Coronado Vineyards Friday night dinner

Well, if you're looking for a great dinner on a Friday night and you're in Willcox, be sure to stop by Coronado Vineyards Tasting Room's Forks and Corks! Yummy!


I was in town delivering magazines and thought I'd stop in for dinner. The tasting room is open Mon - Sat from 9:30am to 5:30pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. They serve lunch Thursday through Saturday from 11am to 2pm and on Friday nights for dinner starting at 5pm. They also offer a special Saturday night dinner once a month (check with them for details). And lastly, try them on Sunday for brunch from 10am to 2pm. They have a beautiful Tuscan building that houses the tasting room, the restaurant, a conference room and a retail shop. You'll forget you're in Arizona!

I was planning a simple dinner at the bar when I was invited to join managing owners Jacque and Mark Cook. They invited me to join them and their friends for dinner in the dining room. How could I turn that down. It was wonderful. We started with the nachos and the zucchini stix. The nachos were unique in that they were gourmet kettle chips with buffalo blue cheese chicken on top - this was a resounding hit with the entire table. I really enjoyed the perfectly fried panko breaded zucchini sticks. They were very fresh, cooked perfectly and had a nice light panko breading, served with ranch dressing, of course!

For dinner, Jacque and I ordered the Chardonnay Peach Quail while the rest of the table ordered the Herb Roasted Prime Rib which is cut to order - boys can order big and girls can order small. Our dinners were served with garlic parmesan roasted potatoes and broccoli. I have only had quail one other time and it was pretty good. This has made me a quail believer - I would definitely order it again! It was cooked perfectly, juicy with a nice crispy skin and the sauce was delectable. Wow! And although I didn't eat any of the prime rib, it was getting resounding ooohhhs and aaaaahhs from the entire table. I could see that it was thick cut and cooked to a perfect medium rare.

Then for dessert we had a Lemoncello Cheesecake. I didn't have any room left, but I had to have a bite and I couldn't stop at one! It was the perfect way to end the meal.


We enjoyed a bottle of the Coronado Meritage, a nice fruity yet subtly spicy red blend that paired perfectly with the poultry as well as the prime rib.

Jacque and Mark - thank you so much for a great dinner! Please be sure to visit them whenever you're in Willcox.

Trip to D'Vine Wine in Chandler

A week ago, Josh and I were looking for a place to dine while we were delivering magazines to the Ocotillo area in Chandler. We dropped off magazines to the AJs there and thought of dining at Cork, next door. They had a special wine dinner that night and unfortunately they were sold out. We went over to D'Vine Wine and ended up having a wonderful time. Neither of us had been there before and didn't know what to expect. They were PACKED! I was a little nervous when they sat us at a table in front of the performer, because a lot of times you can't hear yourself think when placed that close to the music. It turned out to be a great spot! The music was great, food was wonderful and, of course, the wine fabulous!

The bistro and wine bar is located at 3990 S. Alma School at the Northwest corner of Alma School & Ocotillo. They showcase art throughout the contemporary cafe and offer music throughout the month. The menu is varied and they offer many wines by the glass.

There were many items to choose from but Josh was set on pizza. I wanted to try some other items so we started with the Beef Stuffed Piquillo Peppers. There are three peppers, stuffed with shredded beef and topped with black bean, corn & mango relish, served with an avocado sauce. It was very good although it could've used a bit more spice. The flavor wasn't bland, I just expected a bit of a kick from the look of the pepper! I would order it again and top it with some Arizona Gunslinger!

I then ate the Wedge Salad while Josh enjoyed the Pepperoni Pizza. I really enjoyed the salad, the perfect amount of blue cheese dressing, crispy bacon, a tomato/herb relish & blue cheese crumbles. Yum! The pizza was very nice with a very flavorful thin crust but it ended up a bit soggy. Josh enjoyed it enough to order another, though, a Margherita pizza with homemade marinara, sliced roma tomatoes, julienned basil, fresh mozzarella and a house cheese blend - and this was a hit!

Prices were fair with the pizzas falling between $7.5 to $10 and all of the tapas are only $6 a piece.

We enjoyed some "J" Sonoma Pinot Gris and a Petite Petit from Lodi - both $9 a glass. We would've ordered their Arizona wines but after a busy weekend they were sold out!

The music by Nick Smith was really great. He's a guitarist and singer - a one man show. He termed his music "acoustic blues with a focus on good songwriting". He plays between the two locations throughout the month. Look for him on their events page.

Found out more information at www.dvinebistro.com. I really recommend trying them out - we will be back!

Piñon Bistro

What a hidden gem. In the back of a small strip mall, across from Home Depot and next to Sizzler and Arby's, Piñon Bistro is a great place to dine. Owned by Terri Clements and Donna Fulton, originally from back east, Pinon Bistro is a charming restaurant with a focus on great, quality food.


The dining room is small, accommodating seven tables, but intimate. The walls were covered in unique art which changes from time to time. They focus on fresh ingredients and offer a number of local Arizona wines. The menu changes seasonally to showcase the ingredients. They close in the summer from mid-June to mid-Sept and are only open Thursday through Sunday. We dined on a Sunday night and really enjoyed this place.

The food is definitely high quality. We enjoyed the Crispy Calamari with Lemon Aioli and the Dungeness Crab Cake with Creole Mustard Sauce. The sauce was not overpowering, just a dash of mustard flavor. The texture of the crab cake was perfect. The calamari was not chewy, instead nice and tender. I would recommend both and will be sure to dine on them again in future visits.


Our entrees consisted of a Hazelnut Chicken with Frangelico Orange Sauce which was served with potato gratin and sauteed pea pods. The chicken was prepared well, not dry at all, and the sauce, slightly sweet, paired beautifully with the nutty flavor of the breading - nice big chunks of hazelnuts! The pea pods were also cooked nicely, perfectly green and fresh, served al dente. We also enjoyed the Sea Scallops with Ginger Garlic Sauce. This was served with julienne potatoes and the sauteed pea pods. The scallops were medium, nicely caramelized on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. My husband is a scallop fanatic and really enjoyed these.

You can taste the influence of their Maine heritage in the seafood. The service is attentive yet not overbearing! We enjoyed a fruity Javelina Leap Zinfandel Reserve throughout our meal and it really rounded out the dessert - a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream - really creamy and chocolatey! Yum!

The prices are consistent with the quality, with appetizers ranging from $5 to $9 and the entrees from $19 to $29.

This would be a great place to dine when visiting northern Arizona's wine country. Charming, creative and fresh.

Burgers & Barrels at Page Springs Cellars

Sunday started off with Page Springs Cellars Burgers & Barrels event. Eric Glomski, the winemaker at PSC & Arizona Stronghold Vineyard, started off by explaining the history of the event. They want to be sure to remove any pretention off of enjoying wine. They decided to have an event that would be about as simple as possible and originally paired the wine with fast food burgers. They tried Carl's Jr $6 burger, the Whopper, the Big Mac and the Jumbo Jack. What they found is that the Big Mac paired the best with wine - and they realized that it was because there was no ketchup on the Big Mac. Ketchup is a vinegar product and it doesn't play well with wine, which of course turns into vinegar if left to age for too long.

Well, they didn't make us eat Big Macs! They put together some HUGE 3/4 pound angus burger patties (and a veggie patty for the sole vegetarian in the room) and started by grilling them on a gas grill. Then they moved them to a coal barbecue that was burning cuttings from the vineyard and then they finished the burgers off with some wine! I really appreciated the effort that went into these burgers! We also enjoyed the fact that Maynard James Keenan grilled these hunks of beef!



Eric and crew always put together these fabulous events that coincide with their wine club shipments. It allows the members to meet each other, to try some great wines from the barrel (or bottle) and pick up their shipments, all at the same time! The last event we attended was the Gruel & Grog. The next event will be the "Blend-A-Barrel" event and I'm told that this one is the best of all! This event will fall at the end of May and beginning of June (see Arizona Vines and Wines Events for more details).

The featured grape at this event was Petite Sirah! Yummmmmyyyyyy! Eric first explained about the Petite Sirah grape and vine, the history, etc. Per Eric, Petite Sirah is the child of Syrah, kind of Joe (Syrah) and Joe Jr. (Petite Sirah) with Joe Jr. being a 300 pound kid (very dark, rich and tannic). All the wines we tasted were aged in neutral oak so that the only differences would be the vineyard that the grapes came from. All the wines were labeled Page Springs Cellars, but the grapes were sourced from different locations.

Our first taste was from Lakeview Vineyards in California, located in the warm valley of Lockwood, south of Monterey. Our second taste was from the Page Springs Cellars Estate Vineyard. Two completely different climates with different terroirs. The third came from Ranchita Canyon Vineyards outside San Miguel, near Paso Robles and the fourth was from Shell Creek Vineyards near Shandon, about 20 miles southeast of Paso. It was amazing to taste the difference that the location made. The grapes went from smooth to extremely tannic (a lot of people couldn't even drink the Shell Creek Vineyard, just too strong). We learned that the Ranchita Canyon grapes are also sourced to Tobin James and Justin Winery, both well known for their quality wines. Being the final of five groups of eaters and drinkers paid off - the late group on Sunday (us) were able to get a sneek peak into their Arizona Stronghold Vineyard Petite Sirah (again, labeled Page Springs Cellars, but the grapes came from the Arizona Stronghold Vineyard).

The last wine we tasted had quite a story attached. The Rio San Lucas Vineyards, located in the Salinas River Valley, southeast of Monterey, was planted during Eric's year of birth, a vineyard that he always placed very close to his heart. He loved this vineyard because it was a great study of topography and terroir, being built in a canyon with different grapes being planted at the different elevations. Well, Eric went to get some grapes this year only to find out that the vineyard was gone, literally gone! It was destroyed and replaced with lettuce (Earthbound Farms). They made an offer the owner couldn't refuse and the vineyard ceased to exist! Eric offered us a unique package of five of the Rio San Lucas wines - a five bottle commemorative set boxed up like a coffin with a big RIP for Rio San Lucas! We have to admit that we were touched and brought one home with us! Hopefully we'll have an opportunity to enjoy the wines with some friends and toast to the loss of a bit of California vineyard history!

Oops - forgot to discuss the burgers and their toppings. To keep the vinegar out - no mustard or ketchup was provided, however, the staff prepared some wonderful mayonnaise-based toppings for us, as well as lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and cheese. The toppings included a remoulade, tarragon mayo, garlic blue cheese mayo, pesto mayo and a chipotle mayo. Josh and I decided to cut our burger into quarters and enjoy some different toppings - Eric called it "slider style". Josh and I agreed that the Garlic Blue Cheese Mayo was fabulous (a mixture of mayo, minced garlic and crumbled blue cheese, simple but yummy).

Well, I truly recommend attending an event at Page Springs Cellars if you have an opportunity. You learn so much from Eric, meet others who enjoy Arizona wines, especially Eric's wines and, of course, sample favulous vino and eat simple, hearty, tasty fare!

Happy Anniversary Dinner at Quiessence

Well, Chef La Prad didn't disappoint, yet again! Always consistent, we enjoyed a wonderful meal at this beautiful location, a hideaway in the middle of the city. The service is always impeccable and enjoyable; we always feel like we're royalty!

We started off with a two glasses of wine and a great amuse-bouche of heirloom cauliflower. It was lightly fried and served with a citrus aioli - yummy and light! Oh, I almost forgot the fabulous homemade bread: an herb focaccia and, well, I can't remember the name of the other one. They were both fabulous, though. The focaccia was nice and light and served with an herb butter; the other bread was served with honey. We were starving and really appreciated the bread arriving promptly! I started with a glass of Pinot Gris and Josh had a red blend (Cabernet, Cab Franc & Syrah). Yes, we ventured out from Arizona wines for this round and it was a great start to the meal.

We then enjoyed the "Chef's Spread", which, in all honesty, no one should ever pass up if they visit Quiessence. This is an opportunity to enjoy homemade charcuterie prepared from the heart! Our plate included two cheeses: Bravo Farms Silver Mountain Cheese from Visalia, California and a Carr Valley Cheese Co Apple Smoked Cheddar from La Valle, Wisconsin. We also enjoyed the homemade salumi and coppa (with a nice little kick!), along with the chef's special head cheese and pork rillette served with some house grown pickled veggies. You really have to try this . . . you will love it.

We switched up the wine selection and I enjoyed the Keeling Schaefer Syrah, which we were so happy to see served by the glass! Josh ordered the Duende Syrah (we're obviously big fans of Syrah!). We then shared the recommended Citrus Salad which included Arizona citrus and Golden beets combined with sunflower seeds, shaved red onion and a creamy sherry vinaigrette, topped with some herb greens.

Our appetizer course consisted of Blue Hill Bay Mussels, with white wine, cream tarragon, shaved fennel and garlic. This was wonderful - big, fat, tasty mussels and the grilled ciabatta bread, homemade of course, was incredible! Josh ordered the Rainbow Valley farmer's cheese gnocchi with sausage and apple. Gotta' love homemade gnocchi! Josh liked this so much that he asked me to eat more of the mussels (which I happily did) so he could enjoy the majority of the gnocchi! He wasn't sure about the apple combination at first but became a believer after he tried it. The combination of apple, sausage and gnocchi (which I tried to get in every bite) was scrumptious!

OK, now Josh and I normally order two entrees and then share. This gives us an opportunity to try different things. Well, our server described the elk and we both decided that we wouldn't want to share! With all this food, we should've ordered one plate and shared but now we have some extra to enjoy today! Cocoa braised elk on butternut squash "mash" and herb salad - WOW!!! I am always afraid with game that it will taste, well, gamey! Not this! It almost melted it was so tender. And what Chef La Prad does with butternut squash can only be described as sinful.

Oh, and during this course we enjoyed two glasses of Pillsbury Co. Roan Red. The Roan Red is just perfect with food. Both Josh and I agreed that this wine is the perfect compliment for just about any food, showing off nuances of the wine and the food! I love a wine that makes the food taste better and has more layers and depth when it, in turn, is paired with food.

Well, we had to call it a night after the entree. There just wasn't any room left for dessert. There was barely any room left for the entree!

If you haven't been to Quiessence, you really need to check it out. It is at the Farm at South Mountain and when you're there you absolutely forget where you are - in the middle of Phoenix! They are open for lunch and dinner and sport a great wine and beer list. Check them out at www.quiessencerestaurant.com. Their menu changes daily to showcase the fresh veggies they grow at the farm but the quality is consistent with every visit. You will not be disappointed.

Dos Cabezas (Ware)House Warming Party

This last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a great event in Sonoita at Dos Cabezas WineWorks. Kelly and Todd Bostock sure know how to show everyone a great time. They were debuting their new wine building - hence the name "WareHouse Warming!" From 11 to 3PM we enjoyed wine, food and great company! As wine club members we were able to enjoy a great library tasting of many wines which aren't yet released. Many attendees also had the chance to participate in bottling of their Graciano blend which will be coming out later this year. They only made two barrels of this wine and I have to tell you that I think it's amazing. I can't wait until it's available for sale!

I also had a chance to try some of Dick Erath's venture - Cimarron Vineyard in Willcox - a white "Meskeoli" blend that will be sold under the Dos Cabezas label and also a red wine that will be distributed through a local Phoenix restaurant concept - I'll update you when the deal is finalized! Todd made both wines and he did a great job!

I think one of my favorite wines at the event was their new "El Campo". Now this is a fun wine . . . called El Campo because that's the Spanish translation for "field" and this is a field blend if I ever saw one (many different varieties of grape from Todd's Pronghorn Vineyard in Sonoita)! It is fantastic! It is currently only available to wine club members, but will be open to the public starting April 1st. There is only 23 cases so you'll want to reserve yours before it's all gone!

It's always fun to meet with new Arizona wine lovers and talk to the winemaker and his family. If you haven't visited Sonoita's wine country, this spring is a great time to go! Check out Arizona Vines and Wines events for many fun events happening over the next few months!

Ciao!

Callaghan Winemaker Dinner at Kai - Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort

All I can say is Wow!!!! If you haven't yet had the opportunity to dine at Kai, the five diamond/star restaurant in Sheraton's Wild Horse Pass Resort, you need to create an reason to do so! Josh and I have had the pleasure of dining there twice and have been absolutely amazed each time. This time was no different! This was our first time attending an event at Kai and we'll definitely go back.

Currently the only Arizona winery represented on their wine list, Callaghan Vineyards was showcased for this wine spectacle. Kent came up from Sonoita to share five of his blends with us. We were also lucky enough to have the chef come out and speak to us before each course and tell us the special stories behind what it took to put together this gourmet feast.

We started with a warm-up on the patio overlooking the beautiful pool and beyond to the desert and stables. We enjoyed hand-passed hors d'oeuvres paired with Kent's Ann's blend - Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. It was pretty warm on the patio and we all enjoyed it once the sun went down. The 2007 Ann's was a great refresher for us. It was an opportune moment to speak with Kent because during the weekend he is generally pouring wines for a packed tasting room! We laughed when he enjoyed a Nimbus beer while we drank his wine!

Next we retired to the dining room and took our spots at the tables of 10 which gave us the perfect opportunity to speak to some other Arizona wine fans! We met Ron and Barbara who split their time between Payson and Rocky Point and love to stay at the Wild Horse Pass as their resting spot. This was also their first event at Kai and swore that they'd be back for the rest of the winemaker dinners! Our first course was the bite sized Seared Yellowtail Tuna with wine-grape caviar, crispy yucca served with a Syrah-Costerno Chile Spritzer. Although the bite was actually paired with the chef's spritzer, we found plenty of time to enjoy the Ann's that was poured alongside.

For our appetizer course, we were served a Citrus-Mesquite Lacquered Salmon with Dungeness crab, peruvian potato, baby radish salad and pineapple-celery broth. This was paired with the Lisa's 2007 White Blend - a blend of Viognier, Riesling, Marsanne, Roussanne and Malvasia Bianca, one of my favorite Arizona whites.

The next dish seemed to be a crowd favorite - it was definitely my favorite - and, yes, it was as decadent as it sounds . . . Heirloom Chili Glazed Pork Belly with porcini dusted veal sweetbreads, foraged mushrooms, corn pinole brioche and cured foie gras - oh my god, it was amazing!!! Kent poured us his Buena Suerta 2006 Cabernet Blend. It worked very well.

Our palates were cleansed with a pineapple-sage sorbet with rhubarb-lemongrass syrup. Then next up was our main course, Spit Roasted Navajo Churro Lamb with wilted greens, root vegetables and poblano dumplings. This was formatted off of a Native American stew. I don't remember what the chef told us about each of these courses, but he explained what went into preparing each dish and it is truly amazing that anyone puts that much effort into food - and it shows in each bite you taste! This was paired with the Padres 2005 Tempranillo Blend.

Last we rounded out the meal with a dessert of Anise & Creme Fromage Composition with puffed amaranth and saguaro seed wafer which was served with El Dorado 2006 Petit Verdot/Tempranillo Blend. I was so full by this point that I didn't eat much of the dessert but when I looked at the other dishes on my table, they were all clean!

The thing I really love about Kai is the presentation, the service and the quality of the food. It truly is unmatched in any other experience I've encountered. It is also extremely consistent. The meals are not cheap but it is worth every penny. The wines were poured very generously and the view was spectacular!

Kai has promised to expand their listings of Arizona wines and I'll let you know when they follow through. We are very excited to see many of the higher end establishment understanding the value of carrying Arizona wines on their lists - Binkley's, J&G Steakhouse & the Ventana Room in Tucson to name a few!

Ciao!

We're back!

Sorry to have disappeared but I will now make a commitment to keep you updated on the goings-on in wine country Arizona! I vow to make at least one entry a month, if not weekly entries. We are so excited that so many things have been going on surrounding the promotion of Arizona wines! The next issue of the magazine will be coming out next week so be on the lookout at your local Whole Foods or AJs market (wine sections) to get your next issue. We also sell print subscriptions if you'd like to have the magazine mailed to your door.

Did you hear about the AZ Vino Wine Club that Cave Creek Wines has put together. Enjoy three wines, three times a year - delivered to your door (or picked up at Cave Creek Wines). It's a great concept and an easy way to try some of the great wines being produced throughout the state! The cost is between $50 & $80 (before shipping and handling) for each delivery.

I'll be immediately following up this post with a couple of posts from our adventures from last week . . . Callaghan wine dinner at Kai (at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass) . . . Dos Cabezas (Ware)House Warming Party . . .

Ciao!