Last time, we explored some of my favorite California Central Coast horse and wine country haunts. Now, I’ll take you to southern Arizona, where tastes of wine and Western culture pair perfectly.
The vast, arid plains of southern Arizona are not traditionally considered wine country. But just like in California, missionaries planted some of the first vineyards in the present-day cities of Tucson and Phoenix in the 1700s. However, it wasn’t until recently that the distinctive winemaking culture started to shine with its optimal grape-growing conditions and progressive producers.
The state boasts more than 120 wineries and tasting rooms, and educational incentives continue bringing passionate growers and makers to the area. Though southern Arizona’s wine country has a ways to go before serious wine connoisseurs will recognize its significance, local and regional wine tasters covet this hidden desert wine destination for its viniculture and its small-town vibes, historic hot spots, and ranching heritage.
On the Border
According to author Jessica Dupuy in her book The Wines of Southwest U.S.A, the Copper State’s modern winemaking industry began in the 1970s when Dr. Gordon Dutt, a soil scientist at the University of Arizona, began experimenting with growing grapes north of Tucson. His studies found that the valleys and plains of southeastern Arizona were conducive to growing grapes.
Dutt’s research, combined with the passing of the 1982 Arizona Farm Winery Act, which allowed wineries to sell directly to consumers, spurred the development of several wineries and vineyards around the small ranching communities of Sonoita and Elgin. Dutt’s Sonoita Vineyards was the first commercial wine vineyard in the area.
In 1984, Sonoita became the first American Viticultural Area designated in the Southwest, followed by Willcox and the Verde Valley. Today, most grapes grown for Arizona wines are from vineyards in Willcox, about an hour northeast of Sonoita. The Verde Valley, near Sedona, also brims with vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms, adding to its appeal to tourists.
Sonoita-Elgin, however, is a little slower-paced than Sedona. Sonoita-Elgin is a small ranching community less than an hour southeast of Tucson, featuring rolling grasslands and wide-open spaces. Sitting between 2,500 and 5,000 feet in elevation, its high temperatures range between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The monsoon season averages around 15 inches of rain, making the climate similar to Paso Robles, Calif., and the Rhône Valley of southern France. The area is home to more than a dozen wineries with tasting rooms, most of which are located along highways 82 and 83 between Sonoita and Elgin.
To make the most of my wine-tasting tour of Sonoita, I enlisted Arizona Winery Tours, which offers tours of Sedona, Sonoita and Willcox. A small tour bus promptly pulled up to my vacation rental at 10:45 a.m. and took me and a group of other wine enthusiasts to three Sonoita wineries. It was a cold, snowy day in early December, so having a navigator and designated driver who knew the area and which wineries were open was critical.
Our first stop was Arizona Hops & Vines, a small winery owned and operated by sisters Megan Stranik and Shannon Zouzoulas and their children. Originally from California, the siblings loved the slower-paced Sonoita lifestyle. Stranik came to town first and started volunteering at Sonoita Vineyards to fill her time, but found her life calling. She worked at various wineries in the region, learning every aspect of the business and winemaking process. Filled with dreams, she and her sister started their winery with the help of their children in 2011.
The bus pulled up to a small brick building with a red door that looked like a residence decorated with an eclectic mix of yard art, including a sizeable turquoise metal heart filled with wine bottles. As we walked up to the door, we were first greeted by a duck and the resident peacock, Frank; Stranik, the winemaker; and her son, Erik, who stood behind the counter. They served us six wine samples, each paired with a complimentary crunchy snack in a silver muffin tin. I could tell this would be a fun, casual winery void of crowds, stuffy wine-tasting etiquette and pretense.
“We like to meet people where they’re at [in wine tasting],” says Zouzoulas. “Whether you’re a novice or a connoisseur, we want to have a comfortable and non-intimidating place. Arizona tends to be a little more laid-back and independent [than other winemaking regions]; we march to our own beat and don’t feel as bound as traditional wineries.”
That is apparent in the colorful, eclectic atmosphere of the Arizona Hops & Vines tasting room. It’s filled with mismatched furniture, artsy elements, inspiring quotes from John Cusack and Frida Kahlo painted on the walls, and cozy couches and sitting areas conducive to conversation.
“The tasting room is truly a representation of who we were in the moment we were opening the winery,” says Zouzoulas. “We were so inspired by the land that we wanted to make everything in here feel inspirational, so we worked with local artists who would take something they were excited about and translate it to our space. As our family grows and changes, each person brings a part of themselves to the business. We want to be so inviting that people come here to celebrate special moments and bring their families during the holidays.”
According to Zouzoulas, the reds and red blends bring out the best of Sonoita’s grapes, which is apparent in the robust cabernet sauvignon. The warm, spicy mulled wine, or gluhwein, was a festive addition to the holiday season. All Arizona Hops & Vines wines are produced in small batches and sell quickly, so it’s best to purchase on the spot rather than wait till later. Their wines are as whimsical and diverse as the décor, the musicians who play there on weekends, and their clientele.
“On any given day, we’ll have young hipsters, retirees, horse people and cowboys coming in,” says Zouzoulas. “There are two primary cultures here—wine and ranching—and each have come together and are realizing how well they go together.”
Our next stop was Dos Cabezas WineWorks, one of Arizona’s longest-standing brands, owned by Arizona native winemaker Todd Bostock. Launched in 1995 by Sonoita winemaking pioneers Al Buhl and Kent Callaghan, Dos Cabezas was where a young Bostock cut his teeth in winemaking and eventually took the reins of the winery and planted his vineyards in the early 2000s.
The tasting room has plenty of tables and chairs to fit parties of all sizes. A lovely patio also fills up in the summer and fall. I sat at a table where the wine was aged in large oak barrels. My favorite was the deep red blend La Montana, but I found the carbonated pinks lively and refreshing. The wines paired well with the sandwich and salad lunch the wine tour company provided from The Café next door or one of the gourmet pizzas made onsite at Pronghorn Pizza.
Stand-Alone Wines of Southern Arizona
The final stop was Rune, one of the most progressive yet Old World-style wineries in southeastern Arizona, owned by winemaker James Callahan. His wife, Anna, operates two short-term vacation rentals for guests. I stayed at the Adobe House, a historic one-bedroom adobe casita decorated with old Western movie posters and record covers, blended with Saltillo tile and other Southwestern accents.
With years of worldly winemaking experience in his native Arizona and beyond, Callahan launched his Rune label in 2013 and followed with a tasting room in Sonoita two years later. Located on the edge of town, surrounded by scenic cattle-dotted pastures, the nondescript, off-the-grid Quonset hut tasting room fits so nicely into the ranch country that you’d never know it’s a tasting room. Ian Ward welcomed us to the tasting room. He poured our first sips, a crisp, refreshing rosé, followed by the beloved viognier, a deep, spicy grenache, a velvety graciano, a rich cabernet sauvignon, and sinfully sweet Malvasia dessert wine. Rune’s collection doesn’t feature blends; instead, they chose to highlight the pure essence of southeastern Arizona, from its soil and climate to its traditional yet slightly rogue vibe.
“From a cultural standpoint, we’re an outlier,” Callahan said. “Rune is about showcasing different vineyard sites and different parts of the state with one varietal. You can taste a syrah from Rune and one from another winery and compare. When you start blending varietals, it creates a good wine but muddles it up for comparison. We’re such a young area that we want to explore what each grape does before making many blends.”
However, Callahan does help other area wineries with their winemaking and has dabbled in blends under Rune’s sister label, Brigand. He says the Sonoita wine scene resembles the California wine culture in the 1960s and ’70s—“underground and undiscovered by the mainstream, a grassroots experience.”
Callahan takes an Old World approach to winemaking, relying on wild yeast fermentation, which is unconventional among modern winemakers. It gives Rune wines an earthy, balanced, fruit-forward flavor with less oak influence.
“We pick the grapes from the vineyard and let the yeast from the vineyard do the fermentation, or covert sugar to alcohol, rather than adding commercial yeast,” he says. “Allowing the vineyard to do the work pays homage to the terroir, a concept in winemaking that refers to the influence of the land, climate and local traditions on a wine. This is important to an area like Arizona, where winemaking is in its infancy, and we want to share what makes our wines unique.”
Ten Tips for a Wine Adventure in Southern Arizona
Here are our top 10 tips to help make your wine-tasting adventure fruitful.
1. Choose an area.
The next time you go to a horse show, rodeo or other Western event, check out the region’s wine scene. California, the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest are filled with pockets of wineries.
2. Consider the season.
Spring, summer and fall are usually the busiest times of the year at wineries, but they can offer the best experiences. Spring provides some of the best views of budding vineyards, while summer allows for outdoor seating and fall is the harvest, or “crush.” Winter is a slow time, but weather can be a factor in certain areas, and wineries sometimes close or aren’t open except on weekends or by appointment.
3. Do your research.
Familiarize yourself with the area’s winemaking history, wineries and for which varietals the region is best known.
4. Draw a map.
Determine the wineries you want to visit and plan your route or how you will get there. Many areas offer special wine tours that give you a designated driver and tour guide. You will need to make reservations ahead of time.
5. Make reservations. Depending on the season, some tasting rooms are open only on weekends or specific days of the week and may require reservations, so be sure to call ahead. While you’re at it, make dinner reservations, too.
6. Learn the lingo.
If you’re new to wine tasting, study the terminology and qualities of wine to get the most from your tasting experience.
7. Bring padded wine carriers and an extra bag.
Chances are you’ll want to bring home some of your favorite bottles of wine. If shipping the wine isn’t an option, ensure you have padded wine bottle carriers, bubble wrap and an extra bag.
8. Eat ahead of time.
Most wineries offer a menu of small bites and snacks for purchase, and some have full meals. Still, it’s best to eat before you go so you have something in your stomach before tasting and have some snacks on hand between stops.
9. Stay hydrated.
Drink plenty of water before and during tasting to avoid dehydration.
10. Pace yourself.
It’s best to choose two to three wineries per day so you have time to savor the wine and experience.
Sips & Side Trips During Your Southern Arizona Wine Tour
This region brims with wineries, ranches, outdoor recreation and Old West history.
Stay
Sip
- Arizona Hops & Vines, Sonoita, Ariz.
- Dos Cabezas WineWorks, Sonoita, Ariz.
- Rune Wines, Sonoita, Ariz.
- Sunset Ride Wine, Sonoita, Ariz.
- Don’t miss more wineries in Elgin and other communities in Santa Cruz and Cochise counties.
Dine
- Butter My Biscuit, Sonoita, Ariz.
- Pronghorn Pizza, Sonoita, Ariz.
- The Café, Sonoita, Ariz.
- The Steak Out Restaurant & Saloon, Sonoita, Ariz.
Side Trips
- Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering, Sierra Vista, Ariz.
- Empire Ranch, Sonoita, Ariz.
- Nizhoni Ranch Gallery, Sonoita, Ariz.
- Tombstone, Ariz.
- Labor Day Rodeo and Horse Shows, Sonoita, Ariz.
Helpful Links for an Arizona Wine Tour
- Arizona Winery Tours
- Visit Arizona (be sure to download the Arizona Wine Trail Passport)
- The Wines of Southwest U.S.A., by Jessica Dupuy
This article about southern Arizona wine appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of Western Life Today magazine. Click here to subscribe!
