Pam and Scott's daughter Dana is living in Phoenix, AZ these days, and has been doing some winery touring of her own. The following series of guest posts are from Dana as she tours and tastes at some of Arizona's local wine destinations.
Along one road in Cornville, AZ are three fantastic wineries and tasting rooms, complete with vineyards on the grounds. If you're looking for a fun afternoon, definitely take a drive to these vineyards.
One of my favorites, and definitely "Verde Valley's Best Kept Secret" is Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery. Making most of their wines on site, they've got a delicious tasting menu and fabulous grounds. Take your wine and sit outside on their patio for beautiful views across the vineyard and the neighboring mountains.
The wines produced were all delicious. The favorite red was definitely Oak Creek's Zinfandel. It had some jammy, fruity flavors that my husband enjoyed, and it was full-bodied enough for me, even on a hot summer day.
One white wine that caught my attention, however, was their featured Sunflower blend. 50% Chardonnay and 50% Roussanne, this wine had the most interesting flavors. because of the blend, it smelled of honey. However, tasting the wine, you get the distinct flavor of sunflower seeds. It was one of the most unique wines I've ever tried, so I had to take home a bottle.
make sure you swing by Oak Creek Vineyards for some delicious wines and a beautiful afternoon the next time you're in Arizona.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Northern AZ Wine Tour: Alcantara Vineyards
Pam and Scott's daughter Dana is living in Phoenix, AZ these days, and has been doing some winery touring of her own. The following series of guest posts are from Dana as she tours and tastes at some of Arizona's local wine destinations.
With many of the Arizona wineries and vineyards being in the southern part of the state, it's unique to find an estate vineyard right off the highway in the north. But that is exactly what you find at Alcantara Vineyards.
Located 1 mile off highway 260, Alcantara boasts a beautiful house and 13,000 vines, on which grow 12 different varietals. Driving through the vines to get to the house, the property is nothing less than stunning. The beautiful Verde River runs right through the land, so tasters can bring a picnic and enjoy an afternoon in paradise.
The wines are fabulous as well. They are made in more of a traditional Bordeaux style which brings out the fruity side of the red.
Alcantara also hosts a variety of events and parties on their property, including their bottling parties and being the drop off point for a River and Wine tour.
Such a fun location needs to be shared, and try to make sure you have time to enjoy all the beauty offered by Alcantara Vineyards.
With many of the Arizona wineries and vineyards being in the southern part of the state, it's unique to find an estate vineyard right off the highway in the north. But that is exactly what you find at Alcantara Vineyards.
Located 1 mile off highway 260, Alcantara boasts a beautiful house and 13,000 vines, on which grow 12 different varietals. Driving through the vines to get to the house, the property is nothing less than stunning. The beautiful Verde River runs right through the land, so tasters can bring a picnic and enjoy an afternoon in paradise.
The wines are fabulous as well. They are made in more of a traditional Bordeaux style which brings out the fruity side of the red.
Alcantara also hosts a variety of events and parties on their property, including their bottling parties and being the drop off point for a River and Wine tour.
Such a fun location needs to be shared, and try to make sure you have time to enjoy all the beauty offered by Alcantara Vineyards.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Northern AZ Wine Tour: Pillsbury Wine Company
Pam and Scott's daughter Dana is living in Phoenix, AZ these days, and has been doing some winery touring of her own. The following series of guest posts are from Dana as she tours and tastes at some of Arizona's local wine destinations.
Not only is there a singer who owns wineries in Arizona, but a filmmaker as well. An also, some more delicious wine to boot.
Pillsbury Wine Company is owned by Sam Pillsbury, and specializes in (almost) 100% Arizona Grown grapes. Their vineyard is located in the southern part of the state, but their tasting room is in Cottonwood, AZ (directly across the street from Arizona Stronghold). And they have many fantastic wines to talk about.
Their Roan Red was scored 90 points by Wine Spectator, and is simply divine. Their Diva red blend is bold, strong and sassy. And my personal favorite, their Wild Child Red, is 100% from Arizona and came from a neighborhood wild vineyard they found dotted with crop circles. Totally incredible.
You most definitely need to pick up these fantastic wines next time you're in the area. And make sure you say hi to the cute redhead who works there (her name is Dana too!).
Not only is there a singer who owns wineries in Arizona, but a filmmaker as well. An also, some more delicious wine to boot.
Pillsbury Wine Company is owned by Sam Pillsbury, and specializes in (almost) 100% Arizona Grown grapes. Their vineyard is located in the southern part of the state, but their tasting room is in Cottonwood, AZ (directly across the street from Arizona Stronghold). And they have many fantastic wines to talk about.
Their Roan Red was scored 90 points by Wine Spectator, and is simply divine. Their Diva red blend is bold, strong and sassy. And my personal favorite, their Wild Child Red, is 100% from Arizona and came from a neighborhood wild vineyard they found dotted with crop circles. Totally incredible.
You most definitely need to pick up these fantastic wines next time you're in the area. And make sure you say hi to the cute redhead who works there (her name is Dana too!).
Friday, July 1, 2011
Northern AZ Wine Tour: Arizona Stronghold
Pam and Scott's daughter Dana is living in Phoenix, AZ these days, and has been doing some winery touring of her own. The following series of guest posts are from Dana as she tours and tastes at some of Arizona's local wine destinations.
As mentioned in a previous post, Maynard James Keenan, the lead singer of the band Tool, owns 3 wineries in our great state. The one that is most generally popular is Arizona Stronghold. While the vineyard is located in the southern part of Arizona, the tasting room is located up north in Cottonwood.
The tasting room is one to be admired. Not only can a customer come in and taste (a lot of) delicious wines, but they are encourages to pull up a chair or grab a seat on the couch and hang out for a while. Play a couple board games or chat with friends.
And definitely try the wine. They've got a lot of different varietals and blends to choose from, available in different tasting flights to fit your palette. And again, many of these wines weren't for me. They either didn't have enough flavor, or the flavor was too intense for my liking. My husband and I did take home a bottle of their rose, which was pretty delicious.
One of these wines that is a stand out, however, is their chupacabra. This is a blend of 18 different wine varietals and the flavors are so plentiful that one couldn't be pressed to list them all out. Definitely something to try.
If you're passing through northern Arizona and need a place to stop, relax, and have a drink, Arizona Stronghold is the place to do it.
And, Arizona Stronghold was recently announced as the official wine of the Arizona State Centennial in 2012.
As mentioned in a previous post, Maynard James Keenan, the lead singer of the band Tool, owns 3 wineries in our great state. The one that is most generally popular is Arizona Stronghold. While the vineyard is located in the southern part of Arizona, the tasting room is located up north in Cottonwood.
The tasting room is one to be admired. Not only can a customer come in and taste (a lot of) delicious wines, but they are encourages to pull up a chair or grab a seat on the couch and hang out for a while. Play a couple board games or chat with friends.
And definitely try the wine. They've got a lot of different varietals and blends to choose from, available in different tasting flights to fit your palette. And again, many of these wines weren't for me. They either didn't have enough flavor, or the flavor was too intense for my liking. My husband and I did take home a bottle of their rose, which was pretty delicious.
One of these wines that is a stand out, however, is their chupacabra. This is a blend of 18 different wine varietals and the flavors are so plentiful that one couldn't be pressed to list them all out. Definitely something to try.
If you're passing through northern Arizona and need a place to stop, relax, and have a drink, Arizona Stronghold is the place to do it.
And, Arizona Stronghold was recently announced as the official wine of the Arizona State Centennial in 2012.
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