It’s often been cited that all 50 U.S. states make wine in some capacity (though not all make their wine from grapes). But outside of CA, WA, OR, and NY, only a handful of the remaining 46 states have any real public eye affixed on them in terms of seeking out quality wine. VA, PA, and TX are among the ‘second tier’, but few are running out to scoop up FL wines just yet.
Same with AZ. However, a couple of prominent AZ folk have been out to change the world’s view of the Arizona wine scene.
On February 19th, another wine film hits the big screen: Blood Into Wine, directed by Ryan Page and Christopher Pomerenke, chronicles the efforts of Tool front man (and Caduceus Cellars owner) Maynard James Keenan and Page Springs Cellars owner Eric Glomski to bring recognition to the budding AZ wine industry.
According to www.azstronghold.com, the joint venture of Keenan and Glomski, their mission is “to put Arizona on the fine wine map.” It looks like they’re bringing out the full PR machine to help them, and the movie will feature guests such as hotter-than-the-AZ-desert-itself Milla Jovovich. Wine Specatator’s James Suckling also makes an appearance (but I don’t think he’s hot).
Will Blood Into Wine do for the AZ wine scene what Sideways did for CA Pinot Noir? I suppose we’ll find out in February, but I wouldn’t go out and liquidate the 401k and bet it all on AZ wine industry stock just yet. Keenan has star power and street cred, and Jovovich has powers of extreme hotness, but it’s unlikely that Blood Into Wine will see distribution that is closer to the levels of Merlove and Mondovino than Sideways or Bottle Shock. But it just may leapfrog the publicity factor of AZ a few years when it comes to fine wine recognition, or at least brand recognition for Keenan and Glomski’s wineries.
Got an opinion on AZ wine, wine movies, Tool, Suckling, or the hotness of Milla Jovovich? Shout it out in the comments!
Cheers!
 on 1WineDude.com)
Comments
@nectarwine
I figured it would be too hot for grapes to grow in AZ, but there is more to AZ than Phoenix. I could see some of the cooler hill regions doing some good stuff. I doubt the movie will do the same as it sounds like a documentary and Sideways was actually fairly entertaining.
As for suckling the hottness of Milla, I’ll refrain because my wife sometimes reads my comments.
Josh @nectarwine
1WineDude
Thanks. I'm wondering if the movie will teach us about those climates in AZ, and if Tool fans are wien fans and what kind of draw that will bring. Should be interesting!
Ben Simons
I'm really excited about watching this movie. I used to be a big Tool fan, and I still spin a little Tool every once in a while. I'll be going to Southeast Arizona for Christmas and wanted to stop by Stranglehold, unfortunately they don't have a public tasting room. May have to pick up some Arizona wine from the store while I'm there though.
Yes, Milla is en fuego. I fell in love with her when I saw the 5th Element in high school. I used to always crack up about the "thermal bandages" that only covered a few carefully selected parts of her anatomy. I guess only the naughty bits are susceptible to the cold after you've been rebuilt from a small amount of DNA.
1WineDude
Well, after you've been rebuilt from a small amount of DNA that contains the code for exceptional hotness, you probably also posses some other super-human traits…
Eon
The tasting room for Caduceus wine is in Jerome, but can only be purchased in Cornville and online. I don't know why no one posted a link to the site.. or I overlooked it… o.O
Risque Sommelier
Risque wants to know when they are going to come out (no pun intended) with a gay wine themed movie?
1WineDude
Good question. One man's "hot" is another man's "meh" I suppose. Or is another woman's "hot." Er.. ok, I'll stop now.
I do have a comment for you, Risque – what do you mean on your website by "Just a little GAY!" ? I mean, just go all in already! :)
Cheers!
1WineDude
Actually, I had to think about it – FOR ABOUT 3 MILLISECONDS! :-)
kevin keith
She's the hottest zombie killer on Earth! As for Maynard, a friggin' genius! And his wines are awesome too! If/when the movie comes round here (Cincy), I'll have Tool on my mp3 player, and a bottle of Primer Paso in my jacket! Rock on!
1WineDude
I need to try these wines. Have you done any coverage or in-depth reviews of those? Cheers!
david fish
in 1993 I was one of the judges for Az wines at the AZ state fair. Of the wines we judged that day- most of them were not worthy "to clean a gun with". 15 years later- after trying Callaghan, Colibri, Dos Cabezas and Echo Canyon- I was ready to volunteer to be an Arizona Ambassador!
I haven't tried the wines from Maynord or Eric, but I would certainly gamble on their potential.
The fact that Dick Erath just started making wine there can NOT be ignored- he has forgotten more about wine making than the rest of these guys will ever knoww
david fish
I forgot to mention: Milla is beautiful.
1WineDude
Wow – Erath is making wine in AZ? Now I **really** need to try these.
Oh, and the "Milla is beautiful" is redundant, because it's assumed. :-)
Cheers!
AZ Wine Guy
As one who's lived in Phoenix since '95 and "in the biz" on both a wholesale and retail level, I've tasted most of the wineries that produce wine in AZ. Most have a ways to go to be truly competitive with CA, OR & WA — but I'd spend my own money on Callaghan, Sam Pillsbury's wines and anything produced by Dick Erath (he and Pillsbury are neighbors). Re: Maynard and Eric — they sell out product when they do an in-store appearance and lots of people show up to have bottles signed, most of which will probably never be opened. Can't deny the attraction of rock-star (literally) winemakers, eh? I'm still waiting for them to produce high-end wine using AZ fruit, as only their Arizona Stronghold wines are produced using AZ grapes. Cadeuceus, Merkin and Chupacabra are produced using CA fruit, as they're still waiting for their AZ vines to establish themselves and produce usable fruit.
If you're going to visit the AZ and visit "the wine country," most of it is in southern AZ, east of Tucson near Elgin and Sonoita. There are a number of wineries where you can taste on site and visit with the people who make their product. The area is at higher elevation and thus a bit cooler than Phoenix, and it's surrounded by the Sonora desert, which is a higher elevation desert and a bit "greener" than most people think of when you say "desert." Same goes for the other part of the AZ wine country, which is north of Phoenix in the Verde ("Green" en espanol) Valley.
Come and visit, try some wine and see AZ — come in August, when the crowds are thinner!;)
1WineDude
Thanks! Sounds similar to the PA wine industry, actually (apart from the dessert, I mean :-). Cheers!
AZ Wine Guy
BTW, re: Milla — methinks she needs larger clusters to be truly caliente.
To each their own, eh?
Mike
Gruet is from New Mexico