is a steakhouse staple, as are briny Kumamoto oysters on a bed of ice with a ramekin of tangy verjus mignonette. You will find king crab legs and lobster, and main courses such as fresh swordfish, wild salmon or halibut that will
satisfy any seafood aficionado. On one visit, I had asked for an accompanying side of miso buerre blanc to accompany my sea bass. However, I found that prepared at chef ’s suggestion and simply finished with white wine and butter, this silken fillet needed no further adornment. Those with a penchant for a steakhouse salad will find six options to choose from, including spinach salad with bacon and warm red wine vinaigrette and, of course, the timeless blue cheese-embellished wedge of crisp iceberg. While a wonderful French onion soup with a bubbly drape of melted Gruyère is a fitting start to a steakhouse feast, being a New England transplant, I was happy to find a satisfying cream-based chowder full of sweet clams and potatoes. Almost 30 sides round out the menu with more than the usual options. Appease your veggie craving with crispy green beans or earthy sautéed mushrooms with sweet caramelized
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onions, and your carb craving with vegetable risotto, scalloped potatoes, or AG hash browns. Can’t decide between the french fries, Krinkle Cut, or sweet potato fries? Order the Fry Trio, which delivers all three along with accompanying sauces. If you explore beyond classic steakhouse options, think prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, cheesy grits, decadent lobster mashed potatoes, or macaroni and cheese livened up with Hatch green chiles with Monterrey jack and cheddar. If you wish to end the night on a sweet note, perhaps order a classic crème brulee or rich warm flourless chocolate cake, although I find myself drawn to the warm homestyle chocolate chip cookie, perfect for one, (which can be ordered crispy or gooey) topped with vanilla bean ice cream. On the other end of the spectrum, if your companions are willing to share, it’s hard to pass up the signature buttercake baked as a whimsical cupcake with strawberry frosting. Sitting in a decorative pool of crème anglais and strawberry coulis, it’s enough for the whole table to indulge in. I’d be remiss if I failed to mention the not-your-average steakhouse bar menu. In addition to steak and seafood, you’ll find applewood-smoked pork ribs, savory chicken tacos, a shaved prime rib sandwich with au jus and horseradish, and one of the best burgers in town, made from fresh-ground beef using trimmings from the prime filet. On more than one occasion, I’ve sat at the comfortable bar and ordered the same duo for my dinner: I start with a warm fondue of Arizona Black Mesa Ranch goat cheese and rosemary into which I dip herb-crusted grilled lamb chops, and then happily polish off
the shrimp and grits side as my main. A cast-iron skillet of cheesy grits enhanced with onion and bacon, flecked with chives, and topped with buttery shrimp, is both humble and luxurious. Arrowhead Grill also boasts a well-thought-out wine list to pair with the menu along with a wide variety to appeal to all wine enthusiasts. I also appreciate the knowledgeable suggestions. On a recent visit, my companion and I enjoyed a glass of Sequoia Grove Chardonnay that was lovely with our seafood dishes, while a Kracher Beerenauaslese was just as wonderful paired with dessert. Arrowhead Grill is a neighborhood destination deserving of its loyal following. It’s the type of place where you can splurge on an upscale surf and turf feast coupled with creamed spinach and Lyonnaise potatoes, or a comfort food dinner of wood-fired roast chicken carved tableside with sides of hominy and bacon, maple mashed sweet potatoes and creamed corn. I’ve brought out of town guests, celebrated special occasions and spent many a sunny afternoon enjoying Happy Hour at the bar. Lucky us to have a spot like Arrowhead Grill here in the West Valley.
Arrowhead Grill 8280 W. Union Hills Drive Glendale, AZ 85308
623.566.2224 www.ArrowheadGrill.com 11AM-10PM Sunday - Thursday 11AM - 11PM Friday & Saturday
Christina Barrueta is an avid Chowhound, passionate about food, wine and spirits. A transplant from Boston, she loves finding new locations to whet her appetite. You may follow her as Rubee on Chowhound.com or @Rubee100 on Twitter. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
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Wine About Town By Tim Hilcove, www.WeeklyWineJournal.com In the past several editions of Wine About Town I have showcased many of the valley’s unique and chef driven wine spots. This time around I thought I would focus on a chain restaurant. With 64 locations nationwide, you may have heard of Fleming's Steakhouse. You may know that they have a reputation for incredible USDA PRIME steak. I’m talking Prime bone-in ribeye, Prime New York strip, filet mignon, you name it; they grill it at 1600 degrees and grill it to perfection. What you might not know is that Fleming's has one of the most extensive wine by-the-glass lists. Fleming's boasts 100 wines available by the glass! Every fall Fleming's rolls out a completely new list of 100 wines available by the glass at all 64 nationwide locations and they do this over a 5-week period with tastings featuring 20 wines every Friday. A lot of these wines are only available by the bottle in other restaurants. Wines such as Duckhorn, Hall, Twomey, Meiomi, and Seghesio. In addition to the Fleming's 100, each location has a list of reserve wines available by the bottle. Each reserve list is unique to the particular Fleming's location, and is put together by the local sommelier. My past two experiences at Fleming’s have been amazing. In early September I was treated to a fantastic wine tasting and dinner by Fleming's DC Ranch location (20753 N Pima Rd) managing partner Candy Taylor. Candy really knows her wine, she has close to two
took the time to record a video interview for my website (www.weeklywinejournal.com) and then after dinner he came and sat at our table and chatted. We talked about a wide range of subjects, and even talked about local Arizona wine. Darrin has been following the Arizona wine scene for many years and, like most of us, has been pleasantly surprised with the quality in the last few years. He hopes to put together some Arizona wine events at his location in the future.
decades of experience and is also a sommelier. She was on hand pouring the wines and mingling with guests and giving the background on each wine. I am always impressed when I see the owner or manager rolling up their sleeves, working and interacting. In early October I visited the Fleming’s Scottsdale Road location (6333 N. Scottsdale Rd) and met managing partner Darrin Visser. Darrin Photos Provided By Fleming's
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So, what did I enjoy when I visited Fleming's? The first visit I enjoyed the Prime Ribeye paired with the 2006 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet. This wine was rated 94 points by Wine Spectator and I was happily surprised to see it on the list (I have several bottles of the ‘04 Ladera Howell Mountain in my collection). The second visit I enjoyed Prime NY Strip paired with 2008 Robert Craig Affinity. Robert Craig’s flagship wine is a staple on wine lists at fine dining establishments across the country and it was nice to see it at a fairly reasonable price. Both meals were amazing and I followed the second meal with a decandent crème brule! So, if you are visiting the valley and craving the perfect steak, looking for an amazing wine list, convenient locations and great customer service, Fleming's should be on your shortlist. Tim Hilcove is a local entrepreneur and wine enthusiast. www.WeeklyWineJournal.com ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Happy Hour Highlight - Eddie's House By Christina Barrueta
Photo by Christina Barrueta
Like the cocktails, Chef Eddie Matney’s small-plate First Flavors menu is globally inspired. I love the Mediterranean flair found in juicy grilled Mint Pesto Lamb Chops ($9) perched on delicious hummus seasoned with mint and cumin. Grilled Honey-Spiced Chicken Lollipops ($5) are enrobed in a honey-Dijon-herb glaze and so tender they fall off the
Grilled Honey-Spiced Chicken Lollipops bone with the twist of a fork, while Charred Calamari ($6) are served in a cast iron-skillet and an heirloom tomato coulis with a smoky kick from chipotle pepper. The daily Grilled Flatbread ($6) is perfect to share and changes according to the whim of the chef. One day might find you snacking on a grilled round layered with BBQ chicken and caramelized onions, or another enjoying a “BLT” topped with crispy bacon, shredded lettuce and chopped tomato drizzled with aioli. Mo’ Rockin Shrimp ($7) packs a flavor punch with the crustaceans swimming in a rich sauce spiked with cayenne and finished with the Louisiana “barbecue” triumvirate of Worcestershire, butter and beer. It’s addictive and Chef Matney knows exactly what do with it - serve the shrimp with honey dough balls to sop it all up. I have to order the pankocrusted Salmon and Shrimp Cake Sliders ($5) piled high on fluffy buns with pickled cucumbers and Old Bay Spice aioli, while a guilty pleasure
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are the crunchy Seafood Wontons served with a savory tangy apricot “Voodoo Sauce” that cuts the richness of the cream cheese filling. Another decadent Mo' Rockin Shrimp treat worth a foray off the Happy Hour menu – a side of creamy, rich prosciutto mac ‘n’ cheese ($6). I just can’t say no. Photo by Christina Barrueta
Photo by Christina Barrueta
Photo by Christina Barrueta
“Happy Hour All Night, Every Night,” declares Eddie’s House, and it’s true. Six days a week (closed on Sundays), all appetizers on the menu are half-price from 4 p.m. to closing in the bar, lounge area, and currently the patio. To imbibe while you nosh, there are also featured cocktails, beer and wine by the glass. On the $5 cocktail list, start with a vodka martini with blue cheese stuffed olives or sip a champagne cocktail. Maybe you’re in the mood for fun and want to travel a bit. Perhaps a caipirinha (Brazil’s national cocktail with cachaça, a sugar cane rum) or a Cuban mojito with fresh muddled mint calls to you, or take a trip down South to enjoy a bourbon sweet tea brightened with lemon and peach.
“Eddie’s House” is the perfect name. I’ve been greeted by gregarious Eddie as he tours his ‘abode’ on every visit; service is welcoming and Salmon and Shrimp Cake Sliders friendly, and this comfortable place makes you feel at home. Lingering over delicious food and drink, it really is a perfect spot to spend some happy hours at a Scottsdale Happy Hour.
The Martini The origin of the Martini is a bit murky. Stateside, there are two popularly held stories. The earliest is that it was invented in the late 1800s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco for a miner on his way to Martinez, CA, while another is that bartender Signor Martini di Arma di Taggia created it for J.D. Rockefeller at the Knickerbocker Hotel in NYC in 1911. While today’s “Martini” has seemed to evolve into any cocktail that is served in the familiar glass, the original or traditional Martini was made not with vodka but with gin and vermouth. One of my all-time favorite variations is called the Vesper, made famous by James Bond in Fleming’s Casino Royale (both gin and vodka, with Lillet instead of vermouth). Looking to try it? Stop in at a couple of my favorite spots around town - Ask Tyson at Casablanca Lounge (Scottsdale) to make an excellent Vesper for you, or order it off the Happy Hour menu at Arrowhead Grill (Glendale), where it’s called The Bond. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Enjoy, Sip & Learn in the East Valley Featured Wine Bar: Vine Expressions By Rhonni Moffitt
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Photo by Ron Adcock
The theme of being approachable continues into Vine Expressions' wine program. Upon meeting Manager and Wine Director David Newton, you immediately want to grab a glass, sip and learn. “Our door says [Suite] 103; it should say 101,” states David, explaining that this is a learning environment with education first and snobbiness last. David created a wine flight program designed to give patrons the opportunity to try more high profile, expensive wines
A resident of Gilbert himself, John McLoughlin thought that his neighbors felt they needed to go to Scottsdale to find a great glass of wine. John wanted to create a neighborhood venue selling the “best selection of Arizona wines in the state,” as well as notable wines from around the U.S. and the world. Focusing on balance, he has New World alongside Old World seasoned with a touch of local favorites. The wine bar has been transformed into what can be described as comfy, casual and classy. One patron we spoke with mentioned how the ambiance before the new ownership felt more like a café, now it’s more like a living room. John has created “intimate personal zones” throughout the room. There could be a business meeting, a girls’ night out, a couple on a date and guys watching a game at the bar, all at the same time. John, a lover of European culture, feels “wine is nothing more than a spice,” forcing you to slow down, talk to the people you’re with and to make new friends. “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet,” says McLoughlin.
Vine Expressions just added a patio so you can wine and dine al fresco in the beautiful Arizona weather. They will also be featuring local musicians. Do you have a special wine you can’t find? David can place a special order for you. Visit the wall of wine for a great selection of retail choices. Minutes from Tempe, Mesa and Chandler, Vine Expressions offers something for everyone. Approachable, not-at-all intimidating and friendly, check them out for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. Photo by Ron Adcock
Photo by Rhonni Moffitt
John has teamed with Executive Chef John Ribeiro, a relative newcomer to Arizona, yet extensively trained on the east coast. Creating cuisine to complement the vast wine selection and craft beers, Chef Ribeiro’s focus is on fresh ingredients, making “wine pub food” that is upscale yet approachable and is presented without intimidation. He worked as a sous chef under his mentor Chef David Drake, one of New Jersey’s celebrity chefs. A graduate of Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, he also worked at Hotel Fauchère, where for 150 years they have been known for innovative cuisine. He is joined by Sous Chef Kayla Vanderwalker in the kitchen. They source their product as locally as possible, even looking for a partnership with a local farmers market in the future. Enjoy a fresh Fall Panzanella Salad featuring roasted squash, zucchini, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella with endive, fresh herbs, and red wine vinaigrette. Or more traditional pub-type fare such as a variety of bruschetta, charcuterie and/or cheese platters. Or try one of their house favorites such as the crab cake with blood orange vinaigrette or the mojo carnitas tacos, taking basic ingredients and giving them a unique flair.
not normally available by the glass so they can sample them before committing to a whole bottle. Upon falling in love with the wine, they can purchase a bottle to enjoy at the wine bar or at home. In addition to sharing his knowledge with patrons, he is also teaching a course at Scottsdale Community College called “Vine to the Table.” A musician turned sommelier, David realized that teaching a wine class gave him the same feeling that he used to get when performing on stage with his band, making it an easy transition. A big believer in making wine accessible, he plans to have over 40 wines available by the glass along with eight craft beers on tap, including some for self-described “beer geeks.” Expect three types of wines available: price performing or value wines, status wines and boutique selections. Photo by Rhonni Moffitt
Gilbert’s newest wine sensation, Vine Expressions, (re)opened on September 1st, 2011 to rave reviews. The wine bar, located in Gilbert Town Square on Gilbert Road just south of Warner, was purchased by John McLoughlin, owner and winemaker for Arizona’s own Jerome, Bitter Creek and Dribble Creek Wineries. His latest endeavor promises to be something very special for Phoenix residents, especially those in the east valley.
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CHEF’S TABLE
High Desert Peach Bread Pudding With Café Mexicana Sauce
Provided by Chef Nathan Schreiber, Food & Beverage Manager, Cliff Castle Casino · Hotel
Bread Pudding DRY INGREDIENTS: 3 qt. sourdough bread, cubed 1/2" 3 qt. croissants, cubed 1/2" 1 c. pecans, chopped 1 c. white chocolate chips 1/4 lb. butter, cubed small 2 c. diced peaches
WET INGREDIENTS: 10 ea. eggs 1 qt. heavy cream 3/4 c. sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 4 oz. cola 4 Tbsp. chili powder
Café Mexicana Sauce INGREDIENTS: 24 oz. coffee 3/4 c. sugar (to taste) 1 cinnamon stick
PROCEDURE: Bring coffee and sugar to a simmer. Add the cinnamon stick. When it boils, add a slurry of cornstarch in water to thicken.
PROCEDURE:
Prehead oven to 350°. Reduce cola to 1/3 of volume by bringing it to a boil and turning it down to a simmer. Beat the eggs, add remaining ingredients in the wet mix section. Mix well. Line large muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, place 1-2 quarts of the dry mix. Add the wet mix, a little at a time, to moisten (bread should be completely saturated but not dripping). Fill the cupcake papers, just over the top of the muffin pan, rounding off the tops of each. Repeat this procedure until the desired amount is done. Re-saturate the tops of each with the wet mix. Cover pans with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Bake for 23 minutes. Allow to cool, remove from pan and individually wrap if not served immediately. Serve with Café Mexican Sauce. By Chef Nathan Schreiber
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“I highly recommend Michell Jonas for your photography needs. She is extremely talented and professional.. Her photos can be found throughout most Arizona Vines and Wines issues.� Ask about their Wine Down Hotel Package
Chef's RecommendedPairing:
Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery Zinfandel www.javelinaleapwinery.com
Publisher, Arizona Vines and Wines
Crushing It: Aridus Wine Company By Josh Moffitt Willcox used to be known for apples, now it is receiving notoriety for growing quality wine grapes and making fine wine. As such it is fitting that the empty Apple Warehouse you can see from the interstate is now being converted into a custom crush winery facility to process the local vinifera.
View Ave in Historical Downtown Willcox, just down from Carlson Creek Winery’s tasting room. They plan to offer the prime location as a meeting/office space and as a communal tasting room for custom crush clients to be able to offer their wines to the public. That is an incredible additional service to offer. Aridus is proud to offer such cutting edge services and equipment such as: •
When Scott and Joan Dahmer moved to Arizona from Healdsburg, California, they thought they were leaving behind “wine country” and any dreams of having their own vineyard and winery. As luck would have it, they discovered their dreams were not in vain. While attending a Pillsbury Wine Company winemaker dinner at Quiessence Restaurant at the Farm at South Mountain, they picked up a copy of Arizona Vines & Wines Magazine and realized that there was an emerging wine industry right here in Arizona. They realized that they could join in with the “pioneers” of this growing industry. Jumping in, they acquired 40 acres of prime vineyard land south of Willcox in the western foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains near neighboring vineyards: KeelingSchaefer, Rock Creek, Sandor and Lawrence-Dunham. Turkey Creek winds through their land providing a majestic setting for what they envision to be their home during their retirement years. When it came to designing the vineyard and winery, they looked back to where they came from and hired fourth generation Napa Valley winemaker and consultant, Cary Gott. Cary flew out to visit the site and meet the other local winemakers and to taste their wine. He was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the local product and was excited to get involved. It reminded him of his early years in Amador County where there was a small but enthusiastic group of people like himself focused on growing quality grapes and making quality wines. After seeing the potential for the Cochise County location and knowing the quality of wines Scott and Joan wanted to make, Cary suggested that they not just build a winery for themselves but build a much larger custom crush winery facility that would offer the state of the art equipment to other winemakers from the area, as well. This would afford them an additional revenue stream for equipment that would a required investment anyway. It would also encourage other people to plant grapes in the area by lowering the bar on the capital expenses to get started.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
P & L sorting, destemming, mechanical-sort (Le Trieur) and crush system. Optional hand sort will be available. Diemme horizontal press All systems to accommodate 1/2 ton macro bins Barrel fermentations will be possible Stainless steel jacketed closed top fermenters in various sizes Open top fermenters and porta tanks, both jacketed TankNet fermenting tank temperature control system Cold and hot glycol systems Air pumps and Waukesha type pumps Bulldog racking tools Barrel cleaning systems with ozone Steam generator for barrel sanitation control Concrete tanks available in 2012 or 2013 Micro-ox capability Plate and frame filter with crossover plate Bottling line with cork and screw cap capability Sparkling wine (Charmat) production, pressure tanks, and bottling equipment Multiple inert gases Fork lift (multiple at harvest)
Why is this a good thing for Willcox? “If you build it, they will come.” It is a huge deal for the Willcox wine industry to have a world class winemaking facility with all the state-of-the-art equipment right in the heart of the growing region. Anyone with a desire to get started in the wine industry can now do so without having to pony up all the startup capital. They can buy grapes and make wine or they can plant vines to grow their own grapes and take them to the conveniently located crush facility to make the wine. This positions Willcox to be the epicenter of Arizona wine country. Visit Aridus Wine Company on Facebook
This is not the first Arizona winery to offer custom crush services, but it is the first built specifically for this use. It is also conveniently located in Willcox where the majority of Arizona’s wine grapes are grown. Although a lot of the equipment needed for making wine is only used for a couple of weeks each year during harvest, equipment such as the bottling line can be used all year long by many different winemakers. In addition to the winemaking facility, they also acquired a house on Rail
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Un-Wine-Ding Near the Chiricahuas Article & Photos By Rhonni Moffitt One of our favorite getaways is to the Turkey Creek area, near the Chiricahua Mountain Range, a bit south and east of Willcox. You are compelled to relax, surrounded by the Sky Island Mountains, sporadic cell phone coverage and abundant wildlife. Actually, you don’t even have to try to relax. It just happens. Even though we arrived very late, manager Brooks Bradbury still greeted us with a big smile, carrying our luggage to our room, The Mountain Lion Suite, a two-room casita. Our bedroom featured two queen size beds and the attached living room had a couch, chair and fireplace as well as a microwave and refrigerator. Over the years we’ve stayed in different rooms at Sunglow, in both the one-room casitas and the tworoom. They are all a ‘themed’ experience and each room has always been cozy and comfortable. If you are looking to rough it – I wouldn’t recommend Sunglow. If you are looking to feel pampered yet close to nature, this is the place for you! And if you’re smart, you’ll leave in plenty of time to have dinner at the Sunglow Café, which is included in the cost (as well as breakfast) and is always a special treat.
Owner Mitch Sayare purchased the 475-acre guest ranch 11 years ago. An avid astronomer, Mitch had been traveling to the ranch for a tranquil respite from his busy professional life as the CEO of a leading biotech company in the Boston area. Mitch invested in a major remodel, creating a rustic yet indulgent atmosphere for his guests. Last year they put in a pool on the property with a Jacuzzi, as well as a fitness room and outfitted all the rooms with air conditioning units, allowing guests to enjoy Sunglow year-round. Although General Manager Brooks is a new addition to the property, he is very wellseasoned; his commitment to guest satisfaction was not lost on us.
With an expansive pedigree in hospitality, we were very impressed by Brooks’ attention to detail during our entire stay.
Weary from our journey, we were pleasantly surprised by some snacks left on the table for us from Brooks. Knowing that we missed dinner at the ranch that night, Brooks wanted to ensure we had some sustenance to get through to morning. Very sweet! We thought ahead, though, and brought some artisan cheese and charcuterie, enjoying our snacks fireside with a bottle of Pillsbury Wine Co. Roan Red. We kicked up our feet, logged into Pandora on the laptop and let the peacefulness soak in.
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Rising with the sun, Josh tip-toed out the door the next morning to encounter the early morning wildlife. Right on the property is a small private lake and you can find all types of animals around throughout the day but especially at dawn and at sunset. On a previous visit, Josh actually videotaped a group of close to 30 deer playing, snacking, and just having an all-around good time. Mornings like this make me appreciate being so far from the city. It was time to fuel up – knowing we planned to take a hike later we were excited to see what was being offered for breakfast. The Sunglow Café always has the freshest food, locally sourced as possible, with a focus on healthy choices. How about some fresh eggs from Sunglow’s own chickens? Or fresh herbs from the onsite herb garden. Chef Colleen Stevens creates tasty combinations for breakfast and dinner! ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Un-Wine-Ding. . . cont’d Breakfast starts with some fresh coffee (coffee and water are available throughout the day for guests on the kiosk outside the café) and your choice of steel-cut oatmeal or a plate of fresh fruit. Josh and I cut to the main event: Josh enjoyed fresh prepared mesquite flour pancakes with big fat sausage links while I had huevos rancheros, eggs atop a crispy tortilla, green chiles, fresh avocado and sour cream accompanied by bacon strips. What a perfect way to prepare for our busy day!
Jan coordinated a wonderful lunch for all of us prepared by Café Roka, out of Bisbee. Soup, salad and quiche all paired expertly with wines poured by Rod’s daughters, Cecilia and Connie – who are always a pleasure and normally have a few stories of their own about the wines! Both Connie and Cecilia live in the valley and you can meet them at the many complimentary wine tastings they do at AJ’s Fine Foods.
On this particular morning we decided to take the three-mile trek around the lake. On previous trips we’ve driven to the Chiricahua National Monument to enjoy the trails through the mountainside. We really expected to see devastating scarred mountainsides due to the Horseshoe 2 Fire earlier this year. We were pleasantly surprised to see very little damage and only when we looked really close! We were surrounded by hundreds of dragon horse grasshoppers, jumping and flying with every step we took! Josh even chased one down and caught him. They blend in when they are still but you can see their red wings once they take flight. At first it was a little unsettling, but as we continued on the trail, I got used to our little friends, our trail hosts. Hitting this trip in late October we were able to take full advantage of the post-monsoon greenery. We took a couple of scenic detours, even losing the trail at one point. I’m glad that I had my trailblazing husband with me to lead the way. The views were spectacular from the hillside vantage points, looking at the ranch below.
When it was time to leave we invited Rod, Jan, Connie, Cecilia and her son Thomas to join us for a sunset glass of wine and snacks overlooking the lake at Sunglow. We were excited when they said “yes.” What a treat! We ordered a couple of bottles of wine from the Sunglow Café and set up in the lake view patio area. Coming in for a last sip of water before retiring, we enjoyed watching the deer and herons as we drank SandReckoner Malvasia and Keeling Schaefer "Three Sisters" Syrah.
Next on the agenda? Keeling Schaefer Vineyards Wine Club Harvest Lunch. Rod Keeling and Jan Schaefer moved from Tempe and planted 21 acres alongside Rock Creek about seven years ago. They built a winery on the property, which also served as temporary living quarters and tasting room until they opened the Keeling Schaefer Tasting Room in Downtown Willcox last year. They have since built a beautiful home on the property and open it up twice a year for their wine club members to attend special events. A big fan of their Rhone style wines, Josh and I decided to join their Rock Creek Wine Club a few years ago.
After “happy hour” we were ready for our dinner. Sunglow has a nice variety of locally grown Arizona wines on their menu, as well as Arizona craft brews. Bring your appetite for this three-course extravaganza! We started with the pumpkin bisque soup and the Sunglow tamales. Perfectly garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil, this soup was wonderful! The tamales are available in pork or chicken (or a combination of the two). Josh and I split the two which turned out to be a good thing because the tamales were very filling. For our entrée I nibbled on pan fried rainbow trout, dusted with cornmeal, SAS-Z pistachios and smoked jalapeno butter. Yum!!! Josh had the coffee-rubbed pork tenderloin with warm fig and port wine sauce. For your sides we highly recommend the parsnip poblano cakes and the smashed garlic potatoes. We enjoyed chatting with Mary, a librarian from Tucson, dining at the next table, who was enjoying a weekend getaway. For dessert, I couldn’t get enough of the chocolate malt pie! Wow! The next morning, after another sumptuous breakfast, we enjoyed a tour of the grounds from Brooks, learning about the events they have at the ranch, yoga retreats, stargazer clubs, just about anything you can imagine. We met the resident chickens who so graciously provided our eggs and enjoyed learning about Brooks extensive hospitality history. Before trekking home, we decided to catch some lunch. A favorite restaurant of ours is A Taste of Coronado, at Coronado Vineyards. You can dine al fresco on the patio overlooking the
We always enjoy the winery and vineyard tours that Rod leads and it seems I always learn something new! Barrel tastings are also a benefit of attendance! It’s always great to get a sneak peek of what’s to come. If you love Arizona wine, I really recommend joining the wine club at your favorite winery (or wineries). Generally you will receive more than just a quarterly shipment of wine, discounts on purchases and free tastings; you will also experience special events and hear the stories behind the wines you love, and more than likely get to know the people behind the wine! I always think that wine tastes better when you know the people and their stories.
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - WINTER 2011
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
vineyard. Enjoying locally raised meats is icing on the cake. My burger was insane! I wasn’t sure how I was going to get my mouth around it. A perfect medium-rare, you can bet I will be ordering this again! Josh ordered a BLT with the thickest slab of bacon that either of us had ever seen. Chef Zachary Hoffman has been a great addition to Willcox at his chef-owned restaurant. Not our first visit, and definitely not our last. I recommend visiting the Chiricahua Mountains when you need to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city. Definitely fit in a visit to the tasting rooms on Railroad Avenue in Downtown Willcox, too! Create your own perfect weekend and let Brooks take care of everything for you at your stay at Sunglow Ranch.
Quick Reference to Arizona Vineyards & Wineries For Tasting Room addresses, please see individual map pages
Alcantara
Verde Valley - 928.649.8463 alcantaravineyard.com
Northern AZ
Caduceus
Jerome - 928.639.WINE caduceus.org
Arizona Stronghold
Cottonwood - 928.639.2789 azstronghold.com
Cellar Dwellers
Verde Valley - 928.607.1789 cdwineco.com
Granite Creek
Javelina Leap
Chino Valley - 928.636.2003 granitecreekvineyards.com
Cornville - 928.274.0394 javelinaleapwinery.com
Juniperwood Ranch
Kind Vines
Ash Fork - 602.971.8586 reunioncamp.com
Painted Lady
Skull Valley - 928.442.9831 paintedladyvineyard.com
Flagstaff kindvines.com
Pillsbury Wine Co.
Cottonwood - 928.639.0646 pillsburywineco.com
Bitter Creek
Jerome - 928.634.7033 bittercreekwinery.com
Dionysian Cellars
Cottonwood - 928.649.0444 dionysiancellars.com
Jerome Winery
Burning Tree
Cottonwood - 928.639.2789 burningtreecellars.com
Freitas
Cottonwood - 928.639.2149 freitasvineyard.com
Juniper Well Ranch
Jerome - 928.639.9067 jeromewinery.com
Skull Valley - 928.442.3415 juniperwellranch.com
Oak Creek
Page Springs Cellars
Cornville - 928.649.0290 oakcreekvineyards.net
Pleasant Valley
Young - 866.558.2734x4484 pvwinery.com
Cornville - 928.639.3004 pagespringscellars.com
San Dominique
Camp Verde - 602.549.9787 garlicparadise.com
Upcoming
SE Arizona
Sonoita /Elgin
Phx
Sycamore Canyon Sedona - 877.903.WINE artowine.com
Casavino
Kokopelli
Fountain Hills - 480.816.8466 casavinowinery.com
Chandler - 480.792.6927 kokopelliwinery.com
Callaghan
Canelo Hills
Elgin - 520.455.5322 callaghanvineyards.com
Elgin - 520.455.5499 canelohillswinery.com
Four Monkey
Hops & Vines
Elgin - 520.455.9309 fourmonkeywines.com
Sonoita azhopsandvines.com
Rancho Rossa
Sonoita
Elgin - 520.455.0700 ranchorossa.com
Carlson Creek
Willcox - 520.766.3000 carlsoncreek.com
Golden Rule
Dragoon goldenrulevineyards.com
Elgin - 520.455.5893 sonoitavineyards.com
Studio Vino
Tempe - 480.897.1800 studiovino.com
Charron
Dos Cabezas WineWorks
Kief-Joshua
Lightning Ridge
Vail - 520.762.8585 charronvineyards.com Elgin - 520.455.5582 kiefjoshuavineyards.com
Village of Elgin
Elgin - 520.455.9309 elginwines.com
Coronado
Erath’s Cimarron
Keeling Schaefer
Lawrence Dunham
Willcox - 520.384.2993 coronadovineyards.com Willcox - 520.766.0600 keelingschaefervineyards.com
Su Vino
Scottsdale - 480-994-8466 suvinowineryaz.com
Willcox
Pearce - 520.82.GRAPE lawrencedunhamvineyards.com
Sonoita - 520.455.5141 doscabezaswinery.com
Elgin - 520.455.5383 lightningridgecellars.com
Wilhelm Family
Elgin - 520.455.9291 wilhelmfamilyvineyards.com
Fort Bowie
Bowie - 888.299.5951 fortbowievineyards.net
Sand-Reckoner
Willcox - 303.931.8472 sand-reckoner.com
Sierra Bonita Willcox - 520.678.2335 sierrabonitavineyards.com
Northern AZ Iniquus Cellars Cella Winery Solllenberger Vineyards Clear Creek Stage Stop Vineyards Fire Mountain Wines Stetson Winery
Sonoita/Elgin Casa Verde Hannah’s Hill Venado Cola Blanca
SouthEastern AZ Asmundson Family Aridus Wine Company Becker’s Pecan Ranch Gallifant Cellars Odyssey Cellars Rancho Maria Vineyards Ruby Sunrise
Saguaro Canyon Sándor Silver Strike Winery Soaring Spirits Vineyard Stronghold Canyon Vineyards Terrace Tee Winery Tombstone Zarpara