Aridus Wine Company: A Tale of Two Soils
Written by Nancy (CSW) from Pull That Cork
Interesting Dirt
Three years earlier the Dahmers purchased 40 acres along Turkey Creek, a forty-five minute drive southeast of Willcox, located up against the Chiricahua Foothills. I think of Willcox as remote, but the vineyard location is really remote. We’ve not visited this vineyard, but we have driven along Arizona State Route 181 to reach a neighboring vineyard and the nearby mountains make a dramatic background.
Turkey Creek runs through the 40-acre property, which sits at a 5200 foot elevation in the high desert. The soil is different on each side of the creek. The “North Side” soil, planted to white grape varieties, changes from dark grey to reddish brown and is so rocky that the rocks had to be jackhammered and holes augured to plant grape vines. The row orientation here in north-south. The “South Side” soil is rich, red loamy sand, and river rock. Red grape varieties are planted here at an east-west orientation to allow the wind to blow through the vines without damaging them.
Photo of Aridus Estate Vineyard bisected by Turkey Creek with the Chiricahua Foothills in the background.
Weather in the High Desert
Weather in this corner of Arizona is unpredictable and can be extreme. Winters are cold. Spring and summer can bring wind, rain, snow, hail and temperatures to 100℉. Nighttime temperatures cool considerably, however. By August and September the monsoon rains arrive bringing cooler temperatures, but also increased humidity. To say harvest weather, July to September, can be challenging is an understatement.
The Wines:
2023 Aridus Malvasia Bianca, Arizona — light yellow with generous floral aromas of citrus blossoms and orange zest. The wine tastes just like the aromas: orange and lemon blossoms, plus ripe melons. It is a bit round in the mouth with good acidity to balance the notable sweetness. 10.1% abv. SRP $40. Only 432 cases made. 20 g/l residual sugar.
Malvasia Bianca makes a pretty distinctive wine and this one is characteristic of the variety. It is 100% Malvasia Bianca made in stainless steel.
2023 Aridus Sauvignon Blanc, Arizona — light yellow with aromas of ripe melon, pineapple and white flowers. Flavors include oat hay, melon and citrus with juicy acidity. The wine has a bit of roundness and a clean finish. 13.4% abv. SRP $40. Only 485 cases made.
89.41% Sauvignon Blanc is blended with 10.09% Malvasia Bianca and 0.5% Muscat. The wine was made in stainless steel.
2022 Aridus Graciano, Arizona — dark ruby with generous aromas of ripe blackberries and blueberries along with ripe plums and a bit of dusty earth. Flavors include plums, dried tobacco, dusty earth and black pepper spices. The body is medium with fine, drying tannins and good acidity. 16% abv. SRP $65. Only 228 cases made.
100% Graciano spent 15 months in neutral barrels. The fruit flavors of the wine shine through in this Graciano.
2021 Aridus Tempranillo, Arizona — dark violet-ruby with aromas of baking spices, ripe red raspberries and blackberries. Flavors include dark fruit, red cherries, cocoa and earth. Tannins are significant, grippy and gauzy in a medium body. 16% abv. SRP $70. Only 239 cases made.
Once again, Tempranillo stands on its own in this wine, which was aged for 29 months in neutral cooperage. The tannins and fruit combination is pretty tasty.
2022 Aridus Malbec, Arizona — medium ruby with aromas of blueberries, red raspberries and dusty earth. Flavors include cedar, red plums and leafy tobacco in a medium body supported by fine, drying tannins. 14.9% abv. SRP $75. Only 393 cases made.
Yes, 100% Malbec once again with aging for 16 months in neutral and second-use barrels. Quite delicious.
2021 Aridus Cabernet Franc, Arizona — light ruby (almost translucent) with aromas of tobacco red plums and dried strawberries. Flavors include dried tobacco, blackberries and black cherries with notable acidity and fine, but drying, gauzy tannins in a barely medium body. 13.6% abv. SRP $80. Only 68 cases made.
100% Cabernet Franc was aged for 34 months in (almost) neutral barrels.
I so appreciate that these wines, with the exception of the Sauvignon Blanc, are 100% varietal wines and made using mostly neutral oak. That gives me the impression I’m tasting what the Arizona desert gives each variety and there’s no hiding behind filling in the gaps with other varieties. Now I’m really curious to taste a 100% Sauvignon Blanc.