PHOENIX — Looking to "wine down" with some friends? The Arizona Wine Festival is happening in Downtown Phoenix, showcasing amazing flavors from across the state!
“There's 20 wineries, there's [about] 70 art and craft vendors, four food trucks with a lot of other tasting opportunities and food,” Rod Keeling, owner of Keeling Schaefer Vineyards, told ABC15. “It also has [a] terrific music program, we'll be having a band, different bands every day, on Saturday and Sunday.”
According to Keeling, all the wineries at the festival are of Arizona, “most of them are from the Wilcox region.”
Other than drinking and shopping, there’s also an opportunity to learn at this event.
“There's a lot of things that, that you'll learn about Arizona wine, and just being able to meet the winemakers in person at the event to talk to other people that are there. We're actually having a workshop at this event in January, [which is] called a riedel glass tasting program. And what they do is they teach you how the shape of your wine glass can actually benefit the taste and the enjoyment of the wine,” explained Keeling.
ARIZONA PRIDE
The annual event exposes local wine lovers and newcomers to Arizona wineries.
It's a terrific opportunity to enhance the Arizona wine industry [] which is growing. Keeling Shafer Vineyards, the vineyard that I own [with] my wife, Jen Schaefer, it was established in 2004. And we were the ninth winery in Arizona… now there's 126 wineries licensed wineries in Arizona. So, there's been a tremendous amount of growth over the last 25 years or so. This is a great opportunity to kind of keep that ball rolling,” shared Keeling.
- When: January 27 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and January 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Heritage Square [113 N 6th St] in Downtown Phoenix
TICKETS
Cost: ticket prices range from $35 to $45
“If you if you come in on Saturday or Sunday, you will receive 10 tickets- 10 tasting tickets. And that's a tool for us to manage the consumption level. So, you know…everybody stays reasonably sober. And you get a 10 one ounce, or one and a half ounce pours during the day,” explained Keeling. “You can stay as long as you want, you can listen to the music. If you want additional pours, we do have that available. It's $35 pre-sale. So, if you go to eventbrite.com, you can get your tickets for $35. And then it's $45 at the gate.”
The video in the player above showcases the best things to do in the Valley this January. Read more about it, right here.
