Sun, Sep 07, 2008
 Guide Yvonne Downs, left, leads Helena and David Rice across grasslands into the Sonoita Vineyards as part of a horseback tour from Arizona Horseback Experience. The rides include one complimentary bottle of wine from Sonoita Vineyards' tasting table, a souvenir wine glass and lunch.
Photos by KELLY PRESNELL / arizona daily star
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Drink in Arizona's wine countryIt takes less than an hour to get to Sonoita and Elgin, where awesome views and award-winning wine await
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.29.2007
Forget Napa Valley — when it comes to getting a taste of wine and scenery, take a trip to Sonoita and Elgin, considered the heart of Arizona's own wine country.
Among Arizona's 26 bonded wineries, six wineries and vineyards make their homes in the sleepy country villages found within an hour's drive of Tucson.
From Rieslings to cabernet sauvignon, tasters will find a mix of white and red vintages grown and bottled amid high desert hills.
Learn about the area's growing industry, its wine's changing reputation, and find out where you can try your hand (or feet) in upcoming grape-stamping competitions. – Levi J. Long
As the rumbling storm clouds were settling into the hills around the village of Sonoita, Tucson residents Stephanie Davis and Marissa Lewis found themselves settling into chairs and admiring the views from a wrap-around porch surrounding the grounds of Sonoita Vineyards.
Caressing crystal wine glasses, the 20-something women were taking a break next to a pair of lazy dogs who were settling in for an afternoon nap.
"It's very calming and romantic," said Davis, while taking in the expansive scenery of rolling hills, green vineyards and the dramatic views of the nearby Mustang and Huachuca mountains that stood in the misty distance.
"We've got wine. We've got the scenery. We've got these lovely dogs to keep us company. What more can you ask for?" Davis said.
"Well, except more wine," Lewis said.
As the sweltering heat in Tucson and Phoenix drives residents toward more forgiving climates, tourists are finding themselves wandering to Southern Arizona wineries.
Nestled into an area of desert grasslands about 5,000 feet in elevation, the wineries have daytime summer temperatures about 10 to 15 degrees lower than in Tucson, according to local growers.
That cooler climate makes it ideal for regional wineries to grow grape varietals for wine.
"It's the perfect pairing — good wines with spectacular views," said James Koch, 65, a resident of Quail Creek near Green Valley who spent a recent Saturday sipping wine at tasting rooms in Sonoita and Elgin. "The drive alone is worth coming down for."
Located about 50 miles southeast of Tucson, Sonoita and Elgin are home to six wineries: Callaghan Vineyards, Canelo Hills Vineyard and Winery, Dos Cabezas WineWorks, Rancho Rossa Vineyards, Sonoita Vineyards and The Village of Elgin Winery.
Each features its own tasting room, and some offer tours of their vineyards and facilities.
There are several other wineries in Southern Arizona, including Charron Vineyards in Vail and Coronado Vineyards in Willcox.
They are all part of a larger network. Statewide, 26 bonded wineries and 38 vineyards have more than 4,000 acres of grapes under cultivation, according to the Arizona Wine Growers Association.
More are expected to open in Sonoita and Elgin, with five new wineries on the drawing board, according to the association.
This comes despite constant drought issues and last year's threat of glassy-winged sharpshooters — insects that carry Pierce's disease. Crops in Elgin and Sonoita were not harmed by the insects, said Rod Keeling, president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association.
The industry and the popularity of wine look promising, said Keeling, also the owner of Keeling-Schaefer Vineyards east of Pierce, which grows the red wine varietals Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.
In the past two years the state wine industry has grown from $18 million to about $36 million last year, Keeling said.
Annual visitation has grown in the same period, from about 15,000 to 20,000, he said.
About 1,200 people are expected to make their way to Sonoita and Elgin to attend Sonoita Vineyards' annual August wine harvest and festival Saturday and next Sunday (see box for more information).
It's one of three annual events the winery hosts that continues to draw tourists from around the state, said Fran Lightly, Sonoita's winery maker and manager.
"Arizonans consider this their own wine country," Lightly said. "They want to see it and support it. And, of course, drink it."
A short trip to wine country
As visitors head into the villages of Sonoita and Elgin, their wine-tasting experience includes a road trip through rolling hills, grasslands and views of the surrounding mountains.
And though ranching may still be the foundation of the area's economy, it's clear from the "Welcome to Arizona Wine Country" sign that Sonoita and Elgin have taken to their growing reputation for attracting vino-sipping tourists.
"People are looking for interesting things to do, and going to wine country is interesting," Keeling said.
"If you go to California, it's a long, expensive trip," he said. "But if you come down from Tucson, it's about 50 minutes away and you can have a little taste of the experience here."
Part of that experience means drinking in not only the wine but the views.
"It's big sky and cooler grassland country," said Kent Callaghan, 41, co-owner of Callaghan Vineyards, a 17-year-old family-operated winery.
The winery — which grows 10 red wine and five white wine varietals — produces 24,000 bottles a year and offers tastings inside its cozy tasting room.
Like other wineries in the area, Callaghan Vineyards sells bottles to people who take them home after tastings and to stores in Tucson. Shipping wine out-of-state is another option.
"Arizonans never used to think about wine," Callaghan said. "Now it seems like everyone is drinking it."
Wine's popularity is growing
Callaghan isn't imagining that trend. A 2005 Gallup poll found that wine had tied beer as the most popular licensed beverage among U.S. adult drinkers.
Helping the trend are changing perceptions about wine and making people feel more comfortable about sampling wine in casual atmospheres.
As guests drive up the dirt road to Rancho Rossa Vineyards, they'll notice rows of vines leading up to the winery's entrance. Inside the tasting room, tasters will note posters of music icons lining the wall — Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, The Rolling Stones — as classic rock music fills the room.
"We're not wine connoisseurs," said Brandon Tackett, 28, who was on a wine-tasting day-trip with his wife, Andrea. "I thought a lot of places might be stuffy and I'm not a stuffy kind of guy. But this had good wine and good service. It was a good, comfortable experience."
Owner Chris Hamilton said he wants a comfortable atmosphere without too many frills.
"There are tasting rooms in California where it might feel snooty or uptight. You might walk in and see a lot of marble floors in all these posh places," Hamilton said. "We wanted something where people can walk in, relax and learn about wine."
The winery attracts a range of people, typically those born in the mid-1950s to the '70s, Hamilton said.
"It becomes social hour," he said. "You'll see groups of people come in here, hang out and see each other at other wineries later in the day."
Those groups include younger people who are out trying new experiences.
"We were also looking for something a little more sophisticated," said Tucsonan Luis Rivera, 26, who was out with friends on a recent trip to Sonoita and Elgin to sample wine. "We wanted to do something different, something other than what the typical young person would do."
Dos Cabezas WineWorks owners Kelly and Todd Bostock said they are seeing more people in their late 20s to mid-30s drinking wine.
"They're becoming more savvy," said Todd Bostock, 30, whose own tasting room is decorated with hip, modern furnishings. Bluesy acoustic music by indie rock artists Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions and Sun Kil Moon plays in the background.
"They come in here and talk about cabernet sauvignon and Syrah," he said. "That's stuff people a generation ago didn't know anything about."
Wine brings more people to the area
Vintners aren't the only ones benefiting from the growing popularity of wine.
Since March 2006, Ron and Marge Izzo, operators of Arizona Horseback Experience, have offered three-hour wine-tasting rides to Sonoita Vineyards.
The rides include one complimentary bottle of wine from Sonoita Vineyards' tasting table, a souvenir wine glass and lunch.
Riders needn't worry about getting their quarter horses back to the ranch — they are both brought back by car.
"It's a great way to see the beautiful countryside and sample beautiful wine," Marge Izzo said. "And the views from those horseback rides are hard to beat."
As part of their cross-country vacation, Vermont residents Helena and David Rice traveled down to Sonoita and Elgin for a horseback tour. After their trek, the couple had grilled steaks and lamb chops in Sonoita and stayed at Rainbow's End Bed & Breakfast at Grand Adventures Ranch.
"It was easily the highlight of our trip," said Helena Rice, a textile artist and writer. "There were magnificent views of the mountains and the ride had a real Western feel."
"We were equally impressed with the wine," she said, adding that she used to live in Sonoma, Calif., and loves wine from that area. "We thought since we've lived in California, we might be a little snobby about it, but it was very good wine. We bought two bottles and drank it with friends who were also impressed with what Arizona had to offer."
● Contact reporter Levi J. Long at 573-4179 or llong@azstarnet.com.
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