Aridus Wine Company’s winemaker, Lisa Strid, is featured in a series of seven videos explaining the uniqueness of the wines she makes in the southeastern Arizona mountain desert.
They can be found on the winery’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8FF7m0TlL0NOn43A98ICVg .
Seven wines are profiled:
2016 Graciano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-fhPFwHFNM&has_verified=1
2016 Malvasia Bianca: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daOvt565iOk&has_verified=1
2016 Mourvedre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZrNZx98-q4&has_verified=1
2017 Rose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6laFh1URPLY&has_verified=1
2017 Sauvignon Blanc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAcFg04nG2A&has_verified=1
2016 Tempranillo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFu_qF1PioE&t=19s&has_verified=1
2016 Syrah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqvj43zF-98&has_verified=1
The videos were recorded at The Napa Valley Wine Academy in June 2018 by Tim Kennedy of Napa Films.
As to the most recent harvesting. Lisa Strid reports: “so far so good; our whites came in a bit early and the reds are on target in terms of when we expect them. We’ve been dodging monsoons but have had a very smooth harvest.” One news item from the winery’s cellar is that a colony of bats moved in during the harvest season…which has meant that there have literally been no insect issues.
The winery’s estate vineyard is located about a 45 minute drive from the winery at an elevation of approximately 5,200 feet in the Chiricahua Hills appellation. The winery also purchases grapes from vineyards in Arizona, New Mexico and California.
Scott and Joan Dahmer founded Aridus Wine Company in 2012 outside the town of Willcox. The name comes from the Latin word meaning dry or arid, pronounced air-i-duhs. Surrounded by majestic mountains, the winery is an appealing combination of a historic setting and modern design. The building was once an apple warehouse; it was stylishly rehabbed with recycled local lumber and the interiors feature antique light bulbs and other cave-like design touches.
Why farm grapes in Arizona? Proprietor Scott Dahmer explains: “Hot days, cool nights, minerality of the soil. Our state’s motto has five Cs—-Climate, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus and Copper. Why not add a 6th? Cabernet? That said, southeastern Arizona has been compared to the same climate as Argentina with semi-arid desert-like climates, less than 13 inches of rain annually, an average temperature of 90-100 degree days with cool nights in the mid 40s and 50s. Malbec grows extremely well here, as do all Spanish varieties. I believe Arizona is the next up and coming grape growing region which will produce unique, world-class delicious wines.”
From fish in the creek, frogs on the banks, turtles, lizards and rattlesnakes, to white-tail deer, mountain lions, black bears, fox and javelina, the region around the winery has a wide variety of roaming reptiles, birds, insects and large and small predators and prey.
Aridus Wine Company’s winery is located at 1126 North Haskell Avenue in Willcox. The winery’s tasting room is nearby, at 145 North Railview Avenue and is open Thursday – Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.; appointments are not necessary. For more information, call 520/766-9463.
The winery also has a tasting room in the old town neighborhood of Scottsdale, at 7173 East Main Street. This tasting room is open Monday – Saturday 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm. The tasting room stays open until 9:00 p.m. on Thursdays. More info at 520/954-2676 or https://www.ariduswineco.com/Visit-Aridus/Visit-Aridus.
