Overview

The spectacular Verde Valley Wine Trail stretches between the popular towns of Jerome, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Page Springs, Cornville, and Sedona. The Verde Valley includes a group of wineries, vineyards, and tasting rooms nested within the red rock country and continually expanding with more to offer visitors a unique experience. The Verde Valley is just one of Arizona’s three wine-growing regions, these regions are designated as AVAs or American Viticultural Areas, Verde Valley is the crown jewel AVA in northern Arizona. The Verde Valley Wine Trai is one of Arizona’s best-kept secrets, the famed wine trail comprises a massive 25 wineries showcasing tasting rooms, vineyards, small bistros, and unique accommodations. The highly respected Verde Valley Wine Trail offers visitors plenty of activities, and adventures at destinations like Montezuma Castle some of the best ruins in Sedona, and Tuzigoot National Monument to name a few. Some of the most popular vineyards in the state include locations such as Alcantara Vineyards, Page Springs Cellars, Oak Creek Vineyards, and Javelina Leap Vineyards.

Winery 1912

Winery 1912 is located in Willcox, Arizona in the heart of Arizona, a family-owned and operated vineyard specializing in Spanish Varietals. The region is surrounded by a nearly perfect ring of five distinct mountain ranges, referred to as a caldera, 59 soil types define this growing region. Willcox was recognized by the Federal Government, as an exceptional growing region, and awarded the distinction of being a unique American Viticultural Area. The extremely hot dry, desert climate days make the wine grapes struggle to become their best, but the cool nights allow the grapes to rest and retain the perfect acidity. This preserves the delicious, natural flavors, and characteristics of the grapes that make some of the finest wines in the world. Winery 1912 offers Spanish and Iberian varietals that are grown at Dragoon Mountain Vineyards, the largest and most diverse vineyard close to the same paths walked by the early Spanish monks.

Arizona Stronghold

Arizona Stronghold Vineyards is located in Wilcox, Arizona where they exclusively produce wines in their tasting rooms in Old Town Cottonwood and Old Town Scottsdale. Set in the fierce and wild Arizona terrain, they pride themselves on being pioneers and farmers first, using the Arizona landscapes to produce unique and prized wines. Each of their harvests is meticulously cared for year-round and every wine and blend is treated as an individual. These wines showcase the originality of the southwest highlands and accent the terrain which can be enjoyed in each glass of Arizona Strongholds’ amazing Site Archive wine and signature regional blends. The onsite tasting room offers a full kitchen with delicious menu items including grilled skewers and tapas to pair with amazing wines.

Alcantara Vineyards

Alcantara Vineyards is a family-owned, local business that was established in 2004 with over 20,000 vines and 17 different varietals. It is one of the largest vineyards in Central and Northern Arizona offering winery tours, and tastings with an outstanding selection of red and white wines. The vineyards are set in peaceful surroundings including verdant vineyards that stretch for miles, a grass picnic area, the Verde River, and bald eagles soaring overhead. The Verde Valley offers rocky limestone soil and a sunny climate similar to winemaking regions in France and Italy. Alcantara uses sustainable techniques and some of the best viticultural practices, it was the dream venture created by Barbara and Bob who had a dream to cultivate the vineyards, and embrace the land and grow a vineyard community and winery to provide for their family and partners.

Winery 101

Winery 101 is located in downtown Cottonwood, a family-owned establishment serving wines from two cellars on site with red, white, or sweet flight in the tasting rooms' fun atmosphere. They offer over 20 varietals and two lines of wine, they offer a taste of the Old World and a flare for fun. Winey 101 is home to Gallifant Cellars and Southpaw Cellars, run by owners Irlyn and Gavin Gallifant, who are lifetime Peoria residents that produce some of the finest Arizona wines from Cochise and Graham county grapes. This was the first winery in Peoria The Southpaw Cellars wines are blends with a flair for fun with a sweet, strong, and delicious flavor. Gallifant Cellars wines are single varietals, that are exceptionally handcrafted with a taste of the Old World. There are tastings in one of the largest tasting rooms in the state, meat and chees plates, and a talented musician that performs live music.

Pillsbury Wine Company

Pillsbury Wine Company is located in Old Town Cottonwood in the Verde Valley, their vineyards are located in Wilcox, Arizona. The company is passionate about making real wine made by people, not machines, they focus on producing high-quality, estate-grown, vegan wines, and every part of the winemaking is intentional even when it comes to weeding by hand instead of spraying. Sam Pillsbury is an NZ Film Director who grew in in New Zealand and witnessed the phenomenon of growing classical wine grapes in unusual places. He picked the location of his winery nestled in a high-altitude desert valley in Cochise County, he wanted to create a distinctive regional boutique wine that was 100% Arizona and 100% original. The high altitude location offers endless sunshine, sandy loam, and dry desert conditions to make a perfect Terroir, in 2000 he planted 20 acres of Rhone varieties at 4,300 feet. Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Viognier, Malvasia, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Symphony, Rousanne, Sangiovese, and Chenin Blanc are produced here. Pillsbury was named the “Best Local Winemaker” by Phoenix Magazine, and the “Best Arizona Winery” by Arizona Foothills Magazine, and produces some of the finest wines in Arizona with 26 Medals won in 2015 alone.

Javelina Leap Vineyard Winery and Bistro.

Javelina Leap Vineyard Winery and Bistro boasts having the most extensive wine-tasting bar both along the Verde Valley Wine Trail as well as in Northern Arizona. Here you’ll find award-winning wines at this family-owned business that is a fully functional vineyard and winery. These beautiful vineyards overlook the lush Oak Creek in a picturesque setting in Cornville, Arizona, it is a stylish venue with a unique location. Javelina Vineyards produces wines made from 100% Arizona grapes, there is an onsite tasting room with a private patio, a saloon-style bar, tapas, and other delicious food from the bistro, as well as a gift shop for unique souvenirs, and private winery tours where visitors can learn the winemaking process and see the winemakers at work. Javelina is named after “javelinas” a native wild boar often seen roaming the vineyards, and Stags Leap Cellars the American winery that beat the French in a blind wine tasting in 1976. Javelina Leap is a family-owned and operated, premium boutique winery with award-winning wines, located in the small historic valley of Page Springs. Javelina is found in Sedona the “Napa Valley of Arizona”, where luscious grapes are raised and turned into award-winning wines. They produce over 2,600 cases of wine each year.

Oak Creek Vineyards

Oak Creek Vineyards is located in Cornville just 11 miles northeast of Sedona, and 500 feet from Oak Creek which is one of the few natural year-round bodies of water in Arizona. The vineyards are peaceful and relaxing with stunning sweeping views of the grapevines on an enchanting property. A family-friendly winery for the entire family where visitors can sample wines and pair them with cheeses and chocolate plates while enjoying the beautiful Sedona weather. Set on 11 acres at a 3,400-foot elevation it sits in the shadows of House Mountain where volcanic soil with some loam and gravel is produced. The vineyards were established in 2002 and produce close to 3,000 cases of both red and white local Arizona wines annually. The tasting room is relaxed and casual allowing guests to experience the vineyard environment and enhance their wine experience. There are delicious biscuits, cheeses, cured meats, olives, and locally made bread to snack on. The winery tapped directly 425 feet down to the purest aquifers in western Arizona, which helps produce pure, crisp, clean white whines and smooth velvety reds. Some of the grapes grown at Oak Creek Vineyards include Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Merlot.

Page Spring Cellars

Page Spring Cellars is located in Cornville, a world-class, distinctive winery offering wine tastings and vineyard tours. The winery specializes in delicious and complex Rhone-style wines, the tasting room is open daily where many wines and delicious bistro offerings can be enjoyed. There are creekside massages, yoga classes among the grapevines, a gallery filled with local artwork, and a weekly lineup of live music. Page Springs Cellars create wines that express the high desert characteristics of the stunning Arizona landscapes. Their process is imbued with the belief that growing grapes, making wine, and raising a glass cultivates friendships and unites communities. The winery ground are spectacular set in the beautiful Verde Valley with a shaded front veranda to sit and sip on wine and soak up the views. Eric Glomski is the owner and director of winegrowing, he produces wines that express the unique characteristics of the Arizona landscape. Page Springs Estate Vineyards are where the majority of the wines are produced, there are three northern and one southern vineyard each has its own unique climate and soil characteristics. Chef Michael Wolfson and his team create the menu items at the vineyard bistro with a variety of food like wood-fired pizzas, salads, cheese boards, and mason jar rillettes.

Tantrum Wines

Tantrum Wines is a female-owned business located on Main Street in Old Town Cottonwood, AZ, in the Verde Valley that was opened in 2019 by Brighid McLoughlin following a painful divorce. “Tantrum Wines reflect the moods and attitudes of women who move with a purpose”. Brighid took her first job with a local Arizona winery tasting room in Jerome, AZ to pay her bills following the divorce. In 2012 she found her passion and immersed herself in the culture of wine. McLoughlin works in every aspect from the tasting room to operations, sales, self-distribution, marketing, public relations, wine education, and even lobbying. Brighid met John McLoughlin a winemaker and business partner in her new venture, who became her husband in 2017, and together they opened Tantrum Wines in 2019. The tasting sweet is very unique, with white walls, mid century modern furniture and pink ceiling tiles, a very feminie feel and very inviting. There is live music and food also. All Tantrum wines come from Dragoon Mountain Vineyards, the family vineyard, they feature four reds, and one pink-like Noir, a Pinotage full varietal, made with a South African grape, and Tilted Cabernet Sauvignon. Others include Jazzy a Melbec, Petite Verdot, Tattletale Heritage Zinfandel, and Frenemy the pink wine. st rum is aged in warehouses that are positioned north to south making the most of the Dominican sun.

Four Eight Wineworks

Four Eight Wineworks is a tasting room located in Clarkdale, Arizona, owned by Merkin Vineyards. A unique winery with several tenants providing emerging winemakers the space, equipment, and resources they need to create world-class wines. Arizona was the 48th state to join the Union, hence the name Four Eight Wineworks, the first and only winemakers co-operative in Northern Arizona, technically known as an Alternating Proprietorship. This facility in the Verda Valley is where the winemaking and bottling facilities are located, the wine is then sold by the glass or bottle in the Jerome tasting room inside Puscifer the Store. The tasting room is located in a historic bank building on Main Street where “The Bank of Arizona” once stood. The building has been well preserved and includes a display of the original pocket watch that stopped a bullet and saved a witness during the bank’s 1928 robbery. Take a step back in time in the tasting room with re-purposed railroad-tie furniture to our retail station inside the bank’s vault and the original teller station on display. They fuse modern and nostalgic and highlight Clarkdale’s rich past while saluting the future of Arizona’s enterprising winemakers.

Caduceus Cellars

Caduceus Cellars is a winery in the Verde Valley spread over five different blocks in Northern Arizona on Cleopatra Hill in Jerome. It sits at 3,000 feet underground, nestedThe Original Jerome Winery in the slopes of Jerome on a combination of limestone, volcano, and sedimentary rock. The Marzo Block sits at 3,500 feet, and The Agostina block sits at 3,300 feet both covered with fine river sediment over a bed of calcareous substrate. The Elephant block is covered with fine river sediment and has a minimum of 5 different soils/terrain profiles all on a 28-acre site. The Southwest Wine Center, Yavapai College Block is nestled in the alluvial foothills of Mingus Mountain, all peppered with the volcano magic dust. The main fruit source for Merkin Vineyards is the historic 70-acre Buhl Memorial Vineyard, in the Kansas Settlement of Willcox. Maynard J. Keenan produces 6,000 cases of Italian and Spanish wines from 120 acres on elevations ranging from 4-5,000 feet. Keenan is best known as the vocalist for Grammy Award-winning progressive metal band Tool, he is also one of Arizona’s leading winemakers.

Dragon Mountain Vineyard

Dragon Mountain Vineyard is nested neatly in the ancient caldera of Wilcox, AZ. Established in 2001 by John McLoughlin, who personally inspected every vine placed into his land, believing Arizona is the best-kept secret in the world to producing great wines. Jerome Winery features Estate wines made from traditional grapes as well as exciting and unexpected varietals grown exclusively on our family’s vineyard. McLoughlin is still committed to personally walking and inspecting the vineyard throughout the growing season and will harvest only when the grapes tell him they are ready. Jerome Winery is home to deeply aged red wines, and carefully crafted white wines that tell the story of Arizona’s able soils and unique terroir. Home to beautiful exotic grapes, Arizona’s only flight of vintage ports proudly offers the only Heritage Zinfandel flight in the state. The winery features a rustic-chic wine cellar with picturesque views and offers light fare along with wine tastings.

Passion Cellars

Passion Cellars is a tasting room located in the historic town of Jerome, AZ that serves wine from three local vineyards; Passion Cellars, Cabel Cellars, and Salvatore Vineyards which are located in Wilcox, AZ. Salvatore Vineyards and Passion Cellars specialize in fruit-forward, crisp white wines, along with artistically blended and complex red wines. The first vintage was made in The Willcox AVA, and the best of the best are reserved for aging, these wines are bottled under the label Salvatore, after Salvatore Ligammari, the winemaker’s grandfather. Passion Cellars is an award-winning wine, and age-worthy Salvatore collectible wine. Arizona’s viticulture began in the 16th century when missionary Spanish Jesuit priests began to plant grapevines and make wine for using Catholic religious ceremonies. Passion Cellars is a wine bar that offers both sweet and dry flights, with a tasting room that offers a glimpse into the coveted barrel room where all wines are available for sampling and purchase. The name Passion Cellars stems from a family long history of a passion for wine, Salvatore immigrated to America from Sicily and made his own wine. The first grape vines were started in 2014 at Salvatore Vineyards in Willcox, an agricultural center for the state where over 70 wineries are located. Some of the varietals available include Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Columbard, and a number of other blends. The Pinot Grigio recently won the Silver Medal in the San Francisco International Wine Competition and also won Double Gold in the Arizona awards.

Carlson Creek Vineyard

Carlson Creek Vineyard is a family-run vineyard located in the heart of Cochise County just outside Willcox, Arizona spanning over 320 lush acres, just off the Kansas Settlement Road and Robbs Road. The entire Carson family participated in planting the first seven acres on the then 120-acre plot of land in 2009, in 2014 they expanded from 120-160 acres and included two blocks of Riesling, two 10 acred sections of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, and the planning of 15,000 sq ft winery and tasting room in the middle of the property. They purchased an adjacent 120-acre plot that took them to the now 280 acres, currently 80+ acres under vine. These vineyards sit at an elevation of 4,200 feet providing a completely different environment than what is typically found in Arizona. The weather conditions provide warm days and cool nights, similar to Argentina, Chile, and the South of France. This produces thicker skins, deeper colors, and more flavor in the grapes. Currently, Carlson Creek produces Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Muscat, Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Malbec, Mourvedre, and Malvasia Bianca. Their growth has helped other wineries in the region flourish, and they now sell grapes to 10 other Arizona wineries per harvest. Carlson Creek Vineyard has tasting rooms located in Cottonwood, Scottsdale, and Willcox

Merkin Vineyards

Merkin Vineyards is a popular winery with tasting rooms located in Cottonwood and Scottsdale, they source their wines from vineyards in both the Verde Valley and Wilcox. The wines are produced by MJ & Jen Keenan, and Tim White from 110 acres of Estate Vineyards in both valleys. Merkin Vineyards is on a mission to come as close as it can to delivering a 100% Arizona experience to extended family and community. They deliver the entire package with extensive brunch, lunch, and all-day options along with plentiful wine menus. All products are grown and sourced from other Arizona farmers. Fruits and Vegetables are farmed by Randee Larremore and Maynards Father, Mike Keenan in Verde Valley greenhouses, gardens, and orchards. All the pasta and bread are made from scratch using Arizona Heirloom and Italian Milled Wheater Flour by Chef Chris Smith and the magical kitchen staff.

Chateau Tumbleweed

Chateau Tumbleweed is the collaboration of four friends, two husband and wife teams, after working for over 30 combined years for other Arizona wineries, they left their ‘day jobs” to focus on their own project. There is a winery and tasting room on site offering dozens of different wines daily and charcuteries plate with meats, cheeses, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, and crackers along with merchandise and clothing. The tasting room boasts a relaxing and fun atmosphere and serves up white, red, and rose wines, there is a large (dog-friendly) patio with panoramic views of the Verde Valley. There is a 4,000-case winery located on site and is viewable in the tasting room. The first wine was crafted by creating only 3 barrels in 2011, and after three vintages of making their wine at the Four-Eight Wineworks Winemaker’s Cooperative in Camp Verde (2012-2014), they then took the plunge, purchasing and converting an old building to become one of Clarkdale’s first commercial wineries and tasting rooms. The group of owners has a great friendship, a penchant for absurdity, and complementary skills in vineyard management, winemaking, sales, and administration.

Southwest Wine Center

Southwest Wine Center is located on the campus of Yavapai College in Clarkdale Arizona, in Verde Valley. A premier wine industry and community resource that offers a comprehensive hands-on educational experience from vineyard to bottle. Students can participate in the vineyard-to-bottle programs in enology, viticulture, and business through the estate vineyard. They offer students a degree and certification in Viticulture and Enology, business/entrepreneurship, teaching winery, and region-wide wine industry research epicenter. There is a 3,000-case capacity winery and tasting room where visitors can enjoy student-crafted wines. The Southwest Wine Center features a total of approximately 13 acres of vines planted in the foothills of Mingus Mountain on Yavapai college’s Verde Valley campus. There is a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Viticulture and Enology offered as well as one-year certificates. The vineyard and winery both have been designed with sustainable practices in mind, they use reclaimed water from the City of Cottonwood to irrigate. The wine center is programmed with several energy-efficient features such as occupancy set times, night cooling, and rainwater harvesting for outside landscaping, there is a re-purposed racquetball court. There are 24 commercial vineyards and 11 different wineries in the Verde Valley AVA along with the Southwest Wine Center, which is home to 12 varieties and 12, 157 vines, managed by Michael Pierce who is one of Arizona’s well know winemakers, and the school’s viticulture and enology director. Lisa Aguilar is the tasting room manager, and a graduate of the program, she now uses her knowledge of the terroir and growing practices to guide visitors through tastings.

Cove Mesa Vineyard

Cove Mesa Vineyard is located in Cornville in the Verde Valley, the winner of The Arizona Republic’s annual wine competition and brought home the “best in show” award and most prestigious honor in 2018 for their Cove Mesa Merlot. The vineyards are set in the heart of the Verde Valley AVA, an ultra-premium winery that focuses on small-production wines using grapes from the best Arizona vineyards. Their 2020 vintage is made with 100% Arizona fruit with grapes being sourced from the Verde Valley and the Willcox AVAs. These two wine-growing regions highlight the diverse climates and soil conditions of Arizona. A family-owned and operated winery that produces high quality, elegant wines inspired by passion, and artfully crafted in teh old-world style to showcase our unique terroir. Emil and Cindy Molin are the owners of the estate which started commercially bottling in 2020, Emil is a graduate of the Southwest Wine Center, where he earned an associate's degree in viticulture and enology. The tasting room on-site offers a long list of fine wines, charcuterie boards, cheese plates, and flatbread pizzas, there is an indoor tasting room and an outdoor patio. Their vineyard produces grapes to make Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Picpoul Blanc.