The Arizona wine industry is booming, and as one of the first to plant vines, Willcox-based Carlson Creek Vineyard is making the biggest expansion in the company’s seven-year history. Carlson Creek purchased a new building in Willcox,and will also be opening a tasting room in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale this summer.
“With both production and sales increasing, we are at a time in our development where it’s necessary to expand in order to satisfy demand,” said Robert Carlson III, Carlson Creek co-owner. “The move to a larger location in Willcox and opening space in Scottsdale will allow us to serve more guests while also reaching new audiences who may not have made the trip to Willcox or tried our wines at festivals and restaurant partners throughout the state.”
The new Willcox space, located at 469 S. Haskell Ave., Willcox, AZ 85643, is a 14,000 sq. ft. building that originally housed a Chevrolet dealership built in the 1940’s. It will now become the new home of their Willcox tasting room, along with being a space for fermentation, aging and bottling of future vintages.
In an effort to satisfy demand north of Willcox and expand their reach to audiences in the greater Phoenix area, the Arizona vineyard is now also leasing space in the Scottsdale arts and entertainment district at 4142 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. The 2300 sq. ft. space will house the new tasting room with a 20-foot distressed copper bar built by Bootleg Barrel Company along with bistro table and couch seating, retail space for not only wine but their Arizona wine t-shirt line, glassware and other gifts, and an education room for private wine tastings and events.
Opening dates will be forthcoming and a hiring fair is expected to be scheduled for the Scottsdale tasting room.
