From its first vintage in 1991, Callaghan Vineyards’ wines have received accolades from respected wine publications. CALLAGHAN VINEYARDS Next, we visited Kent Callaghan, who planted a vineyard in Elgin, Arizona, with his parents in 1990. A pioneering sort, he’s all about experimentation. Over the years, he’s planted what he thought would do best at his vineyard, but if it doesn’t work, out it goes. With the region’s extreme weather, making a consistent style can be difficult. Spring frost, monsoon rains (or lack thereof) can make wine making a hit-or- miss experience. In fact, hail storms this summer wiped out about 70 percent of his crops. Still, Callaghan Vineyards wines have racked up awards over the years and been served at the White House. Tasting under the large shade structure overlooking the dried vineyards at Callaghan felt utterly normal and pre-COVID. You could tell the spaced-out tables were filled with regulars and newcomers like us enjoying the sunny day. ANDREA: This tasting was unlike any I’ve experienced before. We each picked four wines from a list of 17 that ran the gamut from sparkling to port. Each taste was labeled, numbered and poured in tiny plastic cups served on sturdy paper plates so we could manage the process on our own with a copy of the tasting notes from the winery. KAREN: There’s nothing pretentious about the tasting experience at Callaghan Vineyards; we sat under a pergola and slurped up some wildly adventurous wines. “We try to make wines that aren’t cookie- cutter,” Callaghan told us, and he’s succeeding in that. OUR FAVORITE POUR: 2019 Love Muffin Red; $28 bottle // callaghanvineyards.com JAN 2021 | 18 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA

Started by Arizona wine pioneer Al Buhl, Dos Cabezas WineWorks has been making wines in southern Arizona for more than two decades. It is now owned and operated by Todd and Kelly Bostock, who The San Francisco Chronicle named among "10 Winemakers to Watch." DOS CABEZAS WINEWORKS Our last stop was Dos Cabezas WineWorks, conveniently located at the intersection of Highways 82 and 83. Dos Cabezas has been making wine in Arizona since 1995, but its current owner and winemaker, Todd Bostock, bought the winery in 2006 and moved it from Willcox to Sonoita. “It’s like ‘Northern Exposure,’” Bostock said of the eclectic people that call Sonoita home. His tasting room has become a mecca and grown increasingly popular since he and his wife, Kelly, made COVID- inspired pivots such as expanding the patio behind the property and adding something new: a pizza truck. “Business has been up,” Kelly said. “Folks are coming because of the food and now they’re buying glasses and bottles.” Another attraction at Dos Cabezas is their lodging. The Bostocks bought the property next door to their tasting room to provide on-site accommodations for guests. There are two options: the Casa, which sleeps six, and the smaller Casita. ANDREA: We tasted the full menu and agreed that this was the perfect way to end the day. The progression from a white blend to deep and rich red blends was delightful and perfectly paired with the pizza. My favorites included the 2019 Meskeoli white blend (the story behind the name is fun to ask about when you go), the 2019 Pink wine (which can be enjoyed anytime at Pizzeria Bianco) and the 2016 Toscano, a beautiful 44% Cabernet Franc and 36% Sangiovese red blend. KAREN: What a find! Not only did we chill on the patio with some delectable wines, but we also enjoyed one of the tastiest pizzas I’ve ever had — slathered with pepperoni, salsa macha and honey. Then we holed up for the night in the adjacent two-bedroom Casa, replete with a Wolf range, pool table and turntable. It was the ideal end to our excursion, and I’ll definitely be back! OUR FAVORITE POUR: 2016 Toscano; $30 bottle // doscabezas.com Andrea Tyler Evans | PUBLISHER + Karen Werner | EDITOR FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 19 | JAN 2021