Verde Valley AVA - DA Vines Wine Owner John Rachel

Corey is the head Winemaker at the awarded Page Springs Cellars, and Co-owns and operates Rubrix Wines with his wife and the tasting room manager Hayley Meyer. Dawn and Leon had a fun, engaging, and at times funny conversation with these two Verde Valley natives. * Notable moments in this episode: - As a lead winemaker for two distinct brands, Corey explains his philosophy for making his Page Springs Wines “Winemaking is an art… you don’t really want it to speak of what you do to make it, your job is more like a Shepard transforming it from one medium to another, while keeping it’s core characteristics and personality.” - He also explains making "ice" dessert wines in the desert and that process is very cool. Pun intended. - At about 1:01 in the podcast 'wine nerds, he illustrates his wine sensory evaluation descriptors... “mmm wild strawberry with hints of Dillard’s dressing room…”  - In the final segment of the podcast Dawn and Hayley talk about the cool collaborative spirit in the wine culture here in the Verde Valley AVA and how critical that support is for success, in addition to their conversation early in the podcast about what it is like to be a "Harvest Widow". Corey is incredibly versed in Arizona winemaking and viticulture having grown his career in it,in all aspects, from the beginning here in the Verde. Enjoy this great conversation with another true AZ Wine Guru and his wonderful partner Hayley of Rubrix Wines. Make sure to plan a visit there on your next trip to the Verde Valley while staying at the Acoustic Cellars Lodge, or taking a day trip on the AZ Wine Crawler. You will love it! Thank you for listening, subscribing, and sharing the podcast... and a big thank you to our sponsors: The Acoustic Cellars Lodge offers the most unique AZ Wine Country all-inclusive Wine, Music, and Nature Experience in the Verde Valley AVA AcousticCellarsLodge.com @acousticcellarslodge The AZ Wine Crawler. 5 start hop-on hop-off Wine Tour AZWineCrawler.com @AZWineCrawler

What a pleasant conversation with the DA Vines Vineyard and Tasting room owner. John has observed the growth of the Verde Valley AVA over the years. Now he and his wife Linda have one of the hidden gem tasting rooms and wine in the Verde Valley. Enjoy meeting John, and check out their wine club offerings, and visit their tasting room on your next visit to the Verde Valley AVA! Please also check out and support our sponsors: AcousticCellarsLodge.com AZWineCrawler.com

In this episode, Dawn Morton and I sit down with a creative, driven woman, with an extraordinary flare. Please meet highly awarded Wine Maker, AZ Wine Guru... Cynthia Snapp. We were fortunate to be sharing a glass of wine with Cynthia enjoying the astounding view from her Vineyard View House nestled high on the mountain above the Javelina Leap Estate Vineyard and Winery in Page Springs/Cornville AZ. As one of the original vintner/wine-making pioneers, Cynthia is a wealth of fun information on the history of Arizona Wine. In this fun discussion, you will learn some of her secrets, processes, struggles, and successes on her wine-making journey. Enjoy... Cheers!

Michael is an awarded and nationally acknowledged, AZ Wine Guru and in this episode you will instantly hear why! In this interview with Leon, he shares his story, uses a cool term 'harvest surfing' - that's some insider wine world lingo... and he introduces some new varietals that are making a name as AZ  specialties one unique example is the new Piquepoul varietal, and discusses his best wines that are available now for tasting in his new winery and tasting room in Clarkdale AZ and also the good stuff being poured right now at the SWWC (Both of which are a regular stop on the new AZ Wine Crawler wine trail FYI :-) Enjoy this great conversation with Michael Pierce! This episode brought to you by www.azwinecrawler.com   explore wine country your way! 

Enjoy this fun and highly informative interview with Sam Pillsbury,  Film Maker, Director, Producer, turned AZ Wine Maker! 

A great convo with Paula.  A professor at the Yavapai College Southwest Wine Center program, (one of my prof's), and a foundational element in the distribution of Arizona wine nationwide for multiple brands.  We talk wine, AZ Wine and history, and do a tasting where she samples an example of how we did in her class Wine Sensory Evaluation.  A great time and interview. Paula is multiple generations in wine and shares her story as well as the big Kahuna here in AZ for the Oldest Wine Organization in the world the Chaine des Rotisseurs which dates back to the early 1200's !!  And now... Enjoy this episode featuring Paula  

Leon joins Matt early one morning in Sept 2020 at his new winery, fresh after punch downs and pump-overs of the new fruit just in from harvest. In this informative interview, you get a solid inside look at Matt's style,  background, goals, and international winemaking experience, and leave knowing exactly why when Matt left stronghold after turning that label back to good, he was snatched up by the new Cove Mesa Winery owners! Matt also mentored Leon J as Leon interned under Matt logging a majority of his practicum hours for his enology degree program which they discuss also.  The episode concludes with some live ferment tastings and some barrel tastings.     A fun and knowledgable listen from another AZ Wine Guru - Mr. Matt Raica

Lucas took some time from the hectic crush season to sit down with Leon and talk wine, family, and tradition in the family winemaking and more!  Check it out and then plan to visit the Javelina Leap Winery   https://www.javelinaleapwinery.com/

Intro episode -  A short message about what this podcast.  Let's learn about Arizona Wine together!