April 24, 2016

Arizona is an up and coming wine growing destination, and we were eager to sample some of the local wineries. We were following winery signs from the fish hatchery until we pulled into Page Springs Vineyard. It is open to the public, but also seem to have a strong group of members that are regulars. Reservations are available for tours, tastings, and even massages.

There are a few places to taste; a members room, a bar, and an outdoor patio with live music overlooking Oak Creek. Our server was personable and knowledgeable about the winery, and local wines in general. Turns out that she had been on a different career path until she fell in love with the local wine scene. Wine can be influential that way.

The winery specializes in Rhone varietals, so whites were primarily made with marsanne, roussanne, and viognier. Similarly, the reds were mostly syrah, grenache, and mourvedre. I found the wines to be well built, and made in a classic style with local terroir influences. They far exceeded my expectations, and could easily compete with well known wine appellations of the world. The options were listed as flights, but could be ordered by the glass or bottle as well. There is a small plate menu available as well with pizza and tapas. Kym appreciated the non-alcoholic drink menu, a surprise given that they are in the the business of selling alcohol.

I chose the white flight, and then followed with some selections from the red flight. $10 gets you 5-1oz pours. All of the grapes are coming from Arizona, with a few of the wines estate grown. With the wines being well-made, local, and in a quaint tasting room close to Sedona, this should definitely be on your list of attractions to visit. There are a few other wineries along the same road, so it would be easy to make a day of tasting.