Arizona Wine Trail

When you think of Arizona, it’s hard to imagine that the climate would be conducive to growing grapes. However, the Verde Valley in Central Arizona, one of three wine-growing regions in the state, has the altitude and latitude that is perfect for thriving vineyards. Look at a world map, and you’ll see that Arizona is near the same latitude as Spain and Sicily. Cottonwood, in the basin of the Verde River, is the epicenter of the Arizona Wine Country and the heart of the Wine Trail. It’s 3,300 feet above sea level and is surrounded by mountains that climb to 8,000 feet in elevation. The valley is below the cold of Arizona’s high country and above the heat of the desert. Nearly 80% of the land is National Forest.

When I visited the Verde Valley, I stayed in historic Old Town Cottonwood at the Iron Horse Inn. The comfortable accommodations with contemporary upgrades are within a short stroll from restaurants and wine tasting rooms.

While in town, I enjoyed an excellent dinner of farm-to-table salad and made-from-scratch inhouse pasta at Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room and Osteria. The vines-to-glass wine tasting flight was the perfect accompaniment.

The Verde Valley in Yavapai County is often compared to the renowned winemaking regions in Greece, Italy, France, and Spain.

Spanish missionaries began winemaking in Arizona in the 1700s. Nine missions were established in the 1600s in Southern Arizona and New Mexico, where the grapes flourished. Production exceeded California’s output well into the 20th century.

Wine production and consumption halted during Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933. Even scientific, medicinal, and sacramental uses were forbidden.

In the 1970s, viticulture began to flourish in Arizona when Professor Gordon Dutt came to the University of Arizona from the University of California Davis, California’s top wine school. A soil scientist and not a winemaker, he concluded that Arizona’s soils would be ideal for growing wine grapes.

In 2010, there were seven vineyards in the Verde Valley. Today, there are about 100 with national recognition for Arizona wines.

Many Gold Medals and other awards bring attention to Arizona’s three established principle growing regions. The Federal Government awards AVA status (American Viticultural Area) for distinguished wine grape growing regions. In Arizona, they are Sonoita, Willcox, and Verde Valley.

With 25 wineries currently on the Verde Valley Wine Trail, you

Central Arizona Wine Trail by Julie Diebolt Price a professional photographer, educator, author, and journalist. https://linktr.ee/PhotoTravelWrite

can spend many happy hours sampling wines from expert grape growers and winemakers. My wine tour included stops in Clarkdale, Cornville, and Cottonwood. Here is my report about three exciting wineries, all with different vibes.

One of the first Verde Valley wineries with plantings in 2003, Page Springs Cellars is sustainability-oriented and eco-conscious. Solar panels over the parking lot power the facility 100%. All waste is reclaimed, and recycled water helps them reach net zero water usage.

Page Springs Cellars grow 10 to15 grape varieties, which is unusual. The farm is organic; they don’t till the native grasses; they work on river restoration; the grapes are hand-harvested, and they are Dark Sky compliant.

Known for its small-batch wines, Page Springs Cellars is proud to offer 60 or more labels each year. Producing 100 cases or smaller means there is always something new.

Page Springs Cellars hosts events every year for Wine Club members and offer tours, private events, yoga & massage, and tastings in their tasting room and bistro.

Pro Tip: Avoid visiting on the weekend because you may have to wait over two hours to get in. A weekday visit will be a much better experience.

When I was there, the farm hands loaded large bins of freshly picked grapes on forklifts. Luke Bernard, the Director of Sales and Marketing, graciously gave me a tour of the production barn. As he described the process, he cautioned me not to stick my head too far into the bin because of the CO2 emissions from the already fermenting grapes.

From cellar rat to winemaker, Kris Pothier shared her wine journey with me that began in 2004. She and her husband, Joe Bechard, relocated to Arizona and began working at Page Springs when it

opened.

Kris and Joe worked as cellar rats, assisting, cleaning, doing the numbers, and doing punch downs during harvest. They helped rack the wine, prepare the wines for bottling, bottled the wine, and moved the liquids from various places. As their careers progressed, Joe became a winemaker, and Kris assisted with the punch downs.

Joe and Kris teamed up with their friends, Kim Koistinen, the winery controller, and Jeff Hendricks, the vineyard manager at Page Springs Cellars. They brought complementary skills to the business. With the help of their mentor, Maynard James Keenan (owner of Caduceus and Merkin), they opened a wine coop, where they started producing their label, along with making wine for other wineries in the area.

Chateau Tumbleweed was born in the abandoned Clarkdale school bus barn used in the 80s. The wine production room, an immaculate space, contained floor-to-ceiling barrels and equipment and was quite impressive. When I visited the winery, they were awaiting building materials so they could expand. Kris said, “We’re on a growth spurt right now. We have a building going up, and we bought the property next door.”

The Chateau Tumbleweed label art is creative, kitschy, and fun. There’s no mistaking the company’s brand.

Pro Tip: Punch downs are performed on fermenting red grapes. The grape skins and berries at the top are pushed into the juice at the bottom to extract color.

Heat is released during this conversion phase. Punch downs occur three times a day for every bin of fruit.

Grapes play a significant role in the regional economy. At Yavapai College, the wine industry is a powerful workforce and economic development influence. As of last fall, 110 students were enrolled in the Viticulture and Enology programs–the most ever.

Started in 2010 with one acre from Merkin Vineyards, the Southwest Wine Center now farms 13 acres obtained from donors and the industry.

The winery program opened in 2014. Students enroll in a one or two-year program that takes them through the growing cycle of grapes in the vineyard adjoining the building on campus.

I visited the Southwest Wine Center during their 10th harvest. Michael Pierce, the Viticulture & Enology Director, guided me through the facility, demonstrated the equipment, and explained how the wine tasting room and

sales support the college program.

“Our wines are clean, friendly, vibrant, and positive,” Michael said. The grapes are processed in steel, wood, and concrete barrels. SWC produces about 1,000 cases per year.

The sophisticated and elegant wine tasting room was the first stop on my tour. Built on the college racquetball court, the Center boasts a stunning view of the Verde Valley, Mingus Mountain, and the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff. The patio was my last stop to enjoy the vineyard and memorable panorama.

Michael began winemaking in college as a hobby. After graduation, he continued his studies in viticulture and enology. He took harvesting jobs following the opportunities in New Zealand, Tasmania, and Oregon. Then, his parents bought land in Willcox, Arizona, that they renovated and expanded to 27 acres of vineyard. Michael is the winemaker, and the family produces two wine labels, Saeculum Cellars, and Bodega Pierce.

How To Get There

The Verde Valley is in the geographical center of Arizona, about 100 miles north of Phoenix on Interstate 17. From the east or west, take Interstate 40, connect with Interstate 17 near Flagstaff, and go south for 64 miles.

Final Thoughts

The Arizona Wine Trail is a close-knit group of grape growers and winemakers. While this trail is a youngster in relative terms, it’s one worth watching as they continue to produce award-winning wines.