The Long Way
Santa Cruz County
A horse-drawn wagon carries people across a grassy field near a building.
Plate I. Grounds and winery, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com
A historic black and white photograph showing a person working on fencing posts in an outdoor landscape.
Plate II. Historical planting, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com
A building sits in a grassy plain with mountains in the background.
Plate III. Landscape and winery building, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com
A farmer driving a tractor plowing a field in an arid landscape with mountains in the background.
Plate IV. Tractor plowing the ground, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com
A person uses a thief to pour wine from a barrel into a glass in a cellar.
Plate V. Barrel room, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com
People gather and taste wine at a bar interior.
Plate VI. Tasting room counter, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com
Wooden barrels are stacked on metal racks inside a building.
Plate VII. Barrel room, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com
Wine bottles adorned with awards and ribbons stand next to a decanter and a trophy on a counter.
Plate VIII. Award display, Sonoita Vineyards. From sonoitavineyards.com

Sonoita Vineyards

Elgin, Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Oldest commercial vineyard and winery in Arizona.

Details

Map. Elgin, Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Larger map
Where
290 Elgin-Canelo Road, Elgin, AZ 85611. Directions
When
Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm; Monday: 10:00am - 4:00pm; Tuesday: CLOSED; Wednesday: 10:00am - 4:00pm; Thursday: 10:00am - 4:00pm; Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm; Saturday: 10:00am - 4:00pm.
Season
Tasting hours year-round except major holidays.
Getting there
Located in Southern Arizona, Sonoita Vineyards is roughly an hour southeast of Tucson and 3 hours from Phoenix.
Fees
$45/person.
Access
We are a working winery and vineyard, so you might hear loud noises, smell interesting smells and experience some wildlife as our production room floor is attached to our tasting room.
Walk-in or reserve
Booking must be made no later than one (1) day in advance.
Phone
520-455-5893
Website
sonoitavineyards.com
Established
1974.

Come and view the vineyards, pursue the gift shop, see the barrel room, and enjoy a glass of wine.

Notable Events

  1. 1973Dr. Gordon Dutt and Blake Brophy established the first experimental vineyard on the Ignacio de Babocomari Ranch in Southern Arizona. sonoitavineyards.com
  2. 1976Dr. Gordon Dutt developed a system of water harvesting utilizing the hillside and building berms to reduce erosion and the overall amount of water needed to irrigate. sonoitavineyards.com
  3. 1978Dutt planted his first vines on a hillside in Sonoita; it was the state's first commercial vineyard. tucson.com
  4. 1980A group of Scottsdale wine enthusiasts led by Adrian Bosman started vineyards nearby and then partnered with Dutt to start Sonoita Vineyards Winery. azwinegrowersassociation.com
  5. 1981The winemakers banded together to form the AWGA with Bosman as the first president. azwinegrowersassociation.com
  6. 1982The new organization helped pass the Domestic Farm Winery Bill which allowed wineries to open tasting rooms and sell directly to customers. patagoniaregionaltimes.org
  7. 1983Dr. Dutt opened the Sonoita Vineyards winery. sonoitavineyards.com
  8. 1984AWGA worked with Sonoita businessman Bill Letarte and the Sonoita Trade Bureau to organize the first Arizona wine festival at the Santa Cruz County fairgrounds in Sonoita, attracting about 1,400 attendees to the one-day event. patagoniaregionaltimes.org
  9. 1984Dutt and Blake Brophy petitioned the Federal government to designate Sonoita/Elgin as an AVA in 1983; the designation was awarded in 1984, the first and only AVA in Arizona until Willcox 32 years later. patagoniaregionaltimes.org
  10. 1989Dutt sent two of Sonoita Vineyards' finest wines, a 1986 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 1987 fumé blanc, to the presidential inauguration of George H. W. Bush. tucson.com
  11. 1994Pierce's disease, a bacteria spread by insects which had devastated California's wine country, wiped out a portion of the vineyard. patagoniaregionaltimes.org
  12. 1996Gordon Dutt told the Santa Cruz Valley Sun that his vineyard had been hit by Texas root rot, a fungus that attacks the roots and causes plant wilt. patagoniaregionaltimes.org
  13. 2013Dr. Dutt's granddaughter Lori Dutt-Reynolds is head winemaker at Sonoita Vineyards as of 2013. sonoitavineyards.com
  14. 2021Dr. Dutt passed away in September, 2021 in Tucson. patagoniaregionaltimes.org

People

  • Adrian Bosman, led a group of Scottsdale wine enthusiasts who partnered with Dutt to start Sonoita Vineyards Winery.
  • Blake Brophy, co-established the first experimental vineyard with Dr. Dutt on the Ignacio de Babocomari Ranch.
  • Dr. Gordon Dutt, founder and original winemaker (passed away in 2021 at 91 years old).
  • Lori Dutt-Reynolds, head winemaker (as of 2013).
  • Robi Reynolds, Vineyard Manager.

Sources

  1. sonoitavineyards.com
  2. sonoitavineyards.com/tastings
  3. sonoitavineyards.com/about
  4. sonoitavineyards.com/events
  5. sonoitavineyards.com/wines
  6. sonoitavineyards.com/contact
  7. sonoitavineyards.com/faq
  8. sonoitavineyards.com/tours
  9. sonoitavineyards.com/arizonas-first-winery
  10. instagram.com/sonoitavineyards
  11. azwinegrowersassociation.com/history
  12. patagoniaregionaltimes.org/a-history-of-winemaking-in-sonoita-elgin-part-1-the-early-days
  13. patagoniaregionaltimes.org/a-history-of-winemaking-in-sonoita-elgin-part-2-the-rough-years
  14. tucson.com/news/local/business/article_7f0cd842-0ffc-11ec-bc8a-5bd95f995bdb.html