“Arizona vineyards provide the state not only with excellent, well-regarded wines, but also with fascinating and scenic opportunities for tourism and rural economic development that create quality jobs and generate revenues in some of Arizona’s most beautiful areas,” said Governor Jan Brewer as she proclaimed November 11-17 to be Arizona Wine Week.

Over 30 wineries will celebrate the best Arizona wines on Sat., Nov. 17, at the fourth annual Arizona Wine Growers Association (AWGA) Festival at The Farm. Shake hands and drink the wine of Arizona’s own grape farmers and wine producers in the picturesque and peaceful pecan groves of Phoenix’s intimate The Farm at South Mountain

Participating wineries will represent 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 event will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and is limited to 1,000 guests. Adult guests over 21 with I.D. only, please.

The festival will include:

• Wine tasting with 31 participating Arizona wineries
• Picnic lunch prepared by The Farm Kitchen; tasty treats from other local Arizona favorites
• 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

The festival will be preceded by a special event on Friday, Nov. 16. The Celebration of the Arizona Wine Growers is an opportunity to mingle and meet winemakers from across the state. The event is 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Quiessence Restaurant at The Farm at South Mountain.

The winemaker celebration is open to the public but capped at 150 guests. This special evening includes an awards reception followed by a specially prepared appetizers using local produce by Quiessence Executive Chef Greg LaPrad. Each course, from appetizers to desserts will be 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 wine-making philosophy.

Ticket information for both the Celebration and Festival is available online.

“Novice or 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 AWGA. “Come sip the juice from our state’s beautiful wine regions all in one place, in one of the most wonderful settings Phoenix has to offer.”

This Festival at The Farm is widely considered to be Arizona’s best showcase for its fine wines. Arizona is home to 63 licensed and bonded wineries operating throughout the state, and vineyards represent small, family-owned, low-water-use agriculture. The money raised from the festival goes to the AWGA’s commitment to advancing with integrity the sustainable growth and production of authentic Arizona wines. The industry creates jobs and keeps dollars in Arizona.

“The Arizona wine industry continues to grow and expand at a rapid rate despite the sluggish economy. Every year, more Arizona wines are being recognized for their outstanding quality and uniqueness. There is a growing buzz that Arizona is becoming the next great wine region in the U.S.” concludes Fiandaca.

Cheers, see you at The Farm!

Shannon, Amanda, Megan–our hosts and chef for dinner in the vineyards at AZ Hops & Vines

Thank so much to Shannon Austin Zouzoulas and Megan Austin Haller of AZ Hops & Vines in Sonoita, AZ, for hosting a fabulous evening of remarkable foods, GREAT wines, fantastic people, and good cheer, on Saturday, August 17. Amazingly, they managed to keep that great storm-filled lightning-flashing weather at a peaceful distance, as a couple dozen friends of the winery dined overlooking the view under the sometimes star-studded sky.

What better way to showcase the offerings in your wine portfolio than to pair each with a superbly prepared dish? A hat tip to Allison Embacher for the cooking; she’s a true chef extraordinaire. You out-did yourself, girl!

One of my favorite combinations was the AZ Hops & Vines Summer (a blend of 44% CA Verdelho, 44% CA Albarino, and 12% Sauvignon Blanc from Lightning Ridge Cellars, AZ) with the cervices-style shrimp cocktail in its delightful avocado-pineapple salsa. The wine’s clean mineral undertones combine with a somewhat oaky passion fruit flavor, and it really took the shrimp cocktail and salsa to new heights.

Another to-die-for dish on the ambitious menu was dark-chocolate panna cotta with smoked salt and cayenne—I could have gone for seconds on this, and I’m not a dessert sort of girl. Must be because it was paired with a Hops & Vines fan-favorite, The Fluffer, which provided perfect balance to the dessert’s kicky flavor. This Muscat (grapes from New Mexico) is sweet, crisp, and fruity with a clean finish—the perfect ending to a tremendous meal and evening.

The next big event scheduled for AZ Hops & Vines is its first annual Great Crush Festival, Saturday, September 8, 11:00am to 4:00pm. There’ll be music, food, Dragoon beers, and wines, of course, for only $10 per person for a souvenir glass and a taste of each wine and beer. As always, the Sober Shack will be serving up super special sodas with activities to keep the kids busy.

CHEERS to you Shannon and Megan; love you both, and thanks once again. You are both simply brilliant… doing what you love.

Kief Joshua’s Magdalena Bash

Kief Joshua and Grandma Magdalena planning the party

Join the Kief Joshua Vineyard family’s Magdalena Bash, this coming weekend, August 25, from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. This is a celebration to honor Grandma (for whom the KJV Magdalena is named), who turns 93. She may be on hand to sign some bottles of her signature wine.

The event will showcase new wine releases, and feature entertainment by Jeordie, daughter of 1960’s pop-star Melanie. She’ll even sing her mother’s hit single, “I’ve Got A Brand New Pair of Roller Skates” along with other hits such as “Red, Red Wine.” Food will feature chicken wings and sandwiches by Locally Arizona. Wine tasting of $5 includes a souvenir glass.

Cheers to your birthday Grandma, enjoy!

“I love to cook with wines; sometimes I even put them in the food.” This long-time Julia Childs’ quote will resonate with wine lovers forever. This week marked what would have been her 100^th birthday, and I have raised more than one toast to her spirit. If I was to dine with any one person, alive or dead, I’d choose Julia. She’d do the cooking, of course; I’d try my hand at selecting the most appropriate wines… or so I imagine.

Julia also is known for her thought, “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces—just good food from fresh ingredients.” That may just be the mantra of Renee Kreager of Renee’s Organic Oven. This week was my first experience dining in this sweet little nook of a Tucson restaurant at 7065 E Tanque Verde, and it will not be my last.

I chose the “Slice and a Glass” from the lunch menu for $8.00, and was more than pleased with my selection. The slice of pizza was a plate-sized portion of the good stuff. It was based on gluten-free crust (full and tasty, not the cardboard flavor I had come to expect), and featured fresh basil, crushed garlic, feta cheese, and two fresh vegetables of my choice—mushrooms and green peppers. The vegetables were warm but still crisp on delivery, and the garlic and basil married, celebrating with every bite.

The house red wine served was a certified organic (no added sulfites) Badger Mountain Pure Red—a tasty blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc—which hails from Washington’s Columbia Valley. It pleased me with a juicy and bright, slightly acidic taste with layers of cherry, vanilla, and a light spice. Perfect with that party that was going on with the pizza.

Julia would be certainly proud that Renee has combined fresh ingredients with a good wine for just the right touch. Bon Appetit! (I always wanted to say that.)

Coronado Vineyards Grape Crush

We move from Julia to another favorite mentor, Lucy, I’m wondering how many people ever wanted to duplicate her infamous to stomp around in a barrel of grapes. Now is your chance; no stomping experience necessary. Awarding winning Coronado Vineyards 6th Annual Grape Stomp is happening this weekend, August 18th and 19th, from 10:00am to 4:00pm both days. The event features two days full of festivities with live music, featuring GRIND Saturday and BUZZ & THE SOUL SENDERS on Sunday, food, and, of course, wine tasting. It’s your chance for a firsthand experience in winemaking.

Take the whole family for this festive Italian-tradition. Adults are $10 and admission includes a souvenir wine glass, all the grapes you can stomp to live music, and a wine tasting of the winery’s current releases.

Coronado Vineyards is located just a short trip east from Tucson at 2909 E Country Club Drive, in Willcox, Arizona.

Grape to Glass Symposium Teaches about Sustainable Farming Practices, Pairing Wine/Food

On Saturday August 25, 2012, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, Lawrence Dunham Vineyards invites you to help them celebrate this year’s harvest. Participants can learn more about the wine grape-growing and winemaking process at the 3rd Annual Grape to Glass Symposium, held at the winery in Pearce, Arizona. The event includes a tour of the vineyard/winery with the winemaker and gourmet lunch paired with Lawrence Dunham Vineyards’ wines. Lunch features locally-grown cheeses and produce, as well as mesquite-grilled beef paired with the winery’s Petite Sirah that received 88 points from Wine Spectator (2nd highest rating for an Arizona grown wine), grilled salmon and shrimp, perfectly paired with Sky Island Grenache, plus a variety of salads and desserts.

Cost is $65.00. Register for the Grape to Glass Symposium at (602) 320-1485 or online.

Wo(men), Wine, and Wellness for Girl Scouts

Now that school’s started, it’s time to take a deep breath and “wine down” at Wo(men), Wine, and Wellness, on Friday, August 24 2012, 6:00 until 8:00pm, at Self-Centered Yoga & Fitness, 4425 N Campbell Avenue.  Plenty of wine will be served along with live music, local gourmet food with Kuisine by Kathy, artwork by painter Calvin Hammond and photographer Liora Kutler, Aveda Spa attention, and jewelry by Ruby Jane. Win prizes, mingle with the community, and enjoy an evening of fun while giving to the Girl Scouts of Southern AZ. Tickets are online under Yoga Events for only $20 in advance & include a free yoga class pass. At the door price is $25 without a class pass. RSVP is necessary.