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Burning Tree Cellars
Tasting room: 1040 N. Main St. in Old Town Cottonwood (928-649-8733)
The brainchild of Corey Turnbull and Mitch Levy, Burning Tree Cellars sources its grapes from California and Arizona. The winery focuses on small-batch, boutique wines. Bonus: The labels are all works of art.
Tom recommends: Trademarked is a chardonnay that is worth seeking out. Made with 100-percent Arizona fruit from the Buhl Memorial Vineyard in Cochise County southeast of Willcox, it’s aged 10 months in oak (10 percent new French oak) and provides a full-flavored Burgundian-style chardonnay that’s rare in Arizona.
Caduceus Cellars
Tasting room: 158 Main St. in Jerome (928-639-9463)
Owned by winemaker and alt rocker Maynard James Keenan (Tool, Puscifer and A Perfect Circle), Caduceus Cellars sources its fruit from Jerome, Clarkdale, Cornville and Willcox.
Tom recommends: The Nagual del Marzo has become a real favorite of mine. Named for his Italian winemaking great-grandfather, this is Maynard’s tribute to the Super Tuscans. Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and just a touch of barbera, all from the Marzo vineyard in Cornville, make up the blend.
Carlson Creek Vineyard
Tasting rooms: 115 Railview Ave. in Willcox (520-766-3000) and 4142 N. Marshall Way in Scottsdale (480-947-0636)
Farming has been the lifeblood of the Carlson family since they lived in pre-war Poland. Fast-forward several generations and to 2009 when the family purchased a 40-acre plot of land in Willcox and planted a vineyard. The plot has since grown to 280 acres. Carlson Creek produces wines using 100-percent Arizona-grown grapes from its own vineyard and other local sources.
Tom recommends: Inspired by Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Rule of Three is a great example of a medium-bodied Arizona GSM (grenache, syrah and mourvedre), a blend made by numerous Arizona winemakers. A bronze-medal winner at the 2015 San Francisco International Wine Competition, it should also age well.
Cellar 433
Tasting room: 240 Hull Ave. in Jerome (928-634-7033)
Owner and winemaker John McLoughlin grows all of the grapes used to make Cellar 433 wines at his almost 400-acre Dragoon Mountain Vineyard in Willcox. The vineyard grows 100 varieties of grapes.
Tom recommends: The Bitter Creek Ace of Pentacles is worth seeking out. A blend of Italian varietals barbera and montepulciano with a touch of oak, it provides medium body and a long finish. It’s made from Arizona grapes from the Dragoon Mountain Vineyard, the largest single vineyard in Arizona.
