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Desert Wine Tasting...
Arizona is going to give California a run for it's money

verde pic

Quite honestly, I had never been to Arizona, and I never really had any desire to either. All I could imagine was a place that was totally barren, flat, dry, and super hot. In my mind, I couldn't imagine why people would want to live in such a place.

Well, fortunately I was wrong! My family and I drove from the hoover dam to the Grand Canyon, then onto Sedona and ended in Phoenix. In our travels, I quickly learned that there are many different micro-climates (from the 30 degree and snow-covered pine tree landscape of the Grand Canyon to the green hills outside of Sedona to the warmth and palm trees of Phoenix) and an abundance of mountains in this state.

So how does this relate to wine, you may be asking at this point. Ok, let's play a game. I describe the climatic and soil conditions and you name the place. Okay: hot days, cool nights (large diurnal shifts), 3000 ft above sea level (high altitude) limestone bedrock with volcanic topsoil (excellent drainage and minerality), water from snowmelt and mountain runoff (creates a water source deep in the soil bedrock). Sounds like the description of a textbook wine site, right? It's like Argentina meets Italy. Argentina for the snowmelt and altitude of the vines, and Italy for the type of soils.

Well, I like both Italian and Argentinian wines, don't you? Okay, well you can't simply it like that, but the point is, in Cottonwood, AZ in the Verde Valley, the conditions are just right for making world-class wines. I visited 4 wineries in their region. There were a few things that I observed that were exceptional and a few things that I believe will help them become strong competitors on the domestic market.

The methodology of the wineries here sort of remind me of what Temecula wineries are doing. They are buying grapes from other parts of California, and making the wine in Temecula. Personally, I kind of feel jipped when this happens because you aren't able to capture the essence of Temecula in a glass of wine made there, the terroir, unless it was grown on their estate, which is in the large minority. In the Verde Valley, AZ they are doing the same sort of thing. Most of their grapes are grown in Southern Arizona near Tucson, then the wine is actually made at the winery. This way they can label their own wine.

Of the wineries I visited, the highlight stops included Page Springs Cellars (PSC), Arizona Stronghold (owned by Maynard James Keenan of Tool), and Oak Creek Vineyards and Winery. PSC specializes in Rhone varietals and blends (they make a very light-bodied Grenache that was delicious). But their estate grown Syrah took the cake. The Estate grown reserve Zinfandel at Oak Creek Vineyards reminded of a spicy Zin from Dry Creek Valley. Didn't have the power, but it was certainly tasty. And Arizona Stronghold also focuses on Rhone style blends. Their Nachise was the best in show there.

In conclusion, Verde Valley, AZ has a lot of potential with it's natural water source, world-class terroirs, altitude and over 300 days of sunshine a year, I sure hope they focus on cultivating a wine personality much like Napa Valley, Santa Barbara, and Willamette Valley have successfully done in this country. It would be great if an investor with deep pockets and access to top-notch grape-growers can put Verde Valley on the world of wine map. I hope they don't take the Temecula Valley route, where the majority of wineries emphasize tourism rather than making world-class wines showcasing their terroir.