I often cover events featuring local Arizona farm-to-table produce, only to find California, Italian, French, and Spanish wines paired with these foods. The wines may be delicious, but if we are celebrating Arizona food, why not celebrate delicious Arizona wine?
My concept for the book began with this goal: to provide a resource for Arizonans to learn about the many vineyards throughout our rugged high country and the fabulous wines our winemakers create.
I started photographing my friends’ vineyard, LDV Winery, located in a remote part of Cochise County. I fell in love with being in the vineyard and photographed thousands of images – from dormant vines, bud break, flowering, veraison (the onset of grape ripening), harvest, destemming, crushing, fermentation, bottling – every phase I could capture. When I wasn’t behind the camera, I was jumping in to lend a hand. The aroma of fresh pressed grapes is intoxicating!
Next, I began learning about the unique terroir of different vineyards. Soon, I met other winemakers and started photographing more vineyards and wine production. I won an international wine photography contest in 2016 with a photograph of the pressing of grapes at LDV Winery. I was hooked.
There’s nothing quite like eating a dinner prepared by a winemaker who was contemplating what to make while he or she worked in the vineyard among the grapes. And then we have amazing Arizona chefs who craft delicious winemaker dinners paired with Arizona wines. It doesn’t get better than that.
I wanted to share the beauty of the Arizona wine industry, but I knew I needed writers to help shape the book, so my search began. Through social media, I found local wine blogger and sommelier, Elizabeth Krecker. Then I added published Arizona wine history writer Erik Berg to interview and write stories and a section on Arizona’s modern wine history. Next, Darla Hoffmann, owner of About Wine, certified sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), contributes her writing skills with interviews and stories. We all share the same passion for Arizona wine and for the people and places behind the wine. We often crisscrossed paths roaming from Willcox to Sonoita to Verde Valley and beyond, happily enjoying vineyards and meeting winemakers.
I discovered that international wine writer, reviewer, and sommelier Elaine Chukan Brown was a former Arizona resident and extremely knowledgeable and supportive when it came to the Arizona wine industry. I reached out to Elaine, and she agreed to write the foreword to my book.
But, I didn’t stop there. In the spirit of Arizona’s collaborative wine community, I gathered additional writers. The book opens with an introduction by acclaimed restaurateur and sommelier T. Scott Stephens, co-owner of Beckett’s Table and Southern Rail in Phoenix.
The guide is then divided into sections based on Arizona’s wine regions. Each section begins with an introduction written by Arizona wine industry professionals and enthusiasts including: wine blogger Cody Chasen Burkett (CSW), co-owner of Scottsdale’s FnB Restaurant Pavle Milic, and vineyard consultant Nikki Check. Michelle Jacob introduces our metro tasting rooms, and Annabel Sclippa introduces the outlier wineries. Richard Betts, independent wine & spirits educator, covers a section on Arizona wine festivals.
It’s been three years in production and I have loved every step of it. What an amazing journey it has been getting to know so many Arizona winemakers and wine industry individuals. They are among the hardest working, most dedicated, and passionate people on the planet.
I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
– Jenelle Bass Bonifield
