24 Oct 3rd-Oct 9th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Wine and Dine Headed north to wine country? Here’s where to sip, eat and stay. BY GEORGANN YARA I t wasn’t long ago when the Verde Valley was home to sleepy towns where most came to work the mines or retire. But over the last two decades, a different kind of treasure unearthed from the Arizona soil has transformed the region — namely the towns of Cottonwood, Jerome and Clarkdale — from a mining domain into a wine destination. An easy drive from Phoenix, the Verde Valley, one of three American Viticultural Areas in Arizona, has become a draw for tourists hailing from near and far. The other two AVAs are located in the southern part of the state in Sonoita and Willcox. About 75% of those who come to explore Arizona wine country visit the Verde Valley, with the majority making the drive from metro Phoenix, says Paula Woolsey, president of the Verde Valley Wine Consortium. Amenities that predate the wine pres- ence jump-started the Verde Valley’s appeal. When Woosley moved there 40 years ago, most of downtown Cottonwood was boarded up, she recalls. But Sedona has long been a destination for tourism, with its natural beauty, followed by restaurants and hotels, drawing visitors from around the world. This enabled the Verde Valley to grow its wine destination cachet faster than the rural and rustic AVAs in the south, “We didn’t have wine but we had the infrastructure in place,” Woosley says. “Visitors could be guaranteed paved roads, restaurants and places to stay.” In 2009, tasting rooms for Caduceus Cellars opened in Jerome and Arizona Stronghold Vineyards in Cottonwood, giving people the opportunity to explore the wines and walkable areas. Soon, more wineries were opening tasting rooms. Twenty years ago there were only 12 wineries in the state. Today, there are nearly 30 wineries and tasting rooms in the Verde Valley alone, within an Arizona wine industry that has become a $351 million economic powerhouse, according to a 2023 study for the Arizona Department of Tourism. Over the years, the wines have won international awards, which has helped raise the visibility and credibility of the local industry. “We’re not a bunch of hippies trying to be California at all,” Woolsey says. “We are bottling liquid landscapes, a snapshot of a moment here in Arizona.” If you’re planning to drive north to wine country, here’s a Verde Valley guide to get you on your way. ▼ WHERE TO TASTE There are dozens of tasting rooms poised to whet your whistle, but here are a few great starting points. Arizona Stronghold Vineyards 1023 N. Main St., Cottonwood The first tasting room in downtown Cottonwood celebrates its 15th year of treating guests to sips made with grapes from its vineyard as well as others throughout the state. Scan Arizona Stronghold’s binder of flights for options spanning all shades of vino while playing board games or enjoying the street scene at the prime couch seating near the window. Favorites like the Dayden Rose, Dala Chard and Dala Cab may be familiar since they have spots on grocery store shelves here. But there are more rare finds like the Bayshan red blend and wines from the Site Archive label that are worthy of trying. Rubrix Wines 1040 N. Main St., Cottonwood Over the last 25-ish years, Verde Valley- raised Corey Turnbull has held nearly every winery and vineyard job in this region. When he opened the Rubrix Wines tasting room at the start of this year, it gave the Arizona wine veteran the long-awaited opportunity to strut his own stuff. Turnbull’s minimalist philosophy means the character of the grapes he sources from Arizona vineyards are allowed to shine under his gentle guidance. This is demon- strated in the Dos Padres Malvasia Bianca that presents more citrus and mineral than floral, and the Mohave red blend’s fresh rhubarb, strawberry and black tea that flaunt the Rhone varietals that grow excep- tionally well here. Turnbull has a backstory for every wine, so if he’s onsite, ask him to share a few. The tasting room features plush seating and the Main Street patio is perfect for people watching. Turnbull’s wife and business partner Hayley Meyer, also from the Verde Valley, manages the tasting room and their daughter Shayla Meyer designed many of the labels that grace the bottles. Southwest Wine Center 601 W. Black Hills Drive, Clarkdale Home of Yavapai College’s oenology and viticulture program, this teaching winery is nestled amid a 13-acre vineyard planted and tended to by students, several of which have gone on to start their own wineries over the last decade. Southwest Wine Center students not only make the wine but also pour and talk about the wines with guests, hence the tasting experience being a bit more personalized and the requirement for reservations. The flight selections change often but it’s a great way to taste the future of the industry and help out the next generation of wine industry professionals. The wines are pretty good, too. Program director Michael Pierce grew up in Phoenix and studied the craft at the University of California, Davis, and Washington State University — the Harvards of wine education — and handles winemaking duties for his family’s wineries Saeculum Cellars and Bodega Pierce, the latter of which has a tasting room, also in Clarkdale. Chateau Tumbleweed Winery 1151 AZ-89A, Clarkdale What it lacks in space, this cozy and fun joint makes up for in easy-going charm. Located on the highway between Jerome and Cottonwood, Chateau Tumbleweed offers a dog-friendly patio with panoramic views and inside, a chill and unpretentious vibe. There are designated flights flaunting whites, roses and reds, but you can build your own from any wine on the list. Spanning light and poolside-worthy whites to big and bold reds, there’s some- thing for everyone. Journalist-turned- winemaker Joe Bechard — who also makes the wares for other area wineries — offers dozens of wines at any given time. If any bottles that are not on the flight list happen to be open and on the bar, you can incor- porate those into your flight as well. The fun labels featuring creative artistic uses of tumbleweeds are designed by co-owner Kris Pothier, who is also Bechard’s wife. D.A. Ranch 1901 Dancing Apache Road, Cornville From the flawless fountain and serene pond that greets you at the parking lot to the picnic benches and lounging chairs dispersed throughout the property’s 170 acres, D.A. Ranch inspires visions of a winery you’d find in Sonoma or Paso The Tavern Hotel is a popular boutique hotel in Old Town Cottonwood. (Photo by The Haunted Group) The tasting room at the Southwest Wine Center, a teaching winery and vineyard at Yavapai College, sits in the school’s former racquetball courts. (Photo by Paul Nelson) ▼ Food & Drink >> p 26
