Where is Arizona WINE Country?

Sharing behind the scenes at an Arizona winery during harvest in the heart of Arizona wine country, centered around the farming community of Willcox off Interstate 10 within Cochise County in Southeastern Arizona, bordering New Mexico and Mexico. This region is where over 80 percent of wine grapes from Arizona are grown within its AVA (American Viticultural Area) boundaries. It’s one of three major centers of viticulture in the state of Arizona, along with the Verde Valley closer to Sedona and Sonoita, which is 60 miles (97 km) to the southwest. The terrain, commonly referred to as The Willcox Playa or the Willcox Bench, is mostly flat at over 4,000 feet in elevation, including the Aravaipa Valley and much of Sulphur Springs Valley, bordered by the Chiricahua Mountains and Dos Cabezas Mountains to the east, the Pinaleño Mountains to the northeast, and the Dragoon Mountains to the west. Just east of the AVA are Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Chiricahua National Monument, and Coronado National Forest. Family owned Arizona winery Carlson Creek Vineyard gives us a sneak peek at their harvest from inside their winery and production facility followed by us exploring their vineyards where they grow wine grape varietals like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon.