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Arizona Wine
Keenan splits with Arizona Stronhold
Keenan Arizona Stronghold split
Maynard James Keenan
Last week the Arizona Republic’s Richard Ruelas broke the news that Maynard James Keenan and Arizona Stronghold had officially parted ways. According to Ruelas, Keenan will acquire Arizona Stronghold’s southern vineyard and co founder Eric Glomski will keep the Arizona Stronghold brand and Campe Verde winery.
Eric Glomski
As for the reasons for the split, neither side is saying much other than there are differences much like there are differences in a band when a band breaks up. In case you don’t know who Keenan is he’s the lead singer for the Grammy award winning band Tool as well as A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Keenan operates two wine labels of his own; Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards. Both have won multiple awards at the annual Arizona Wine Grower’s Association Awards Banquet.
Eric Glomski is a rock star of sorts in his own right winning 10 awards at the Jefferson Cup in 2011
Hopefully they can sort out their differences and remain friends, because as wine drinkers will attest “Life’s too short to drink crappy wine”
Read Richard Ruelas article HERE
Maynard James Keenan on Arizona Wine | part one
Maynard James Keenan on Arizona Wine | part one
Arizona wine maker – Maynard James Keenan
Caduceus Cellars wine maker Maynard James Keenan and vineyard manager Chris Turner speak about Arizona terrior at the 2013 Arizona Wine Grower’s Asscociation “Festival on the Farm”
Interview | John McLoughlin – Bitter Creek Winery
Interview with John McLoughlin, owner and winemaker for Bitter Creek Winery
Arizona Wine Festival | Saturday November 16, 2013
Festival at The Farm celebrates success of Arizona’s wineries
Photo from the Festival on the Farm at South Mountain 2011
PHOENIX – The Arizona Wine Growers Association will celebrate another year of rising national acclaim by raising a glass with the public on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, at The Festival at The Farm. Set among the pecan groves of Phoenix’s intimate The Farm at South Mountain, the fifth-annual festival is a way to sample the best wine from across Arizona, all in one place. 29 local wineries
will be in attendance. The festival is from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and is limited to 1,000 guests. Advance tickets are available through midnight on November 14 at $65. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $75.
The festival will include an exciting live auction, scheduled for 3:00 p.m., featuring 21 amazing lots from outstanding Arizona wineries including a private wine class for 20, chef-winemaker pairings, vacation packages, one-of-a-kind wine tasting experiences and even a personal wine cellar stocked with Arizona wines. Also on Saturday afternoon will be a special event featuring panelists from several renowned Arizona wineries including Maynard Keenan of Caduceus Cellars.
The seminar, AZ Terroir: Taste the Difference, will begin at 1:45pm. Winemakers and growers from each of Arizona’s three distinct regions will discuss which grapes are doing well and how the terroir is influencing the flavors of the wine.
Arizona’s Stage Stop Vineyards 2011 release party
Northern Arizona’s Stage Stop Vineyards is set to release their 2011 vintage this week with a first ever wine tasting at the owner’s house this coming Thursday night.
Stage Stop Vineyards 2011 Red Barn Red
The release party is a private-invite only event hosted by Cullum homes and limited to 100 guests who will be joining vineyard owners Melinda, Earl Petznick and their wine maker Eric Glomski. The cuisine is being catered by Mark Tarbell.
Eric Glomski is the owner and wine maker of award winning Page Springs Cellars. He was brought in to make this extremely limited 2011 release of Stage Stop Vineyards Estate Grown “Red Barn Red”. Only 99 cases of this 75% Shiraz, 25% Mourvedre were produced. Both the ’09 and ’10 vintages are already sold out.
Stage Stop Vineyards is located about 10 miles from Sedona right next to Oak Creek in Northern Arizona’s Verde Valley. Owners Melinda and Earl Petznick purchased the historic Dancing Apache ranch back in 2002 and began planting in 2006. The Dancing Apache ranch dates back to the 1800’s and some of the original buildings still remain including the name sake Red Barn, an old school house and a Stage Coach respite house.
Stage Stop Vineyards website
Page Springs Cellars Website
Arizona Wine Festival at The Farm 2012
Annual AZ Wine Festival Set for Nov. 17
PHOENIX – The Arizona Wine Growers Association will celebrate a year of rising national acclaim by raising a glass with the public on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2011, at The Festival at The Farm.
Festival on the Farm
Set among the pecan groves of Phoenix’s intimate The Farm at South Mountain, the fourth-annual festival is a way to sample the best wine from across Arizona, all in one place. More than 30 local wineries are expected to attend, representing growing regions from the Verde Valley in the north, Sonoita and Elgin in the south, and Willcox in southeastern Arizona.
As a nod to Arizona wine’s rich history, the festival is an officially-sanctioned Arizona Centennial event. The festival is from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and is limited to 1,000 guests. Tickets are $75 for the public (online and at the door) and $60 for AWGA members.
The festival will include:
- A wine tasting with 31 participating Arizona wineries.
- A picnic lunch prepared by The Farm Kitchen. There also will be tasty treats from other local Arizona favorites.
- A high-energy live auction for great prizes.
- Educational seminars including food & wine pairing with Chef LaPrad from Quiessence and Curt Dunham, winemaker from Lawrence Dunham Vineyards.
Curt Dunham, wine maker at Lawrence Dunham vineyards
“Whether they are a novice or an aficionado, this is a can’t miss event for wine lovers to meet the folks behind the rising Arizona wine movement,” said Peggy Fiandaca, president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association. “Come sip the wine from our state’s beautiful wine regions all in one place, in one of the most wonderful settings Phoenix has to offer.”
The festival is preceded by a special event on Friday, Nov. 16, 2012. The “Celebration of the Arizona Wine Growers” is an opportunity to mingle and meet winemakers from across the state. The event is 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Quiessence Restaurant at The Farm at South Mountain. The winemaker celebration is open to the public but capped at 150 guests.
Quiessence Restaurant
This special evening includes an awards reception followed by a specially prepared appetizers using local produce by Quiessence Executive Chef Greg LaPrad. Each of the appetizers and desserts are paired with the winning wines from the 2012 Arizona Grower’s Cup and Winemaker’s Medal competition. Each of the winning wineries will be present to discuss their wine and winemaking philosophy. The cost for this special evening is $75 per person.
The Arizona wine industry is one of the fastest growing value-added industries in the state creating jobs and wealth while preserving sustainable agriculture statewide. In 1980 there were less than 10 wineries in Arizona. Today there are more than 60 bonded wineries, with many more in the development phase. The number of vineyard acres has grown dramatically, and many new vineyards and wineries are planned. The Arizona Wine Growers Association (AWGA) represents these family businesses and supports grape growers and wineries statewide through education, representation, advocacy, and promotion of Arizona wine and sustainable grape growing.
Arizona wine has an estimated economic impact of $38 million, according to a recent study funded by the Arizona Office of Tourism and completed by Northern Arizona University. The state’s wine is surging in popularity, earning national acclaim from Wine Spectator to Sunset Magazine to USA Today. Arizona wine also has been served at James Beard House dinners and poured at the White House.
Learn more, join the AWGA or get your tickets now at www.arizonawine.org
Wine Review | Robert Mondavi 2010 Pinot Noir | Carneros
Wine Review | Robert Mondavi, 2010 Pinot Noir, Carneros
2010 Pinot Noir, Carneros
According to the literature supplied with this review sample, 2010 was “an exceptionally chilly, wet spring followed by a cool summer of no summer”. The season was characterized by below average temperatures, a small heat wave in August and heavy rains in October. Again, according to the literature, the yields were “significantly lower than average.”
One of the things I noticed on a trip to Howell mountain in June of 2011 was how far behind the mountain fruit was compared to the fruit of the valley floor. I would imagine the same effect with the 2010 Carneros vintage. The result would be low yield, high intensity berries.
This 100% Pinot Noir has a restrained nose of blackberry and spice. The palate is rich with raspberry and an almost pine like forestyness to it. There is enough acidity and backbone to make this a solid wine, a wine that a Cabernet drinker might get into. There is a hint of toasty oak owing to 7 months aging in 34% new French oak. Alcohol weighs in at 14.5% which was a little surprising, not too much heat on the palate although the nose was hot yet vibrant. For those wine drinkers who have not yet experienced “heat” try adding vodka to Capri Sun in quantities that it begins to sterilize your nostrils and mouth. Thats heat. This wine doesnt have that, don’t worry
The suggested retail price on this wine is $27, although most retailers will probably have it at around $20. As far as California Pinot Noir goes, this is a decent value, and if you can pick it up for $15 or less it would be a good deal. I’m not a huge fan of the varietal in general, although some of the best wines I have ever tasted have been Pinots. This wine is a decent effort. If you’re looking for something better than average, without breaking the bank this is it.
Weekly Wine Journal Rating: 88 points
Southeast Arizona Wine Festival 2012
Photo from the Festival on the Farm at South Mountain 2011
Kief-Joshua Vineyards will be hosting the Southeast Arizona wine festival this coming weekend, April 14th and 15th, 2012
Kief-Joshua Vineyard is located in Elgin, Arizona which is about an hour drive Southeast of Tucson.
The first ever Southeast Arizona Wine Festival will feature wine tastings by 17 Arizona wineries and wine makers from all regions of Arizona will be represented. The festival will also feature two wine education seminars: a wine sensory seminar and a wine pairing seminar. Sonoita’s Steak Out restaurant will be on hand serving up chicken wings, pulled pork and sirloin sandwiches!
Buzz and the Soulsenders will be entertaining the crowd with their blues styled music too!
Tickets are $15, gates open at 10am. Tickets can be purchased on site.
Arizona Winemaker wins big in National Competition
Eric Glomski, Page Springs Cellars and Arizona Stronghold Cellars
The Jefferson Cup wine competition held this past November was a major achievement in Arizona Wine. The Jefferson Cup is an invitation only wine competition held in Kansas City. The wines were judged by some of the industries most well known Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine from across the country, 13 in all. There are no Gold or Silver medals awarded.
Over 630 wines from all of America’s wine regions were selected to compete with just under 300 being awarded “Medals of American Merit”
52 wines won “Medals of American Excellence” and only 22 wines won Jefferson Cups.
In an Amazing feat for Arizona wine and for any winemaker, Eric Glomski (winemaker for Page Springs Cellars and Arizona Stronghold) took home 3 Medals of Merit, 2 Medals of Excellence and 2 out of only 22 Jefferson Cups awarded.
Here is an interview with Eric Glomski just after the awards were announced:
A List of Eric Glomski’s award winning wines:
Page Springs Cellars:
El Serrano 2010, Red Blend, Cochise County | Jefferson Cup
Mourvedre Colibri Vineyards 2010, Cochise County|Jefferson Cup
La Serrana 2010, White Blend, Cochise County | Medal of Excellence
Landscape Page Springs Estate Vineyard 2010, Red Blend, Yavapai County ………Medal of Excellence
Petite Sirah “Page Springs Estate Vineyard” 2010 Yavapai County | Medal of Merit
Pinot Noir “Bonita Springs”, 2010, Graham County | Medal of Merit
Arizona Stronghold Vineyards: Cabernet Sauvignon “Dala” 2009, Cochise County, Arizona | Medal of Merit
For a complete list of Jefferson Cup Competition award winners click HERE
Weekly Wine Journal 