Aridus Winery’s Current Vintages: High Elevation Viticulture in Arizona
International Wine Review: Aridus Winery’s Current Vintages: High Elevation Viticulture in Arizona
Don Winkler, Co-Publisher & Editor, International Wine Review writes about Aridus 2023 Malvasia Bianca, 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Cabernet Franc, 2022 Graciano, 2022 Malbec, and 2021 Tempranillo.
Growing wine grapes and making wine in Arizona can be challenging with spring frosts, low precipitation, high summer heat, and monsoon rains during harvest (like Virginia). It helps to plant vineyards at high elevations and to manage the canopy to shade the fruit and facilitate air flow, but, even so, skilled viticulturists and winemakers are required to meet the challenges and produce high quality wine. Fortunately, Arizona’s Aridus Winery has both. We’ve reviewed their wines several times in the past, and they keep getting better as both the vineyards and winemaking mature. Initially, grapes were sourced from throughout Arizona and New Mexico, but today Aridus makes its wines mostly from its own high elevation (5200’) mountain vineyard. This makes a difference, as shown in our wine reviews below.
The Aridus Estate Vineyard
Wine Reviews
Aridus 2023 Malvasia Bianca Colchise County Arizona ($40) 90 Opens with clean, floral nose. Bright and refreshing on an off-dry palate with juicy acidity and tropical fruit flavors. The perfect wine to accompany spicy Mexican or Asian fare. And low in alcohol, too! Harvested Sept 8 and 11 and fermented in two lots using different yeasts and later blended. pH 3.32, 10.1% alc.
Aridus 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Cochise County Arizona ($40) 92 This Sauvignon Blanc blend is well made in a warm climate style with lush white melon, pear and lychee fruit. The texture is suave, and it’s full and broad in the mouth with a whiff of white pepper on the back palate. Delicious! Just don’t expect to be tasting New Zealand gooseberry with enamel-corroding acidity. This is an easy drinking wine perfect on its own or with food. Would pair well with lightly spicy Asian cuisine. A blend of 89% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Malvasia Bianca, and a touch of Muscat. Harvested twice, Aug 9 and Aug 23; the Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in two separate lots and given one month in neutral oak; after blending, the wine spent about 6 months in stainless steel. pH 3.51, 13.4% alc.
Aridus 2021 Cabernet Franc Cochise County Arizona ($65) 91 Medium dark ruby. Opening with aromas of dark red plum and a note of fruit cake spice, the 2021 Cabernet Franc is smoothly textured with good depth of ripe fruit flavors and fine round tannins on a long finish. A delicious, well-made Cabernet Franc. Fermented using BM-45, a yeast from Italy’s Brunello di Montalcino, fermented and aged in neutral oak for 34 months. pH 3.67, 13.6% alc.
Aridus 2022 Graciano Cochise County Arizona ($65) 91 Dark ruby. The Graciano offers a flamboyant nose of dark cherries and berries. It’s suave on a hedonistic palate of rich ripe fruit and reveals a fruit rich finish accented by a note of cocoa powder. Not shy in alcohol, but it handles it seamlessly. Harvested Sept 15, fermented using Spanish yeast Clos, and aged 15 months in neutral oak. pH 3.77, 16% alc.
Aridus 2022 Malbec Cochise County Arizona ($65) 92+ Semi-opaque. The Aridus Malbec could easily pass for being from Argentina’s Uco Valley. It opens with alluring fresh blackberry fruit aromas that are picked up on the nicely balanced, suave and silky palate. Perfect acid balance, round tannins, and an ultra-long finish. Harvested Sept 10 and 12; aged 16 months in used oak barrels. pH 4.05, 14.9% alc.
Aridus 2021 Tempranillo Cochise County Arizona ($50) 92 Opaque ruby. Especially dark in appearance, the 2021 Aridus Tempranillo provides a spicy, exotic take on the variety. A firmly structured wine, it reveals dark cherry, semi-sweet chocolate flavors with a hint of ancho chile. Try this wine with grilled leg of lamb. Sourced from estate vineyards and fermented using the Spanish yeast T-73; age 29 months in neutral oak. pH 3.74, 16% alc.