W
hen you think of Arizona, it’s hard to imagine that the climate would be conducive to growing grapes. However, the Verde Valley in Central Arizona, one of three wine-growing regions in the state, has the altitude and latitude that is perfect for thriving vineyards. Look at a world map, and you’ll see that Arizona is near the same latitude as Spain and Sicily. Cottonwood, in the basin of the Verde River, is the epicenter of the Arizona Wine Country and the heart of the Wine Trail. It’s 3,300 feet above sea level and is surrounded by mountains that climb to 8,000 feet in elevation. The valley is below the cold of Arizona’s high country and above the heat of the desert. Nearly 80% of the land is National Forest. When I visited the Verde Valley, I stayed in historic Old Town Cottonwood at the Iron Horse Inn. The comfortable accommodations with contemporary upgrades are within a short stroll from restaurants and wine tasting rooms. While in town, I enjoyed an excellent dinner of farm-to-table salad and made-from-scratch inhouse pasta at Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room and Osteria. The vines-to-glass wine tasting flight was the perfect accompaniment.
Central Arizona W tific, medicinal, and sacramental uses were forbidden. In the 1970s, viticulture began to flourish in Arizona when Professor Gordon Dutt came to the University of Arizona from the University of California Davis, California’s top wine school. A soil scientist and not a winemaker, he concluded that Arizona’s soils would be ideal for growing wine grapes.
Arizona Wine Country Present Day
History of Verde Valley Wine The Verde Valley in Yavapai County is often compared to the renowned winemaking regions in Greece, Italy, France, and Spain. Spanish missionaries began winemaking in Arizona in the 1700s. Nine missions were established in the 1600s in Southern Arizona and New Mexico, where the grapes flourished. Production exceeded California’s output well into the 20th century. Wine production and consumption halted during Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933. Even scien-
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In 2010, there were seven vineyards in the Verde Valley. Today, there are about 100 with national recognition for Arizona wines. Many Gold Medals and other awards bring attention to Arizona’s three established principle growing regions. The Federal Government awards AVA status (American Viticultural Area) for distinguished wine grape growing regions. In Arizona, they are Sonoita, Willcox, and Verde Valley.
Verde Valley Wine Trail
With 25 wineries currently on the Verde Valley Wine Trail, you
