Why you should visit Southern Arizona wineries that use Arizona-grown grapes
This blog post covers the best wineries in Southern Arizona.
These Southern Arizona wineries use 100% Arizona-grown grapes.
Some still believe the best grapes come from California. But these Southern Arizona wineries know there’s treasure growing right in their own backyard.
This list includes wine industry veterans with over thirty years in the game. We also discuss newcomers with just a few vintages. And what do they all have in common? Passion!
This list of the best Southern Arizona wineries includes more than one family-owned business that’s intensely proud of their home state’s wine. As they should be! Arizona wine doesn’t receive enough recognition. And great Arizona wine begins with great Arizona-grown grapes, of course.
We hope this list inspires you to explore Southern Arizona wine country. This special wine region has quite a few gems to enjoy.
P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about this subject check out the Arizona Vignerons Alliance, which was founded by a small group of winery owners. Their goal is to push grape growing and winemaking practices forward so that Arizona wines become both respected and coveted internationally and in the United States.
How to access Southern Arizona wineries
The Sonoita and Willcox appellations
Southern Arizona is the heart of Arizona wine country.
This large swath of land south of the Gila River is home to the Sonoita AVA and the Willcox AVA.
The Sonoita American Viticultural Area is among the first regions in the United States to be granted AVA status. It’s got a long history and over a dozen wineries.
In the Willcox AVA soil conditions vary significantly from site to site. Both appellations enjoy unique soil, high elevations, and rainfall from monsoon storms.
How to reach these Southern Arizona towns
The Southern Arizona wineries on this list are located near the towns of Elgin, Sonoita, Willcox, Vail, and Tucson. If you want to visit these wineries you will need a car. It’s a lot of land to cover!
Here are the distances between towns so you can get a sense of their location. I’m going to use Tucson as the starting point because it’s the largest Southern Arizona city on this list.
- The city of Tucson is located 112 miles southeast of Phoenix. The drive should take about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- The town of Sonoita is located 51 miles south of Tucson. The drive should take about 1 hour.
- Elgin is 60 miles southeast of Tucson, which is a 75 minute drive.
- The towns of Sonoita and Elgin are only 9 miles from one another, which is a 13 minute drive.
- Willcox is located 85 miles east of metro Tucson (a 90 minute drive). Willcox is 73 miles northeast of Elgin (a 70 minute drive).
- Vail, Arizona is only 28 miles southeast of Tucson, which is about 30 minutes by car.
As you can see, there is some driving involved. But it’s really pretty manageable.
If you already live in Arizona then you’re golden. You can simply hop in your car and drive to the wineries on this list.
But if you live out of state then you’ll need to fly into a nearby airport, rent a car, and drive from the airport to the following wineries. Tucson International Airport (TUS) is the largest airport in Southern Arizona. It’ll be your best option because it provides the greatest variety of flights.
The best Southern Arizona wineries for a wine tasting
Callaghan Vineyards (Elgin, AZ)
Callaghan Vineyards uses Mediterranean grape varietals grown right here in Arizona.
Owners Lisa and Kent Callaghan belong to the Arizona Vignerons Alliance, which champions Arizona-made wines.
The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition has awarded them accolades over the years. Another claim to fame? The White House has served Callaghan wine at multiple state dinners.
You can sample these award-winning wines at the Callaghan Vineyards tasting room in Elgin. Wine tastings are available from 11 AM to 4 PM Thursday through Sunday. They’re closed Monday through Wednesday.
The typical tasting costs $17 for five 1-ounce pours. Bring your own glass and the fee drops to $12. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic and friendly leashed dogs.
Vino Stache Winery (Elgin, AZ)
Vino Stache Winery is a woman-owned business based in Elgin.
Owner-winemaker Brooke Lowry Ide sources wine grapes from high-altitude family-owned vineyards in Southern Arizona’s Sonoita AVA. Ide uses grapes such as Grenache, Graciano, Malbec, Mourvèdre, and Tannat to craft her exceptional wines.
Vino Stache Winery offers a short but sweet wine list. In 2022 the winemaker debuted one orange and two rosé wines and in 2023 she released two pét-nats. In 2024 she mixed an orange wine made of Malvasia Bianca with a bit of rosé. The point is you won’t find a long list of wines at Vino Stache Winery. But you will find wines made with care and attention.
Vino Stache Winery has a small tasting room located near Elgin. It’s a cheerfully decorated space filled with hanging potted plants.
The Vino Stache Winery tasting room is open Friday (12-5 PM), Saturday (11 AM to 5 PM), and Sunday (11 AM to 4 PM). The tasting room is typically closed Monday through Thursday. But if you’d like to arrange for a private tasting you can contact Brooke directly via her website.
Hannah’s Hill Vineyard (Elgin, AZ)
Hannah’s Hill Vineyard makes Rhône-style wines near the Elgin grasslands.
In 2008 Ann and Jim Gardner chose a plot of land in the Mustang Mountains foothills. Two years later they planted a test plot with the help of family and friends.
Fifteen years later, their estate vineyard on “Hannah’s Hill” – named after their daughter Hannah – nurtures a wide variety of grapes. Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Malvasia, Riesling, and Rousanne all thrive on this special piece of land.
The Gardner family believes the Southern Arizona climate provides a “spicy lift” to their estate-grown grapes.
The Hannah’s Hill Vineyard tasting room is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 AM to 5PM. The tasting fee is $14 and includes a souvenir wine glass. If you bring your own glass the tasting fee drops to $8.
Old Pueblo Cellars (Willcox, AZ)
Old Pueblo Cellars makes organic wines from 100% Arizona-grown grapes.
Their wines are sulfite-free and vegan because they reject sulfites and animal products. This boutique winery does not use synthetic pesticides, which means their wines are organic too. Wine that’s good for the earth is surely good for you too, right? Right!
Old Pueblo Cellars has two locations in Southern Arizona. They’ve got an 8-acre parcel of land in northern Tucson. And they recently purchased vineyards near Willcox.
Both the Tucson and Willcox tasting rooms are decorated with cheerful star-shaped lights and comfortable chairs. Each space provides the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon with friends and a bottle of wine (or two).
The Old Pueblo Cellars Tucson tasting room offers wine tastings at 12 PM, 2 PM, and 4 PM everyday. Reservations are required. Call or email the winery to make a booking.
The Old Pueblo Cellars Willcox tasting room recently opened. Their hours are unclear; the winery website and Google list conflicting information. Your best bet? Contact the winery to make a reservation.
Charron Vineyards (Vail, AZ)
Charron Vineyards produces handcrafted Arizona wines.
Since 1995 this boutique winery has been making wine near the small town of Vail, which is just 30 minutes from downtown Tucson.
Charron Vineyards specializes in White Merlots. They create dry White Merlot by removing the skins of merlot grapes and fermenting them like a white wine. Charron grows Merlot grapes in their own 5-acre vineyard. And they source other grapes from nearby Willcox.
In addition to Merlot, Charron Vineyards makes a long list of white wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Malvasia Bianca, Roussanne, Picpoul, and Viognier. Syrah, Tempranillo, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Zinfandel, and Sangiovese all make an appearance too. With this large of a lineup there’s sure to be something for everyone.
The Charron Vineyards tasting room in Vail is open six days a week. During the week they’re open Monday (12–5 PM), Wednesday (12–5 PM), Thursday (12–6 PM), and Friday (12–7 PM). On the weekend they’re open Saturday (11 AM to 7 PM) and Sunday (11 AM to 6 PM). They’re closed Tuesday.
Come and enjoy the grapevines, roses, and spectacular sunsets from their patio. Fun drinks like warm mulled wine and frozen wine slushies available seasonally. Wine tastings are available year-round.
Dos Cabezas WineWorks (Sonoita, AZ)
Since 1995 Dos Cabezas WineWorks has produced high-quality wines from high desert grapes.
Dos Cabezas WineWorks uses high-quality fruit from their two higher elevation vineyards. Cimarron Vineyard is planted with Primitivo, Picpoul Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Pronghorn Vineyard grows Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, and Malvasia. Both vineyards thrive thanks to the unique growing conditions of the Sonoita appellation.
The Dos Cabezas WineWorks tasting room in Sonoita is open from 11 AM to 5 PM Sunday through Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays they’re open from 11 AM to 7 PM.
A regular tasting will cost $15-20. If you bring your own glass the tasting is reduced to $12. If you’re looking for a unique experience there’s also a private guided wine tasting available for $50 per person.
Bonus: there’s food! Salads, desserts, and wood-fired pizzas are all on the menu. So you can have a delicious lunch when you visit.
Other Arizona wine towns to explore
Wine lovers, take note: the best Southern Arizona wineries are within easy driving distance of other Arizona wine country destinations.
Four of the six wineries on this list are located in either Sonoita or Elgin. But guess what… the Sonoita AVA has many more wineries to explore. We’ve compiled a list of 17 wineries in Sonoita and Elgin to help you plan your trip.
One of the wineries we mentioned above is located near Willcox. Willcox is both a town and an AVA in Southern Arizona. These wineries in Willcox, Arizona make excellent wine from 100% Arizona-grown grapes.
These Tucson wineries will make you want to visit Tucson ASAP. We also mention a wine collective which is part bottle shop, wine bar, and tasting room all rolled into one.
Journey north of Phoenix and you’ll find a number of Arizona wineries within the Verde Valley.
Jerome, Arizona has blossomed from an old mining town into a fun destination. These Jerome, Arizona wineries reflect the artsy quirky feel of their small hometown.
Cottonwood is just 15 minutes by car from Jerome. Cottonwood offers historic buildings and cute shops in Old Town Cottonwood. And of course, they also have tasting rooms. These wineries in Cottonwood prove the town is worth a day trip.
Last but not least is Sedona. This popular tourist town is located 24 minutes northeast of Cottonwood. We’ve made a list of Sedona wineries and wine bars where you can kick back and relax after a hike.
