26 Oct 3rd-Oct 9th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Robles. Whether you opt for the dry Willow White blend made with seyval blanc — one of the grapes grown on its nine-acre estate vineyard — or the big and bold estate Tannat, it’ll be a perfect pairing to go with the idyllic setting of lush lawns, shade trees and glistening brooks. Vino Zona 1012 N. Main St., Cottonwood 369 Main St,. Jerome 336 AZ-179, Suite A207, Sedona If you’re seeking an efficient way to taste, this tasting room has you covered. Since much of Arizona wine is produced in smaller batches, lists at Vino Zona’s three locations change regularly. But you can count on roughly a dozen wines repre- senting smaller houses like Laramita Cellars, 1764 Vineyards and Birds and Barrels Vineyard. Vino Zona exclusives are made specially for the tasting room by the Southwest Wine Center and Flying Leap Vineyards. Each shop doubles as an art gallery, adding to the charm. Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room 158 Main St., Jerome The original tasting room of Grammy Award-winning musician, winemaker and Jerome resident Maynard James Keenan’s Caduceus empire, this hip spot offers Merkin, Four Eight Wineworks and the canned wine lineup Queen B. Looking for souvenirs or gifts for the Tool fan in your life? The tasting room doubles as a huge retail space for all things Caduceus and Caduceus-adjacent from clothing and accessories to decor and food, making it easy to sip while shopping. ▼ WHERE TO EAT While there are plenty of solid restaurants in Old Town Cottonwood and Jerome, there are also several wineries and tasting rooms with full kitchens onsite that satiate with more than crackers, dried fruit or a premade cheese plate. Here’s where to eat. Pillsbury Wine Co. 315 S. Willard St., Cottonwood Filmmaker-turned-winemaker Sam Pillsbury has been an Arizona wine power- house for decades. When he moved his tasting room from Main Street into a former house just outside of Old Town, he took full advantage of the kitchen and separate rooms, which offer lots of lounging options in settings that resemble cozy living rooms and well-appointed nooks. Pillsbury Wine Co. offers meat, cheese and vegan board options, but the best bet lies with the monthly chef’s specials. Among recent offerings: warming vegetable-packed minestrone, an elegant individual-sized take on the old school green bean casserole and a hearty sandwich packed with hickory smoked shredded pork, applewood bacon, provolone, avocado, roasted Hatch chiles and microgreens. DA Vines Vineyards Wine & Bistro 705 N. Main St. Suite A, Cottonwood Walk into this tasting room that looks more like a family-friendly restaurant and grab a seat at the bar, by a table or on the couch to pair a tasting with thoughtful plates from the lengthy menu. DA Vines Vineyards Wine & Bistro’s shareable lineup offers unexpected options such as cassoulet with shredded duck confit and huge mushroom caps stuffed with elk, wild boar and bison. Steak frites, chicken braised in an herbed white wine sauce and short rib bour- guignon are among the entrees. Basque cheesecake and bread pudding adorned with sea-salted cognac caramel and Tahitian vanilla whipped cream may convince you to order dessert first. Before hitting the road on your way home, fuel up on Sunday brunch served from 11 to 3 p.m. Page Springs Cellars 1500 N. Page Springs Road, Cornville One of the first tasting rooms in the Verde Valley and one of the biggest attractions for decades, this vineyard-winery-tasting room-bistro overlooks Oak Creek and offers picturesque views of water and lush greenery. Give yourself time to peruse Page Springs’ lengthy menu of wine flights and food that arrive in a handy binder. Choose a flight of whites and pinks, reds or a combo to sip while deciding whether to nosh on truffle kettle chips or offerings from the loaded charcuterie boards. Brick-oven pizzas boast hearty and savory options alongside a sweeter fig and prosciutto pie finished with arugula and white truffle oil. You can also order your meal picnic-style to take to the outdoor patio down by the creek. Be on the lookout for daily specials. Cove Mesa Vineyard Winery & Tasting Room 1210 S. Western Drive, Cornville Whether you take a seat at the bar or settle with friends in the expansive sit-down dining area, it’s easy to spend the day sipping on the half-dozen pre-set flights, making your own by combining your choice of 2-ounce pours or committing to a 6-ounce glass of your favorite. Cove Mesa’s food menu offers enough to soak every- thing up with substantial boards boasting smoked duck, brie and even vegan options. There are pizzas, entree-sized salads and hearty chef specials. If you crave some- thing sweet, ask about a decadent homemade chocolate truffle. Merkin Vineyards Hilltop Winery & Trattoria 770 N. Verde Heights Drive, Cottonwood This hard-to-miss Italian eatery atop a hill overlooking downtown is rock star winemaker Maynard James Keenan’s eye-catching contribution to the Cot- tonwood wine scene. Merkin Vineyards Hilltop Winery & Trattoria is surrounded by vineyards and the production facility is mere steps away from the restaurant with an outdoor dining space that grants a 270-degree view of the Valley. Take the rustic tram to the top, but you may wish to walk the stairs in preparation for any indulgence that follows. There are pre- built wine flights but with wines available by the taste in addition to the glass and bottle, it’s easy to build your own or switch between tastes and glasses with whatever you order off the food menu. Housemade pasta finds its way into creative takes like the Merkin Mac & Cheese that’s composed of prickly pear-infused pasta tossed in a pancetta-mascarpone cream sauce and finished with a dusting of beet powder, and ribbon-shaped tagliolini served with Arizona grass-fed beef ragu. There are wood-oven pizzas, the famous lasagna cupcakes and the even more famous gelato that you order by the pint or half-pint. A short stroll down the hill on Main Street, sister restaurant Four 8 Fried Chicken offers up Keenan’s fried chicken recipe alongside his wines and sparkling mead. ▼ WHERE TO STAY The Tavern Hotel 904 N. Main St., Cottonwood With its sunny yellow trim and stone facade, The Tavern Hotel is hard to miss just a few steps back from the main drag. Boasting 41 guestrooms, five cottages and a penthouse, this 1925 building has been painstakingly preserved and in 2011 debuted as the hotel it is today. The spacious rooms offer plush bedding, ample seating and refrigerators. Following a day of tasting, soak up the cool night air on your room’s balcony or head down to the firepit to soak. After checking in, stroll to neighboring The Tavern Grille for your complimentary cocktail and in the morning, cross the street to Crema Craft Kitchen & Bar for your complimentary continental breakfast. The Iron Horse Inn 1034 N Main St., Cottonwood This 1930s motel has a colorful history with several iterations over the decades. A complete remodel in recent years has made The Iron Horse Inn a comfy spot to lay your head in the heart of Old Town. The rooms are efficient, but what they lack in spaciousness they make up for in amenities, with mini fridges, microwaves, free bottled Wine and Dine from p 24 The Southwest Wine Center is the home of Yavapai College’s enology and viticulture program. This teaching winery is nestled amid 13 acres of its estate vineyard planted and tended to by students, several of which have gone on to start their own wineries over the last decade. (Photo by Paul Nelson) Rubrix Wines’ tasting room in Old Town Cottonwood features a sleek and comfortable ambiance to pair with its award-winning wines. (Courtesy of Rubrix Wines) Page Springs Cellars in Cornville was one of the first tasting rooms to open in the Verde Valley. (Photo by Jill Richards) >> p 28
