Exploring Arizona Wines
In February of 2024, while in Arizona, I took the opportunity to explore a few of local wines, figuring that it would be a novelty as part of a vacation in the sun. What I discovered was a small but growing industry of over 100 wineries, which is closely intertwined with local tourism and hospitality. Most wines are drunk locally due to low production volumes. By some counts Arizona is only the 17th largest wine producer in the nation, though unlike some states, most of the wine is made from grapes actually grown in the state, not trucked in from California. All of this makes it a rare commodity and one where quality seems to be improving.
Before I went to Arizona, I had two key questions, ones that many people have asked me since the trip. How can grapes survive in a place that routinely has +115F heat and how can they get enough water? Let’s not forget that parts of the state are now limiting new developments due to insufficient water. How can grapes and other agriculture compete with other water sources?
These climate issues are concerns, but the short answer is that the grapes are grown in parts of Arizona that are at higher elevation and thus are cooler than low-elevation Phoenix. These areas tend to have water via river systems for irrigation. Rain levels are relatively low but concentrated and soils tend to hold on to the water in the driest areas. Producers also tend to grow grapes that are drought resistant and heat tolerant. This includes grapes such as Aglianico, Asyrtiko, Syrah among others and some nice Aromatic whites (Malvasia, Viognier). They choose rootstock that is more drought resistant too or which may be able to survive a longer distance to water.
Soil varies but is supportive from the mineral soil that can be characterized by the red rocks, and plenty of clay and calcium layers that bring minerality to the wines. Some of the better samples we tried seemed to benefit from this, but some of the wines either seemed a little thin (higher volume production) or showed some signs of acidification. Overall, we heard that minerality and herbaceous notes were a typical marker, which showed up on some of the wines we tried.
Arizona has three major wine regions
Sonoita - the oldest, South East of Phoenix. Vineyards are at 4000-5000 feet in this grassland area, where wines may compete with cattle ranches. It was Arizona’s first wine region. Three bodies of water intersect the area and it tends to have a lot of iron-rich reddish soil. These soils are thinner, meaning plants may have to grow deeper to stabilize.
Wilcox - the largest area, which is nestled between the Chiricahua, Dos Cabezas and Dragoon Mountains and the Cochise Stronghold. Some of the plantings are above 5300 feet. This is the big higher volume area, from which 60-70% of the state’s production hails, though there is also some higher quality producers. While it doesn’t get a lot of rain (no part of Arizona does), these are concentrated and there are sufficient creeks and aquifers to allow irrigation.
Verde Valley, the newest American Viticultural area (AVA). North of Phoenix and not far from Sedona, the only area we visited in person. Vineyards are planted at 3000-5000 feet, and it probably has the coolest and wettest climate of the main wine regions. It also is the prime area for wine tourism, given its proximity to Sedona and the Phoenix area and cute artsy towns like Jerome.
Wines grown at elevation are a key part of successful wine making in hot regions in other areas, including of course Argentina and Chile as well as the Spanish Meseta. Moving higher in elevation brings cooler if not cold temperatures and encourages more temperature swings throughout the day which are good for preserving acidity and also for developing thicker skins, which in turn develop tannins and deeper colors, which can help with wine color, structure and intensity. In some seasons and parts of Arizona the temperature high/low swing can be 50F (28C) in 24 hours!
Zeroing in on new varietals: A lot of different varietals are available in Arizona. Initially producers followed the California lead, but more recently, they’ve gravitated towards Mediterranean and Iberian varietals as befits the climate including a significant amount of Sangiovese Aglianico, Petite Sirah and Grenache. For the whites, the standout has been Malvasia Bianca though there are also some southern French varietals (Picpoul, Marsanne) and also some more neutral grapes like Petit Manseng. We found the Aromatic whites among the most interesting. Lots of Syrahs and general Rhone/Southern French blends.
Wine business still niche: Production levels are relatively small, with the entire Arizona wine production being similar in size to some medium-large sized California producers. Lower volumes and high competition for grapes means that prices are relatively high meaning that it’s not necessarily a value sell. That said, quality has been increasing - and the producers may be learning about what grows best in the area. There are lots of tasting rooms in Scottsdale and other towns such as the Arizona Wine collective and many of the wineries themselves which are a major way for people to get to know about the wines. Even the less well-trodden area of Wilcox is now developing more infrastructure for visitors, but most people will find them via tasting rooms.
We tasted most of our Arizona wines in local restaurants by the glass, but only about half of the restaurants we went to had local options, perhaps in part because of the relative price quality differential and concerns about knowledge base. Some of the wines we tasted were not memorable and one or two were memorable for the wrong reason. Others were quite drinkable but we didn’t have time for a full tour or the best chance to explore the more quality premium wines.
Sadly time and schedules didn’t allow us to go to FnB a restaurant which is known for its Arizona wine list and might have allowed us to taste more on the quality spectrum - though we did end up at a great Mexican restaurant that served some tasty Mexican wines instead, but that’s another story. Overall, my favorites were some interesting wines, which outstripped the reds I tried in character. I heard that there are a number of interesting herbaceous and smooth Tannats, Aglianicos and GSM blends, which I’d been keen to try in future. I’d look forward to seeing how the industry develops and what choices are made. Check out the wines if you head to the area. I always find visiting wineries is a great way to learn about the geography, topography and climate of a region and Arizona was no exception.
For more information, I recommend Jessica Dupuy’s Wines of the South East (2020) which also surveys Texas, Colorado and New Mexican wines. She does goes in depth on the subregions the wineries and the good places to eat in the region.
Mike Vesteth, the “Wine Economist” filed a recent report (early 2023) Arizona Wine Revisited based on his visit to the Verde Valley and general market updates.