Revisiting the exciting wines of Southern Arizona

Sunrise on a Superstitions Mountains ridgeline (Dec. 2023)

I’ve been visiting Arizona once or twice a year since 2010, and I’m barely scratching the surface. As an avid outdoors lover, there’s just so much to do. And I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the diverse and rather vast winemaking culture. Since I started paying attention, things have gotten even more dynamic and exciting.

I’m a huge fan of producers like Page Springs Cellars, which was the first vineyard I visited, located in the Verde Valley south of Sedona. But time and again, I’ve found some of the most delicious and interesting wines come from the high elevation desert vineyards of Southeastern Arizona. Here, in the Willcox and Cochise County regions, things just seem to click.

This is where Aridus calls home. I’ve been hip to this producer since 2016 or so. Since their beginnings in 2012, Scott and Joan Dahmer of Aridus have been developing estate vineyards and their winery outside the town of Pierce. And as of the 2023 vintage, all grapes will be sourced from estate sites. The winery now tends to 40 acres of vines in the Chiricahua Foothills, most of which grow at an elevation of about 5,200 feet. Where I’m from in the Mid-Atlantic, that’s higher than most of our mountains. The dry climate, diverse soils, and large variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures means Arizona regions have more in common with, say, Mendoza, than they do California.

Aridus, and a good amount of other producers, are currently based in the Willcox American Viticultural Area (AVA), which was established in 2016. The land is above 4,000 feet and wrapped by the Chiricahua and Dos Cabezas Mountains to the east, the Dragoon Mountains to the west, and the Pinaleño Mountains to the northeast. Recently, Aridus and neighboring winegrowers have proposed a new AVA called the Chiricahua Foothills, which would take its name from the nearby Chiricahua National Monument. I, for one, am curious to see where this process goes, as the potential for further exploring and establishing regional boundaries should be a help to the state’s wine business.

While a trip to the area is highly recommended, you don’t have to go that far to taste AZ wines. If you ever find yourself in Scottsdale with some time on your hands, the Aridus tasting room on Old Town is a nice spot to relax and get in the Arizona state of mind with some local vino.

While in Arizona in December – in addition to plenty of hiking, rock-climbing, and wildlife photography – I picked up some wines from two reliable producers who also make wine from Cochise County fruit – Page Springs and Dos Cabezas. I include those wines in this report as well.

Mountains outside of Sonoita, Arizona.

The Aridus wines were received as samples, while the others I purchased. They were all tasted sighted.

2019 Aridus Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Arizona
SRP: $59
Dark purple color. The nose has a pleasantly smoky and jammy mix of aromas, with black cherries, roasted figs, and plum cake, along with barbecue sauce, black pepper, roasted red pepper, and some oregano and anise tones. The palate is rich and suave with smooth tannins and moderating acidity. Flavors of cherry and currant compote, mixed with scorched earth, warm rocks, graphite, some bell pepper, and mineral dust. A spicy, balanced, delicious Cab that offers a great intro into what AZ is capable of with Cab. (90 points)

2020 Aridus Petite Sirah - USA, Arizona
SRP: $65
Dark purple. The nose shows a dense but warm and friendly mix of fig paste, boysenberry, wild blueberries, and the fruit is tossed with a lovely mix of anise, black pepper, coffee grounds, charcoal, and even some cinnamon and ginger nuances. The palate is rich a bold but the acidity is vibrant, balancing things nicely, while the dark fruit sings (black currants, plum sauce, roasted figs). The non-fruit tones offer a lot to love, with tar, coffee grounds, mocha, toffee, some mineral and graphite vibes. Long finish with smoky earth and herbs. A dark but delightful PS that holds itself well and should age nicely, too. Arizona has a knack for this variety for sure. (91 points)

2020 Aridus Cabernet Franc - USA, Arizona
SRP: $65
Bright purple color. I like the mix of deep but tangy fruit (black cherries, dark plums, currants) with savory vibes and tones (pepper, black licorice, roasted red pepper, some dried violet, clay). The palate is saucy but vibrant with chewy tannins and medium acidity, and plenty of tangy, juicy fruit in terms of plum, blackberry, and figs. The tones of pine resin, black pepper, sliced bell pepper, violets, clove, and all sorts of earth add complexity. Finishes with violets and spice rack dust. Pleasant, complex, balanced, I’d also like to see this in a few years. (90 points)

2020 Dos Cabezas Wine Works Cimarron Vineyard - USA, Arizona, Cochise County
SRP: $28
Deep ruby. Jammy and ripe and fun on the nose with spicy red fruits and a mix of tar, mint, black pepper, and warm red clay. The palate sports dusty tannins and fresh acidity for a pleasantly balanced wine with flavors of jammy red cherries and juicy raspberries. The fruit is blended well with elements of clove, mint, white pepper, leather, some rhubarb, and hints of oak and spiced tea. Yummy, pleasant, balanced, crushable, fan-friendly red blend. (88 points)

2022 Dos Cabezas Wine Works Pink - USA, Arizona, Cochise County
SRP: $25
Bright pink color. Spritely nose of white cherry, watermelon, raspberry, with tones of floral perfume, nettle, and creosote. The palate is racy and brisk with a pleasantly creamy texture and flavors of watermelons upon watermelons. Crunchy minerals, chalk dust, and plenty of dried white flowers and white tea make for a complex and delicious pink. Dos Cabezas, per usual, making the good stuff. (89 points)

2022 Page Springs Cellars Mule's Mistake - USA, Arizona, Cochise County
SRP: $23

Pale ruby color, almost like a dark rosé. Love the aromatic flourishes of tangy red apples, white cherries, wild strawberries, along with rose hops and white pepper. The palate is light, bright, and super crunchy, with brisk acidity and the softest little tannins. Tangy white cherries and wild raspberry fruit blends well with spicy-floral vibes (rhubarb, rose hips, rooibos tea, some green herbs). Every year, this is a wild kitchen sink blend of sometimes a dozen varieties (red and white), and it is always fun, exciting, and a great value. (88 points)

Plenty of wilderness and wine to explore in Arizona

For about a dozen years now, I’ve been taking trips to the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. Each time I go, I hike my ass off, climb a lot of rocks, spend a ton of time along in the wilderness, scoping wildlife. And I haven’t even scratched the surface. There’s so much gnarly country out there, and each time I plan an excursion into a new area, looking for new summits, canyons, creeks, birds.

Out there, I’ve seen lots of lizards and snakes, a ton of birds, a bobcat, coyotes, and my first and only cougar tracks.

When I head to Arizona, I try to order some wines ahead of time from producers I’ve grown to love and respect. Alternatively, there are some shops that carry local producers, and I frequently check the local section to see if they have some of my favorites: Page Springs Cellars, Dos Cabezas, Rune, Callaghan. Nothing beats coming home after a long day of hiking and grilling up some meat, pairing it with a local Arizona wine.

Page Springs Cellars is a gem – great people in a beautiful place making singular wines. “Unique” is an overused word in wine circles (I’m guilty), but these wines are in a league of their own. Their kitchen sink blends mixes are always delicious and interesting, and their varietal single vineyard wines are clear interpretations of their place and grape. So, on my most recent Arizona trip, I had some of their wines shipped to my destination. I also picked up some bottles from another of my favorite producers, Dos Cabezas, based in Cochise County.

Arizona has a lot to offer in terms of wine and wilderness. You just have to hit the trails. Here are some photos and wine notes from my most recent trip this winter.

2020 Page Springs Vino Del Barrio Blanco - Arizona
Pale yellow. Peachy keen on the nose with limes and lemons, honey, white tea, some verbena and oregano elements. I like the zippy elements but there’s a pleasant creaminess that keeps it fun. Peaches and kiwi with honey, raw almond, along with flinty, crunchy, salty elements. Fun, bright, complex. What a cool blend of Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard, Roussanne, Seyval Blanc, Vermentino, Bourbolenc, Malvasia Bianca and Riesling – sheesh! Some Arizona magic happening here. (90 points)

2019 Page Springs Viognier Deep Sky Vineyard – Arizona, Cochise County, Willcox
A beautifully tropical nose of peaches, kiwi and pineapple, with notes of sea salt, cucumber slices and white flowers. The palate is deep but fresh, this is no overly chunky Viognier, not at all. Beautiful texture with peaches and lemon cake, along with flinty, mineral tones and tons of white and yellow flowers. I feel like if you left some of this in the glass, a hummingbird would steal it from you – and for good measure. I’d love to see how this ages. (91 points)

2020 Page Springs Cellars Grenache "Blanc de Noir" Colibri Vineyard - USA, Arizona, Cochise County
So pale copper. The nose is exquisite, with saline and crushed shells, along with grapefruit pith, lemons, white flowers – a taut and bright appeal. The palate is tight and brisk with orange peel, grapefruit and lemon mixed with chalky, clean laundry and saline vibes. Flinty, precise. If I were sipping this blindfolded, I’d be all over the map (Muscadet? Galician white?). Really cool stuff. (91 points)

2020 Page Springs Cellars – Mule’s Mistake – Arizona, Cochise County
This is always such a fun wine, a total kitchen sink blend of everything, and it always delivers fun and excitement. 2020 is a total blast with juicy cherries, spicy pepper, rose petals and red and black licorice candies on the nose. The palate is bright with light tannins and tangy, ripe fruit (raspberries and red cherries) along with roses, black pepper, cola and clay. So fun, accessible, but it’s own thing entirely. One of the most fun, cheap wines I buy from anywhere in the world, year-in, year-out. A blend of so many grapes, each year it’s dizzying. Each vintage has like eight, from Counoise, Pinot Noir, Carignan and Sangiovese to white Rhone grapes and others. This wine portrays a lot about why I love Arizona. (89 points)

2019 Page Springs Mourvedre Pick 3 Colibri Vineyard – Arizona, Cochise County
Loving the floral and spicy complexity on the nose, these rose petal, rhubarb, creosote and paprika, over raspberries and pomegranate fruit – so good! On the palate, this is zippy and fresh with dusty tannins and a crushable but complex appeal. Raspberries and sour cherry fruit is tangy and so lively. The notes of pepper, paprika, warm clay and rose petals. So vibrant but has a lot of depth, too, and I’d like to see it in three to four years. I’d also love to see this thrown into a blind tasting with some wine nerd friends and see them try to place it. Aged 11 months in 20% Arizona oak. (93 points)

2016 Dos Cabezas Wine Works El Norte - USA, Arizona, Cochise County 

This wine shows classic red Grenache fruit (raspberries and strawberries) along with a complex mix of clove, rose hips, sliced bell pepper, mesquite. Fun appeal on the palate, but all sorts of complexity. Tangy red berries, very fresh but plenty of sun-roasted feel, mixed well with notes of charcoal, smoked meats, pepper, some floral potpourri. This is such a reliably great wine from Dos Cabezas, a cool mix of Garnacha, Syrah, Graciano, Petite Sirah, Monastrell and Vranc. (90 points)

2017 Dos Cabezas - Aguileon – Arizona, Cochise County
Love the nose here, so spicy and classic southern Arizona vibes, with creosote, clay, leather, black pepper, over the top of juicy raspberry and cherry fruit. Smooth but structured with vibrant acid and a juicy frame of raspberries and cherries. A lot of violets, mesquite, tilled soil, warm clay, some campfire and leather. These are flavors that just exude the Sonoran desert mountains, and I’m here for it. Tempranillo, Graciano, Petit Verdot, Garnacha, Petite Sirah and Monastrell. (91 points)

Enjoying the Wilderness and White Wines of Virginia

Remote Shenandoah beauty.

Virginia is on my mind this week. I had a great solo winter hike and scramble in Shenandoah National Park, and I recently tasted through some beautiful Virginia wines.

Long-time readers have heard me rave about Virginia wines for many years, and it’s been interesting to see how the perception of Virginia wine has improved, in other wine media and the public at large. The landscape has shifted so much, and there’s way more out there than some zippy Cab Francs and rich Viogniers.

The Virginia Governor’s Cup Awards each year have been an exciting way to promote the state’s wines, and next month we’ll know the 12 winners of 2022. I think we could likely see some of the producers featured in this report on that list. I love some Bordeaux blends, Cab Francs, and have a soft spot for VA Petit Verdot, but this report is all white wines (and a sparkler). The diversity of styles and flavors in just this small gathering of wines really speaks to Virginia’s strengths.

And, hey, if you’re looking to explore wines from the commonwealth, Valentine’s Day coming up. Virginia is for (wine)lovers. These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2020 Williamsburg Winery Chardonnay Stainless Steel Fermented – USA, Virginia
$20
Light yellow color. The nose shows lemons and white peach along with white flowers, celery seed and lemon verbena. The palate is light and zesty, bright and crisp, with lemons and kiwi fruit. I like the affirming tones of mint, white pepper and sage that add complexity to this brisk style. A tough year, but this wine offers a lot of fun and a nice take on this style. (87 points)

2019 Williamsburg Winery Chardonnay Limited Release Monticello – USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello
$32
Medium yellow color. The nose is lovely, with honey, white tea and cinnamon crumb cake, over top of yellow pears and lemon curds, yellow flowers. The palate shows crisp acidity and a creamy texture, with yellow apples and lemons. Nuances of gingerbread, honey, graham cracker, balanced out by notes of sea salt, white tea and minerals. Nice depth of texture, but solid balance. (88 points)

2017 Linden Chardonnay Village – USA, Virginia, Northern Virginia
$32
Rich yellow color. Aromas of lemon crème, yellow apples, with chalk dust, sea salt, with some floral perfume. The palate shows nice depth but vibrant acidity, and the balance is really nice. Lemons, kiwi and yellow apples mix with honey, almond shell and white flowers. Bright, juicy, salty, pure and vibrant. Classic Virginia Chardonnay. Mostly declassified Hardscrabble grapes, no maloactic fermentation, aged 10 months on the lees in old French oak barrels. (90 points)

2018 Michael Shaps Petit Manseng – USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello
$35
Rich orange color. The nose is just gorgeous, with apricots and orange marmalade, topped in honey, graham cracker crumbs and zesty, salty vibes. The palate is beautifully textured and creamy, backed up with racy acidity, and that nervy, live-wire balance is something that this wine excels at. Lemon drops and orange marmalade fruit blend well with minerals, chalk dust, tones of honey comb and candles. Unique, beautiful stuff that will age wonderfully. (91 points)

2018 King Family Vineyards Viognier Small Batch Series – USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello
$35
Medium orange color. The nose has a lot on offer, with lemons and yellow apples mixing in with green olives, brine, clover and honey. Creamy texture on the palate, this also sports briny acidity, it’s rich and tropical but focused throughout. Lemons and orange peel, juicy yellow apples, the fruit is laced with flowers and green olives. Beautiful, fresh, has a natty but pristine vibe and a creamy yet lip-smacking finish. This skin-fermented Viognier is equally interesting and delicious. (91 points)

2019 Stinson Vineyards Rkatsiteli Wildkat – USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello
$29
Deep orange color. The aromas boast elements of lemon, papaya, along with ginger anf precise notes of flowers and talc. Medium-bodied with a salty, racy, briny appeal. Clean and precise with lemon and quince, racy yet deep with complexities of sea salt, white pepper and oregano. White tea, waxy, creamy elements as well. Super fun and nerdy but also straightforward in its deliciousness. Georgian style skin-fermented Rkatsiteli from Virginia – I’m stoked this wine exists. (90 points)

Sparkling and dessert wines

2018 Linden Petit Manseng Demi-Sec – USA, Virginia, Northern Virginia
$26
Medium gold color. Aromas of apricots and golden apples, topped in candle wax, honey, candied pecans and daisies. Gorgeous acidity on the palate, keeps it pristine and fresh against the creamy texture and rich, sweet fruit (orange, pineapple, apricots, glazed apples). Zesty, chalky tones are framed well against notes of honey and pineapple cake. Gorgeous depth but stays focused. Petit Manseng really is one of the best grapes for this style of wine, and Linden is a great producer, which adds up to one heck of an exceptional demi-sec wine. 20 g/l residual sugar. (92 points)

2015 Barboursville Vineyards Paxxito – USA, Virginia
$60
Deep orange color. The nose is so pretty, with orange marmalade, pineapple upside cake, with white and yellow flowers, almond, cinnamon, notes of dried nuts – just goes on and on. Gorgeous creaminess with honeyed, unctuous mouthfeel and the lively acidity is just perfect. The pineapple and mango fruit is laced with notes of nougat, gingerbread, honeyed white tea, some flinty/mineral elements underneath as well. This won the Governor’s Cup in 2021, and for good reason. Muscat Ottonel and Vidal Blanc grapes dried via the Passito method. Just an exquisite dessert wine that could fool a lot of people in a blind tasting, and likely win over new fans. Will age wonderfully for who knows how long. (92 points)

N.V. Valley Road Vineyards Joie – USA, Virginia, Central Virginia, Monticello
$40
Bright watermelon color. Smells like red apple peels, sweet tarts, crunchy white cherries, rose petals and chalk dust. Crisp on the palate with light bubbles and flavors of sweet red apples, raspberries, light and crunchy vibes. Notes of nettle, chalk, sweet tarts and talc. Fun, bright carbonized pink. (87 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.