Display until June 2013 $3.95
Photo by Paul Kirchgraber
PUBLISHED BY Arizona Vines & Wines, LLC
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Al Buhl, Steve Ayers, Abbie Ashford, Amy Martin, Greg Gonnerman, Stacey Wittig, Rachel Ellrich Miller, Thomas Ale Johnson, Kent Callaghan, Christina Barrueta, Micah Olson, Rhonni Moffitt, Rod Keeling, Nikki Check, Tim Hilcove, Jennifer Manly, Sam Pillsbury, Lara Mulchay, Janette Coates, Nathan Brugnone
HAPPY FIFTH ANNIVERSARY TO US! Josh and I are so excited that our labor of love has made it five years! For those of you who have followed us since the inception of Arizona Vines & Wines, you know how much the publication has grown, both in size and in stature. For those of you who haven't, read our story on page 20. Are you considering heading out to round two of the Arizona Winemakers Cruise next fall? We were on the Rhone cruise last November and highly recommend it! This year, Sam and Eric are heading to the Danube. Karyl Wilhelm has also joined the winemaker cruise bandwagon. Karyl, from Wilhelm Family Vineyards, is headlining a cruise of her own on the Celebrity Silhouette to the Caribbean in February 2014. Learn more at ArizonaWineCruises.com. We want to thank our long-time contributor Greg Gonnerman for his years of writing. Greg wrote our Home Winemaking column, but he's now “moved up” and is starting his own commercial vineyard in Willcox. We hope he still pops up time-to-time with his interesting perspective about starting a vineyard from scratch. Lastly, we want to say “hello” and “goodbye.” Flying Leap Vineyards purchased Canelo Hills Vineyard & Winery. Congratulations to both parties! We will miss Tim and Joan Mueller and wish them the very best... and are also excited to welcome Flying Leap Vineyards to the party. Flying Leap will not only be sharing their wines in Sonoita, but plan to open up a tasting room in Willcox this spring, too. Cheers!
Josh & Rhonni Moffitt ABOUT THE COVER The cover photo was taken by Michell Jonas Photography on December 2nd, 2012 at the Caduceus Cellars winery in Jerome. The winery, a partially underground cement facility, nicknamed “The Bunker,” is located adjacent to Maynard Keenan's home, atop a hill, overlooking Merkin Vineyards West.
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTORS
Michell Jonas Photography, Paul Kirchgraber, Al Buhl/Todd Bostock, Harry Merkin, Tim Hilcove, Stephanie Peters, Lightning Ridge Cellars, Arizona Stronghold, James Callahan, Rob Hammelman, Rod Keeling, Lei Li, Rhonni Moffitt, Four Seasons Scottsdale Troon North, Alcantara Vineyards, Mike Barnacastle, Greg Gonnerman, Tarbell's, Bill Buitenhuys, Rachel Ellrich Miller, Christina Barrueta, Lawrence Dunham Vineyards, Jennifer Manly, Thomas Ale Johnson
ADVERTISING SALES
Anita Weldon sales@arizonavinesandwines.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS
$19.95 Annual Subscription Purchase online at ArizonaVinesAndWines.com
PUBLISHERS
Josh & Rhonni Moffitt (480) 306-5623 publisher@arizonavinesandwines.com
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER
Jennifer Manly jennifer@arizonavinesandwines.com
COPY EDITOR
Bonnie Lee Lewis Pour Me Some Grapes pourmesomegrapes@gmail.com
CORRECTION - WINTER 2012
We regretfully misspelled the author of "Spanish Winemaking" in the Winter 2012 issue— the author's name is Gary Nabhan.
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
In This Issue... Arizona WINE
10 GRAPE PERSPECTIVES
Perspectives on the Arizona Wine Industry 1990-2013 by Al Buhl
12 FEATURED WINERY
Caduceus Cellars by Steven Ayers
14 BUILDING THE SOUTHWEST WINE CENTER Cultivating a Stronger Arizona Wine Industry Two Perspectives by Janette Coates and Nikki Check
16 CALLAGHAN'S ROUND TABLE By Kent Callaghan & Friends
20 HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY By Rhonni Moffitt
22 SYNTHESTHESIA
Behind the Alcantara Wine Label by Nathan Brugnone
24 SMOKE TAINT
A Vintage Goes Up in Smoke by Rod Keeling
96 HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
About WINE
Visit Arizona WINE
92 WINE ON TAP
28 NORTHERN AZ TOUR
94 NEW TO WINE
40 SONOITA/ELGIN TOUR
Travel & WINE
96 QUICK REFERENCE
Tap That, Arizona! by Nathan Brugnone
By Jennifer Manly
50 SOUTHEASTERN AZ TOUR
88 VOYAGE OF REDISCOVERY By Sam Pillsbury
90 VAGABONDING LULU
Exploring the Old West & New Wines by Stacey Wittig
Making WINE
26 HOME WINEMAKING
Scaling Up by Greg Gonnerman
Enjoy WINE
FEATURED WINERY PAGE 12
58 WINE EVENTS Around Arizona
62 WINE IN THE CITY
Arizona Wine Bar Directory
66 WINE ABOUT TOWN Tarbell's by Tim Hilcove
Spirits & COCKTAILS 68 HAPPY HOUR HIGHLIGHT
Calistro California Bistro by Christina Barrueta
70 GETTING SPIRITED WITH MICAH
THE SECRET IS OUT! PAGE 78
Templeton Rye by Micah Olson
72 COCKTAIL CORNER
Rich Heider II by Christina Barrueta
Enjoy FOOD
74 LOVE AT FIRST BITE
AZ Bitters Lab by Rachel Ellrich Miller
76 MEET THE CHEF
Jesse Hansen by Amy Martin
78 RUBEE'S RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT GET CHEESY! The House at Secret Garden by Christina Barrueta
82 THE CHEESE PLATE
Perfect Cheese & Wine Partners by Lara Mulchay
84 CHEF'S TABLE
Spring Salmon by Abbie's Kitchen
Craft BEER
86 POINT OF BREW
Message in a Bottle by Thomas Ale Johnson
PAGE 82
Photos by MichellJonasPhotography.com
GRAPE PERSPECTIVES
Perspectives on the Arizona Wine Industry 1990-2013 By Al Buhl, An Arizona Wine Pioneer
L
ooking around at the Arizona wine industry today, it is amazing how far it has come. From its humble beginnings, back when Gordon Dutt (and company) generated interest in the area through their Four Corners Study, it seemed that anyone with the slightest interest in wine-grape growing or winemaking could jump right in and take advantage of our wonderful climate, as well as our abundant and affordable land, and become a “gentleman farmer.” I remember when Tom Brady, one of the original founders of Terra Rosa Vineyards, told me that once he planted his vines and reaped his first harvest, he intended to sit on his porch with his feet up and enjoy the rewards of his bounty. What an unbelievably steep learning curve we had to climb; I was totally hooked. I bought 20 acres of land in Elgin and, when a partially planted vineyard in Kansas Settlement became available, I bought it from Bob Webb and Tom Beham. Because only 20 of the 40 acres had been planted, I had to decide the appropriate varieties for the remaining acreage. I wanted to grow grapes that would produce the wines that I personally liked, but I also wanted to develop grapes that would grow well in this specific terroir of the vineyard site. My mantra became somewhat existential at that point (maybe from hanging around too much with philosophy major Kent Callaghan); it was essentially, “This above all, to thine own site be true!” This was not an easy task and I was quickly finding out how little I knew. I purchased a copy of Jancis Robinson’s book Vines, Grapes & Wines and subscribed to Practical Winery & Vineyard Journal. These became my bibles. I also began networking with anyone who had any academic or practical vineyard experience. One of the best pieces of advice I got was from Paolo D’Andrea of New Mexico Vineyards, now La Luna Winery. He was formally trained in viticulture in Italy and his family had been making wine and growing grapes in Umbria for generations. He told me that no matter how experienced the expert or how wellresearched the scientific report, I had to understand that each site had its own peculiar needs and specific growing requirements, and that any expert advice had to be taken with a grain of salt. In other words, what worked well in California, Oregon, Italy or Australia would not necessarily work here in Arizona.
Front Row: Sam Pillsbury, Frank DiChristofano, Jose Molina (on lap), Todd Bostock, Parker Bostock (on lap); Top Row: the Dos Cabezas Crew with Al Buhl in the center - Manuel Molina, Antelmo Molina, Jesus Morales and Edgar Fuentes.
Armed with this information, I took another leap forward and planted a small amount of Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Viognier and Syrah on the Kansas Settlement site. I also experimented with different rootstocks, eventually preferring 1103 Paulsen and 110 Rugerie for the sandy loam soil of the area. The first few years I sold all my grapes to other wineries such as Santa Cruz, Terra Rossa, Paradise Valley, RW Webb, Village of Elgin, Sonoita Vineyards and Callaghan Vineyards. Looking back, it’s interesting to see how many of these establishments are still in business. “It was the best of times, and the worst of times.” It seemed as though every time some new vineyard acreage came online, an existing tract was taken out of production through pests, disease or simple neglect. Demand for grapes was high as new wineries came into existence, while capital to pay for them was low. In 1995, I joined Kent Callaghan, Bob Loew, Jon Marcus, as well as Don and Katherine Magowan, to form Dos Cabezas Wineworks. Kent was the winemaker and we released our first wine the following year with some commercial success. Gradually… very gradually… the Arizona wine industry began getting recognized, not simply as a novelty, but seriously recognized. Sonoita Vineyards 1989 Cabernet Sauvignon was well-received. Callaghan Vineyards caught the attention of Robert Parker for its 1992 Fume Blanc and 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon. Dos Cabezas won awards in the “New World Wine Competition” for its Riesling and Chardonnay. Other awards and recognition followed, which included both Callaghan Vineyards and Dos Cabezas being selected for events at the White House during different administrations.
Al Buhl is true pioneer in the Arizona wine industry; he was one of the first to plant wine-grapes and produce wine here, as the original owner of Dos Cabezas Wineworks. He eventually partnered with Sam Pillsbury to expand the 40-acre vineyard to 80 acres, adding what is still called "The Norte Block." Eventually the Dos Cabezas label was sold to winemaker Todd Bostock and his family; they moved it to Sonoita. The 80-acre vineyard was then sold to Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. Al currently resides in Sonoita, AZ where he works as a track coach. We were very excited to have Al contribute to our Grape Perspectives column. With his unique historical perspective, we knew his article would be interesting and educational.
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Arizona wine had begun to gain credibility. This attracted more individuals with an affinity to the area and a belief that Arizona could produce world class wine: Frank DiChristofano, who took over the winemaking duties at Dos Cabezas when Kent decided to focus exclusively on Callaghan Vineyards; as well as Eric Glomski, Sam Pillsbury, Rod Keeling and Maynard Keenan, who all brought their own special talents, commitment and conviction to the industry. In the past, most of the wineries using Arizona fruit had some good wine, but now the overall quality is evident and there is a consistency across the board. All the winemakers with experience and training have very good wine; but some have exceeded that to produce excellent wine and some have created interesting wines that reflect the uniqueness of Arizona. For verification of the depth and breadth of wines being offered from Arizona fruit, check out recent award-winning vintages by Todd Bostock of Dos Cabezas WineWorks, Rob Hammelman
Gradually‌ very gradually‌ the Arizona wine industry began getting recognized, not simply as a novelty, but seriously recognized. of Sand-Reckoner Vineyards, Chris Hamilton of Rancho Rossa Vineyards, Ron and Ann Roncone of Lightning Ridge Cellars, and Tim and Joan Mueller of Canelo Hills Vineyard & Winery. Certainly, challenges remain but this is a given in any agricultural undertaking and in any business setting that is still developing. Vigilance in the winery and vineyard is a constant necessity. Today, the Arizona wine industry is viable; however, that was not the case in the not-too-distant past. Photos Provided by Todd Bostock
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Caduceus and Merkin Vineyards MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN: Under the Microscope Article by Steve Ayers
L
ast year, Maynard Keenan turned 90 tons of grapes into 6,000 cases of wine. That’s not all the wine his various labels produced, just what he made at his Jerome facility—mostly Caduceus, some Merkin, every bottle of Judith. It’s just what Maynard made—Maynard, his wife and Derek, a cellar hand who cleaned up behind him and retrieved things in high places—a staff of two and a half. Few people realize Keenan is a hands-on winemaker. After all, most winery owners have someone to do that chore—especially winery owners who have a fulltime job doing other things—like being a rock star. Winemaker by association is typically enough to carry the label. There is no need for the figurehead to get his or her hands dirty or turn their clothes a claret hue.
take to make consistently great wines from Arizona grapes, he has to be there to smell it, taste it and measure it in ways others might ignore. And lastly, everyone is watching—waiting to see him and the Arizona wine industry fail. It’s not an option. His full-on commitment to success is certainly not how he got started. It was never his intention to become a farmer, much less a winemaker.
He does what he does for a variety of reasons.
In 2001, when he had money instead of a winery, he was only looking to cut his tax bill.
First off, he’s good at it. Of the 11 awards he has won from the Arizona Wine Growers Association, 10 of them came from wines made of his own hands. The other came from a wine he made with someone else. And the gold medal he won in San Francisco this year—he made that wine also, he and his team of two and a half.
Prior to that, he was living on a $500-a-month allowance. But that year the royalty checks began to catch up. Suddenly, he was swimming in unfamiliar waters.
Second, he realizes that if he ever wants to get his hands around what’s going on in his own backyard, what it will
“The first thing you do when you get all that money is ask, ‘I have to pay the government how much?’ It’s just insane.”
But that’s not who Maynard Keenan is.
Caduceus Tasting Room in Jerome
He sought the advice of those who presumably knew how to fix such a thing. But answers never came. Then his neighbor, a shoeless artist with a rope for a belt, suggested he start farming the hillside beneath his house. “‘You like wine,’ he told me, ‘and you have always said this place resembles Italy or Spain. Why don’t you put your money in a vineyard and use it as venture capital.’ I had to ask my accountants why it took my neighbor, who wears no shoes and a rope for a belt, to figure out how to put my money to work instead of giving it to the government. I never got a satisfactory answer.” Although winemaking proved to be a generous tax shelter, money didn’t remain the focus. After all, there were winemakers in his gene pool, along with a host of other nucleic sequences. Like one that harbored a latent vein of discipline, another with the logistical instincts of a quartermaster, and yet another that has never settled for good enough.
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Photos on this page by MichellJonasPhotography.com ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
"The only thing I knew for sure was that I was going to make mistakes." - Maynard ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
In the spring of 2002, Keenan cored into the thin soil covering the southeast slope beneath his house. Samples went to UC Davis. There they confirmed his belief that where he planned to put his vines was not all that different from where the great wines of the planet came from—the craggy, harsh and rocky soils of places like Mt. Etna and Sicily, lands of drastic diurnal swings, where extremes are the norm. “I didn’t know shit. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was going to make mistakes. What I had going for me was that I had a good idea of what a worldclass wine tasted like; I just had to figure out how to get what we had going with this soil, into a bottle, in the manner that the great winemakers do.”
Crush Pad
FOUR EIGHT WINEWORKS
When it comes to his fellow winemakers, Maynard Keenan loves nothing more than a little competition— like the annual sparring contest sponsored by the Arizona Wine Growers Association. “It’s a backyard thing, where it’s fun to kick sand in each other’s face, point fingers and call each other names,” he says. Keenan loves to win. You can see it in his grin. But at the same time he doesn’t mind sharing success. And it’s in that spirit that he has dedicated much of his time, and a not-so-insignificant amount of cash, nurturing new talent.
Harvest
It didn't take long to realize that if Maynard ever hoped to get a return on his investment in cracking $4,000 bottles of wine, he had to figure out why they cost that much. There was much work to be done.
When Yavapai College announced its intention to create a wine program focused on the trials and tribulations of winemaking in the harsh Southwestern desert climate, Keenan was the first in line to lend his support. (See the article on page 14 to learn more about the Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College) Ever since, he has been a robust supporter of the program, one he hopes will someday solve the problems he believes must be solved if Arizona ever wants some real respect. This last year he embarked on his most ambitious mentoring program to date, FOUR EIGHT WINEWORKS. Located in Camp Verde, next to Arizona Stronghold Vineyards’ winemaking facility, FOUR EIGHT is intended to be the state’s first co-op winery.
Since that day, if it can be measured with such precision, Keenan has adopted a siege mentality. “I have an idea what we are looking for in our bottles of wine. But we need to be collecting soil data, moisture data and recording temperature swings. It’s going to take decades to compile the information, but it’s the only way we will ever get it right and get it right consistently.
A Stepping Stone to Success:
Judith Cab
“We are a long way from there. But at the same time we’re close. Guys like Kent Callaghan have been digging around for 28 years. That’s how long it’s taking. It’s going to take that kind of effort.”
The intention is to give graduates of the Yavapai College program, as well as other talented winemakers, a place to ply their talents. “It’s all ready to turn the key on it. It’s just a matter of getting two things done… we need to get our bond in place, and we also need to change state law so we can have 10 different winemakers at the same address, each with their own license.” Keenan estimates it takes, at a minimum, $150,000 just to equip a winery, a half-million if you go first cabin. And that’s if you already own a building. As he envisions it, FOUR EIGHT will act as a stepping stone, helping to get promising winemakers on their feet and, eventually, on their own. But, he says, FOUR EIGHT WINEWORKS is not a school or a custom crush. It’s a winery designed to accommodate winemakers who don’t need their hand held but are willing to help one another.
Keenan’s biggest fear now is that complacency will set in. Cutting corners, he says, is not an option, which is also one of the reasons he remains hands-on.
Caduceus Tasting Room
“Anyone cutting corners in this industry does not help us at all. We just can’t do it if Arizona wants to make its mark. We will all be painted with the same brush.
Caduceus.org
“There are those out there in the world of wine who don’t want to see us succeed. They fear change. For good or bad, we are under their microscope.”
Merkin Vineyards East - Marzo Blocks ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
158 Main Street, Jerome (928) 639-9463 Sun-Thurs: 11am-6pm Fri & Sat: 11am-8pm 365 Days a Year Also serving traditional Itlian-style Espresso drinks from 8am-Noon every day
“We want them to have a vision of where they are going,” says Keenan. “By helping them we are helping everyone in the valley. And if anyone is tired of being a small fish in a big pond, or has their own brand and wants to move to the Verde Valley, that’s fine, too. Everyone benefits.” Photos on this page by Harry Merkin
Merkin Vineyards Elephante Block 2 ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
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BUILDING THE SOUTHWEST WINE CENTER Cultivating a Stronger Arizona Wine Industry
I
A Student’s Point of View
magine earning a certificate or associates degree in viticulture or enology right here in Arizona? Yavapai College’s Verde Valley campus in Clarkdale has a program for you. As if offering education wasn’t enough, the college features three newly planted acres of grapevines that will serve as a working vineyard for students. While waiting for those acres to produce grapes for harvest, enology students are today able to learn the art of winemaking by using grapes generously donated by Merkin Vineyards. Yavapai College is helping to train a diverse base of students to work in our growing wine industry. Arizona vineyards and wineries are embracing the students and welcoming their help year-round in maintaining its crops and producing fine wine. Recent graduates of the program have already been hired in the industry. Wine connoisseurs have come to know Arizona wines in recent years; and as more grapes are planted and more wine is produced, the state could certainly achieve the status of a significant and award-winning U.S. wine region. Building upon the foundation of the viticulture and enology curriculum, the Yavapai College Foundation has developed plans and is currently raising funds for the Southwest Wine Center. As a sustainable on-campus winery and teaching lab, it will serve to not only educate the next generation of Arizona viticulturists and enologists, but also as a knowledge gateway and data repository for the entire Southwest. Sharing information across state lines, will not only strengthen winemaking and growing here in Arizona, but will help to expand the overall industry, which benefits us all. With my life firmly planted in Greater Phoenix, where I live and work, I never would have imagined I would find a viticulture program only
T
Even our best Arizona grape growers and winemakers find themselves standing in the field or cellar on occasion scratching their head. As a former vineyard manager for Merkin Vineyards, I know that often having skilled labor and a great management plan isn’t enough. Sometimes you’re thrown a curveball, which happens frequently when you’re growing wine in uncharted territory. More often than not, one is able to find information on a problem and how it relates to California practices. If you’re lucky, you can scrape up some information from Texas and Washington, but more often than not, you’re still left scratching your head, wondering about how this information might apply to your problem here in Arizona. Of course, building a workforce, economic development and entrepreneurial encouragement in the Arizona wine industry are all ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
In October, I took the opportunity to learn more about the fundraising needs for the Southwest Wine Center by attending the Art, Wine & Dine event at Yavapai College. Having experienced the education and work in the vineyards first-hand, and believing that Arizona’s wine industry is building something truly unique and special, I proudly became a donor to the Southwest Wine Center at the “Founders” level. Yavapai College needs your support too. The fundraising goal for the Center is $3 million. There are a number of donation opportunities including an Adopt-A-Vine program, ranging from only $20 to $2,500, that allows individuals to adopt actual vines on the campus, which will be affixed with a tag or marker displaying the donor’s name. Founding donors are individuals or businesses that make a gift of $5,000 or more. They will be recognized in perpetuity on a Founders Wall at the Center which will commemorate their help in turning the vision of the Southwest Wine Center into reality. A variety of higherlevel naming opportunities begin at $10,000. The Southwest Wine Center will further advance the wine industry in Arizona, while creating economic development opportunities across the state by creating jobs, as well as a supply chain for businesses that produce grape growing and winemaking equipment. - Janette Coates
An Industry Perspective
he Arizona Wine industry has grown in so many ways over the last few decades. We have not only achieved much in the way of planting acreage, opening new tasting rooms and developing more talent, but also Arizona winemakers have increased the quality of wine being produced—and that is no small detail. While the Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College will aim to support the furthering of all the above achievements, the last is an important focus for us.
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a short two-hour drive away, enabling me to take classes and perform hands-on work in actual vineyards. Upon learning of the program in 2011, the decision to enroll in the viticulture program was an easy one. I am able to be a part-time student while tending to my full-time life, and I’m turning what was once a hobby into a true passion.
clear and targeted goals of the Viticulture and Enology Program, as well as the Southwest Wine Center, but the ulterior motive behind it all is to become a first-class educational and informational resource for winegrowers and winemakers pioneering this industry. This is why a knowledge gateway and data repository is a key proponent of the proposed Southwest Wine Center. It is also the reason we are thrilled to be forging a good working relationship with University of Arizona, the agricultural research university here in Arizona. Yavapai College is also supporting an annual Southwest Wine Symposium (in April, date to be announced) centered in Arizona, but geared toward reaching out to the entire inland Southwest. Together we can begin unraveling the challenges that are unique to our area and terroir of the Southwest. We look forward to planting the additional 14 of the proposed 17 acres at Yavapai College in the coming years with exciting and applicable varietals. We hope that some of you might join us in planting three of those acres on our Verde Valley Campus over the weekend of May 4, 2013. - Nikki Check For More Information and to Make Your Donation: SouthwestWineCenter.org
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
In a nutshell... WHAT IS IT?
Academic Programs Full-Production Teaching Winery Student-Run Vineyard Knowledge Gateway and Data Repository Business Partnerships WHO IT BENEFITS There is a misunderstanding that the Southwest Wine Center will only benefit the Verde Valley because that is where it will be located. The reality is that the entire state of Arizona will benefit, as well as other states in the Southwest. By creating a stronger, more unified and educated wine industry, it will not only increase the quality and volume of wine produced in Arizona, it will also increase jobs by attracting more wine-related businesses to Arizona and increase tax dollars by selling more Arizona wine. Having a vineyard, winery and tasting room on-site will allow the students to learn about all aspects of the wine industry, from the agricultural perspective in growing the grapes, to the science perspective in making the wine, as well as the business perspective in running a tasting room, marketing your business and selling wine. HOW CAN I HELP? The first million dollars has been raised but there's still two million more needed. Most immediate, the college must raise another $300,000 to stay on schedule and start construction later this year. They are close, but still need some help! Adopt-A-Vine Have a vine named after you or give as a gift.
Single Vine: $20 | Half Row (45 vines): $1250 | Full Row (90 vines): $2500
Founders Wall Have your name engraved on the Founders Wall at the new facility by donating $5000 or more. Naming Opportunities For donations of $10,000 or more, you can explore having your name live on forever at the Southwest Wine Center. Photos by WeeklyWineJournal.com
SouthwestWineCenter.org
CALLAGHAN'S ROUND TABLE By Kent Callaghan In this issue, we are introducing a new column—Callaghan's Round Table. Kent Callaghan contributed an article to us that included a round-table discussion between some of his favorite Arizona winemakers. It was so long that we've decided to break it up over the course of the next few issues. If you would like to read the interview in entirety, you can find it online at ArizonaVinesAndWines.com.
QUESTION #1: "What is your background? How did you get involved in the Arizona wine industry?" Ann Roncone/Lightning Ridge Cellars
My background is Mechanical Engineering. I was a garage winemaker for a handful of years and the hobby I loved finally took over as what I wanted to do full time. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area was terrific for high-tech jobs, but not for wanting to develop a vineyard. Land prices were far too high to make it feasible. My husband had done his grad work at University of Arizona, so he knew Tucson. From there, we learned of the Sonoita/Elgin wine country and that it was Arizona’s only AVA, so [we] decided to check it out. We made a trip to Arizona’s wine country and enjoyed local estate wines enough to decide to purchase land. Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards was tremendously helpful in helping us with vineyard development. Now, having an Arizona vineyard for 8 +years, I couldn’t be happier with our location and vineyard.
Rod Keeling/Keeling Schaefer Vineyards
There was no epiphany per se. There was an afternoon in 1994 when the chairman of Downtown Tempe Community, Inc. that I worked for took me to the one of the first wine bars in the area: P.F. Chang’s. They were one of the pioneers of premium wine by the glass before there was this proliferation of wine bars. We went in, and although I’d had a lot of wine before that, I soon realized that I had never really had any good wine. He bought me a glass of Grgich Hills Zinfandel, and it was about 8 or 9 bucks a glass, which, of course, I would have never bought for myself at the time. And I was shocked at how good it was. Of course, it may not have been the best wine in the world, but it was far superior to anything I had ever had before. We talked about it a little bit and he told me the story of how he had restaurants over in California—this is Roger Egan—who is now our partner in the Rock Creek Vineyard (just south of Keeling Schaefer Vineyards). We had this wine and I thought, “Maybe I could make this stuff,” so I started with kits. I bought some kits, the type you can buy at the hobby store, and, of course, the wine was horrible. And we graduated from there. The next year I decided I needed fresh fruit, so we hooked up with some of the farmers in Willcox, Al Buhl specifically. I went down and bought maybe 100 pounds of fruit and we made a Sauvignon Blanc and that was my first real step around 1999.
James Callahan/Aridus Wine Company
I started off serving in restaurants and acquiring a taste for Italian varietals at first. All of the regions, varietals, history and winemaking styles vary so much in Italy, that it opened up a whole new world to me. After serving for a few years, I pursued my Level 1 Sommelier certificate while working my first harvest in 2007 with Purvine Winery in Tempe, AZ. I knew I wanted to make wine from that moment on. During the 2007 harvest I began putting the nuts and bolts together of how I [could] start my own winery in [Arizona]. It has been the impetus for my passion and I have been working toward coming “back home” to make wine since I cleaned my first tank.
Tim White/Arizona Stronghold Vineyards
I was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in North Carolina, and eventually moved to Virginia to pursue winemaking. After working as a “cellar rat” for four years and [some] extensive self-education in Virginia, I decided to look for a cellar position somewhere “out west.” I was looking more specifically for a position in Oregon when I came across an Assistant Winemaker position available at Page Springs Cellars. After flying out to interview for the position, it was offered and I accepted. In 2007, I was the Assistant Winemaker at PSC for 8 months, during which time I helped make, and solely blended, the inaugural vintage of Arizona Stronghold Vineyards wines. The following year we retrofitted a furniture manufacturing warehouse in Camp Verde to be the new ASV winery and I’ve been the winemaker here since.
Maynard Keenan/Caduceus
I have no formal enology training, only on-the-job training. I’ve been told I have some solid instincts, which have served me well over the years, so I rely on them heavily in the cellar. That… and I ask a lot of questions. Between working crush in the Verde Valley for nine years, and a couple of times at Magill Estate in Adelaide, I picked up the basics. The trick is to recognize bad habits early on so they don’t become a characteristic of your winemaking. In addition, as a musician touring the world, I’ve been exposed to some of the best wines made. Having that sense memory ingrained on my palate has helped with the direction my wines have taken.
Todd Bostock/Dos Cabezas WineWorks
I dropped in and out of college, touring the universities of Arizona... changing majors with the seasons. I started out as a studio art major, moved on to math, engineering, business, even considered astronomy. The last time I dropped out of ASU I started a printing company in Phoenix with my sister and another partner. That lasted from 1998 until 2006. During that time, I enrolled in UC Davis’ Viticulture and Enology extension certificate program. I started making some wine at home (from Oregon grapes), decided I’d probably move to California to learn more and to make wine. I tried some wines from Arizona and was excited that they tasted distinctive and of the place they came from. I started volunteering at Dos Cabezas WineWorks in 2002. Volunteering quickly turned into apprenticeship, which quickly turned into a job as Assistant Winemaker which finally led to a job as Winemaker (all within one year). I quit the UC Davis program toward the end of the second course and decided to stay in Arizona and grow grapes and make wine in the state where I was born.
Rob Hammelman/Sand-Reckoner
I got interested in winemaking while studying microbiology at Colorado State University. Afterward, I taught Humanities and Sciences in Phoenix for a few years. That’s where I tried my first Arizona wines from Callaghan Vineyards and Dos Cabezas WineWorks. Intrigued, I took a summer off from teaching and headed to Sonoita and worked my first vineyard job. I had my eye on starting a winery in Arizona ever since. To get more exposure to wine, I studied Oenology at the University of Adelaide in Australia, and later traveled to France to work at Chateau de Saint Cosme in Gigondas before returning to Arizona.
Continued on page 18
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ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Round Table . . . cont’d
QUESTION #2: "What grape varieties are you excited about in Arizona?" Maynard Keenan
I’m excited about the Italian and Spanish potential here. We’ve shown we can do well with the Southern Rhone grapes. But I suspect we have quite a bit of potential to make a mark with Nebbiolo (VERY site-specific, not just anywhere), Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Aglianico.
Rod Keeling
Nine of our twenty-one acres of vineyards are planted in four clones of Syrah. While Syrah has proven to be a difficult vine to grow, due mainly to the grafting flaw that causes “Early Syrah Decline” and a high mortality rate, the fruit quality over the years has been consistent and produces our best wines. I would recommend planting Syrah on its own roots in Arizona. The 100% Syrahs we make have been our best sellers and eight have been rated by Wine Spectator: 2-86; 3-87; 1-88; 2-89. We also grow Grenache, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah, which are all good. For whites, we grow Viognier and Picpoul Blanc. Our 2009 Viognier got an 89 by WS and I think it is the best white for Arizona. With our fans and other active frost protection, we are starting to improve our yields on the early budders, like Viognier and Syrah, making them a much better bet.
James Callahan
I only have made wines from Cochise County so I will leave the other regions up for grabs. In the Sulphur Springs Valley/Turkey Creek area, I have been in love with the Syrah, Petite Sirah and Tempranillo. Cabernet Sauvignon, Touriga National, Tannat, Petite Verdot, Montelpuciano, Petite Manseng, Roussane, and Malvasia Bianca should make great wines as well. I have been most impressed by the tannic thick-skinned varietals. They can stand up to the intense sun exposure during the harvest season.
Tim White
Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Grenache, Sangiovese, Malbec, Chardonnay, Syrah, Mourvedre and possibly varietals like Albarino, Nebbiolo and Nerello Mascalese.
Todd Bostock In Willcox, Tempranillo, Picpoul Blanc and Graciano are exciting. In Sonoita, Mourvedre and Graciano.
Rob Hammelman
Malvasia Bianca has a promising future in Arizona. It makes such a distinctive wine that other regions can’t easily duplicate. It’s an exotic and refreshing white, ripens at moderate alcohol levels, and pairs well with Arizona’s warm climate. Syrah from the Willcox Bench makes bold, rich wines that are approachable early on. It’s great in blends, too, adding depth, color and smoky dark fruit. Sangiovese, in particular the Brunello clone, makes a great base for a round and muscular styled savory blend. Sagrantino is being planted at our site this spring. I think it could be a great match to our soils and climate. Montepulciano and Aglianico are late ripeners that I am also excited about in Arizona.
Ann Roncone We grow mostly Italian varietals and happily have found they do well in our area. Our signature varietals are Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Primitivo, with Nebbiolo and Aglianico coming on board with a first crop in 2013. Definitely excited about those.
MEET THE ROUND TABLE...
Photo from Lightning Ridge Cellars
Photo from Rob Hammelman
Ann Roncone Lightning Ridge Cellars
Rob Hammelman Sand-Reckoner
LightningRidgeCellars.com
Sand-Reckoner.com
Photo from James Callahan
James Callahan - Aridus Wine Co. AridusWineCo.com
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
Photo from Rod Keeling
Rod Keeling Keeling Schaefer Vineyards
KeelingSchaeferVineyards.com
Photo from Arizona Stronghold
Tim White Arizona Stronghold Vineyards AZStronghold.com
Photo from Dos Cabezas
Todd Bostock Dos Cabezas WineWorks
DosCabezasWineWorks.com
Photo by MichellJonasPhotography.com
MODERATOR Kent Callaghan - Callaghan Vineyards CallaghanVineyards.com
Photo by Lei Li
Maynard Keenan - Caduceus/Merkin Caduceus.org
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY TO US! By Rhonni Moffitt
W
ow! It’s difficult to believe that five years has passed since we began this adventure with Arizona Vines & Wines. Just like any other new business venture, there have been ups and downs along the way, and we’ve come out stronger on the other side because of them. I can truly say that when we printed the first issue of the publication we definitely did not envision the direction it would take us.
Inception As most of you know, Josh runs a real estate brokerage, Moffitt Real Estate. He focuses on vineyard and winery real estate, primarily in the Willcox region, as shown by his ads on the back page of every issue. In 2006, Josh and I were both real estate agents riding the ebbing tide of Arizona real estate; I focused on new home sales and Josh was stepping into investment real estate. The first property he bought was across from Dos Cabezas Wineworks, which shortly thereafter became Arizona Stronghold Vineyards. When he saw the vineyard he realized the incredible marketing potential and his curiosity was intrigued about Arizona’s wine industry. When he came home and told me about his discovery, we both were surprised that there were vineyards in Arizona. We weren’t big wine drinkers, but a glass of wine with dinner at a nice restaurant was definitely not unheard of. I thought it would be fun to learn more about this off-the-wall concept of wine being grown in Arizona. I set off to the Internet to learn. What did I find? Cue crickets chirping. Not much. And what I did find was mostly out-of-date or inaccurate. When the market turned, I decided to leave real estate but was unsure of which direction to head. Josh was determined to stay in real estate, but needed to change his focus away from investors and toward the end-user. He had an idea to make a magazine that we could distribute at the tasting rooms. Where better to reach someone who wanted to get into the wine industry?
The First Issue The so-called 2008 issue was really a brochure, all eight pages of it. We used Microsoft Publisher to create it, used a lot of stock photography, included articles about Josh’s real estate business and the expanding wine industry, and compiled a list of wineries. We listed each winery with their logo and a short descriptive paragraph. Because we were new, most of the wineries were hesitant to offer us their logos so we pulled what could off the Internet (which I now know is a big no-no) and did our best to create a descriptive blurb. It
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was split between north and south. No advertisements except Josh’s ad on the back. The 2008 Issue—10,000 copies. We figured we were done for the year. Now I was back to the drawing board about what I should do for a career. Two months later, the tasting rooms were beginning to call us. They were out of brochures and needed more. We realized that it was pretty expensive to print, especially if we had to do so four times a year (or more). I started to see a glimmer of what my next path would be… start a real magazine! I was falling in love with the Arizona wine industry and really wanted to do my best to represent these people I’d grown so fond of. I bought the Adobe Creative Suite, a Canon Rebel camera, an upgraded computer and went to work.
A Real Magazine I truly knew nothing about the magazine industry but thought, “How hard could it be?” I went to Lynda.com and trained myself on the software. I created a binder with mock sample pages to show what I envisioned this publication would look like and then hit the ground running to sell some advertising. We hit the wineries, wine bars, wine stores, real estate agents and wine country businesses. I was honestly surprised by how well we did. I have to especially thank Kief-Joshua Vineyards, Keeling Schaefer Vineyards, Coronado Vineyards and Pillsbury Wine Company for being the first wineries to advertise with us in that first issue. In the next issue, we also added Javelina Leap, Village of Elgin, Sonoita Vineyards, Callaghan Vineyards and Studio Vino. I knew we’d be all right at that point! We weren’t the only ones who saw the vision of what this publication could become and what we could accomplish. All I knew was that we had to do it together. Our first real magazine issue had four articles and our first wine tour sections with maps. Lacking pictures of our own of Arizona vineyards, we used (obvious) stock photography for the cover. That was the last time we would do that! It was 32 pages and we printed 10,000 copies. We did it!
Helping to Grow an Industry What once was just a marketing venture for Josh’s real estate business soon became a business on its own and a passion for me… part of something bigger. In 2009, I was hired as the first executive director for the Arizona Wine Growers Association. I respectfully resigned a couple of years ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
later as the role outgrew my available time commitment, but take great pride in everything we accomplished during those two years. As the wine industry grew, our publication grew. There were 21 wineries listed in the first issue in 2008. Now in our Quick Reference Guide we list 56 wineries! We’ve grown to 100 pages and print over 22,000 copies each quarter. It’s been quite a wild ride but very fulfilling.
Learning Along the Way We grew slowly, learned some lessons the hard way and, I believe, have gotten better and better. For the most part, I think that not having any background or expectation was a good thing. We didn’t have rules or parameters. We did what we thought was right; if we operated with integrity, then we would be fine. We were committed to creating a quality product with thoughtfully produced content. I had no idea what I was getting into and how broad the scope of what I had to learn would become. Not only did I have to learn how to use the vital software to produce the magazine (InDesign and Photoshop), I had to learn how to design. I had to learn all about print production, and luckily I had some very patient printers along the way. Beyond the obvious, there was bookkeeping, ad sales, managing subscriptions, social media, creating and then recreating and managing a website, newsletters, distribution… the list goes on. And keep in mind, this was a mom-and-pop business—and pop was out selling real estate most of the time! We learned that a buck saved on printing is not always worth it. One horrible experience had me literally saying “Stop the presses!” with tears in my eyes. Luckily we’ve chosen more wisely since. And I learned that 5,000 100-page magazines weigh a whole lot more than 5,000 32-page magazines. While delivering the Fall 2012 issue,
I had a near blow-out on I-10. Luckily, I was near Tucson and the dealership… a brand new set of tires later I was back on the road. (Yes, we still hand-deliver to the wine regions, believe it or not.) The next time, the load was lessened and trips doubled up.
With a Little Help from our Friends Although Josh and I have done a lot of the work ourselves, we definitely haven’t gotten here alone. Without the support of the Arizona wine industry, we wouldn’t be here at all. Thank you to all the wineries that have helped us along the way and treated us like family! The ultimate praise that I receive is when a winery owner tells me that our publication has been instrumental in helping to elevate the industry. Being a small publication with a very limited budget, we’ve greatly appreciated all the talented volunteer contributors we’ve had over the years. And without the readers, whether they picked up our publication one time or they have religiously read it every quarter, we wouldn’t have an audience. I’m very proud of the fact that people keep our magazines around as a resource to look at again and again.
The Future As the industry grows, I’d like to think that we’ll continue to grow alongside of it. I'd like to see us get better and more efficient, and build a team to create some synergy. My passion for wine—Arizona wine specifically—has grown exponentially, as has my appreciation for those who grow and make it. We’ve met many special and interesting people along the way, had many fun and tasty experiences and plan to continue on our quest to be educated about our niche. I find myself giddy with excitement to see what will happen next year, or the next. Where will we be in a decade? I am confident that our path is upward… upward and onward—and that an Arizona wine will break the elusive 90-point Wine Spectator barrier!
SYNTHESTHESIA
Behind the Alcantara Wine Label
“O
By Nathan Brugnone
ur taste can relate to color, art and movement,” Barbara Predmore, owner of Alcantara Vineyards, tells me. This synesthesia, this union of the senses, is expressed through Alcantara’s labels via artist Smokin’ Joe McWilliams. Smokin’ Joe, a Nevada-based visual artist, has conceptualized pieces for many of Las Vegas’ most prominent casinos, including Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas and The Venetian. For Alcantara’s labels, Smokin’ Joe weaves employee wine-tasting notes, varietal characteristics and the colors of the Verde Valley into a synesthetic graphic representation of each wine. And just as every wine is open to interpretation, so too are the pieces of art adorning each label. Visitors to the stone-dotted hills along the Verde River at Alcantara Vineyards are invited to come back each year, as the labels change with each wine and each vintage, expressing a new identity in a place still establishing its own. Barbara shows me some of the labels of past vintages. The Viognier label bursts with bright yellow and oranges, circumscribed within deeper hues of green. “Viognier likes light, and this shows minerality,” she tells me, pointing to a darker portion of the label. The Mourvedre and Syrah labels
show deep red hues, which convey the intensity of the fruit, as dark curls and swirls tell the story of intermingling spices and berries. These labels are much like Rorschach tests, as there are many more hidden meanings for each individual to discover, discuss and enjoy—this is part of Alcantara’s mission. “We all have different palates; we all take different things out of life,” says Barbara. “[Wine] allows us to be real, to experience, to show ourselves and not be afraid that we will be criticized. It allows people to expose themselves and be proud of who they are and find the joy that is within… using all the senses.” Within every label each person is invited to slow down, take in subtle nuances and connect to the sensual experience of tasting the wine, to find the truth of that moment: in vino veritas. Barbara tells me each label is an extension of Alcantara’s mission: expanding upon identity and individuality while hopefully allowing you to expand upon yours. The evolution of the label reflects the evolution of the “land, community, flavor and identity… of Arizona, Yavapai County and the Verde Valley.” Visit Alcantara and taste the wine that inspired these labels. AlcantaraVineyard.com
Smokin' Joe says... The images I create for Alcantara’s wine labels and event posters are glimpses of landscapes and nature spirits that occupy a dreamy space between our world and the next. It is a world filled with vibrant colored skylines and swirling liquid vortexes. A place where one might catch a glimpse of Mother Gaia as she floats through the landscape or a jack in the green, peeking out from the safety of his grapevines. When I visit Alcantara I can feel the energy of those nature spirits all around me. They are wild and unpredictable and are guardians of the land. This is where they live and play... and if my vibrations are just right, I may get a glimpse of their world and a chance to bottle up just a little bit of it for everyone else to see. About Smokin' Joe... Smokin’ Joe is a painter, illustrator, sculptor, and industrial designer living and working in the American southwest. He was born 1965 in Southfield, Michigan where he was raised on Bob Seger and vintage muscle cars. At age 10, he headed out for K-K-K-Katmandu, but only made it as far as A-A-A-Arizona, where he attended college and received a degree in art. In the 1980s he began working as a designer and art director in the themed construction industry, creating giant sculptures and ornate architecture for casinos, theme parks, and museums. He currently splits his time between his Nevada studio where he continues to create giant sculptures, and his Arizona studio where he paints and draws and meditates... and occasionally enjoys a bottle of wine.
www.FoJoe.com
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ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
SMOKE TAINT
A Vintage Goes Up in Smoke By Rod Keeling
After 10 years of dealing with the usual weather threats and vineyard pests, smoke taint was not high on our list of vineyard risks here at Keeling Schaefer. I had read some of the studies from Australia, where smoke has been a recurring problem since smoke taint was identified in 2003; however, I always thought that an actual wildfire loose in the vineyard was the primary fire threat. We’ve had wildfires near the vineyard before. In the past, the Forest Service would put the fires out before the fire could threaten the vineyard. I always thought that if we were going to have a fire situation, it would start on a nearby property and burn through the vineyard before the firefighting efforts could be mobilized. On that breezy May 8th, when we first learned of the Horseshoe 2 Fire, we were not concerned because the fire was on the east side of the mountain, about 15 miles away and clearly downwind of our location. I was confident that with the dry and windy conditions, the Forest Service would not risk a managed burn and act quickly to extinguish the fire. I was wrong. Over the next few weeks, the fire was allowed to burn— through most of the timber stands in the Chiricahua high country, all of the National Monument, and Colibri Vineyards, located on the east side of the Monument. As the flames became clearly visible when the fire crested the top of the mountain, it became obvious that the fire was going to be a problem for us. Jan and I attended the first public meeting held by the Forest Service at the old El Dorado School site just outside the Chirichua National Monument entry gate. The group of local ranchers and neighbors
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Photograph by Mike Barnacastle
were stunned to learn that the fire plan involved allowing the fire to consume nearly the entire 60-mile-long mountain range! We learned that Forest Service management plans had changed over the past few years to use “fires of opportunity” as well as prescribed fires to thin the forest and reduce available fuels. Over 50 million fire-fighting dollars later, about 60 percent of nearly 350 square miles was scarred by wildfire.
Photographs provided by Rod Keeling
W
ikipedia: The Horseshoe 2 Fire was a 2011 wildfire located along the southeastern flank of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona. It began in Horseshoe Canyon on the Douglas Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest on May 8, 2011, at approximately 11:00 a.m. The fire was started by human activities, and burned over 9,000 acres in its first day. By June 1, 2011, the fire had burned an area of over 80,500 acres of grasses, shrubs and trees along the mountain slopes. By June 8, it had grown to 106,661 acres and by June 17, the fire was 65 percent contained and had become the fifth-largest wildfire in Arizona history. 100 percent containment was achieved on June 25 after a total area of 222,954 acres (348.366 square miles) had burned.
With the strong southeastern winds, the smoke was blown away from our vineyard and created air quality alerts as far away as Albuquerque and Oklahoma City. In May, the grapes were still in the hard, pea-sized stage and all of the studies indicated that this was the least susceptible time for smoke damage. Then in the middle of June, the winds died down and we began to have smoke settle down in the creek behind the vineyards in the early mornings. It looked like fog. The night the fire came over the last ridge just east of our house, Jan started packing.
Thanks to my brother Doug in Casa Grande, the Keeling Farms fire truck was standing by at the vineyard. Thanks to the stubbornness of Clay and his dad Billy Riggs at Oak Ranch, the fireline was moved east of the vineyard. The Riggs took their own bulldozer and cut a fire-line on their property. The Forest Service brought in a crew of about 800 firefighters and equipment and the fire was finally out. News Release: Willcox, August 6, 2012... Jan Schaefer and Rod Keeling announced today that after nearly a year of remediation efforts, the smoke damaged 2011 vintage cannot meet their quality standards for bottling as Keeling Schaefer wine. Nearly 4,000 gallons of “smoke tainted” wine will be sold as bulk if a market for it can be found. If not, the wine will be destroyed. The estimated value of the loss is $330,000.
After 10 years of dealing with the usual weather threats and vineyard pests, smoke taint was not high on our list of vineyard risks here at Keeling Schaefer. Established in 2000 by Jan Schaefer and Rod Keeling, Keeling Schaefer Vineyards produces 100� estate-grown and bottled Rhone-styled wine on 21 acres of vineyards located on Rock Creek on the western slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in far southeastern Arizona. Their wines have been featured and reviewed in Arizona Highways, Arizona Republic, Growing, The Wall Street Journal and are some of the highest scored Arizona wines by Wine Spectator, including nine wines scored at 87+. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Page Springs Cellars
Page Springs Cellars is a family owned winery tucked into the volcanic landscape overlooking pristine Oak Creek. Visit our Tasting Room located just 15 minutes south of Sedona for a true taste of Arizona.
Something for everyone:
Wine Tasting Flights or enjoy wines by the Glass and Bottle Artisanal food pairings Vineyard Massage Tours on Fridays and Sundays Beautiful deck overlooking Oak Creek Bocce and Horseshoe Educational and Interactive Wine Club Offerings Live Music on Friday and Saturday nights Sedona
89A
12 Miles
Exit
Page Springs Rd 3.5 Miles
5 Miles
Cottonwood
3.7 Miles Cornville
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Page Springs Rd Cornville Rd 9 miles
260 Exit 293
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McGuireville
Camp Verde
Tasting Room Hours
Mon-Wed: 11am-7pm • Thu-Sun: 11am-9pm
Open 365 Days A Year
“After Hours”
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights 6-9 pm Half Off Tastings and 10% off food and wines by the bottle
For more information, and current events and offerings visit our website: PageSpringsCellars.com Page Springs Cellars Winery & Vineyards 1500 North Page Springs Rd, Cornville, AZ 928 639-3004
HOME WINEMAKING Scaling Up
Article & Photo by Greg Gonnerman
W
hether you're making a few gallons of wine for your own consumption or thousands of gallons to sell to the public, the fundamentals are always the same. Yeast converts sugars in the must (juice) into alcohol and carbon dioxide and the end product is wine. Many aspects of the process, from yeast selection to aging and blending, remain very similar for both the hobbyist and the commercial winemaker, but beyond that, things can be very different.
recently asked to help out as a small Arizona winery transitions to in-house production of their 2013 vintage. Up until now their wine was made by a more established winemaker nearby. As I've worked with them on some preliminary decisions, such as yeast and malolactic culture selection, barrel aging strategies, as well as getting the right winemaking and testing equipment in place, a recurring theme emerged; one concerning risk. Making great wines that reflect their chosen style is important, but more important is avoiding catastrophe. If you're making ten or twenty gallons of wine and it goes terribly wrong, that would be disappointing. But if you're making a thousand gallons of wine and it ends up being plonk, then that could be financially devastating.
A few months back, AZ Wine Makers, a club for both hobbyists and aspiring commercial winemakers, was given a behind the scenes tour of Page Springs Cellars (PSC). For the few on the tour who hadn't previously seen a commercial winemaking operation, it was an eye opener. Huge grape harvest bins stacked floor-to-ceiling in a storage area really drove home the size of the harvest. In comparison, hobbyists typically harvest in five-gallon buckets. The crusher-destemmer and wine press in use at PSC are nothing like those used by home winemakers, which fit easily on a small patio. As the tour continued into the cellar and bottling area, the story was much the same. The group observed huge gleaming stainless steel fermentation vessels and a bottling line that could complete a hobbyist's entire yearly production in a few seconds.
Huge grape harvest bins stacked floorto-ceiling in a storage area really drove home the size of the harvest.
But as the group grilled our host about winemaking at PSC, many similarities emerged. We exchanged notes on yeast selection, maceration schedules and blending strategies. Quickly the distinction between commercial and hobbyist disappeared and we were all sharing a common passion.
So it seems that the biggest difference between hobbyists and commercial winemakers is simply one of scale. But that certainly isn't the only difference. Near the end of the tour, the group was also shown the tax-free room in the cellar. This area would be better called the "pre-tax" room, since it really is just a holding area for bottled wine for which taxes haven't yet been paid. This was a reminder of the regulatory burden placed upon commercial winemakers and, while not onerous, it is something hobbyists can fortunately ignore. The differences between commercial and hobby winemaking have been fresh in my mind for a couple of other reasons, too. I was
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I've also been thinking about this topic for one other reason. After years of growing grapes and making wine as a hobby, I've decided to make the leap into commercial wine grape production (commercial winemaking will come later). Planting thousands of vines is certainly different from planting dozens‌ just in terms of the size of the task, but that's not the only difference. Consumer preferences must be considered when selecting varietals. Hobbyists need only concern themselves with what they want to grow (and ultimately drink). But commercial producers must also consider what people are inclined to buy. Fortunately, Arizona consumers are open-minded on this front, so there are many good varieties to choose from.
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
It seems that no matter how much wine you're making, the basics remain the same, but as you make the leap into commercial winemaking, a whole new set of concerns arise. Taxes must be paid, consumer preferences must be considered and the scale of your operations must increase dramatically. What is universal, though, is the passion for this pursuit, which is a mix of art and science, and the satisfaction one gets from sharing the product of their labor with those who enjoy it as much as they do. Greg Gonnerman is an amateur grape grower and winemaker in Mesa, Arizona. He's also a founding member of AZ WineMakers.
AZWineMakers.com
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Alcantara Vineyards
Caduceus Cellars
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 to develop a winery that produces wines that are comparable to the best of California and Europe. Barbara 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 MartinWeyrich Vineyards in Central California. Alcantara Vineyards 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 AlcantaraVineyard.com.
Perched on the side of the South East facing slopes of Jerome, Az, Caduceus Cellars & Merkin Vineyards is making high elevation wines out of predominantly Italian and Spanish varietals. Owner and Winemaker, Maynard James Keenan, along with his wife, Jennifer, are producing roughly 4500 cases a year in their tiny underground cement facility known as The Bunker. Open topped 1/2 ton bin carbonic maceration for the Reds, and whole cluster pressed stainless steel cold fermentation for the Whites and Rose’s. The epitome of a boutique owner owned and operated winery. Learn more at Caduceus.org.
Oak Creek Vineyards Deb Wahl, owner of Oak Creek Vineyards and 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 and Merlot; in the lower portion they produce Zinfandel and Chardonnay. They produce full-bodied flavorful reds and lean whites in small batches, giving individual attention to each barrel. Come in and taste them at the new bar and browse through the unique gifts on display. The outside seating is perfect to sip a glass of wine and enjoy food from a well-stocked deli case. They are open daily 10-6. OakCreekVineyards.net
Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery is located just 10 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 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 to 5pm. For more information visit their website at JavelinaLeapWinery.com.
The Grand Canyon Winery
Pleasant Valley Winery
The Grand Canyon Winery, proudly owned and operated by the Kennelly Family, sits in the heart of historic downtown Williams, AZ. The family has been in the hospitality industry in Northern Arizona for over twenty years. The Grand Canyon Winery is their newest project inspired by their love for Arizona and excitement over its emerging wine culture. Like most native Arizonans the Kennellys have great pride in their state and believe in supporting local communities.
"We make good tasting wines for nice 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."
The AZ wine community shares the belief that if one succeeds they all succeed and the Kennellys are proud to be a part of this community. Travel Far. Drink Local. TheGrandCanyonWinery.com
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Granite Creek Vineyards
Sycamore Canyon Winery
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 GraniteCreekVineyards.com.
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. BestArizonaWines.com
Freitas Vineyard
Echo Canyon Winery
Freitas Vineyard is hidden away on the outskirts of Cottonwood. A small vineyard, it's the dream of Ray Freitas. She planted the 3½ acre vineyard, located near the Verde River, in 2000 and has been tending her vines since. Her mission is to produce fruitforward 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. in Old Town Cottonwood. For more information visit 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.” Eric’s vision is at the forefront of bringing Arizona wines onto the national stage! Their wine club is one of the most popular in the state. Learn more about their wines and events at PageSpringsCellars.com.
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
Arizona wine pioneer, Jon Marcus is back from a long hiatus. Jon had some personal and medical issues that forced him to let the vineyard go fallow. He is currently cloning the 700 vines that managed to survive including Cabernet, Cab Franc and Syrah on his Echo Canyon vineyard in Page Springs. Also planned for the site are lots of organic fruits and vegetables too. Visit Jon and taste his long cellared wines at his new tasting room in Jerome, across from the House of Joy.
Cellar Dwellers John Scarbrough, winemaker, is dedicated to making delicious and unique small batch wines. With enthusiasm and a love for the craft of winemaking, he has set out to create great Arizona wines that are interesting, taste great and are made with passion. His first label released in 2008 was the Tarantula Hawk Zin. Cellar Dwellers wines are now available in restaurants and wine tasting rooms in Arizona. You can sample these great boutique wines at Burning Tree Cellars Tasting Room located in Old Town Cottonwood. Like them on Facebook at: Facebook.com/Pages/Cellar-Dwellers-Wine-Company/122288314502397
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Burning Tree Cellars
Wine Cellar
Burning Tree Cellars specializes in small batch, meticulously maintained, boutique wines utilizing the finest available fruit sources, quality oak and patience.
Now in two locations, the Wine Cellar is in the heart of Old Town Cottonwood, making a strong pulse for wine tasting in the historic downtown district and in Jerome, where the wines and views are breath taking! With a comfortable and charming space, it’s the perfect place to relax or to escape with a glass of wine from Arizona’s most articulate choices for the palate. Our wine specialists are always available to educate you about wine, and demonstrate wine tasting techniques. Come see us anytime for a great experience in Cottonwood or Jerome. Learn more at OldTownWineCellar.com.
"Our wines will never be pushed through chain supermarkets or over-marketed, but rather built through the power of suggestion and knowledge that we are all part of something special. These wines are, and always will be, for ourselves, our families and our friends." These handcrafted wines are available at their tasting room in Old Town Cottonwood. Sit on the patio. Listen to live music every weekend. Check them out online at 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 near his original vineyard in Kansas Settlement. Sam’s dream was to celebrate the local terroir ... an Arizona Chateauneuf, a sustainable Rhone vineyard producing premium quality hand-made 100% Arizona boutique wines. In the future, the plans are to create an architecturally stunning wine village with 27 dwellings, including a winery, spa and restaurant serving food organically grown on the land. What was once bare land is now a showpiece 100% Sonoita-soil vineyard. Their wines have won stellar reviews and are in some of the best restaurants and resorts in the state. 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 PillsburyWine.com.
Passion Cellars “Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” - Buddha Wine is our passion! We fell in love with the culture of wine during our extensive travels to various wine regions around the world. Upon returning to Arizona we fortunately stumbled across an issue of Arizona Vines & Wines Magazine. We were surprised to learn of the thriving wine industry growing in our own state. Motivated by our love of wine and excited to be a part of it, our family purchased land on the Willcox Bench with the dream of having our own vineyard. We are excited to be the newest addition to the Jerome wine tasting experience. We are a small family business that seeks to pursue our love of wines and share it with you. PassionCellars.com
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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 was to bring Arizona to the national wine stage, promoting their wines as value and quality based. They believed 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 acquired the Bonita Springs Vineyard adding another 40 acres of vines and another 120 acres for potential expansion. Their tasting room is located in Old Town Cottonwood in Northern Arizona. Visit their website at AZStronghold.com.
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
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1 Granite Creek Vineyards 2515 Road 1 East - Chino Valley (928) 636-2003 granitecreekvineyards.com Fri–Sun: 1-5 2 Wine Cellar, Jerome 403 Clark Street, Suite A3 - Jerome (928) 634-5451 oldtownwinecellar.com Sun-Thurs: 11:30-7 Fri-Sat: 11:30-9 3 Caduceus Cellars 158 Main Street - Jerome (928) 639-WINE caduceus.org Sun-Thurs: 11–6 Fri-Sat: 11–8
11 Page Springs Cellars 1500 Page Springs Road - Cornville (928) 639-3004 pagespringscellars.com Mon-Wed: 11-7 Thurs-Sun: 11-9
7 Wine Cellar, Old Town Cottonwood 1029 N Main Street - Cottonwood (928) 649-0444 oldtownwinecellar.com Sun-Thurs: 11:30-7 Fri-Sat: 11:30-9
12 Oak Creek Vineyards 1555 Page Springs Road - Cornville (928) 649-0290 oakcreekvineyards.net Daily: 10-6
8 Arizona Stronghold 1023 N Main Street - Cottonwood (928) 639-2789 azstronghold.com Sun-Thurs: 12-7 Fri-Sat: 12-9
4 Passion Cellars 417 Hull Avenue - Jerome (928) 649-9800 passioncellars.com Thurs-Mon: 11-7
9 Pillsbury Wine Company North 1012 N Main Street - Cottonwood (928) 639-0646 pillsburywine.com Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs: 11-6 Tues: 1-6 Fri-Sat: 11-8
5 Echo Canyon Winery 419 Hull Avenue - Jerome (928) 202-8506 Fri: 4-7pm Sat: 1-7pm Sun: 1-4pm and By Appointment
To
6 Burning Tree Cellars 1040 N Main Street - Cottonwood (928) 649-TREE (8733) burningtreecellars.com Sun-Thurs: 12-6 Fri-Sat: 12-9
10 Alcantara Vineyard & Winery 7500 Alcantara Way - Verde Valley (928) 649-8463 alcantaravineyard.com Daily: 11-5
15 Pleasant Valley Winery 4779 Hwy 288 - Young (866) 551-5581 pvwinery.com By Appointment
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14 Art of Wine/Sycamore Canyon 101 N Hwy 89A #B-9 - Sedona (877) 903-WINE bestarizonawines.com Mon-Sat: 10-8 Sun: 10-7
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13 Javelina Leap Vineyard 1565 Page Springs Road - Cornville (928) 649-2681 javelinaleapwinery.com Daily: 11-5
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
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here to eat... There are many great dining choices in Sedona and the Verde Valley. These places cross the spectrum from casual to elegant, something for every palate.
•
Abbie's Kitchen
•
Grapes
• • • • • • • • • •
(928) 634-3300
American Bistro - Cottonwood
(928) 639-8477
American Bistro - Jerome
The Asylum
(928) 639-3197
Haunted Hamburger
(928) 634-0554
L’Auberge de Sedona
Nic's Seafood & Steaks
Open Range Grill & Tavern Raven Cafe
American, with a view - Jerome Burgers - Jerome
(928) 282-1661
Mediterranean - Sedona
(928) 282-0002
Casual Fare - Sedona
(928) 634-9626
Italian - Cottonwood
NicsAZ.com
Taos Cantina
(928) 282-2405
Mexican - Sedona
Crema Cafe
(928) 649-5785
The Tavern Grille
GrapesJerome.com LAuberge.com
Local. Fresh. Bistro - Prescott
(928) 567-7900
AsylumRestaurant.com TheHauntedHamburger.com
(928) 717-0009
Storyteller's at Cliff Castle
AbbiesKitchen.com
(928) 634-6669
OpenRangeSedona.com
RavenCafe.com
American - Camp Verde
CliffCastleCasinoHotel.com TaosCantina.com
Casual Fare - Cottonwood
TheTavernGrille.com
Casual Bistro - Cottonwood
CremaCafe89A.com
Barking Frog Grille
(928) 204-2000
Che Ah Chi at Enchantment
(928) 282-2900
Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante
(928) 282-5219
Elote Cafe
(928) 203-0105
Mai Thai on Main
(928) 649-2999
Cowboy Club
(928) 282-4200
Grill at Shadowrock - Hilton Sedona (928) 284-4040 Heartline Cafe
(928) 282-0785
Mii Amo Cafe at Enchantment
(888) 749-2137
Manzanita Inn
Old Town Red Rooster Café René at Tlaquepaque
(928) 634-8851 (928) 649-8100 (928) 282-9225
Relic's
(928) 282-5670
Up the Creek Grill
(928) 634-9954
Cucina Rustica
Harry's Hideaway
(928) 284-3010
(928) 639-2222
Mesa Grill
(928) 282-2400
Nate's Cowboy Cafe
(928) 639-3838
Picazzo's
(928) 282-4140
Reds at Sedona Rouge
(928) 203-4111
The Vineyard Bistro
(928) 634-2440
Sound Bites Grill
(928) 282-2713
A comprehensive list of dining in the area is available on our website.
W
hat else is there to do... The Verde Valley is full of fun things to do from kayaking down the Verde River to flying in a
helicopter over the red rocks of Sedona! Here are a few of our favorite things to do when visiting Northern Arizona's wine country. Find out more at ArizonaVinesAndWines.com... click on "Wine Country - Things to Do." •
The Horn Saloon
Taste Arizona wines, shop Arizona made products. Located in Uptown Sedona. (928) 282-0707
•
Out of Africa
Sedona Olive Oil
•
Rendezvous in Old Town
•
Sedona Adventure Tours
•
Made In Arizona
•
“Water to Wine Tour” & Assorted Wine Tours (928) 204-6440 | SedonaAdventureTours.com
Gourmet olive oil and balsamic tasting (928) 282-1887
Nice selection of craft brews & fine wine in Camp Verde. Check out their wines on tap! (928) 567-7229 | TheHornSaloon.com An exciting and new view of wildlife (928) 567-2840 | OutOfAfricaPark.com Where the locals go... live music, local beer & wine (928) 634-3777 | RIOTCottonwood.com
•
Verde Canyon Railroad
Wine 101 along the rails! (877) 800-7325 | VerdeCanyonRR.com
WEEKLY LIVE MUSIC
Every weekend check out their schedules online... Pillsbury Wine Company, Arizona Stronghold, Page Springs Cellars, Burning Tree Cellars and Crema Cafe
Need a ride to wine country? From Phoenix or in Sedona/Verde Valley? Call AZ Wine Tours Travel in Style and Comfort in their Luxurious Limo (480) 528-2834 | AZWineTours.com
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Where to stay in Northern Arizona. Here's a select list of B&Bs, RV resorts, hotels and high end resorts. Also check out Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce at CottonwoodChamberAZ.org for additional ideas. Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
(800) 524-6343
Camp Verde
Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa
(928) 284-4040
Village of Oak Creek
L’Auberge de Sedona
(928) 282-1661
Uptown Sedona
Jerome Grand Hotel
(888) 817-6788
Jerome
The Orchards Inn of Sedona
(928) 282-2405
Uptown Sedona
Prescott Spring Hill Suites
(928) 776-0998
Prescott
Marriott.com/prcsh
Prescott Residence Inn
(928) 775-2232
Prescott
Marriott.com/prcri
The Tavern Hotel
(928) 639-1669
Old Town Cottonwood
TheTavernHotel.com
Page Springs Wine Country
SSGuestHouse.com
Sycamore Springs Guest Houses (928) 300-6813 Whispering Pines B&B
(928) 443-1429
Just outside Prescott
CliffCastleCasino.net HiltonSedona.com LAuberge.com JeromeGrandHotel.com OrchardsInn.com
WhisperingPinesBB-AZ.com
Adobe Grand Villas
AdobeGrandVillas.com
Adobe Hacienda B&B Inn
Adobe-Hacienda.com
Adobe Village Graham Inn
AdobeVillageGrahamInn.com
Alma de Sedona
AlmaDeSedona.com
Baby Quail Inn
BabyQuailInn.com
Canyon Villa Inn of Sedona
CanyonVilla.com
Casa Sedona B&B Inn
CasaSedona.com
Cottonwood Hotel
CottonwoodHotel.com
Cozy Cactus B&B
CozyCactus.com
Enchantment Resort
EnchantmentResort.com
Flying Eagle Country B&B
FlyingEagleCountry.com
Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge
GarlandsLodge.com
Hyatt Piñon Pointe Resort
HyattPinonPointe.Hyatt.com
The Inn on Oak Creek
InnOnOakCreek.com
Junipine Resort
Junipine.com
Kokopelli Suites
KokopelliSuites.com
A comprehensive list of lodging is available on our website.
Las Posadas of Sedona Lo Lo Mai Springs Los Abrigados Mii Amo Spa at Enchantment Red Agave Resort Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa
LasPosadasOfSedona.com LoLoMai.com DiamondResorts.com MiiAmo.com RedAgaveResort.com SedonaRouge.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 5100 ft. elevation, 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. 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 donates $0.10 to the American Cancer Society for every bottle of wine sold. Please visit the website at RanchoRossa.com to learn more.
Wilhelm Family Vineyards In 2003, Kevin and Karyl Wilhelm bought 20 beautiful acres of rolling Sonoita-Elgin wine-growing land to begin their winemaking dream. Today Wilhelm Family Vineyards is planted with seven different varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Tempranillo and Albariño. Other Spanish and Rhone varietals are currently being explored. Along with their wines, the Wilhelm’s 6000 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 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.
Dos Cabezas WineWorks Dos Cabezas WineWorks has been producing wines in Arizona since 1995. Their award-winning wines have even been served at the White House. The winery was originally located on 80 acres near Willcox, Arizona. Just after the harvest of 2006, winemaker Todd Bostock purchased the winery with the help of his wife Kelly and his parents Frank and Paula. The winery was moved to Sonoita, close to the vineyard the family planted in Elgin in 2003 - Pronghorn Vineyards. They have since opened a tasting room at the winery and look forward to seeing you there soon! Visit them at DosCabezasWinery.com.
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
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 CallaghanVineyards.com.
Kief-Joshua Vineyards Kief-Joshua Vineyards is a small family business on 20 acres in beautiful Elgin. The first planting was in 2003 and currently they have about 10 acres under vine, consisting of eight different varieties: Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Riesling, Semillon and Viognier. The winemaker, Kief Manning, pursued viticulture studies in Australia, where he earned both a graduate and undergraduate degree in Viticulture and Enology. He practices traditional winemaking methods of minimal interference, open fermentation and barrel aging. He has also been practicing biodynamic growing procedures in the vineyard since 2006. Kief-Joshua Vineyards is a winery defined by family, passion and enthusiasm, with a commitment to winemaking that exceeds expectations. KJ-Vineyards.com. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Flying Leap Vineyards
Sonoita Vineyards
Flying Leap Vineyards is Arizona’s newest domestic winery. With developed acreages in both the Sonoita AVA and Cochise County, Flying Leap offers a diverse portfolio of ultra premium, carefully crafted wines from tasting rooms at its estate vineyard on Elgin Road along the Sonoita Wine Trail and its newest tasting room in historic downtown Willcox (opening this spring). Flying Leap’s 2011 vintage was handcrafted by Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards, one of Arizona’s most experienced and respected winemakers. Come experience the scenic beauty of southern Arizona wine country – fun and informative vineyard tours shown by appointment – call (520) 954-2935 or visit the website FlyingLeapVineyards.com.
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 SonoitaVineyards.com for more info.
Charron Vineyards Charron Vineyards is a small family owned winery producing hand crafted Arizona wines, located just 30 minutes from downtown Tucson. Charron Vineyards is Tucson’s closest winery, en-route to both the Sonoita and Willcox wine trails. Established in 1995 Charron Vineyards produces six distinctive wines including their award-winning White Merlot. The vineyard currently grows Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Tempranillo with a new vineyard being planned. Visitors can enjoy spectacular mountain views from the tasting room deck set amid mature vineyards. The tasting room is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm. Please visit the website for more information. CharronVineyards.com
Hops & Vines Arizona Hops and Vines, Sonoita's newest winery, is conveniently located right on Highway 82, just a mile east of the intersection of Highways 82 and 83. A small family winery that is awesome. The vineyard is the perfect setting to enjoy a glass of wine while relaxing on the beautiful patio overlooking the vines. Sisters Shannon and Megan and their business partner Summer have worked hard to create a fun atmosphere for the whole family. Taste their passion in their craft wines, and ask about the hops. This is a must-see, find out what all the buzz is about! Find out more on Facebook or on their website at AZHopsAndVines.com.
Lightning Ridge Cellars
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Photo by MichellJonasPhotography.com
(detail)
To Tu c
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1 Charron Vineyards 18585 South Sonoita Hwy (520) 762-8585 charronvineyards.com Fri–Sun: 10-6
8
2 Dos Cabezas WineWorks 3248 Hwy 82 (520) 455-5141 doscabezaswinery.com Thurs–Sun: 10:30-4:30 3 Hops & Vines 3450 Hwy 82 (520) 955-4249 azhopsandvines.com Fri-Sun: 10-6
7 Flying Leap Vineyards 342 Elgin Road (520) 954-2935 flyingleapvineyards.com Daily: 11-4
4 Wilhelm Family Vineyards 21 Mountain Ranch Drive (520) 455-9291 wilhelmfamilyvineyards.com Daily: 11-5
8 Kief-Joshua Vineyard 370 Elgin Road (520) 455-5582 kiefjoshuavineyards.com Daily: 11-5
5 Rancho Rossa Vineyards 32 Cattle Ranch Lane (520) 455-0700 ranchorossa.com Fri–Sun: 10:30-3:30
9 Sonoita Vineyards 290 Elgin Canelo Road (520) 455-5893 sonoitavineyards.com Daily: 10-4
6 Callaghan Vineyards 336 Elgin Road (520) 455-5322 callaghanvineyards.com Thurs–Sun: 11-4
10 Lightning Ridge Cellars 2368 Hwy 83 (520) 455-5383 lightningridgecellars.com Fri-Sun: 11-4
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
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W
here to eat... You’ll find everything from pizza-
here to stay . . . When traveling to wine country it’s a great
idea to make a weekend of it and have time to enjoy the area you are visiting. Here are some great places to stay while visiting your favorite wineries in Sonoita.
Sonoita/Elgin La Hacienda de Sonoita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5308 HaciendaSonoita.com
Sonoita Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5935 SonoitaInn.com
Canelo Stone Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (303) 384-0471 VRBO.com/90775
Casita Dole Che . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5687 CasitaDoleChe.com
Crown C Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5739 CrownCRanch.com
Whisper’s Ranch Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-9246 WhispersRanch.com
Xanadu Ranch Getaway Guest Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-0050 XanaduRanchGetaway.com
Patagonia Roadrunner Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 455-0220 RoadrunnerRetreat.zoomshare.com
Spirit Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (866) 394-0121
to-go to fine dining. Here are a few choices. Keep in mind that only a few of the wineries serve food - so plan ahead, bring some sandwiches and have a picnic! •
The Steakout Restaurant & Saloon . . . (520) 455-5205
•
Cose Buone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-0010
•
Home Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2344
• • • • • •
Gathering Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2097 Ranch House Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5371 The Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5044 Velvet Elvis Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2102 Viaggio Italiano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 455-5282 Wagon Wheel Restaurant & Saloon . . . (520) 394-2433
W
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...
SpiritTreeInn.com
Square Top Alpacas - (520) 455-4600
Casita Frontera Guest Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 604-6762
LaFronteraAZ.com/id60.html
Circle Z Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2525 CircleZ.com
Cross Creek Cottages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 400-7230 Dos Palmas Vacation Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (866) 394-0056 DosPalmasAZ.com
The Duquesne House Bed & Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2732 TheDuquesneHouse.com
The Enchanted Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 604-0070
Meet an alpaca! SquareTopRanch.com
Sonoita Limo - (520) 954-5314 Have someone else do the driving! SonoitaLimo.com
Or visit the artist's community of Tubac, about an hour's drive from Patagonia
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 RedMtnCottage.com
Studio Gallery & Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 394-2978
Santa Cruz County A Room With A View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 397-9297 PatagoniaView.com
Hacienda Corona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 287-6503 HaciendaCorona.com
Tubac Golf Resort & Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (520) 398-2211 TubacGolfResort.com
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ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
83
82
Sand-Reckoner
Zarpara Vineyard
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 and Zinfandel. Tastings are offered at their Willcox winery location by appointment. Sand-Reckoner.com.
Enjoy outstanding wine among the vines at Zarpara Vineyard. Visit the first tasting room on the Willcox Bench – an Arizona premier wine growing region, located just a few minutes south of historic downtown Willcox. Slow down, relax and savor the moment with a glass of wine in hand. Experience breathtaking views of the Dos Cabezas Mountains while you sample their first releases. They also feature carefully selected, hand-crafted and hard-to-find wines from our Willcox Wine Country neighbors. Stop by Zarpara Vineyard – your new Arizona wine destination. Zarpara.com
Keeling Schaefer Vineyards At 5000 feet above sea level, the summer climate of warm, sunny days and cool, high desert nights combine with the unique rhyolite volcanic soils to create wine with special characteristics. They produce estate grown and bottled wine on 21 acres of vineyards located on Rock Creek on the western slope of the Chiricahua Mountains in far southeastern Arizona. They 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, they do accept visitors by appointment. Visit their tasting room in Historic Downtown Willcox. They are open Thursday - Sunday 11am-5pm. (520) 824-2500 or KeelingSchaeferVineyards.com.
Lawrence Dunham Vineyards They create hand-crafted wines that reflect the unique characteristics of southeastern Arizona. Their philosophy of winemaking is to select the perfect varietals and let nature do its magic with as little intervention as possible, letting the fruit speak for itself. Rhone varietals flourish in the volcanic soils of the 5000 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 terroir." Visit this magical place and experience the unique wines of the Lawrence Dunham Vineyards. Go to LawrenceDunhamVineyards.com or call (602) 320-1485 to join the Chiricahua Circle or wine club, purchase their wines, arrange for a visit or attend an upcoming event. Wine tasting by appointment only.
50
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
Cimarron In the shadow of the Chiricahua Mountains at 4300 ft., lies the fertile Kansas Settlement farmland. Oregon Pinot Noir 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 wines are available through the tasting room at Dos Cabezas WineWorks in Sonoita and select Arizona wine stores and restaurants.
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 their young wines and enjoy sharing them with 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. They eagerly anticipate future wines produced from their developing vineyard blocks that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Visit their website at GoldenRuleVineyards.com to learn more about the wines and vineyard operation. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Carlson Creek Carlson Creek Vineyard is dedicated to the production of fine wine from Arizona. Carlson Creek is a family owned and operated vineyard. Although a young company, they are filled with a passion for the grapevine. The vineyard’s elevation provides a perfect climate for growing wine grapes. Visit Carlson Creek Vineyard and discover this great new vineyard and stop by their Willcox tasting room located near Historic Railroad Park. Learn more by checking out the website at CarlsonCreek.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. We have sweet table wines, exciting blends, including gold-medal sparkling wine Dolce Veritas, plus fine varietals including Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. El Pinito vineyard and their Tapas Lounge, which offers the perfect setting to enjoy wine and appetizers with a few friends, or hold a large private event or wedding. Coronado Vineyards and their warm inviting staff can ensure 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. CoronadoVineyards.com
Flying Leap Vineyards Flying Leap Vineyards is Arizona’s newest domestic winery. With developed acreages in both the Sonoita AVA and Cochise County, Flying Leap offers a diverse portfolio of ultra premium, carefully crafted wines from tasting rooms at its estate vineyard on Elgin Road along the Sonoita Wine Trail and its newest tasting room in historic downtown Willcox (opening this spring). Flying Leap’s 2011 vintage was handcrafted by Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards, one of Arizona’s most experienced and respected winemakers. Come experience the scenic beauty of southern Arizona wine country – fun and informative vineyard tours shown by appointment – call (520) 954-2935 or visit the website FlyingLeapVineyards.com.
W
here to eat... • •
•
W
•
Tapas & Wine Lounge.................................. (520) 384-2993 At Coronado Vineyards - overlooking the vines Thurs & Wed opening at 5pm/All day on Sat & Sun 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... •
View local fine art at TRUST the gallery | WillcoxTrust.com
•
Visit Chiricahua National Monument | NPS.gov/chir/
•
Amerind Foundation Museum | Amerind.org
•
• • •
Apple Annie’s (seasonal) | AppleAnnies.com
Kartchner Caverns State Park | (520) 586-2283
Hike Cochise Stronghold | CochiseStronghold.com
Tour the Rex Allen Museum | RexAllenMuseum.org
W
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 SunglowRanch.com
•
Cochise Stronghold B&B CochiseStrongholdBB.com Dos Cabezas Spirit & Nature Retreat B&B DosCabezasRetreat.com Down By The River Bed & Breakfast DownByTheRiverBandB.com (St. David) Dreamcatcher Bed & Breakfast DreamCatcherBandB.com Muleshoe Ranch @ Nature Conservancy (520) 212-4295 Strawbale Manor Bed & Breakfast BBOnline.com/AZ/Strawbale Triangle T Guest Ranch TriangleTGuestRanch.com
• • • • • •
1
Kansas Settlement Road to Arzberger Road East to Lucky Lane, follow signs
6 Zarpara Vineyard 6777 S. Zarpara Lane (602) 885-8903 zarpara.com Friday – Sunday 11-5
From I-10 exit 344 Follow signs to Tasting Room
5 Coronado Vineyards 2909 E. Country Club Drive (520) 384-2993 coronadovineyards.com Mon-Wed: 9:30-5:30 Thurs: 9:30-8 Fri-Sat: 9:30-9 Sunday: 10-4
By Appointment Only
8 Lawrence Dunham Vineyards 13922 S. Kuykendall Cutoff Road (602) 320-1485 lawrencedunhamvineyards.com
7 Keeling Schaefer Vineyards 10277 E. Rock Creek Lane (520) 824-2500 keelingschaefervineyards.com By Appointment Only
Southeastern Arizona Wine Tour
For Downtown Willcox Tasting Rooms From I-10 take exit 340 Right on Rex Allen Drive Right on N. Haskell Ave. Left on E. Maley St. (Hwy 186)
1 Sand-Reckoner 130 S. Haskell Avenue (303) 931-8472 sand-reckoner.com By Appointment Only 2 Flying Leap Vineyards 105 N. Railroad Avenue (520) 954-2935 flyingleapvineyards.com Opening this spring 3 Keeling Schaefer Tasting Room 154 N. Railroad Avenue (520) 766-0600 keelingschaefervineyards.com Thursday – Sunday 11-5 4 Carlson Creek Tasting Room 115 Railview Avenue (520) 766-3000 carlsoncreek.com Open Daily 11-5
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
54
ONGOING EVENTS
Javelina Leap Vineyards - Fridays & Saturdays: 11am-3pm "From Berry to Bottle" Educational Winery Tours - JavelinaLeapWinery.com Granite Creek Vineyards - Saturdays: 1pm-4pm "Saturday Music & Picnic Series" - GraniteCreekVineyards.com
LIVE MUSIC IN THE TASTING ROOMS
Friday Nights: Arizona Stronghold - Page Springs Cellars - Burning Tree Cellars Saturday Nights: Pillsbury Wine Company - Page Springs Cellars - Burning Tree Cellars
MARCH EVENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Saturdays 7pm Latin Passport Dinner Series - This Month: Nicaragua (Every Saturday) ProvinceRestaurant.com 3/1-3 10am-5pm Carefree Wine & Art Festival ThunderbirdArtists.com 3/2 11pm-4pm Wine, Woman and Horses Event ChildCrisisCenter.com 3/2 2pm-6pm The Great Arizona 25th Anniversary Beer Festival AZBeer.com/tempe.htm 3/2 7pm-11pm Rock The Zoo PhoenixZoo.org/RocktheZoo/ 3/6-7 7pm Arizona Biltmore Winemaker Dinner: Cakebread Cellars ArizonaBiltmore.com 3/8 6pm-10pm Dan Felix Memorial Fund featuring Wilhelm Family Vineyards WilhelmVineyards.com 3/9 1pm Lightning Ridge Cellars 4th Annual Barrel Tasting LightningRidgeCellars.com 3/9-10 9am-5pm Litchfield Part Art & Culinary Festival VermillionPromotions.com 3/9-10 11am-3pm Devoured Culinary Festival DevouredPhoenix.com 3/10 9am Rabbit Island Brunch with FnB: Lawrence Dunham Vineyards Facebook.com/FnBScottsdale 3/12 6:30pm Whole Hog Dinner at FnB FnBRestaurant.com 3/12 6:30pm Swanson Winemaker Dinner at Roka Akor RokaAkor.com 3/15 6pm-9pm Cookies and Cabernet GirlScoutsSOAZ.com/2011/11/cookies-cabernet/ 3/15-17 10am-5pm Fountain Hills Fine Art & Wine Affaire ThunderbirdArtists.com 3/15-17 10am-5pm Sonoran Festival of Fine Art in Carefree VermillionPromotions.com 3/16 Big Ass Reds Barrel Tasting at Lawrence Dunham Vineyards LawrenceDunhamVineyards.com 3/21 6pm Arietta Wine Dinner at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn HermosaInn.com/Lons/ 3/23 4:30pm Blending Seminar with Callaghan Vineyards CallaghanVineyards.com 3/23 Alcantara Wine pARTy AlcantaraVineyard.com 3/23 12pm-5pm Zarpara Vineyard "Pick Up Sticks" - a pruning party Zarpara.com Events continued on page 60 Willcox Wine Festival
Devoured 2012
Page Springs Cellars Build-A-Blend
Photos by Rhonni Moffitt
58
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Northern Arizona’s Best Wine & Food Event Saturday, June 8 • 12PM Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill County Park
Experience Opulence Amidst
4th Annual
the COOl POnderOsA Pine FOrests OF
northErn arizona
• ExquisitE intErnational & DomEstic WinEs • aWarD-Winning arizona VintnErs • signaturE culinary crEations by northErn az FinEst rEstaurants • cooking DEmonstrations by cElEbrity chEFs AnnuAl FundrAiser OF Friends OF COCOninO COunty PArks FOr PArks, lAnd COnservAtiOn, vOlunteerism, And reCreAtiOnAl ACtivities
Tickets and info www.pepsiamp.com
Call 928-607-0219 for sponsorship opportunities and vendor information
35TH ANNUA L
SCOTTSDALE C U L I N A R Y F E S T I VA L S I X F U N D AY S O F FOOD W INE + MUSIC
APRIL 9-14 2013
PROUDLY PRESENTED BY
100% of event proceeds fund art and art education programs in Arizona.
S C O T T S D A L E F E S T. O R G 40,000+ PEOPLE
30 CHEFS
6 DAYS
10 EVENTS
TOP TIER SPONSORS AS OF FEBRUARY 2013
20 WINERIES
100 RESTAURANTS
$3.5 MILLION DONATED
SPRING 2013 EVENTS CONTINUED... APRIL EVENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Saturdays 7pm Latin Passport Dinner Series - This Month: Panama (Every Saturday) ProvinceRestaurant.com 4/4 7pm Arizona Biltmore Winemaker Dinner Series: Frog's Leap Winery ArizonaBiltmore.com 4/4 5pm-8pm AZ Wine & Dine AZWineandDine.com 4/5-7 10am-6pm Tempe Festival of the Arts TempeFestivalOfTheArts.com 4/6 1pm Lightning Ridge Cellars Pre-Release Tasting LightningRidgeCellars.com 4/6 Page Springs Cellars Winemaker Dinner at Red Rooster Cafe PageSpringCellars.com 4/9 7pm Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Shaken and Stirred ScottsdaleFest.org 4/10 7pm Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Chocolate and Wine Experience ScottsdaleFest.org 4/11 7pm Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Bubbles and Bliss ScottsdaleFest.org 4/11 6:30pm Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Burger Battle ScottsdaleFest.org 4/12 7pm Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Eat, Drink and Be Pretty ScottsdaleFest.org 4/13 6:30pm Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Chef Wine Dinners ScottsdaleFest.org 4/13 11pm-4pm Lawrence Dunham Vineyards' 5th Anniversary Party LawrenceDunhamVineyards.com 4/13 Verde Valley Wine Symposium VerdeValleyWineConsortium.com 4/13-14 Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Great Arizona Picnic ScottsdaleFest.org 4/14 9am Rabbit Island Brunch with FnB: Pillsbury Wine Co. Facebook.com/FnBScottsdale 4/14 11am Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Wine Country Brunch ScottsdaleFest.org 4/14 6:30pm Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Best of the Fest ScottsdaleFest.org 4/15 2:30pm-7pm Wine, Women and Golf at Mesa Country Club WomenOnCourse.com/events/Golf-Event-phoenix.php 4/16 6:30pm Callaghan Vineyards Wine Dinner at FnB FnBRestaurant.com 4/16 6:30pm E. Guigal Wine Dinner at Roka Akor RokaAkor.com 4/20 4:30pm New Release and Re-release with Callaghan Vineyards CallaghanVineyards.com 4/20 11am-7pm Arizona Barbecue Festival AZBBQFestival.com 4/20-21 11am-5pm Southeast Arizona Wine Growers Festival at Kief-Joshua Vineyards KJ-Vineyards.com 4/23 6:30 Chinese POP UP Beer Dinner at FnB FnBRestaurant.com 4/26 5pm-7pm Keeling Schaefer Wine Tasting at Pastiche KeelingSchaeferVineyards.com 4/27 10am-4pm Sonoita Vineyards Blessing of the Vines Festival SonoitaVineyards.com 4/27 11am-3pm Willcox Wine Country Tasting at AJ's Tucson/Skyline & Campbell WillcoxWineCountry.com 4/27-28 Page Springs Cellars: Build A Blend hosted by Eric Glomski PageSpringCellars.com
MAY EVENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Saturdays 7pm Latin Passport Dinner Series - This Month: El Salvador (Every Saturday) ProvinceRestaurant.com 5/2 7pm Arizona Biltmore Winemaker Dinner: St. Francis Winery ArizonaBiltmore.com 5/3-5 Coronado Vineyards: Experience Wine & Cheese CoronadoVineyards.com 5/4-5 Page Springs Cellars: Build A Blend hosted by John Scarbrough & Matt Rollain PageSpringCellars.com 5/11 11am-5pm AZ Hops and Vines: Annual Bachannal Festival AZHopsandVines.com 5/11-12 4:30pm Blending Seminar with Callaghan Vineyards CallaghanVineyards.com 5/11-12 Prescott Fine Art and Wine Festival PrescottArtFestivals.com/spring.html 5/12 Mother's Day Brunch at Alcantara Vineyard AlcantaraVineyard.com 5/18 11am-6pm Kingman's 3rd Annual Wine & Food Festival KingmanWineFestival.com 5/18-19 10am-5pm Willcox Wine Country Spring Festival WillcoxWineCountry.com 5/21 6:30pm Zuccardi Wine Dinner at Roka Akor RokaAkor.com 5/23 6pm Pillsbury Wine Dinner at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn HermosaInn.com/Lons/ 5/25 11am-5pm Alcantara Vineyard's ZINfest AlcantaraVineyard.com 5/25-26 11am-5pm Memorial Day Weekend at Granite Creek Vineyards GraniteCreekVineyards.com
COMING IN JUNE • 6/ 8 • 6/14-16
60
Flagstaff Wine & Food Festival PepsiAmp.com Arizona Wine Growers Association: Wine Festival in the Pines ArizonaWine.org
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
WINE IN THE CITY - Wine Bars & More PHOENIX - NORTH
Magnum’s Cigar Wine Spirits magnumscigarwineliquor.com (602) 493-8977 Vino 100 vino100phoenix.com (480) 502-8466 Whole Foods Market wholefoodsmarket.com (480) 515-3700
PHOENIX - CENTRAL
32 Shea 32shea.com (602) 867-7432 Bar Bianco pizzeriabianco.com (602) 528-3699 Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails bluehoundkitchen.com (602) 258-0231 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 Chick Rotisserie & Wine Bar chickrotisseriebar.com (602) 396-4690 Compass Lounge phoenix.hyatt.com (602) 252-1234 Del Frisco's Grille delfriscosgrille.com (602) 466-2890 District Kitchen & Wine Bar districtrestaurant.com (602) 817-5400 Duck & Decanter duckanddecanter.com (602) 274-5429 Julia Baker Confections & Wine Bar juliabakerconfections.com (602) 845-4440 O.H.S.O. ohsobrewery.com (602) 955-0358 The Parlor Pizzeria theparlor.us (602) 248-2480 Portland’s portlandsphoenix.com (602) 795-7480 POSTINO arcadia 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 Tertio - A Wine Bar tertiowinebar.com (602) 595-2244 Timo timocentral.com (602) 354-3846 The Wright Bar at the Biltmore arizonabiltmore.com (602) 955-6600
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 Nosh - Chandler nosharizona.com (480) 838-6674 Pesto’s Pizza & Wine Bar - Chandler pestospizza.com (480) 821-0035 Vintage 95 - Chandler vintage95.com (480) 855-9463 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 POSTINO East - Gilbert postinowinecafe.com (480) 632-6363 Romeo’s Euro Cafe - Gilbert eurocafe.com (480) 962-4224 Warren's Jazz Bistro - Gilbert warrenjazzbistro.com (480) 899-5299 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
5th & Wine 5thandwine.com (480) 699-8001 Armitage Bistro armitagewine.com (480) 502-1641 AZ Wine Co. azwineco.com (480) 423-9305 Baratin baratinrestaurant.com (480) 425-9463 Cafe Forte cafeforte.com (480) 994-1331 Casablanca Lounge thecasablancalounge.com (480) 970-7888 Cask 63 cask63.com (480) 922-5666 Crust Pizza & Wine Cafe crustrestaurants.com (480) 948-3099 Davanti Enoteca davantiscottsdale.com (480) 659-1800 Flight Lounge flightloungaz.com (480) 717-6000 Grazie Pizzeria (Old Town) grazie.us (480) 663-9797 Kazimierz World Wine Bar kazbar.net (480) WINE-004 Market Street Kitchen marketstreetkitchen.com (480) 278-7044 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 Voila French Bistro and Wine Bar voilabistroaz.com (480) 614-5600
WEST VALLEY
Grazie Pizzeria - Buckeye grazie.us (623) 853-1717 Ground Control - Buckeye & Litchfield Park groundxcontrol.com (623) 935-2604 Old Town Wine & Beer Bar - Glendale otgwinenbeerbar.com (623) 937-9463 The Tasting Room - Peoria tastingroomaz.com (623) 455-4100 ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Arizona’s Largest Selection of Wine, Spirits and Beer Under One Roof – at the Lowest Prices!
Total Wine & More. The selection is ridiculous.® Total Wine & More is like no other wine store you have ever visited. Each of our stores carries over 8,000 different wines, 3,000 spirits and 2,500 beers. With over 85 superstores, we have the buying power to bring you the best wines at the lowest prices. Our wine team is the best trained in the industry. Just think of them as tour guides guiding you through the great wine regions. They are committed and dedicated to bringing you the Total Wine Experience.™
www.totalwine.com
DESERT RIDGE | GILBERT | GLENDALE GOODYEAR | PHOENIX | SCOTTSDALE TEMPE | TUCSON – ORACLE & WETMORE TUCSON – PARK PLACE MALL
3TIME
WINNER
National Retailer of the Year Award
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 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
URBAN WINERIES Studio Vino - Tempe studiovino.com Kokopelli - Chandler kokopelliwinery.com Su Vino - Scottsdale suvinowineryaz.com
(480) 897-1800 (480) 792-6927
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
(480) 994-8466
Bin 239 bin239.com (928) 445-3855 Raven Cafe ravencafe.com (928) 717-0009 The Bistro & Veritas Wine Institute thebistrorh.com (928) 771-2566
VERDE VALLEY
Crema Cafe - Cottonwood cremacafe89a.com (928) 649-5785 Grapes - Jerome grapesjerome.com (928) 639-8477 L’Auberge Wine Bar - Sedona lauberge.com (800) 905-5745 Made In Arizona no website (928) 282-0707 Rendezvous - Cottonwood riotcottonwood.com (928) 634-3777 Sedona Wine & Beer Bar - Sedona no website (928) 301-1692 Tasting AZ - Sedona tastingaz.com (800) 905-5745 The Horn - Camp Verde thehornsaloon.com (800) 827-1160 The Vineyard Bistro - Cottonwood thevineyardbistro.com (928) 234-2440
FLAGSTAFF
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
Quick List of our Wine Bar, Wine Store & Restaurant Advertisers: NORTHERN ARIZONA
PHOENIX VALLEY
64
Abbie's Kitchen (p.37)
Art of Wine (p.69)
The Horn (p.39)
L'Auberge de Sedona (p.3)
Storytellers (p.99)
Tavern Grille (p.98)
5th & Wine (p.65)
Caballero Grill (p.81)
Fired Up Grill (p.79)
Humble Pie (p.79)
Sportsman's Wine (p.64)
Total Wine & More (p.63)
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
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Steak Out (p.47)
Asylum (p.39)
Crema Cafe (p.37)
Made In Arizona (p.15)
Raven Cafe (p.23)
Carrabba's (p.77)
Chop (p.79)
The Living Room (p.65)
Quiessence (p.81)
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DOWNTOWN OCOTILLO 2475 W Queen Creek Rd Chandler, AZ 480.855.2848 LivingRoomWineBar.com
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Discover why Sportsman’s is one of Phoenix’s Foodie Secrets SE Corner of 32nd St. & Camelback • (602) 955-7730 www.sportsmanswine.com
WINE ABOUT TOWN: Tarbell's By Tim Hilcove, WeeklyWineJournal.com
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ost fine dining establishments will have someone on staff to answer specific wine questions. Some places will even have a Society of Wine Educators (CWE) Certified Specialist of Wine or a Court of Master Sommeliers Level 1 on hand to help customers with their wine choices. On a recent “Wine About Town” trip, I learned of a Phoenix-based restaurant that is sending ALL of its waitstaff to the CWE Certified Specialist of Wine training. A couple of years ago, I was invited to the CWE exams held in Phoenix and I saw a firsthand look at how difficult the certification process is. Let’s just say that if you pass, you'll know more than enough to get you through dinner rush at most fine dining establishments. The restaurant I am talking about is none other than Phoenix’s acclaimed Tarbell's. Located at the southeast corner of 32nd Street and Camelback Road, in the heart of the Biltmore District, Tarbell's has been serving customers for over 18 years, which is quite an achievement in and of itself.
There will be a couple of names you recognize and then there are wines that you don't – but should!
Owner and chef, Mark Tarbell, joined us at the dinner table and we seized the opportunity to pick his brain. One of the foundational elements of his restaurant concept is to provide an opportunity to explore wine and food… together. Tarbell's wine list is not the biggest in town; it’s not a large, magical leather-bound book. Rather, it is an opportunity to excite the palate, without overwhelming the decision-making process.
After several suggestions of wines that I had already tried, he suddenly remembered something. "You have to try this, you'll LOVE it!" He suggested the 2009 Arietta "Quartet." This was a fantastic suggestion. The wine was different enough to be interesting, and yet still within the bounds of what I thought would be palatable with steak. The wine is a Bordeauxstyle blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Only 1,100 cases of this wine were produced, so it was a real treat to get a chance to try it. For dessert I had Tarbell's "Beloved Chocolate Mousse" paired with a Taylor Fladgate port. This was another amazing pairing that was impossible to describe other than “sensory overload”—in a good way! The overall sense and sensory experience at Tarbell's is designed to broaden the spectrum of what is possible. The wines are well thought out, and offer a chance to rediscover varietals that you thought you knew. The food and that dessert? You'll have to try it for yourself!
Chef Tarbell pointed out that if you look at the wine list, you will see that there are several different styles of the same wine. There will be a couple of names you recognize and then there are wines that you don't —but should! His carefully selected wine list allows you to experience everything that each varietal has to offer. To start, I decided to try something completely different. If you've read my blog or this column, you've probably noticed a tendency toward California Cabernets (and, of course, a soft spot for Arizona wines). So, to change it up, I went with an inexpensive white wine, a 2008 Picpoul de Pinet Coteaux Du Languedoc. I had enjoyed reds from Languedoc in the past and thought I'd give a white wine from the region a try. It was a nice, light and refreshing wine that went well with the starter salad. And, at $7 a glass, it was an exceptional value. For the main course wine pairing, I decided to enlist the help of General Manager Matt Lockwood. I explained what my usual choices and ‘go-to’ wines were, and that I wanted to try something a little outside the box. Yet, I still wanted to ensure that our bottle was going to pair well with the red meat we were about to order.
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Photos Provided by Tarbell's
3213 E. Camelback Rd-Phoenix
(602) 955-8100
Tarbells.com Tim Hilcove is a local entrepreneur and wine enthusiast.
www.WeeklyWineJournal.com ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
HAPPY HOUR HIGHLIGHT Calistro California Bistro
Article & Photos by Christina Barrueta
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alistro California Bistro, located in Hilton Village is a cozy neighborhood spot with a welcoming bar and an enclosed sunny front patio, perfect for relaxing at the end of the day. Happy Hour here runs from 3 to 7 p.m. daily, and features the entire bar menu for half-price (everything is made from scratch), $3 select beers and well cocktails, $7 wines by the glass with house wine for only $5, and $5 cocktails from the creative Signature list. Order a drink and snack on bargain Happy Hour choices such as hummus sprinkled with tangy sumac and served with grilled pita ($4), salads—Caesar or House with lemon vinaigrette—for $3, hand-cut fries with housemade ketchup ($2), baked Crow’s Dairy goat cheese garnished with piperade and chimichurri ($5), or two hearty tacos ($5). The BBQ burger, a fan favorite, combines top sirloin and filet ground in-house, layered with aged cheddar and caramelized onions on rosemary ciabatta and served with Medjool date BBQ sauce—a steal at $5. Two personal favorites are the sweet potato croquettes or Calistro Flatbread. At Happy Hour, $2 brings you a bowl filled with crispy cinnamon-scented sweet potato nuggets accompanied by an herb-flecked citrus crema dipping sauce. Calistro Flatbread ($5) is just as tasty, topped with house tomato jam, fresh mozzarella, herb pesto and a chiffonade of fresh basil. A special Weekly Flatbread is also offered for $7. In the past, creative choices have included shaved pastrami with Fontina and portabella mushrooms, the Mexi-Medi with ground beef, olives, spinach and feta, or short-rib barbecue with spicy Serrano chiles. Being a cocktail lover, I’m impressed with the menu here, created by Wayne Roemhildt. Although Wayne has since left Calistro, Rosemary Pear Martini cocktails continue to be high caliber thanks to Joel Tingle. For $5, you can order up a Calistro Cosmopolitan, a Cosmo-variation dressed up with ginger and peach liqueurs, a refreshing French 76 with Junipero gin, elderflower liqueur, orange bitters and sparkling wine, or a spiced rum Barbados Punch. Fellow Moscow Mule or Gin Buck fans will want to try the Big Buck, made with Jameson’s, The King’s Ginger liqueur and Fever-Tree ginger beer. I especially like the herbal notes in the Rosemary Pear Martini boasting rosemary and pear-infused vodka, pear brandy and lemon bitters, decorated with a fresh rosemary sprig and lemon knot. As a bourbon fan, it’s hard to pass up the Chef ’s Manhattan with Medjool-date infused bourbon, Carpano Antica and local AZ Bitters Lab Figgy Pudding Bitters. Five dollars? Yes, please. I have to mention that Joel has his own concoctions brewing and I recently tried his fantastic pumpkin puree warmed with nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and allspice. It’s not on the Happy Hour menu, but if you’re lucky, you’ll get to try his Pumpkin Pisco, which uses this star ingredient along with Pisco, allspice-infused cognac and Aztec chocolate bitters. Enjoy a burger and a well-crafted Manhattan for $10, or sweet potato croquettes and a Big Buck for a $7 treat. Calistro California Bistro is my kind of affordable neighborhood Happy Hour. Sweet Potato Croquettes
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BBQ Burger
Manhattan
French 76
Hilton Village 6107 N. Scottsdale Road
(480) 656-5244 Lunch: 11-3 Early Dinner Prix Fixe: Daily 3-5:30 Dinner: Daily 3-Close Happy Hour: Daily 3-7
CalistroBistro.com Calistro Flatbread
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GETTING SPIRITED WITH MICAH Templeton Rye By Micah Olson With the passing of the Eighteenth Amendment, the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages was outlawed. This led many a 1920s rural resident to produce their own bootleg alcohol, thus making them outlaws in the eyes of the law. In one such rural town in Iowa, there was a rye whiskey being distilled that would later be known as “the good stuff.” Although no longer distilled in Iowa, “the good stuff” is now legally produced in Indiana by Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana (LDI), who also produces Bulleit Rye, Redemption and High West. Templeton Rye is a small-batch whiskey, said to be based on a Prohibition-era recipe that was a favorite of Al Capone, and was even rumored to have been smuggled into Alcatraz for him. Rye whiskeys were the dominant whiskey in America until Prohibition basically killed them off. When Prohibition ended, new distilleries moved in to make bourbon which, because of its higher corn content, was cheaper to produce and a touch sweeter. Ryes are typically known for their fruit notes and fiery herbal spiciness. Templeton smells of vanilla, spicy cinnamon, banana and little hint of wintergreen at the end. The whole time the bouquet teeters from almost sweet to spicy. When first consumed, you get a big wallop of spice in the form of black pepper. Then the spicy palate gets toned down by a honey and cinnamon component. This is an extremely smooth rye that has roundness and balance that I don’t often associate with rye. This is most likely due to the fact that it is 40 percent alcohol by volume, relatively low for a rye. This allows Templeton to show well when consumed on its own, but it really shines in cocktails like the Boulevardier, Manhattan and Old-Fashioned. One my favorite cocktails is a nineteenth-century drink called the Old-Fashioned, and Templeton Rye makes for a fantastic one. I prefer my Old-Fashioned the original way, with no muddled fruit. Here's the recipe:
Photo by MichellJonasPhotography.com
Old-Fashioned Cocktail 2 oz. Templeton Rye | ½ oz. simple syrup (1:1) | 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters Combine all ingredients in mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for 25 seconds and strain into ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with expressed lemon and orange peel.
As co-owner of Bar Crudo, Micah Olson has compiled a handpicked selection of spirits from craft distilleries. In addition to the well-thought-out spirits, Micah uses farm-to-table ingredients to craft his cocktails with absolute precision.
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BAR
3603 E. Indian School Rd. Suite B - Phoenix Around the back
Tues - Sat 5pm - 10pm CrudoAZ.com
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COCKTAIL CORNER: Rich Heider II Article & Photos by Christina Barrueta
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n this Corner is Rich Heider, the first Phoenix bartender I got to know after moving from Boston, and I’m happy to say we’ve been friends ever since. Rich was born in Hawaii, but spent much of his youth in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area; he attended the University of Maryland and then moved to Cleveland, OH before settling in Arizona in 2007. He entered the business by working at Dave & Busters before moving on to J & G Steakhouse at the Phoenician, then Devil’s Martini, BLT Steak at the JW Marriott Camelback and Casablanca Lounge in Scottsdale. You can now find him shaking and stirring at Market Street Kitchen in DC Ranch. I first met Rich when he was at J & G, which at that time had consulted with Employees Only of New York (well-known for its mixology). Friendly and knowledgeable, I recall Rich suggesting oysters to pair with my Yellow Jacket cocktail (Partida reposado tequila, yellow Chartreuse, St. Germaine, Prosecco and orange bitters). He was right… I was impressed… and I’ve been a fan ever since.
Spiced Pear
The best part of working at Market Street Kitchen is… the bar crowd. Everyone has been great, the bar is always full and people are starting to get more adventurous and let me make them new cocktails. I thoroughly enjoy working with my buddy Matt Taylor and Chef Robert [McGrath] as well. On a hot summer day… I want something refreshing: beer, bubbles, rum/gin cocktails or a combination of these together. On a cool winter day… I want bourbon and Chartreuse hot chocolates! At the end of my shift… it’s a great time to try something new, or I’ll have a whiskey or Chartreuse. My favorite spirit is… Chartreuse, and I have the tattoo to prove it! Spirit genre would be whiskey or gin. Cocktails I wish more people would order? I wish more people would order cocktails that pair with their course (aperitif, digestif, etc.) and what they're eating. Last Words, Sidecars and Boulevardiers would be my specific cocktails to order more of.
Boulevardier
I love when a guest… tells me what they want to eat, what kind of experience they want and allows me to create cocktail and food pairings to show them the experience they’re looking for. That's what I'm good at, and that's what they’re paying for. My favorite thing about working behind a bar is… the camaraderie. The synergy we had at Casablanca will always be my standard; it was amazing. If I wasn't bartending… I would be doing some sort of corporate training and education, or I might become a beach bum.
Martinez
Favorite spot for a cocktail in Phoenix? I go wherever the best bartenders are. Bar Crudo is one of my favorites, along with Citizen Public House. I have a ton of respect for Micah [Olson]. He's at the top of his game and doing his own thing at Bar Crudo. Richie [Moe] and his crew at CPH are always innovative and pushing the envelope. And the one trait they both share is that they’re amazing and gracious hosts. You’ll always have a good experience to match the food and cocktails. Explore Rich's favorites for yourself: Bar Crudo - BarCrudo.com Citizen Public House - CitizenPublicHouse.com
You’ll find Rich at:
Market Street Kitchen 20825 N Pima Road Scottsdale
(480) 278-7044 MarketStreetKitchen.com
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LOVE AT FIRST BITE
AZ Bitters Lab: A Bitters Journey Becomes a Sweet Adventure By Rachel Ellrich Miller
Since then, I’ve operated on the impression that bitters are… well… bitter! And that I should avoid drinks with them at all costs. When I met Bill and Lillian Buitenhuys last year, they told me they were making bitters. My mind immediately jumped to the scary bitters drink that Simon threw back. Not good. A vial each of AZ Bitters Lab’s Más Mole and Figgy Pudding somehow made their way to my kitchen. One whiff of those bitters and all my senses perked up. What are these warm, spiceinfused liquids that make my mouth water? What are bitters? Bitters are similar to an extract, such as vanilla, almond, etc. They are high-proof alcohol that is infused or distilled with herbs, barks, roots and/or fruit. They were first used in the 1800s as a medicinal cure for seasickness and stomach maladies. Sailors would take the bitters, but due to their unpleasant bitter taste, they would mix their “medicine” into their rum. Now considered digestifs, rather than medicines, the artisan cocktail resurgence has helped to create an explosion of new creative bitters. It’s also a very secretive business, partly because each type of bitters requires a unique process to make it. But the basics are simple… “It's an infusion,” Bill enlightens. “So you take a bunch of stuff, throw it in a vat, put in liquor and you infuse it. Some people do it all in one bucket. Some people do different parts and blend them together. Some people will take all the dregs out of the first batch and make a tea out of it, and then use that to dilute it down.”
“We’d sit at the bar. Our food would come out, and Richie [Moe, of Citizen Public House] would say, ‘I can make something to go with that,’” Bill says. “He’d come up with these creations and he’d pull out these little bottles. Tobacco-infused something-or-other, or lavender he-just-got-in. The flavors would all meld together with the food. It was phenomenal. So we started talking more and more to Richie about what he was doing. We thought, well… we can try it at home. We like to eat. Let’s come up with flavors we like to go with foods we want to eat.” Slowly, the Buitenhuyses started to experiment with their own bittersmaking at home. Taking their housemade experiments to local bartender friends for guidance, they began to refine and define the flavors that would become their first two commercial bitters. “We would experiment and then bring them to Valley bartenders we knew, and they’d give us their feedback. ‘Instead of cocoa powder, use cocoa nibs.’ We kept getting tips. Kept refining and refining. For Figgy and Mole we went through eight to ten trial versions. We brought them in and they’d say, ‘Oh, this is good!’ and then they started using them. It gave us more confidence in what we were doing.” How does one use bitters? And what do they do to your cocktail, exactly?
“People say bitters are like the salt and pepper of a cocktail, that they taste flat without them. You don’t want them to be too obtrusive. You don’t want them to take over the cocktail, but you want to give to it… like salt would give to food.”
Bill and Lillian began their journey to bitters through their love of fine wine. Dining out, as well as cooking at home, in Boston, they became wellversed at pairing food and wine. Once they moved to Phoenix, they became intrigued by bitters and switched their pattern up a little;
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they began to switch out wine and instead enjoyed handcrafted cocktails paired with their meals.
Photo by Rachel Miller
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y first experience with bitters involved Simon, a Canadian business associate of my parents. After installing a piece of equipment, we took him to dinner, where he proceeded to order club soda and bitters. I tasted it… disgusting!
ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
Bill explains the comparison in that bitters are similar to the salt a chef uses to enhance a dish. “People say bitters are like the salt and pepper of cocktails, that they taste flat without them. You don’t want them to be too obtrusive. You don’t want them to take over the cocktail, but you want to give to it… like salt would give to food.”
While sitting down for a cocktail comparison with the Buitenhuyses, I tasted a cocktail with bitters and one without. With each mixture, I found that the cocktail with bitters had greater depth. They extended the flavor of the cocktail, enhancing the beautiful spirits that were expertly included.
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Photo proivded by Bill Buitenhuys
Photo proivded by Bill Buitenhuys
Bill and Lillian Buitenhuys
The passion that the Buitenhuyses have for bitters, and the subsequently enhanced cocktails that are produced, vibrates through their world, encompassing their friends’ home bars and the greater local craft cocktail community. Now that their bitters are available online, as well as a few select stores, what’s next for AZ Bitters Lab? Short-term plans involve introducing a new flavor: Orange Sunshine. Long-term plans include working on licensing from the federal government so that they can sell their bitters across state lines. Here’s my advice: Enhance your cocktails. Add a flavor band to your next cocktail party. Buy some AZ Bitters Lab bitters. Rachel Ellrich Miller is a pastry chef and food writer living in the Phoenix area. Check out her blog at CroissantInTheCity.com and, coming soon, her online pastry store at PistolWhippedPastry.com.
AZ Bitters Lab can be found online, for shipment in the state of Arizona, at AZBittersLab.com. Locally, you can pick some up at The Urban Table at JAM in Old Town Scottsdale, and Wedge and Bottle in Ahwatukee. To taste their bitters in a cocktail, visit Pig & Pickle, Last Drop at Lon’s, Citizen Public House, Bar Crudo, Mabel’s on Main and Calistro Bistro.
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MEET THE CHEF: Jesse Hansen Fast Lane Chef, Slow Food Flavors
By Amy Martin, PhoenixBites.com, Editor in Chief
My favorite chefs are those who keep it simple. Located at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, you’ll find a chef who appreciates classic comfort food as much as I do. Jesse Hansen’s love of all-American, no-fuss dishes makes him the perfect leader for their newest restaurant Proof. As Executive Sous Chef, his role begs his attention all around the 210-room resort, as he assists with all aspects of food and beverage operation including Talavera, Onyx Bar & Lounge, banquets and in-casita dining. The easygoing, energetic chef loves taking road trips across the country and, for him, mapping out his culinary stops along the way is just as important as his destination. You’ll find a few lively details at Proof that are undoubtedly the product of Chef Hansen’s personality, including the license plate beverage menu covers (a playful nod to his love of travel), as well as the unusually fun auto-mechanic chef uniforms.
and-a-half years, but his tenure with Four Seasons is much longer. After completing culinary instruction in his hometown of Santa Barbara, California, he joined Four Seasons in 1997, at the Four Seasons Resort— The Biltmore Santa Barbara. Ironically, Chef Mel Mecinas played a role in hiring him at that resort… neither of them knowing they would meet and work together again 16 years later at the Scottsdale property. After nearly four years at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara, Hansen transferred to San Francisco, then Toronto, Ontario, and eventually landed here. He enjoys working with ethnic flavors and mastering different cuisines from all around the world. In his current role, he has to have a diverse culinary background, because one day he might be cooking Tex-Mex and then the next be catering Indian fare for a wedding. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale
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fter a long day, is there any meal more satisfying than comfort food? I’ve said it many times—my favorite dishes are those that remind me of childhood and meals that bring back a treasured memory or feeling. Think, for a moment, about your warmest food memories. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a picture of a heaping scoop of creamy mashed potatoes drenched in gravy and perhaps a plate of your mama’s fried chicken or country fried steak in your head. Comfort food is simple and you don’t have to own cowboy boots or a hound dog to appreciate it.
His love of cooking began at a very young age. When Jesse grew up, his mother was a vegetarian so, as he says, if he wanted to eat well, he had to learn to make it for himself. His mother acknowledged his early passion for flavors and cooking, and encouraged him to pursue his interests in culinary school. He remembers fondly when he mastered his mom’s infamous spinach lasagna; it was one of his first proud moments in the kitchen as a child.
Jesse Hansen’s love of all-American, no-fuss dishes makes him the perfect leader for their newest restaurant Proof.
Chef Hansen is an enthusiastic supporter of local farmers, growers and brewers. At Proof, he couples his dedication to using local ingredients (and beverages) wherever possible with archetypal American flavors. You might find an entrée of succulent Beer-Can Chicken paired with colorful, seasonal vegetables from Arizona’s backyard. Classic dishes are elevated and reinvented without losing their integrity. At home, Chef Hansen and his wife mostly create light and healthy dishes, so don’t fret about ordering the Chicken Fried Buffalo at Proof… you are sure to get a hefty side of veggies! Salad selections shouldn’t be passed up either as they are anything but ordinary. You’ll find local ingredients all throughout the resort’s menus from vendors including Sunizona Family Farms, Maya’s Farms, Black Mesa Ranch, Queen Creek Olive Mill and Cedar River Beef. Chef Hansen has been with the Scottsdale resort for over two-
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Outside of the kitchen, Chef Hansen lives life in the fast lane… really— he’s a die-hard fan of fast cars and old hot rods. You’ll often find him working on his 1957 Ford pick-up truck. He says, “It’s lots of fun, but, like my passion for food, it will never be finished.” This need-forspeed chef dreams of building a hot-rod shop combined with a diner to couple his two favorite things. If he’s not in the kitchen or working on his truck, you might find him spending time with his wife and two young daughters—taking his dog for a hike, camping, or road-tripping and searching out secret, hidden spots to eat that you won’t find on a tourist map.
Proof
Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North ProofCanteen.com Amy Martin is Editor-in-Chief of local food blog Phoenix Bites. Read Amy's reviews and other feature articles online. Phoenix Bites is a comprehensive local dining guide providing food enthusiasts the latest news on the culinary scene in Phoenix, Arizona.
PhoenixBites.com ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
RUBEE'S RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT The House at Secret Garden: The Secret is Out
Article by Christina Barrueta / Photos by MichellJonasPhotography.com
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hat took me so long? I repeated this more than once during my first visit to The House at Secret Garden. I was charmed the moment we drove through the decorative gate and pulled into an expansive driveway with a tiered fountain to face a beautiful historic mansion. This hidden gem at the base of South Mountain is surrounded by lush vegetation with towering palms, gardenia hedges, and vibrant bougainvillea and orchid trees. It speaks of history, and there’s a colorful one. Originally known as the Baseline Mansion, it sits on a property homesteaded in the 1920s by Walter Russell Strong, which once included a 300acre citrus orchard. In 1929, construction was started on his stunning Spanish Colonial Revival home. Since then, there have been three owners, and it even sat empty at one time in the 1980s when it became the site of a hippie commune and concert venue for “The Earth Mother Mind Jam.” The 5-acre property was purchased by the present owners in 2003, and developed into an event and wedding venue along with restoration of the landscaping, house and barn, which are now on the Phoenix Historic Register. In 2010, The House at Secret Garden was opened by Pat Christofolo (owner of Santa Barbara Catering Company and now the Farm at South Mountain) and her son Dustin, Chef de Cuisine.
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Step inside and you immediately notice details throughout the intimate rooms such as hand-painted tiles, original cork and wood floors, and the arched plaster ceiling and walls in the main dining room, formerly the home’s living room. There’s also a cozy four-seat bar that leads out to the tranquil flagstone patio with a fireplace and fish pond under the spreading canopy of a carob tree. At night, romantic twinkle lights circle the stately palms and add to the ambiance, and across the way, the Urban Barn hosts monthly music events such as live blues or dancing to Big Band in the Barn. Any one of these settings is a perfect place to start with the Artisan and Farmstead Cheese Board. Choices such as tangy Black Mesa Ranch feta, velvety Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor or Humboldt Fog with its ribbon of organic vegetable ash are accompanied by balsamic figs, dried fruit, toasted nuts and grilled bread. Humble sweet potatoes are given a sophisticated spin by being cut into perfect rounds, dolloped with crème Sweet Potato Planks
Gina's Applewood Smoked Burrata Salad fraiche and capped with a wheel of salty pancetta. Plump PEI mussels steamed with white wine, basil, cherry tomatoes and fennel are served with a thick slice of grilled ciabatta to sop up the delicious sauce. Gina’s Homemade burrata (locally made cheese with mozzarella and cream) is the centerpiece of a lively salad of fresh greens, walnuts and pesto dotted with rosy orbs of watermelon. Arriving covered with a glass dome, wisps of smoke scented with applewood are released when lifted from the cheese. Chef Dustin’s culinary studies in Parma and travels throughout Italy show their influence not only with his sourcing of local and seasonal ingredients, but in one of my favorite appetizers—arancini. Here these Italian fried risotto rice balls are perched on a fan of arugula and served with a mini-carafe of roasted tomato sauce. Continued on page 80 ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
Rubee . . . cont’d Breaking into their crisp bread crumb coating reveals a soft risotto filling and savory stuffing of mushrooms and peppers. The Italian influence also shines in the seasonal pastas made fresh every afternoon. Vegetables and herbs from the garden make Hand Made Potato Gnocchi
Hand Made Pappardelle their way into pillowy gnocchi strewn with zucchini, thyme and mint, bathed in a rich Rainbow Valley mascarpone sauce. Another version finds these potato dumplings enrobed in a luxurious spiced cognac sauce embellished with oven-dried tomatoes and chives. Silky strands of pappardelle are gussied up with the mellow sweetness of roasted fennel and mushrooms, framed by rustic wild-boar sausage, and topped off with airy scoops of Rainbow Valley farmer’s cheese.
Sweet enticements such as Caribbean sweet potato cake with spiced whipped cream, local dates, pistachios and a drizzle of caramel, or house cannoli stuffed with decadent chocolate mousse and showered with powdered sugar are a perfect finale.
Cannoli
To enjoy one of the prettiest al fresco dining spots in Phoenix, take advantage of lunchtime to try a variety of soups, salads and sandwiches. With a menu offering selections from a vegetarian seasonal sandwich (currently roasted eggplant, feta cheese, grilled onions, tomatoes, greens and pepper jam, layered high on nine-grain bread) to a juicy bacon cheeseburger teamed with tomatoes, grilled onions and crunchy romaine, there’s something for everyone. I’m partial, however, to the smoked items. Chef Dustin smokes his brisket for 12 hours and serves his tender, smoky beef packed into a fresh baguette with spicy arugula, tomatoes and white cheddar, and served with crunchy, salty, addictive sweet potato chips. This delicious brisket sometimes also makes an appearance on the Happy Hour menu, as does pulled-pork. His deft technique with smoking is further seen in the beautifully smoked trout filet topped with a quenelle of Black Mesa ranch goat cheese and paired with a heap of garden-fresh greens, thinly sliced fennel, radish coins and a sprinkling of golden raisins graced with Queen Creek balsamic vinaigrette. Another favorite are the polenta fries that arrive stacked Jenga-like, hot and golden. Simple in name, but more complex in execution, the brittle shell gives way to an oh-so-creamy center embellished by dipping into a tangy aioli with a touch of chile warmth.
Other entrees on this eclectic menu may include a juicy grilled New York Strip with mushrooms and glossy demi-glace, lemony chicken with fried rosemary or the fresh catch of the day—on one visit, a crispy-skinned steelhead trout complemented by an herbed-tomato broth and Brussels sprouts salad. I’m a shrimp and grits fan and The House’s version does not disappoint. Coarseground Anson Mill grits is the base upon which rests a pinwheel of jumbo shrimp and a colorful shower of bacon, corn and carrots sparked with a Serrano pepper kick. Shrimp and Grits
Smoked Brisket Sandwich Whether you’re enjoying a romantic date, or getting together with friends, The House at Secret Garden is the ideal choice. Recently, I joined two girlfriends and we relished a wonderful lunch, sharing a bottle of wine and chatting fireside on the patio on a sunny winter Saturday. It was the perfect afternoon and further emphasized why House at Secret Garden should be no secret. It may have taken me a while to discover it, but now the secret is out.
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.
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THE CHEESE PLATE: Dishing on Cheese & Wine A Balancing Act—Perfect Cheese & Wine Partners By Lara Mulchay
I
n all my years of cheese-mongering, there are but a few questions that render me temporarily stumped. One is that of pairing cheese with wine. It’s not that I don’t have a quick, relevant answer to the question, but it’s a tricky subject. You see, much like many wine enthusiasts, I am always striving to find the perfect balance and harmony of flavors. I can get extremely granular (read: nerdy) and often overwhelm my customers with too much information when all they really want is for me to give them permission to drink their favorite red wine with their cheese selections. I’ve read countless articles and books on food and wine pairing over the years, and if I had to summarize one vital and recurring theme, it’s finding balance. It’s akin to finding the perfect mate, which is what led me to approach this topic by comparing the venture to the relationships between some famous couples.
Perfect Pairs
Comfortable Couples
Much like Ginger and Fred, there are combinations that come together with grace and elegance. It’s as if the two should never be parted, both beautiful and charismatic on their own yet, when put together, make magic.
These are the safe bets, ones that resemble the marriage of Mike and Carol Brady—seemingly living in perfect harmony despite the complexity of their family dynamics.
Suggested Matches: High-fat buttery cheeses always tend to go
Suggested Matches: Stilton (or any assertive
well with sparkling wines. While the cheese tends to decadently coat the mouth, the bubbles serve to clear the palate. It’s an amazing match that you’re sure to try over and over again
blue cheese) and Ruby Port fall into this category. Riesling and Gewürztraminer are easily hooked up with cheddars, Gruyere and many washed rind cheeses.
Local Sweethearts: Kief Joshua’s 2010 Chardonnay has just
Local Sweethearts: For an interesting take on the
enough oak to complement the nuttiness and fuller bodied flavor of Loma Lina, a soft ripened cheese similar to Brie. Both the wine and cheese balance their acidity with a buttery finish. Truly astounding on their own as well as together.
classic pairing of chevre and Chenin Blanc, try Pillsbury Chenin Blanc with Black Mesa Ranch’s fresh goat cheese drizzled with honey or Caduceus Cellars Chenin Blanc with Fiore di Capra Lemon Myrtle chevre.
The Odd Couple Perhaps my favorite types of pairings are the ones that should never have happened. Not surprisingly, I call these the Felix Unger and Oscar Madison matches—total opposites that somehow just work.
Suggested Matches: Riesling and washed rind cheese. Why? The aromatic and floral Riesling walks hand-in-hand with its stinky washed rind partner, seemingly unaffected by each other’s conflicting aromas.
Local Sweethearts: Although Sauvignon Blanc typically is a good
partner with cheese, the pairing I chose to test the boundaries of common sense was Javelina Leap's 2011 Sauvignon Blanc and Beehive Cheese Company’s Teahive Cheddar. This cheddar cheese is rubbed with tea and bergamot. The grapefruit and green apple flavors in the wine brighten the bergamot while the crispness of the wine adds dimension to the cheddar. It really shouldn’t work because the acidity in the wine is more conducive to a goat’s milk cheese. You need to be patient, however, because at first it will seem like the flavors are battling each other. Somehow, on the finish, though, this odd combo makes a great team.
Meet Lara Mulchay, our newest contributor. Lara is well-known for her cheese prowess around Arizona. Partners in Hot Dish, Inc. with her husband, Joel LaTondress, Lara is back in the cheese biz! Although her original project, Petite Fromage shuttered in 2010, Lara is helping lovers of all things cheese and charcuterie get their fix by providing specially sourced products through their pop-up shop on their website HotDishInc.com.
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Arranged Marriages
Controversial Combos
I’d be negligent in my advice if I didn’t point out an obvious, yet often overlooked piece of advice… like goes with like. Pairing a couple that has similar backgrounds and heritage will most likely be a good match. Our parents told us this all along; if only we’d listen. For example, picking a cheese made in the Bay Area will have a better chance to be a suitable mate for your Napa Valley or Sonoma wines. Why, exactly? Just as wines are influenced by climate and terroir, cheeses are undoubtedly affected by the same elements. A sheep grazing on the foliage by nearby vineyards will produce a milk quality that represents its diet. Subtle tones of pennyroyal and grasses tinged with the salty breeze of California’s northern coastline will be reflected in their milk. Consider the rich history of farming and agriculture in the area, and you are sure to find cheesemakers that are dedicated to producing cheeses that stand up to the longstanding, stellar reputation of their neighboring winemakers.
Other more ambitious attempts to pair wine vs. cheese are those that in theory could be really interesting due to the characteristics. Think of Lucy and Desi—quirky, odd, yet charming in their own unique way. However, be prepared to discover that you may end up with a very mediocre yet functional pair, not unlike their neighbors, Ethel and Fred. Worst-case scenario, you’ll end up with a tragic ending like Romeo and Juliet. However, ambition usually pays off in the end and, if nothing else, you will have had fun learning what NOT to do next time.
Suggested Matches: Napa Chardonnay works
Suggested Matches: Big reds with robust cheeses. The meatier and
fuller flavored the cheese, the better chance it can stand up to a fuller bodied red or white. Choose older, fruiter wines with mellow tannins.
Local Sweethearts: One of the best examples of an ambitious pairing is that of Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra and Nicasio Square, a washed rind cheese, reminiscent of Taleggio. The fruit-forwardness of the Chupacabra intermingles nicely with the meatiness of the cheese. Quite complex and wholly satisfying.
Photos by MichellJonasPhotography.com
great with soft ripened cheeses. Navarro Vineyards Pinot Noir makes a superb duo with aged sheep’s milks cheeses such as Barinaga Ranch’s Txiki and Basseri.
Local Sweethearts: A delightful indulgence you
can easily obtain throughout Arizona is Page Springs Cellars 2011 Vino de Familia Blanca, teamed up with any local goat chevre, Fiore di Capra (Southern Arizona), Black Mesa Ranch (Northern Arizona), Fossil Creek Creamery (Strawberry/Pine), and Crow’s Dairy (Phoenix).
Likewise, it’s good to be reminded that a middle-of-the-road wine can be elevated to a new rank, when paired with an amazing cheese. An average cheese may benefit from the nuances of an exceptional wine, but really, who wants to do that? Life is too short to eat average cheese, especially when there are so many outstanding options now available. In short, your best approach in a quest to obtain harmony is to simply find balance. Fruit-forward wines make the best matches for cheese. Champagne and sparkling wines will always do well with soft ripened and blue cheeses. High acidic white wines with little or no oak will most always spark a good match with fresh, mild cheeses. Full-flavored cow and sheep’s milk cheeses do better with reds due to their fat content and ability to mellow heartier wines. Steer clear of any highly tannic reds when enjoying your cheeses. Salt and umami tend to exacerbate tannins and therefore will kill the wine and leave a not-so-pleasant and flat aftertaste. Still confused? My best advice is to pick what you like. Grab your favorite wines and an assortment of cheeses and have fun experimenting. ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
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CHEF’S TABLE Spring Salmon
Chef's Recommended Wine Pairing - Alcantara Vineyards 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Recipe provided by Abbie Ashford, Chef/Owner of Abbie's Kitchen, Old Town Cottonwood INGREDIENTS, PER SERVING 2 purple potatoes, whole 8 asparagus tips ¼ c. fresh or frozen peas ¼ c. heavy cream
1 2” seedless cucumber, diced small 6 oz. salmon fillet ¼ c. lemon infused olive oil 3 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved length-wise
1 handful of watercress Kosher salt Freshly ground white pepper Fresh dill
PREPARATION
Bring salted water to a rolling boil. Add whole purple potatoes and boil until done. (Cooking them whole helps to retain their beautiful color.) Remove the potatoes from the water and set aside until they can be comfortably handled. Once cool enough, quarter them length-wise. Put the asparagus and peas in the potato water and remove from heat (they will cook perfectly while you cook the salmon). PLATING Put the cream and cucumber in a small pan, heat slowly until reduced by half. Heat an iron skillet. Brush the salmon with some of the olive oil and season with Put the reduced cream and cucumber salt and pepper. Cook the salmon skin-side down, reducing the heat so you get a sauce on the plate, and lightly salt and crisp skin without burning it. When it is almost cooked to your desired temperature, pepper. Put the watercress on the plate and then place the salmon fillet on top. flip the fillet, and grill long enough to provide color to the other side. Arrange the rest of the vegetables on Toss the potatoes, asparagus, peas and tomatoes with the oil and season with salt, and around the fish. pepper and dill. Serve slightly warm to room temperature with a glass of chilled Alcantara Photo by Rhonni Moffitt Sauvignon Blanc.
Ambiance, atmosphere and great food is what dining is all about. You'll find all that and more at Abbie's Kitchen in Old Town Cottonwood. White tablecloths, candlelight and fresh flowers adorn a restored home from the 1920s, making Abbie's the place for a memorable evening. Chef and owner Abbie Ashford thinks well-prepared fresh food combined with excellent service are the key ingredients to bringing people together again and again. Vegans, vegetarians and meat lovers all have plenty to choose from. We proudly serve only Arizona wines and beers with an accompaniment of fine spirits to complement any guest's desire. Abbie's Kitchen is open Wednesday through Saturday beginning at 5pm. They are also available to cater in your home for a very private affair or at the restaurant for business and larger gatherings. Check the website for menu changes and specials.
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Photo by Rhonni Moffitt
Abbie Ashford Abbie's Kitchen Chef/Owner AbbiesKitchen.com 778 North Main Street Old Town Cottonwood
(928) 634 3300 ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
POINT OF BREW Message in a Bottle
Article & Photos by Thomas Ale Johnson
B
eer is a sociable beverage, but it can also be a language. When tasting a new beer, I often feel a sort of surrogate camaraderie with the brewer. They communicate their tastes and sensibilities in liquid form. Each sip is part of an ongoing dialogue and each bottle, a new conversation. Special and limited releases are the secrets we share. As a homebrewer, I often let my beer do the talking. Over the years, friends have requested personalized brews and, on occasion, I take it upon myself to brew a beer with a friend’s personality injected into it.
On brew day we talked about the art and science of brewing while drinking some “Breakfast Slice,” my home-brewed pumpkin pie and coffee beer. What this beer says about me should be obvious — like pumpkin pie and coffee. James Callahan of Aridus Wine Company stopped by and we all discussed the differences between brewing and winemaking. At the end of our brewing session we sipped some of the sweet wort and speculated about how the beer would express itself in the weeks to come.
I met Mark Jorve & Rhona MacMillan (owners of Zarpara Vineyard on the Willcox Bench) long before they planted their vineyard or released their first wine. They explained their love of old-world wines and their plan to express that love in their own house style. When their first wines were being made, I was invited for tastings at various stages all the way to bottling. Having followed several of their wines from concept to completion, I thought it would be fun to invite them on a (much less time-intensive) home-brewing adventure, from concept to completion.
I left with a carboy and returned a month later with the “message in a bottle.” What would it say about us? Would this beer be a lyrical ode to our winter-brew day? We all agreed that the beer has only good things to say. I’m including the recipe in this article so that home-brewers can make their own version and keep the conversation going.
Knowing that Mark & Rhona enjoy a good brew, I asked them what beers they prefer. The list veered mostly toward India Pale Ales. Since we planned to brew during a colder time of year, I thought it would be fun to make a lagered IPA. I generally prefer all-grain, but to keep the brew day easy and fun, I decided to make a partial-mash recipe for this beer. I loaded up the brewing equipment and headed for the vineyard on a cool December day. Bitter Bock Inverted IPA Ingredients for 5 gallons: 5 lbs. Muntons Plain Light Spray Dried Malt Extract 3 lbs. Maris Otter Pale Malt 2 oz. Belgian Biscuit Malt 2 oz. Special B ½ oz. American Chocolate Malt 6 oz. Mexican Piloncillo Cane Sugar 1 oz. Zeus Hops (whole leaf ) 60 Minute Boil ½ oz. Cascade Hops (whole leaf ) 30 Minute Boil ½ oz. Northern Brewer Hops (whole leaf ) 10 Minute Boil ½ oz. Willamette Hops (whole leaf ) 1 Minute Boil Fermentis Saflager S-23 Dry Lager Yeast Brewing skill level required—Intermediate Notes about the recipe: We used the well water from the vineyard to brew this beer. The grain was mashed at 148° for 45 minutes. We used a pasta strainer to sparge the grain so it was not an efficient mini-mash. The carboy was kept at 55° in my wine cellar for two weeks before being racked to secondary. It remained in secondary at 60° for 8 days before kegging/ bottling. Yield: 5 gallons at 5.6% ABV. As a local ingredient to anchor the brew, I settled on Mexican piloncillo sugar (an unrefined and flavorful cane sugar). I added Special B and Chocolate Malt to match a caramel note with the molasses note from the piloncillo. Northern Brewer was added as a flavoring hop so that its resinous quality would tie the piloncillo and darker malts together, making for a complex and tasty brew.
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Tasting notes provided by Mark and Rhona Nose: Iced tea, fresh herbs, rose hips, glimmer of apple and peach orchard, fresh hops, edge of molasses. Palate: Perfect confirmation of the nose, soft IPA hoppiness, soft lingering bitterness, silky. “Thanks—it is wonderful.” ARIZONAVINESANDWINES.COM
CRAFT BREWERIES NORTHERN AZ Barley Brothers BarleyBrothers.com
Lumberyard Brewing Co. LumberyardBrewingCompany.com
Beaver Street Brewery BeaverStreetBrewery.com
Mogollon Brewing Co. MogBrew.com
College Street Brewery CollegeStreetBrewhouseandPub.com
Mother Road Brewing Co. MotherRoadBeer.com
Flagstaff Brewing Co. FlagBrew.com
Mudshark Brewing Co. MudsharkBrewingCo.com
Grand Canyon Brewing Co. GrandCanyonBrewingCo.com
Oak Creek Brewing Co. OakCreekBrew.com
Granite Mountain Brewing GraniteMountainBrewing.com
Oak Creek Brewery & Grill OakCreekPub.com
Hops on Birch HopsOnBirch.com
That Brewery ThatBrewery.com
Wanderlust Brewing Co. WanderlustBrewing.com
PHOENIX METRO BJ’s Brewhouse BJsBrewHouse.com
O.H.S.O. Eatery & nanoBrewery OHSOBrewery.com
Dave’s Electric Brewpub DavesElectricBrewPub.com
Old World Brewery OldWorldBrewery.com
Facebook.com/DesertEagleBrewingCompany
Desert Eagle Brewery
Phoenix Ale Brewery PhoenixBrew.com
Four Peaks Brewery FourPeaks.com
Rock Bottom Brewery RockBottom.com
Gordon Biersch GordonBiersch.com
San Tan Brewing Co. SanTanBrewing.com
North Mountain Brewing Co. NorthMountainBrewing.com
Sleepy Dog Brewing SleepyDogBrewing.com
Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. Oggis.com
Sonoran Brewing SonoranBrewing.com
Sun Up Brewing SunUpBrewing.com
TUCSON METRO/SOUTHERN AZ
Thomas owns and operates TRUST Art & Design and TRUST the gallery, brews beer and makes wine. See TRUSTArtAndDesign.com and WillcoxTrust.com for more information.
Barrio Brewing BarrioBrewing.com
Gentle Ben’s GentleBens.com
BJ’s Brewhouse BJsBrewhouse.com
Nimbus Brewing Co. NimbusBeer.com
Borderlands Brewing Co. BorderlandsBrewing.com
Old Bisbee Brewing Co. OldBisbeeBrewingCompany.com
Dragoon Brewing Co. DragoonBrewing.com
Thunder Canyon Brewery ThunderCanyonBrewery.com
VOYAGE OF REDISCOVERY By Sam Pillsbury
W
e had just screened Starlight Hotel at the Cannes Film Festival and I was finally free. I grabbed a rental car with my family and we headed west. I found myself in the Rhone Valley, at a winery picked at random, holding a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape up to the light. I had grown up in New Zealand drinking Aussie Cabs and Shiraz, and thought good reds were jammy, oaky, intense wines. This was a new experience. This wine was luminous. I held the glass to my nose. It was swooningly fragrant. I could feel an opening up, a sense of a warm breeze on the vines. I sipped. It was curiously embracing and complex, yet clean with a long elegant finish. I could feel the sun shining on the grapes. It was warm, feminine and gently inviting, instead of blow-your-head-off potent. I thought to myself, “This is a wine I would like to make.” Twenty-five years later, we boarded a long floating luxury hotel in Arles, the Rhone River our road ahead. I wondered what the trip before us would reveal over the course of the next eight days; and what we would find about the wines Eric Glomski and I had brought to this valley that inspired them. It wasn’t that I was concerned that our wines wouldn’t measure up. I was just curious to see what we would discover; whatever that would be.
I had just spent a week driving around with my family in the Camargue and Dordogne. When we stopped at restaurants along the way, I made a point of only ordering their house wines, because I’m cheap, and because I wanted to see what the base house wines were like. Each place had three by-the-glass house wines: a pink, a white and a red. They were inexpensive, perfectly OK and utterly unremarkable. But they all had good structure and, of course, went well with the food because they never dominated, and dutifully refreshed the palate. As I sampled these regional offerings, a common comment from Arizona restaurant owners ran through my head: “Why are Arizona wines so expensive?” Being in this French environment allowed me to see things in a new perspective and I felt I could now answer this in a practical way. I had tried to make wines like these French house wines. Low-priced and lowimpact. It just couldn’t happen that way in Arizona (and that’s not a bad thing). I, like my Arizona colleagues, cannot compete on price point. We are small, boutique wineries that don’t have the luxury of being third-, fourth-, fifth- or even sixth-generation family businesses. Cost of scale and lack of history dictates higher prices. The other stunner—there was no way we could produce base wines like those French house wines. It’s not the winemaking; it’s the terroir. The fruit just doesn’t come off the vines like that. We tried to produce this style of wine with our WildChild series that we introduced in 2009. Our cheapest wine, the WildChild White turned out to be intense, fragrant and complex. Wine Spectator gave it an 88. Go figure. That was my first discovery. The second evolved while I was on the cruise. We found a pattern had emerged: after every winery visit, Eric and I would be approached by a number of fellow passengers with a kind of conspiratorial, “You know, your wines are better than any wines we have tasted here so far.” Of course, Eric and I were inclined to agree, but we decided to conduct a fairer test. For all 150 cruise-goers, we compared one of each of our favorite wines with a high-end French wine of the same variety and vintage.
Photos by Rhonni Moffitt
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Mine was a Pillsbury 2010 Viognier, which I compared to a 2009 E. Guigal Condrieu. I honestly thought the Guigal had a very slight edge on mine; it was remarkably similar but was slightly smoother on the finish. It did have detectable French oak, which I purposely avoid. Although, we didn’t have an official vote on the comparison, a number of people told me they thought mine was better. And, even though I don’t take a lot of stock in this casual appraisal, I have no problem being almost as good as a wine produced by the largest wine producer in the Rhone Valley founded 66 years ago from vines maybe five times older than mine— and this only my second vintage. Eric’s wine produced a similar result. So back to the question: “Why are Arizona wines so expensive?” Unless you make billions of gallons a year, have invested in your vineyard and winery over multiple generations, or want to go out of business in no time at all, our boutique Arizona wineries will not be producing cheap wines. We simply don’t and actually can’t make wines as cheap as the less expensive French wines. However, we are a lot less expensive than similar high-end French wines. My Viognier is $38. The Guigal Condrieu goes for $65 or more. They are just as good. And they are ours.
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VAGABONDING LULU
Exploring the Old West and New Wines By Stacey Wittig, Travel Writer “A train!” squeals the exuberant young boy from an adjacent restaurant booth as a high-speed train whistles its way through town. It’s so close that it rumbles all our seats, but does not stop in the town that once shipped more cattle from the open range than anywhere in the nation. That was in the days of outlaws, pioneer sodbusters and conflict over the displacement of Native peoples. Historic sites for such happenings as the shootout at O.K. Corral, raids on Butterfield Overland stagecoaches bound for Fort Bowie and Native stand-offs at Cochise Stronghold draw visitors interested in “Cowboys and Indians.” And trains. This restaurant next to the tracks in historic downtown Willcox, Arizona—Big Tex BBQ—came recommended by many, but none of my local informants revealed that part of the dining room is an actual 1929 Pullman dining car from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. As a self-professed “trainiac,” I am delighted to eat in the red Pullman after working up an appetite viewing Native American artifacts at the Amerind Museum.
After a finger-lickin’ dinner at the locals’ favorite, I drive to Sunglow Ranch Resort, south of Chiricahua National Monument. After passing rows of vines, I turn onto Turkey Creek Road for the cowboy experience. While some guests choose to arrive Local wines are offered on the menu at the by helicopter, I pilot my Sunglow Ranch dining room. SUV through the ranch gate and General Manager Brooks Bradbury steps out of the shadows to meet me. Brooks, holding a flashlight, helps me with my bag and leads me to my private guest room. “Are you sure we can’t make you some dinner?” Brooks asks graciously. Dinner and breakfast are included with the ranch stay, but I don’t want to admit that I stopped in Willcox for supper. Hopefully, there is no telltale barbecue sauce on my chin. “I’m looking forward to dinner tomorrow night,” I say, as I look in amazement at the blanket of countless stars overhead. No wonder this place is known for stargazing.
Big Tex BBQ serves up history with casual dining.
I’ve come to Willcox and the surrounding area to explore not only the Old West but also the relatively new wine industry. Today, southeastern Arizona’s pioneers are winemakers. They are busting sod for new vineyards, growing grapes in the unexplored terroir of Chiricahua Mountain alluvium and opening tasting rooms in places where earlier pioneers made history. The bourgeoning wine trade along with birding, hiking and cowboying draws visitors to the area.
My comfortable room, named after the coveted objective of birding folk everywhere: Trogon, has most amenities found in a deluxe hotel, including L’OCCITANE en Provence soaps, cotton robes and in-room coffee. As a true personal retreat, there is no television to blare the latest world woes and the once-pervasive hotel phone installed “conveniently” next to the toilet is missing. The next morning, I awaken to a magnificent view of the mountains from my east-facing room. I could have breakfast delivered to my cozy abode, but I opt for Huevos Rancheros and potatoes, juice and coffee in the restaurant, which sits on the site of the original 1878 ranch house. Chef Myriam Roe sources much of her ingredients from the local countryside, just as the original pioneers did. The eggs are from Sunglow Ranch chickens and even the coffee is from Old Bisbee Roasters in nearby Bisbee. Photos on this page by Stacey Wittig
Sunglow on the Chiricahuas
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Sunglow Ranch is a perfect balance of “Out West” hospitality and “Back East” luxury that well-heeled travelers have come to expect. The boutique hotel serves me hearty breakfasts and gourmet three-course dinners in a beautifully appointed dining hall. Five-hundred acres of open space and mountainside forests provide guests with hiking, horseback riding and watersport activities. The ranch makes a good launching pad for wine country with Lawrence Dunham Vineyards just down Turkey Creek Road from here, and plenty of hiking and birding opportunities waiting up the road. Before trying my hand at canoeing in Lower Pond, I visit with vintner Curt Dunham amongst the trellises of his vineyard. Dunham reminds me that grapes are a desert fruit with origins in arid Persia. “The Romans brought the grapes to Europe, and now we are bringing them back to the desert,” he says of Arizona winemaking.
Waiting to make a right-hand turn onto an agricultural side road, I am surprised to see a line of cars and trucks coming my way. “Kind of late in the day for a funeral,” I think as I watch the processional approach. The lead car slows down and a smiling woman pokes her head out of the window. “We’re just going to make a U-turn here,” she says, wanting my space. “I’m just trying to take a photo of the vineyard sign,” I reply, wondering what could be going on. Photo by Rhonni Moffitt
Dunham is making incredible wines from his young vineyard. “This is covered wagon farming,” explained the new winemaker. “No one has grown grapes on this land before.” The 2009 Lawrence Dunham Vineyards Petite Syrah, first fruits of the vineyard harvested on 09-09-09, earned 88 points from Wine Spectator. Be sure to call ahead to schedule a wine tasting on their winery property as they are open by appointment only. Or attend one of the many events they hold throughout the year.
take care of this place ourselves,” explains Jorve. “Our model is that we live here and touch every vine.” The high quality, small production vineyard focuses on Old World processes. Bring a picnic lunch and relax on their acreage. Enjoy, because they are currently the only vineyard (out of nine) on the Willcox Bench that has a tasting room.
Photo courtesy of Lawrence Dunham Vineyards
Country Roads are a thing of beauty on the Willcox Bench
Tasting the colors of Lawrence Dunham Vineyards.
Just up the road, neighboring Keeling Schaefer Vineyards touts 89 Wine Spectator points for their 2007 and 2009 Syrah Cochise County “Three Sisters.” I drive forty miles north of the vineyards to downtown Willcox to experience their wines at the Keeling Schaefer tasting room. Located across the street from historic Railroad Park, site of the Willcox Wine Country Spring Festival on May 18-19, 2013, the tasting room makes its home in the 1917 Willcox Bank and Trust building. A metal ladder still leads up to the mezzanine level from where armed security guards shot to protect deposits brought in by local cattlemen. “This is our most popular, versatile wine,” explains Kathleen Benyak, as she pours the 2010 Partners Rhone Blend. Because Keeling Schaefer concentrates mostly on producing award-winning red wines, they offer creations from other vintner’s for white wine and sweet wine tastings. This is one of the only places in the Willcox area where you can taste Arizona Stronghold wines, many named after the bold fighters of Cochise’s Chiricahua Apache regiment. Kathleen gives me directions to Cochise Stronghold trailhead. I’ve decide to hike there since I hiked Chiricahua National Monument on a previous trip. Other tasting rooms near downtown Willcox include Coronado Vineyards, Carlson Creek Tasting Room and Sand-Reckoner. On my drive back down south, I stop at Zarpara Vineyard. I meet with owners Rhona MacMillan and Mark Jorve to discuss their winemaking philosophy. “We’re different in that we Stacey “Vagabonding Lulu” Wittig is a travel writer who loves the outdoors whether in Arizona or southern France. She tasted a bit of the “ranch life” herself when as a child she rode her pony “Thunder” through the family’s hobby farm in Minnesota. Read more at VagabondingLuLu.com.
“They’re nice people, aren’t they?” the mystery woman proclaims as I back up to make room for the caravan. Watching for clues in each driver’s face as they U-turn in front of me, I suddenly realize: They’re birders! I wonder what birds they’re chasing. After taking my photos, I drive to where they had stopped. Sure enough, a flock of Pyrrhuloxia—silver cardinals—is finishing their evening feeding. Eureka! On my drive back to the ranch, I serendipitously learn how the resort earned its name. Sunglow Ranch gets its name from the incredible play of sunset light on the surrounding foothills. In Colorado, we called the far-off display alpenglow. But here, where the foothills curve around me, I feel as if the sunset is right here, wrapping me in bright, peachy hues. The sunglow experience alone is worth a stay at the ranch. Not a guest? No worries, you can still experience the sunglow, the restaurant or private trail rides with a wrangler by calling ahead for breakfast, dinner or horseback ride reservations. Amerind Museum | Amerind.org Chiricahua National Monument | nps.gov/chir Sunglow Ranch Resort | SunglowRanch.com Willcox Wine Country Spring Festival May 18th & 19th | WillcoxWines.com/Events.html
WINE ON TAP Tap That, Arizona! By Nathan Brugnone
“It just makes sense,” Todd Bostock, owner and winemaker at Dos Cabezas WineWorks, tells me. To anyone seated at the bar at The Horn Saloon in Camp Verde, a unique dining establishment with 20 wines on tap, it definitely makes sense. “Instead of a table of four deciding on one bottle that everyone will tolerate, each person can order to their taste,” says Stephen Goetting, owner and President of The Horn and a Verde Valley Wine Consortium director. “It also allows customers to try a premium wine without purchasing the entire bottle.”
The message is clear: If wine-in-a-keg has you thinking wine-in-a-bag, think again.
This is also good news for wait staff and bartenders because wines can be poured more efficiently via the tap system, eliminating the need to uncork a bottle every four or so glasses. Kris Byrd of Quench Fine Wines set up the wine tap system at The Horn both times—first when they originally opened and then again when they reopened after a monsoon storm collapsed their roof. Stephen was so delighted by the wine tap system that when they rebuilt he more than doubled the number of wines on tap. Now, bottled wine is the exception, not the rule.
While kegging wine is relatively new to Arizona, California has been evolving the practice with filling stations and keg exchange programs. Kegging wine is so popular, in fact, that for a full month last year there were no barrels available—in the entire U.S. Byrd attributes this to both the growing popularity of wine-on-tap and the recent craft brewery explosion. Photos provided by Stephanie Peters
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very winery, from boutique to large-production, will likely be kegging at least some of its wine within the next few years. Arizona Stronghold Vineyards and Dos Cabezas WineWorks are two Arizona wineries that are ahead of the curve.
The new trend has both environmentalists and winery investors giddy. Kegs are reusable. The keg eliminates the need for glass bottles, corks, labels and foil, reducing the carbon footprint of wine. Byrd mentions that wineries see a 25 percent packaging cost reduction when comparing kegs to bottles. Also, kegged wine has no chance of arriving to purveyors “corked,” a wine fault that causes wine to smell of wet, moldy cardboard. Goetting points out that kegged wine is extremely economical from an inventory perspective, taking up half the space of wine cases. Maintenance of kegged wine lines is synonymous with that of beer lines, so bars and restaurants may easily acclimate.
When pressed regarding quality, Byrd proudly states that with every blind tasting he has conducted, there has been no difference between bottled and kegged wine. “The wine is kegged under inert gas pressure. We’ve found that Guinness gas, a combination of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, preserves the product as the winemaker intended, without carbonating or contributing to oxidation.” As such, you would also not keg a wine that’s intended to age, but a wine that’s ready to drink now.
For wineries looking to move their wine to the tap, standard microbrewery kegging setups do the job, as do kegging companies such as Free Flow and N2 out of California. For those wary of moving their wine to kegs, there are pioneers to look toward, such as Paul Hobbs Winery. Paul Hobbs wines are fermented by native yeasts and bottled unfiltered without the use of fining agents. Byrd believes that Paul Hobbs and a select few other purists, premium wine producers, have helped coax Arizona producers to expand to the keg.
Each 19-L keg contains the equivalent of 26 bottles and is good for at least six months, with two months being Quench’s preferred limit once tapped. Even in sleepy Camp Verde, The Horn is replacing kegs at a rapid pace. “We go through a keg [every] one to two weeks,” says Goetting.
The message is clear: If wine-in-a-keg has you thinking wine-ina-bag, think again. Just check out wines at The Horn, including their own label, or one of the few restaurants in Phoenix hosting wine-on-tap.
Some additional locations around Arizona with wine on tap: Vino Loco (Flagstaff), FnB (Scottsdale), Market Street Kitchen (Scottsdale), Whole Foods Markets (Scottsdale & Chandler), Petite Maison (Scottsdale), Blue Hound Grill (Phoenix), Rancho Pinot Grill (Scottsdale), Lodge on the Desert (Tucson) and Province (Phoenix). Nathan Brugnone is an embedded Arizona wine journalist. Over the last four years, he has worked with wineries in Northern and Southern Arizona, including Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery, Rancho Maria Vineyards and Lightning Ridge Cellars. His writing appears regularly in AZ Weekly Magazine. Contact him at Nathan@AZWineMakers.com.
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Wine 101 Your Classroom: the Great Outdoors Your Assignment: Sip, Savor and Enjoy Join us for a rolling wine-tasting adventure of private-labeled wines where you’ll surely give us an A+ for fun and great taste The Distance Traveled 20 Miles. The Time Traveled 100 Years!
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877-800-7325 verdecanyonrr.com Clarkdale, arizona 2 hours north of Phoenix 25 minutes from Sedona
NEW TO WINE: First Taste Article & Photos by Jennifer Manly
A
fter I had attended some amazing wine events, met some inspiring winemakers, learned some wine terminology and gained overall experience in the “wine world,” I felt like the next step was to visit a tasting room. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was I going to be intimidated? Were they going to expect me to know more than I did? Although I had recently gained a little wine knowledge, I was no expert. And I wondered if that would affect my experience. After visiting Oak Creek Winery & Vineyards and Javelina Leap Winery & Vineyard in January, I can say that it was a welcoming, enjoyable and memorable experience; the fact that I was new to wine was not an issue at all. I was joined on this trip up north by my good friend Sarah who, like me, is new to wine; therefore, the perfect companion to take on this adventure. I chose Fun at Javelina Leap to visit two tasting rooms so I could adequately compare the experience at each winery and try to get a sense of what was consistent and what was different. What I found was that even though the wineries are right next to each other, the experiences were miles apart… in the best possible way. We began the adventure at Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery, where we were greeted the minute we walked in the door. The atmosphere was nothing at all like my expectations—it was not formal or serious, it was comfortable and relaxed. The circular western-style bar allows more efficient attention from the hosts and creates an open, relaxed feeling for the patrons. I would later learn that the artwork and decorations were all handmade and for sale. To begin, General Manager Christina Hemmingson shared a little bit with us about Javelina Leap’s history and about the wines they produced. She then provided us a “Tasting Flight” menu, which listed the available wines, descriptions and pricing. This was a life saver for me! It made it very easy to learn about their offerings, like their 2011 Arizona Tempranillo: a 100% Arizona Tempranillo (which I learned is very rare); it is “medium-bodied, complex, pretty, smooth and creamy.” As we sampled each wine, we were told a little behind-
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the-scenes story about the process of how the wines were made. To track each sample, she gave it a CHEERS stamp on our tasting sheet. I loved that we never felt rushed, that we could take as long on each taste as we liked, and that they were very open to answer all of our questions. Intimidating? Not in the least! To complement the wine, they also offer food plates, including cheese, charcuterie and other specialty platters. Adding to the overall experience, especially for a newbie like me, on Fridays and Saturdays, they offer winery tours. Included in the wine tasting, Dr. Russ leads the tour through the vineyard, while sharing some very insightful, fun and interesting stories about Javelina Leap and their wines. My friend Sarah and I were fortunate enough to get to meet Cynthia Snapp, owner and winemaker. She shared stories with us while we toured the winery, which she lovingly calls home. Cynthia and her husband Rod make sure to have a constant presence in the tasting room and speak with guests whenever they get the chance. A warm and inviting experience, I immediately felt like I was part of the Javelina Leap family. I would describe it as “a welcoming vibe with a bit of an edge,” which I absolutely loved and didn’t expect. I overheard a guest at the bar exclaim, “What a great experience this is!” It turns out I wasn’t alone in my sentiments. Our next stop: Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery, conveniently located right next door. Owner Deb Wahl greeted us with a welcoming hug. We were excited to see what this place had to offer. Deb explained that they have a brand new tasting bar. In addition to the bar, the tasting room is dotted with tables, and they provide outside patio seating as well. We were offered a choice of flights to try: red, white or dessert. We loved having options. We shared a white flight (I had to try the Fume Blanc) and a red flight. Another lesson learned—sharing flights allows you to try more wines. By this time, we were hungry and I ordered the sampler platter, which included a thoughtful variety of cheeses, spreads, crackers and nuts. When Deb told us about her new grilled Panini, we knew we had to try that, too. It was a small piece of heaven and paired perfectly with the wines. It’s a can’t miss.
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Having a great time at Oak Creek Vineyards Deb took a moment and sat down with us to chat. If I’ve learned anything about Arizona wineries, it’s how close-knit and personal they are… Oak Creek Vineyards is no exception. It’s as if they are inviting you into their home, introducing you to their family (which includes their staff and their wines) and sharing their family secrets. OK, maybe not too many secrets… A family affair, Deb explained that the winemaker is her son, Florian. Then she gave us a little bit of an inside scoop into her experience as the owner of Oak Creek Vineyards and her perspective on Arizona wine country. I left there as if I’d just spent a few hours with people I’d known forever. What a great feeling? So, being new to wine… what did I learn? Visiting an Arizona tasting room can be like meeting long-lost forgotten family. And, just like family, there are different personalities and, therefore, different experiences. It definitely exceeded my expectations and also made me realize I had no reason to feel intimidated. I learned a lot and had a blast. It’s so much more than just sampling some wine. I’ve heard that visiting a Napa winery is a completely different experience… snooty, overwhelming and pretentious. What I’ve found is that Arizona wineries are the complete opposite… yes, they are serious about making their wine (and making good wine), but they want you to experience it as an extension of who they are and in a comfortable environment. And if you are ready to learn… the best way is to gain knowledge from the source, and they are ready to share… especially the talented and dedicated individuals I met at Oak Creek Vineyards and Javelina Leap Vineyards. I can’t wait to explore the rest of Arizona wine country!
Snacks at Oak Creek Vineyards
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Quick Reference to Arizona Wineries & Tasting Rooms For Tasting Room addresses, please see individual map pages
Alcantara
Verde Valley - 928.649.8463 AlcantaraVineyard.com
Northern Arizona
Caduceus
Phx Sonoita /Elgin SE Arizona
Cellar Dwellers
Jerome - 928.639.WINE Caduceus.org
Verde Valley - 928.607.1789 CDWineCo.com
Freitas
Grand Canyon Winery
Cottonwood - 928.639.2149 FreitasVineyard.com
Javelina Leap
Fire Mountain
Jerome - 928.202.8506
Cottonwood - 928.649.9135 FireMountainWines.com
Granite Creek
Iniquus Cellars
Jerome Winery
Juniperwood Ranch
Kind Vines
Oak Creek
Page Springs Cellars
Pillsbury Wine Co.
Echo Canyon
Burning Tree
Cottonwood - 928.649.8733 BurningTreeCellars.com
Chino Valley - 928.636.2003 GraniteCreekVineyards.com
Jerome - 928.639.9067 JeromeWinery.com
Cornville - 928.649.0290 OakCreekVineyards.net
Bitter Creek
Jerome - 928.634.7033 BitterCreekWinery.com
Williams - 800.462.0376 TheGrandCanyon.com
Cornville - 928.649.2681 JavelinaLeapWinery.com
Available at AZ Stronghold IniquusCellars.com
Ash Fork - 602.971.8586 ReunionCamp.com
Painted Lady
Cornville - 928.639.3004 PageSpringsCellars.com
Skull Valley - 928.442.9831 PaintedLadyVineyard.com
Flagstaff KindVines.com
Passion Cellars
Jerome - 928.649.9800 PassionCellars.com
Cottonwood - 928.639.0646 PillsburyWine.com
Young - 866.558.2734x4484 PVWinery.com
Pleasant Valley
Saeculum Cellars Available at AZ Stronghold SaeculumCellars.com
Camp Verde - 602.549.9787 GarlicParadise.com
Stage Stop
Sycamore Canyon
Wine Cellar Jerome
Wine Cellar Cottonwood
Cornville StageStopVineyards.com
Casavino
Fountain Hills - 480.816.8466 CasavinoWinery.com
Callaghan
Elgin - 520.455.5322 CallaghanVineyards.com
Sedona - 877.903.WINE BestArizonaWines.com
Kokopelli
Chandler - 480.792.6927 KokopelliWinery.com
Hops & Vines
Silver Strike Winery
Tombstone - 520.678.8200 SilverStrikeWinery.com
Aridus Custom Crush Willcox - 520.766.2926 AridusWineCo.com
Flying Leap
Willcox - 520.954.2935 FlyingLeapVineyards.com
Lawrence Dunham
Kief-Joshua
Lightning Ridge
Sonoita - 520.455.5141 DosCabezasWinery.com
San Dominique
Cottonwood - 928.649.0444 OldTownWineCellar.com
Su Vino
Scottsdale - 480-994-8466 SuVinoWineryAZ.com
Flying Leap
Sonoita - 520.954.2935 FlyingLeapVineyards.com
Rancho Rossa
Elgin - 520.455.5582 KJ-Vineyards.com
Elgin - 520.455.5383 LightningRidgeCellars.com
Elgin - 520.455.0700 RanchoRossa.com
Sonoita
Village of Elgin & Four Monkey Elgin - 520.455.9309 ElginWines.com
Elgin - 520.455.9291 WilhelmFamilyVineyards.com
Carlson Creek
Willcox - 520.766.3000 CarlsonCreek.com
Fort Bowie
Bowie - 888.299.5951 FortBowieVineyards.net
Sand-Reckoner
Willcox - 303.931.8472 Sand-Reckoner.com
Four-Eight WineWorks Clear Creek Cella Winery Sollenberger Vineyards Stetson Winery
Studio Vino
Tempe - 480.897.1800 StudioVino.com
Dos Cabezas WineWorks
Elgin - 520.455.5893 SonoitaVineyards.com
Northern AZ
Jerome - 928.634.5451 OldTownWineCellar.com
Charron
Vail - 520.762.8585 CharronVineyards.com
Sonoita - 520.955.4249 AZHopsAndVines.com
Pearce - 520.82.GRAPE LawrenceDunhamVineyards.com
Upcoming
Arizona Stronghold
Cottonwood - 928.639.2789 AZStronghold.com
Southern Casa Verde Flying Kite Hannah’s Hill Vigneto Nannini
Coronado
Willcox - 520.384.2993 CoronadoVineyards.com
Golden Rule
Dragoon GoldenRuleVineyards.com
Sierra Bonita
Willcox - 520.678.2335 SierraBonitaVineyards.com
Wilhelm Family
Erath’s Cimarron
Vineyard in Willcox Tasting at Dos Cabezas in Sonoita
Keeling Schaefer
Willcox - 520.766.0600 KeelingSchaeferVineyards.com
Zarpara
Willcox - 602.885.8903 Zarpara.com
SouthEastern AZ Asmundson Family Freedom Vines Benchmark Vineyards Gallifant Cellars Chiricahua Ranch RanchoMaria Vineyards
Sándor Soaring Spirits Vineyard Voltera Vineyards
the Grapevine Interesting tidbits about the Arizona wine industry...
Sierra Bonita has plans to open a tasting room in Tucson. Be on the lookout!
Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery has a new tasting bar! Stop by to check it out!
Sand-Reckoner Vineyards Owners Rob and Sarah Hammelman are expecting their first baby!
Zarpara celebrated another milestone - the release of their first estate wine in march - a crisp, bright sauvignon blanc
Congratulations to Flying Leap Vineyard for purchasing Canelo Hills Vineyard. Look for their new tasting room onsite in sonoita and another tasting room opening up in willcox later ths spring. Granite Creek Vineyards starts up their saturday music series again in april - going all the way through november!
Kief-Joshua Vineyards will host the 2nd annual southeastern wine growers festival on april 20th & 21st.
Charron Has expanded its line-up - try (and buy) rancho maria wines at their tasting room.
Carlson Creek Vineyard acquired Grandoli Farms increasing their vineyard by a third!
Dos Cabezas picked up a jefferson cup award! Congrats! They also received a shout out from the san francisco chronicle for their 2009 El Campo.
Lawrence Dunham Vineyards is celebrating five years! Join their birthday party at the winery on April 13th.
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Arizona Stronghold placed great at the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition: Gold for their 2011 Site Archives Malvasia Norte, as well as four silvers!
Keeling Schaefer Vineyards are planning an expansion of the vineyard with 4000 syrah cuttings this spring.
Canelo Hills Winery has been sold! We'll miss your great wines Tim & Joan! Best of Luck to you and the family!
Inspired by an article in the Arizona Republic, the owners of hops & vines are garnering support for changing the arizona Liquor laws to allow both a Farm Winery license and a Craft Brewery license at the same location. You go, ladies.!
Juniper Well Ranch in Skull Valley has been sold. We wish Owners Dave and Linda Bonham the best!
Page Springs Cellars has an "adopt-a-vineyard" program for those who want to get dirty in the vineyard!
Amateur Winemaker and founder of azwinemakers.com Greg Gonnerman going commercial - planting chiricahua ranch vineyards on the willcox bench. Lonely Planet named wine-centric verde valley as one of the top 10 us travel destinations for 2013 Burning Tree Cellars made over 19 wines this last harvest! Their biggest production yet!
Kent Callaghan exclaims, "Petit Verdot is a knock out in 2012, and we will certainly produce a caitlin's blend again, as well as a varietal petit verdot."
Pillsbury Wine Company is working on plans to plant commercial blocks of lavender and to open a tasting room at the vineyard this spring. Circumstances permitting. ARIZONA VINES & WINES - SPRING 2013
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