A monthly look at Arizona wine with Valley dining impresario Pavle Milic.
After nearly a decade of writing about Arizona’s wine scene, I often get asked the same questions: What grapes thrive in Arizona? How many wineries are there? Where’s a good place to stay?
Enter Rhumb Line Vineyard in Willcox – a place that helps answer some of those questions. The idea for Rhumb Line was born at a winemaker’s luncheon at my little Scottsdale gin joint, FnB, where Todd and Michelle Myers asked Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards how they could support Arizona’s wine industry. Kent’s response? “Grow some grapes.”
So, they did. Purchasing 40 acres on the Willcox Bench, where many of the state’s best vineyards are rooted, they asked questions, learned grape cultivation and today supply Tempranillo, Tannat, Graciano and other cultivars to some of Arizona’s top producers, including Callaghan Vineyards, Chateau Tumbleweed and Rune.
You can taste many of these wines on-site at Olive’s Café, a new restaurant where the Myerses serve dishes crafted from locally sourced ingredients, including bruschetta, salads, sandwiches, antipasto, and focaccia pizzas. But wait, there’s more! If you’re looking for a place to stay while exploring the wineries of Willcox, Rhumb Line has you covered. Just before the pandemic, the Myerses built two charming abodes with large doors that open to stunning views of the Willcox Bench. Both are available to let.
Great wine, good food, and a place to stay – Rhumb Line Vineyard delivers it all.
Rhumbline Vineyard & Lavender Farm
6345 S. Rhumb Line Way, Willcox
520-497-0138, rhumblinevineyard.com
