My educational wine blogger credentials would most certainly be revoked if I didn’t write about my most recent educational wine experience. A couple years ago when I hosted my wine club I thought it might be fun to have us all blind taste the same varietal from California against the same from an unusual wine producing state (which, incidentally, is every state in the union). I spent hours pouring over winery websites in Arizona, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri. In the end it wasn’t feasible or usually possible for me to actually get my hands on any of it as most of these places wouldn’t ship to California. Not a huge market for midwestern wines here, I guess.

But, Myles and I recently had the pleasure of spending a long weekend in Phoenix, Arizona (without the kids!) and some good friends of ours suggested we meet for dinner at a restaurant in Scottsdale, FnB. Not only was the place a culinary masterpiece (Fried green tomatoes. Pasta with bacon. Yes!), but the wine list was the most intimidating I’ve encountered in a while. Every last wine on the list was produced in Arizona. Finally, I was getting my chance to try wines from my former home state.

I had fully intended to study up on Arizona wine beforehand, as I was aware of this curiosity, but alas, I went to dinner completely blind. Now the only AVA in the state is called Sonoita, which is in the Tucson area. And I thought there were grapevines near Williams, which is where you get off the I-40 to head up to The Grand Canyon (I’m still unclear on if this is true). When it came time to order drinks everyone at the table looked to me (I was apparently wearing my “wine expert” shirt that night). I took some guesses and we all ordered a glass of something different.

Most of the wines on the list were from Cochise County, which is the very southeastern corner of the state. I’m completely unclear whether or not these wines were also from the Sonoita AVA, I couldn’t find a map of what that area is, only a description that it is south of Tucson (Cochise county is southeast of Tucson). And because we ordered by the glass I never saw any bottles. So, who knows!

At any rate, here’s what we tried: 2009 Carlson Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Cochise County. 2010 Page Springs “Mule’s Mistake”, Cornville II. 2010 Arizona Stronghold “Dala” Cabernet Sauvignon, Cochise County. 2009 Pillsbury Roan Red, Cochise County. They were all pretty good, easily drinkable and none overpowered the amazing food. When it came time for me to order a second glass (the “Roan” red was my first glass), I ordered the clear winner of the evening: Mule’s Mistake. The waiter said it drank like a pinot noir, and he was absolutely right. Of course, there’s barely any pinot in it (it’s 56% Barbara, 11% Pinot Noir, 10% Grenache 10% Cabernet Pfeffer, 10% Counoise and 3% Viognier). Also turns out that Cornville is in neither the Sonoita AVA or Cochise county- but near Sedona, Arizona, which is north of Phoenix.

For a wine that was a “mistake”, I was incredibly impressed. And upon learning that it sells for only $18 a bottle on the winery website AND they ship to California... I think I’ll soon have some Arizona wine in my cellar!