25 Oct 1st - Oct 7th, 2026 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | The space was previously used as a salon. Now, a dark, moody gray palette is jazzed up with pops of color, including a gold overhang above the bar and an adja- cent pink nook housing a cozy table for two beneath a pink arch. A curtain separates the main dining room from a private party area with space for groups of up to 20. French doors provide access to the patio that faces Marshall Way, where a comfy couch and stools along a low wall serve as the perfect people-watching spot for customers enjoying wine and bites. A community table on the Third Avenue patio seats 12. “Who doesn’t like sitting outside, in the sun drinking wine, pinky raised, al fresco?” Milic says. Salon setbacks Having a Scottsdale presence for the Southern Arizona winery was an objective since day one. Los Milics co-founder Mo Garfinkle had been eyeing the property for a while, and was drawn to the dual patios. When it finally became available in April 2025, relocation plans began. However, the building had been used only for salons over the years. It lacked the infrastructure, including plumbing and electrical, needed to support a food and beverage business. Converting everything consumed much more time than anticipated. After some setbacks and the completion of required adjustments, the tasting room was finally ready for guests. The new tasting room will be running on all cylin- ders in time for the launch of Los Milics’ new canned wine label, Lomi. Slated for release in early 2027, Lomi will feature four wines: Chill Red, an easy-drinking carbonic blend that’s best served cold; Easy White, a white blend that’s on the sweet side; and an unnamed sparkling and a low-ABV wine. In the future, expect to see a nonalcoholic version. Peter Shikany, president of Phoenix- based P.S. Studios design firm, created the branding for Los Milics Vineyards and did the same for Lomi. The look will match the more playful persona of the new label that’s more affordable than its big brother and geared toward a younger demographic. The team hopes it will inspire non-wine drinkers to give Los Milics a try. Milic, who has been one of Arizona wine’s most powerful advocates for 17 years, acknowledges that the state’s wine industry is not the anomaly it was a decade or two ago. Still, he views his winery and tasting room as an extension of that initial advocacy, which has grown over time as he has evolved from wine seller to winemaker. He hopes the new tasting room will draw attention not just to Los Milics, but the Arizona wine industry overall, especially for visitors who aren’t aware it even exists. “We are just one of the people doing an amazing job. To add our grain of salt to what it means to grow and make wine in Arizona … it’s an honor,” Milic says. “It sounds trite, but that has always been the intention, to show people from outside the state’s lines what we do and what is possible in Arizona.” Los Milics Vineyards 7045 E. Third Ave., Scottsdale The larger space allows the Los Milics team to craft food to pair with their wines. (Provided by Los Milics) Fresh Pairing from p 22
