Arizona wines highlighted upcoming festivals
Oct 18, 2012, 2:19 PM | Updated: 2:25 pm
PEORIA — This is a good time of year to try some home grown wine in Arizona.
Several events involving wines from Arizona are coming, including some this weekend.
“We have the Wilcox Wine Country Fall Festival,and the Sonoita Grape stomp,” said Patricia King, Executive Director of the Arizona Wine Growers Association. “Next weekend, we have the Wilcox Grape stomp, followed by the Fountain Hills Grape stomp on November 3rd. Our biggest event of the year is the Festival at the Farm November 16th and 17th at the Farm at South Mountain.”
King said this weekend’s Grape stomp in Sonoita involves some running.
“We have runners who run a 5K Course, sometimes through a vineyard and sometimes on country roads. That’s followed by wine tasting, a little wine festival and, occasionally, grape stomping.”
Arizona’s wine industry is growing. King said that many people don’t realize that there are three wine growing regions in the state: the Verde Valley, Sonoita and Wilcox.
“The climate is perfect for growing grapes,” said King. “Our industry has grown from 10 wineries to 63.”
King predicts that wine will be Arizona’s next $2-billion dollar industry within the next five years.
To find out more about upcoming events, go to www.arizonawine.org.