This blog is a few months past its twelfth anniversary and while there are not many aspects I would change in retrospect, I do wish I would have done a better job keeping track of the rather wacky requests that I have received over the past dozen years.

There was the time I was asked to cover Drake’s boxing match against Smash Mouth, I was asked to promote the world axe-throwing championships, and there was this email subject line that I did not even bother opening (because I feared it was way too close to home):

SwampButt Men’s Underwear Declares Size Matters Especially for Fat Guys

There have been tons of these types of requests, tons, over the years and I just delete them as quickly as I can (I used to politely decline each odd request, but that seemed to only intensify the number of such emails).

There are other requests that are, while a bit out of the mainstream of what I try to do here, pique my interest: reviewing various bike products, reviewing local restaurants, and traveling to Mississippi to ride a bike trail.

And, of course, I am asked to review a bunch of wine, with the vast majority coming from the four largest states in terms of wine production: California, Washington, Oregon, and New York. It has been well-reported that wine is produced in all 50 states, but as a wine writer/blogger, when one speaks of “American Wine” it really means wine from those big four.

Sure, living in Texas (11th in total production) and claiming Pennsylvania (5th) as my “home” I occasionally get bottles from those two states, and while some have been quite good, others? Well… Having lived in ten states at this point, I have also tried wines from Michigan (7th), Ohio (6th), Virginia (9th), and even New Mexico (20th).

Yeah, but Arizona?

Arizona is way down at 29th in total wine production by state (just behind Arkansas and right ahead of New Hampshire) and probably on no one’s list of “must-visit” wine regions.

But.

A couple of years ago, a wine PR person whom I respect greatly asked if I would review some wines from the Grand Canyon State and try to keep an open mind. I said “sure” but also added that no one had ever accused me of being able to perform the latter half of her request.

Well, those wines showed up, I tasted them, and I was pleasantly surprised. Then, a few months ago, I received another four wines to review from Aridus, a winery in Wilcox, AZ (which is about 90 miles east of Tucson, and that is the extent of my knowledge of the wine scene in Arizona).

All the wines, while perhaps pricey, are well-made, varietally correct, and, I have to point out, these are the most environmentally responsible bottles I have come across in a while, all under 500 grams. Bravo. Who knows? Maybe I will put Arizona on my list of “must-visit” wine regions.

2020 ARIDUS Viognier, Cochise County, AZ: Retail $40. Ridiculously Light Bottle (498g; 1lb 1.5oz). Under cork. There is very little info about this wine on the winery website. 100% Viognier? I have no idea. Yellow, on the verge of golden in the glass (time on oak? no idea), with what one would expect from a Viognier: an aromatic fruity nose of tree fruit (apricot), citrus (lemon), and tropical fruit (banana, guava), along with a healthy dose of white acacia flower. The palate comes off as a touch sweet (residual sugar? I have no idea), with plenty of fruit and a spicy element that is quite nice. Another solid effort from Aridus. Excellent. 90 Points.

2020 ARIDUS Cabernet Franc, Arizona: Retail $50. Ridiculously Light Bottle (488g; 1lb 1.2oz). Under cork. You could probably count the number of wines I have tried from Arizona on one hand and if you exclude the wines from Aridus, well, I would not need a hand at all. This, however, is the first Cab Franc I’ve tried from the state and it is pretty fantastic. I expected a bunch of fruit, not much acidity, and well, not much more. A funny thing happened: good fruit, a bit of earth, an herbal note, and plenty of tartness. Yeah, this is pretty darned good. Excellent. 91 Points.

2019 ARIDUS Cabernet Sauvignon, Arizona: Retail $65. Ridiculously Light Bottle (495g; 1lb 1.4oz). Under cork. this is now the seventh bottle of Arizonan wine I have tried (all from Aridus) and all have been worthy of remark, as is this one. Medium to dark in color with dark, even brooding fruit (blackberry, plum) on the nose along with a dash of anise, some spice, and just a hint of dark earth. The palate follows along in lockstep along with a nice level of acidity and a mocha note, particularly on the finish. It does come off as a tad sweet, but again, there were no real technical notes available online. Still? Rather tasty. Excellent. 90 Points.

2020 ARIDUS Petite Sirah, Arizona: Retail $50. Ridiculously Light Bottle (493g; 1lb 1.4oz). Under cork. My last Arizona wine (at least for now) and I was more than trepidatious; Petite Sirah is far from my favorite variety. Usually, I find it dark, brooding, and teeth staining. Yes, this is inky magenta in the glass, which and viscous with rather intense blackberry and plum but it is relatively low in alcohol for a PS (13.9%–I said relative), and the palate, while fruity and expressive, is more reserved than an average California PS. Don’t get me wrong, this is still full-blown Petite Sirah, it’s just not your “typical” overblown PS. Very Good. 89 Points.