D.A.Ranch’s general manager, Andrea Light, grew up in the Verde Valley, but the working vineyard still feels magical. She hopes guests feel the same way.
The estate’s 176 acres are peppered with a vineyard crew tending the 16 acres under vine. Visitors, however, see only a small slice of it — the tasting room, the pond, the ramada and the oak grove. The rest is private land and agricultural ground where the vines grow.
The ranch will harvest two new grape varietals: Vermentino and Greco Bianco, affectionately called the “baby grapes.”
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“We have 3 acres over there that we’re very excited to harvest this year,” Light said.
More experimental plantings are coming next spring, including a disease‑resistant varietal developed in the Midwest. The move is part of the ranch’s ongoing effort to adapt to Arizona’s climate and water realities.
“Grapes really don’t take a lot of water,” she said. “Some think they’re taking all of the water from our water tables — as opposed to other types of agriculture.”
The vineyard is the estate’s backbone, but events increase visitor numbers.
Summer brings Dog Days, a playful partnership with local humane societies featuring dog‑treat food trucks, bandanas, live music, and a portion of wine sales donated to animal organizations.
“Everybody brings their dogs, and it’s just exciting, because we are dog friendly,” Light said.
But there are more than dogs on the property at 1900 Dancing Apache Rd. in Cornville.
“We have animals on our property,” she said. “People love to come and visit our animals. We have goats and a donkey. We do have special wine cocktails every Wednesday. Our tasting room manager [Jana Valentine] is amazing.
“We used to have a wonderful bartender over at Haunted Hamburger, and thankfully, we brought her over here. She has just amazingly increased our wine sales.
“We want to get locals in here so they have a place where they can hang out. D.A.Ranch is very green and lush. You drive down a dirt road. You’re in the desert, obviously. But it’s literally this oasis. Our natural spring water comes into a pond down by the pond ramada. It’s absolutely beautiful and relaxing.”
Valentine created the Wine Wednesday cocktails with fruits on the property.
“We make the preserves, and she’ll make the cocktails out of these,” Light said.
A network of Arizona tour companies brings guests to the tasting room. These partners — including Bliss Wine Tours, Elevated Sedona Wine Tours, OP Treks, Sedona Vineyard Tours, Starlite Tours, Wine Tours of Sedona, Winebelly Vineyard Tours — keep the Verde Valley’s wine trail connected.
“The tour guides we work with are wonderful because they really know the area and make the day feel easy,” said executive Alexis Petznick in a press release.
“Wine tour companies and tasting rooms in the Verde Valley really do go hand in hand,” Valentine said.
D.A.Ranch’s local commitment extends beyond events and partnerships. Light said 10% of sales from its Homestead Red wine go to Friends of the Verde River, supporting creek and river conservation.
Light sees the ranch’s future as an expansion of what already works: more local events, more varietals, more ways for guests to experience the estate.
“We love to be able to do things like that,” she said. “I see us growing with more local events, catering to our locals here in the Verde Valley and in Arizona.”
