Visit Arizona Wine Country
Hot, desert, golf, 5 star resorts, and the Grand Canyon are probably the first things that come to mind when you think of Arizona. But wineries, tasting rooms, and vineyards should also come to mind and be added to your “places to visit” list while in Arizona.
One of my first day trips to explore a city outside of Phoenix was to visit Sedona. My best friend came in from Los Angeles and I suggested we go wine tasting with the red rocks as our backdrop. We visited the Art of Wine Tasting Room.
I envisioned walking up to a lush green vineyard (back then I didn’t know the difference between a vineyard and a tasting room). Instead we walked in a tasting room and were greeted by an employee who provided us with a wine flight. The only thing I remember is walking away with a bottle of Wilson’s Creek Almond Sparkling Wine.
Believe it or not Arizona has a wine region. Actually there are three wine regions within the state of Arizona – Sonoita, Willcox, and Verde Valley. A few weeks ago, I visited two wineries along the Verde Valley Wine Train – Page Springs Cellars and DA Ranch with some friends.
Our first stop was lunch and wine tasting at Page Springs Cellars. 
We were greeted by the solar panels in the parking lot. Don’t you just love vineyards that practice sustainability? There was a wait for a table, due to social distancing requirements, but as we waited we sat outside and enjoyed the picturesque scenery.
For lunch we shared Shishito Peppers as an appetizer and I ordered the Meat Pie Pizza. Our server created a wine flight. We started with the Vino Del Barrio Blanca, a white blend with 40% Malvasia Bianca. The Vino Del Barrio Blanca was dry, with notes of pear and a little minerality; it was the perfect start to our tasting and actually was the groups overall favorite. Next we tasted the Counoise Rosé, New Mexico Dolcetto, and last with pizza, El Sarrano. The favorite of the reds was the New Mexico Dolcetto. The grapes used were sourced from a New Mexico vineyard.
What I appreciate about Page Cellars is the unique grapes they use for their blends. Even for a wine enthusiast such as myself I still love learning about new grape varietals. The charm and tranquility of this vineyard is worth a full day stay, but we had another stop along the Verde Valley Wine Trail.
DA Ranch was our next stop. They are Northern Arizona’s only 100% estate grown vineyard. Rare due to the climate and terroir in Arizona. DA Ranch produces 750 cases of wine per year. According to Wines Vines Analytics, “Small wineries have become a pretty big deal. Some 42 percent of U.S. wineries produce fewer than 1,000 cases per vintage which classifies them as “limited production” wineries." I appreciate small boutique wineries because you know its all about quality over quantity. The dominate grapes grown at DA Ranch are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Tannat and Seyval Blanc.
We opted for a bottle of white wine and decided on the Willow White (Seyval Blanc).
DA Ranch - Willow White
An off-dry white wine with notes of apple, citrus, and hints of minerality. This made for the perfect bottle to enjoy the Ranch. There was tons of grassy area for a picnic, corn hole, and one of my favorites, the tree swing. Plenty of space to spread out and bring the entire family (even the kiddos) to enjoy a day at the Ranch.
Swing
Next time your trying to decide what to do for the weekend check out Verde Valley. This was the perfect day trip to take a break from the city life and head north for some wine, food, and cooler weather.
Wine Spencer is a contemporary wine education and consulting brand specializing in curated wine tasting experiences, in-home wine tastings, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and other special events. We aim to make wine tasting accessible and fun for everyone. From the novice wine enthusiast to the seasoned wine connoisseur, we invite you to Decant The Experience.
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