Alcantara Vineyard and Winery Review
Address: 3445 South Grapevine Way Verde Valley,Arizona 86326.
Phone Number: 928-649-8463
Tasting Hours: 11:00-5:00
Region: Arizona
Reviewer: Diane
Review Date: 1/25/2014
Reviewer: Diane
Rating: 4
The Review
The Alcantara Vineyards tasting room is a beautiful, vineyard-ensconced, Tuscan-style room that rises out of the Arizona desert landscape. Established in 2005 by Barbara Predmore, the property is comprised of 80 acres with 12 acres currently under vines. And, at the confluence of the Verde River and Oak Creek, the property is ideal for growing grapes. Alcantara produces wines from sixteen different varieties, keeping winemaker Robert Shaw very busy.
Barbara’s passion for making wine is obvious, and her enthusiasm is palpable as she talks about expanding the facilities; she truly has a vision for what this remote area can offer. The long-term goal is to build a winery with shops and a bistro and to have a farmers market onsite. The winery currently offers live music on Saturdays from 1:00-5:00 during the summer.
This must-see venue includes a warm and comfortable tasting room lined with tables and couches as well as a Chapel for weddings. For those who like to combine outdoor activities with wine tasting, Sedona Adventure Tours’ Water to Wine Tour includes a kayak trip on the Verde River followed by wine tasting at Alcantara Vineyards.
Wines:
Kerry greeted us with a welcoming smile and provided an extensive menu from which to choose. Seeking some insight into the quality of the fruit being grown at Alcantera, we passed on the wines produced from California grapes and opted to sample the wines produced from Alcantera Estate fruit, and we had plenty from which to select.
We started with the 2011 Mesa Blanca, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Marsanne, Viognier and Muscat. This wine had quince, pineapple and apricot aromas and flavors with a touch of residual sugar emanating from the Muscat grape, nice and refreshing.
We moved on to the 2011 Viognier. We were lucky to get a sample of this wine due to its limited supply. The wine displayed an array of stone fruit aromas, including peach and mango. There were also floral, violet hints and a finish that was lingering and rich, very tasty!
Next we sampled the 2011 Zinfandel. Bold, ripe blackberry fruit proceeded a line of tannin cutting through the cassis and current finish. Still quite young, these 5-year-old vines show great promise.
Next was Alacantara’s signature blend Confluence, named after the confluence of the two rivers that meet on the property. The Confluence is a delightful red blend of Merlot, Syrah, Charbono, Petite Sirah and Pinot Noir. With soft, mocha tannins and ripe, maraschino cherry flavors and a touch of tart current, the Confluence is well-rounded and ripe and has an exceptionally smooth finish, highly recommended.
The highlight of our visit was the 100% estate-grown 2010 Merlot, produced from the first vines planted on the estate. Black Cherry aromas and soft tannins linger on the palate. The wine is rich and weighty with a refreshingly clean edge, hinged with a touch of licorice on the finish. Dont miss this one, it has to be my all-time favorite!!!
Two tasting flights are available, from $10 or $15 for 5 tastes, and you get to keep the glass. They offer cheese platters from $15.50 to $16.50 with generous servings for two, and also select deserts for $5.95.