Why you should visit wineries in Cottonwood, Arizona
This blog post covers the best wineries in Cottonwood, Arizona.
Cottonwood is a small town located alongside the Verde River. It’s known for its historic old town, which is aptly named Old Town Cottonwood.
Old Town Cottonwood is a lovely area full of historic buildings, cute shops, and a charming main street. And of course the neighborhood houses several wonderful winery tasting rooms.
The Cottonwood wineries we’ll discuss in this blog post combine traditional tastes and unconventional marketing. Some wineries on this list serve French bistro food and gourmet charcuterie boards. Others serve vegan cheese!
Some wineries feel like walking into a family friend’s living room. Others decorate with pink flamingos, zebra print, and tarot cards.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how one winery was founded by a rock star. Cottonwood wineries certainly bring creativity to the table.
No matter their tasting room decor, every winery on this list is committed to the production of exquisite Arizona wines. That’s something I really like about Cottonwood. These winery owners are not only proud businesspeople, they’re also proud to be a part of the Arizona wine industry.
Whether you’re visiting Cottonwood for the first time or whether you’re already a big fan, I have total confidence that wine enthusiasts will appreciate wineries along the Verde Valley Wine Trail.
So without further ado, here’s our list of the best wineries in Cottonwood. Enjoy!
How to access wineries in Cottonwood, Arizona
The wineries in Cottonwood, Arizona are relatively easy to access.
If you already live in Arizona, then great! You can simply drive to the wineries on this list. But if you live outside the Southwest you’ll need to fly into a nearby airport, rent a car, and drive from the airport to these wineries.
Luckily Cottonwood is located within driving distance of several airports.
The Prescott Regional Airport (PRC) is located about 37 miles from this small town. The drive should take about one hour.
The second closest airport is Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG). It’s about 60 miles from the Flagstaff airport to Cottonwood. Funnily enough the drive should also take about one hour.
Scottsdale Airport (SCF) and Phoenix International Airport (PHX) are further away. The Phoenix airport has the widest range of commercial flights. You’re likely to find a flight that works well with your schedule. But I wouldn’t recommend flying into Phoenix or Scottsdale since that would require more driving.
P.S. Cottonwood is also close to other Arizona attractions like Jerome (8 miles), Camp Verde (16 miles), and the Grand Canyon (142 miles).
The best wineries in Cottonwood, Arizona for a wine tasting
DA Vines Vineyard Wines
DA Vines Vineyard Wines serves Arizona wines alongside French bistro food.
Their tasting room in Old Town Cottonwood has cozy lounge seating indoors and a shady dog-friendly patio outdoors. The lovely French bistro menu complements their wine, which is crafted entirely from Arizona-grown grapes.
Winery owner John Rachel took a crash course at U.C. Davis in 2007. He soon cut his teeth on a neighbor’s vineyard before committing to his own. In 2014 he released his first vintage. Today Da Vines continues to make some of the best wine in Cottonwood.
DA Vines Vineyard grows Montepulciano, Tempranillo, Graciano, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in their own vineyard. They source other grapes like Merlot, Barbera, Zinfandel, Trebbiano, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Roussanne for their wines.
The DA Vines Vineyard Wines tasting room is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 AM to 7 PM. On Friday and Saturday they’re open until 7:30 PM. On Sunday they’re open from 11 AM to 3 PM. Happy hour runs 3-5 PM Wednesday through Saturday.
Tantrum Wines
Tantrum wines are complex – just like women.
Brighid McLoughlin is the owner of Tantrum Wines. She describes herself as a “winemaker, wife, mother, friend” who is “tenacious, energetic, capable.”
McLoughlin set out to create a wine collection that represents the multiple roles, experiences, and emotions women encounter every day. In other words, she creates wine that’s as multifaceted as women.
Her tasting room in Cottonwood is a flurry of pink flamingos, fun chairs, twinkling lights. Fun!
The Tantrum Wines tasting room is open daily for tastings. It’s open Sunday through Thursday from 12-7 PM. On Friday and Saturday it’s open 12-9 PM.
Merkin Vineyards
Merkin Vineyards is the brainchild of former rockstar Maynard James Keenan.
Keenan was living in Jerome, Arizona when he considered starting a winery. He’d already been a famous singer – why not try something new?
In 2004 Keenan founded Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars. Their wines quickly blossomed into some of the best in the American Southwest.
You can sample these wines at the Merkin Vineyards Hilltop Winery & Trattoria. The building is perched atop a hill and boasts stunning 270-degree views of the Verde Valley below. They serve Italian-American fare such as pasta and pizza alongside their wines.
At Merkin there’s something for everyone from the seasoned wine drinker to the occasional wine drinker. When given a choice between the different wineries in Cottonwood, Merkin Vineyards is the best winery to visit if you’ve got a big group that includes people who are hard to please.
The Merkin Vineyards hilltop tasting room is open Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 9 PM. They’re also open Friday and Saturday 11 AM to 10 PM. On Sunday they’re open from 10 AM to 8 PM.
Merkin Vineyards also has a tasting room in Jerome, Arizona.
Rubrix Wines
Rubrix Wines is a boutique winery making small batch wine in Cottonwood.
Owners Corey Turnbull and Hayley Meyer have created a true family business. Corey handles the winemaking, Hayley manages the tasting room, and their daughter Shayla creates art for their wine bottle labels. It’s clear they take great pride in their work.
Corey Turnbull has worked in the wine industry for decades, but Rubrix Wines is a relatively new venture. Turnbull worked for his mentor Page Springs Cellars owner Eric Glomski before he started his own winery Burning Tree Cellars. In 2023 Turnbull shuttered Burning Tree and shifted his focus towards Rubrix.
Rubrix makes a variety of red wine and white wine from grapes such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Malvasia Bianca, Chardonnay, Roussanne, and Grenache Noir.
You can sample Rubrix Wines at their Cottonwood tasting room. The tasting room is open Sunday through Thursday from 12-7 PM. On Friday and Saturday they’re open from 12-9 PM.
P.S. If you get hungry, don’t worry. Rubrix Wines also serves delectable kitchen creations like charcuterie boards. If your ideal afternoon includes a glass of wine in one hand and a piece of cheese in the other, then you should head to Rubrix.
Cellar 433
Cellar 43 presents itself as “a place for unconventional tastes.” And their tasting room does have a unique personality… It’s tarot themed!
The Tarot Collection from Cellar 43 is a series of blended wines. Each wine corresponds to a different tarot card, and the labels are beautifully rendered by artist Rick Wycoff. The result is a look that’s colorful and unique.
The Tarot Collection’s red blends include grapes such as Merlot, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Arinarnoa, and Aglionico. White wine blends feature Viognier, Verdejo, Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc (to name a few).
The Cellar 43 tasting room in Old Town Cottonwood maintains the winery’s bold persona and different feel. The interior decor mixes moody lighting, luxurious materials, and bold black and white fabrics.
According to the Cellar 43 website, their Old Town Cottonwood tasting room is open Friday and Saturday from 2-8 PM. On Sunday they’re open from 12-5 PM.
Unfortunately Google lists different hours. According to Google, the Cellar 43 tasting room is open Friday and Saturday from 12-7 PM. On Sunday it’s open from 12-6 PM. Both sources say the tasting room is closed Monday through Thursday.
Cellar 433 is related to Tantrum Wines and The Original Jerome Winery.
Pillsbury Wine Company
Pillsbury Wine Company employs estate grown grapes and wild yeast to craft vegan-friendly wines.
Their award-winning wines feature grapes such as Malvasia, Grenache, Shiraz (Syrah), Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, and Viognier.
Their cozy Cottonwood Tasting Room, which they call the “Pairing House,” serves wines by the glass and flight. The “Mini Flight” includes three 1-ounce pours for $10. The “Standard Flight” is five pours for $15. And the “Have It All” flight offers eight 1-ounce pours for $20.
The Pillsbury Pairing House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12-7 PM. Happy hour starts at 6 PM daily.
From 12-6 PM the venue serves a gourmet cheese board, a charcuterie board, and a vegan charcuterie board that features housemade vegan cheeses. They also offer seasonally inspired monthly specials like chicken pot pie and soup.
Pillsbury is one of the best wineries in Cottonwood if you like a little comfort food alongside your wine.
Arizona Stronghold Vineyards
Arizona Stronghold Vineyards believes their home state is one of the wine industry’s “best kept secrets.”
They source grapes from local vineyards and their own Bonita Springs Vineyard located in Cochise County near Willcox, Arizona.
The Bonita Springs Vineyard grows roughly twenty grape varieties including Nebbiolo, Norton, Trebbiano, and Zinfandel.
Arizona Stronghold Vineyards maintains tasting rooms in both Old Town Cottonwood and Old Town Scottsdale. Their Cottonwood tasting room is open Sunday through Tuesday from 12-6 PM. On Wednesday and Thursday they’re open from 12-7 PM. Friday and Saturday they’re open 12-8 PM.
Other wine regions to explore
The best Arizona towns for your next trip wine country getaway
Jerome, Arizona is a former mining town that’s full of historic buildings. It’s also home to several fun wine tasting rooms. We’ve compiled a list of four Jerome wineries that are worth a stop. For example, rockstar Maynard James Keenan owns the Caduceus Cellars tasting room. If you’re already in beautiful Northern Arizona to visit Cottonwood then you should likely travel to Jerome as well. After they’re just 8 miles apart! It’s a roughly 17 minute drive between the two towns.
Sedona is a popular tourist town in Northern Arizona. These Sedona wineries and wine bars offer a fun place to quench your thirst in between hikes.
Scottsdale is part of metro Phoenix. These wineries in Scottsdale AZ strike a balance between fancy and laid-back.
If you’d like to explore Southeastern Arizona wineries then you must visit Sonoita and Elgin. Both towns are conveniently located. Sonoita is an hour south of Tucson and two and a half hours from Phoenix. The Sonoita area also has a wide variety of wineries. Our list of 17 wineries in Sonoita and Elgin is a solid resource for planning your trip.
We’ve also made a list of the best Southern Arizona wineries. These special wineries only use Arizona-grown grapes. The result? These delicious wines showcase the best the state has to offer.
Tucson is a short hour drive from Sonoita (just one hour). Not only is this small city within driving distance of Southern Arizona’s best vineyards. It’s also a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. These wineries in Tucson, Arizona have you covered.
Willcox AVA grows some of Southern Arizona’s best wine grapes. This small town is just under 90 minutes from Tucson. We’ve compiled a list of the best wineries in Willcox, Arizona that use 100% Arizona-grown grapes.
Other American wine regions worth a visit
Let’s be honest: Arizona is dry. You know what other state is perpetually dry? Texas! And yet, Texas is one of the biggest wine producing states in the United States.
Georgetown, Texas is a short one hour drive from Austin. The main square near the historic Williamson County Courthouse is quite the gathering place even today. Our list includes three Georgetown wineries that are all located on the square within a one block radius of one another. Walking from one tasting room to the next couldn’t be easier.
Two other Texas towns that should be on your radar are Wimberely and Driftwood. These two towns nestled in the heart of Texas Hill Country have a lot in common. They’re located close together, they’re small and quaint, and they’ve got wine! Our list of the best wineries in Wimberley and Driftwood, Texas might inspire your next weekend getaway.
Nevada is another perpetually dry state with a surprising wine industry. These wineries in Pahrump, Nevada are perfectly located halfway between the Las Vegas Strip and Death Valley. They’re the perfect place for thirsty travelers to refuel.
