CataVinos Wine Shoppe & Tasting Room, 3063 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ

When Tucsonan Beth Holick learned about all the animals that were displaced as a result of the Monument Fire in Southern Arizona, she immediately contacted CataVinos Wine Shoppe owner, Yvonne K. Foucher, and set up a benefit for those who were taking these animals in. This Sunday, July 10, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, wine lovers and animal lovers will unite for the cause at the store, located at 3063 N. Alvernon.

RSVPs are recommended (323-3063). The cost is $20 per person; half of each person’s admission will be shared by the New Frontier Animal Clinic who cared for more than 250 displaced animals, and World Care.

Holick said, “I hope you’ll join me for a relaxed afternoon of sipping our favorite beverage from the vine and help in this fundraising benefit to aid those critters in need.”

Art and Wine in Willcox

"Shattered Rock" by artist Archie Sutton

TRUST, the gallery at Keeling-Schaefer Vineyards, will be featuring the mixed media copper art of Archie Sutton in the tasting room in Willcox, AZ on Saturday, July 16, from 3-7pm. Winemaker Rod Keeling will also be presenting Keeling-Schaefer’s new wine releases. The tasting room is located at 154 N. Railroad Avenue, in Willcox. Visit us on the Web at www.willcoxtrust.com.

Canelo Hills grapes gaining ground

‘Farmer’ Joan Mueller tells us, “The Canelo Hills Winery’s vineyard is bouncing back from the setbacks of the past year. A month ago the vines were looking pretty shabby. They had experienced three successive spring frosts, the last one on May 10. That means they are one month behind schedule and the crop load is small. But they are there.

“The Cabernet Sauvignon is sending up beautiful green shoots, the Syrah is growing its unruly canopy, and the Tempranillo is setting up a nice crop. I don’t know what will happen with the late start but that will be an interesting development to follow for the rest of the growing season.”

That’s good news from the vines, let’s all think thoughts of a hearty harvest this year.

Cheers!

Monument fire...view from the Rancho Rossa Vineyards in Elgin, AZ, 6.15.2011

As Rod Keeling of Keeling Schaefer Vineyards in Pearce, AZ, learned of Horseshoe 2 fire’s encroachment into Rock Creek about three miles east of his vineyard late last week, he drove northwest to Casa Grande and picked up his brother’s old fire truck. He filled the truck with water the next morning and set up extra emergency water tanks and generators for the water pumps, in case the power was shut off.

“Hope we don’t need any of it,” he posted. At a US Forest Services’ meeting in Sunglow, AZ, he learned that had some time before they had to worry…or not.

Early the next morning, Keeling went up Rock Creek a mile or so to the fire line and discovered about 100 firefighters just finishing-up the night’s operations. They had burned-back against the fire all along a 4-mile line and through the creek.

“Looks like the fire no longer has a direct fuel line to the vineyard. The mountain is black from the base to the top; lots of trees still green,” he posted.

Another Willcox region winemaker was not so fortunate. Over at the Colibri Vineyards, located near Portal, AZ, closer to the heart of the Horseshoe 2 fire, Bob Johnson, owner and past-president of the Arizona Winegrowers Association (AWGA), was examining the damage. Fire had swept through his vineyard in East Whitetail Canyon. The thirty-foot-high wall of flames spared the house and winery, but caused damage to the vineyard; they are still accessing other damages.

The outpouring of support from fellow winemakers is swift and sincere.

Meanwhile, other Arizona winemakers in the Sonoita/Elgin region keep a watchful eye on the Monument fire that is raging about 25 or more miles away, in and around Hereford and Sierra Vista, AZ. Like other major raging fires in Arizona for the past two months, this one is fueled by extremely low humidity, low dew point, high temperatures, bone-dry vegetation, and raging winds. Additionally, the Monument fire’s path has been unpredictable, currently traveling through a more densely populated area and has destroyed many residents and buildings in its path.

According to Peggy Fiandaca, president of the AWGA from the Lawrence Dunhama Vineyards,  “We are very concerned about the impact this fire has had on Colibri Vineyards and hope the damage is not great. It is my understanding that they are still assessing the damage. As a result of the current wildfires we must also be concerned about the debris run-off from the mountains when the summer monsoons begin that can impact vineyards in the Chiricahua foothills. Basically the grape growers are dramatically impacted by the weather and winemakers are impact by the quality and quantity of grapes that they can get. There is not enough wine grapes being grown in Arizona to meet the demand so any crop that is damaged has a ripple affect. Let’s hope that we have a perfect summer and wonderful harvest season. The Arizona wine industry needs one.”

The Arizona winemakers are a hearty and heart-full bunch; growing grapes and producing wines in this terroir is not the most weather-blessed experience and there are continual challenges. But when times get tough, the entire community rises to the occasion and supports one another. In spite of it all, the good grapes grow, they are picked, processed, and produced to yield gratifying and amazing wines that rival any and all produced around the world.

Cheers to this genial bunch of grape growers; and please pray for rain in Arizona soon.

The Willcox Wine Country Spring Festival is a two-day fun-filled event at historic Railroad Park in downtown Willcox, just an hour’s drive east of Tucson on I-10. Your $10 tasting fee includes 6 wine tastings, a commemorative glass, and live entertainment. Additional tasting tickets may be purchased at the hospitality kiosk.

The music and entertainment promises to be incredible. On Saturday, May 14, Tom Freestone will play jazz, standards & folk-rock, On Sunday, May 15, local favorites from Bisbee, Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl, will provide an eclectic mix of styles along with a few their own critically acclaimed songs. On Saturday the 14th at 4:00 pm, TRUST (the gallery at Keeling Schaefer Vineyards, Willcox) will give away an original artwork from a local artist. Everyone who buys a bottle of wine will be entered in the drawing. The winner must be present to accept the prize.

Also on Saturday, in conjunction with the event and directly across the street, TRUST will hold a silent auction from 12-2:00pm; stop by and bid on your favorite piece(s) and then come back for more tasting, food, and live music.

Wineries represented will include Lawrence Dunham Vineyards, Sand-Reckoner Vineyards, Pillsbury Wine Company, Jerome Winery, Kief-Joshua Vineyards, Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, Carlson Creek Vineyard, Coronado Vineyards, Keeling Schaefer Vineyards, Page Spring Cellars, and Kokopelli Vineyards.

Dragoon Cafe, which specializes in made-from-scratch fresh foods, desserts, drinks and catering, has put together a fantastic cheese-fruit-chocolate plate especially for this event. In addition, they’ll be serving freshly made sirloin, veggie, garlic-lime pork, or chicken burritos and more.

Escape the Tucson heat; head on over to Willcox. Cheers!