Looking for some liquid libations as part of your Southwestern meeting experience?
With 637,000 acres of wine plantings throughout the state, California is the largest wine producer in the country. “California provides more than 80 percent of wine in the United States,” says Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. The website for the state tourism agency describes California as featuring 139 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) scattered over more than 800 miles and offering “endless rows of vines generating diverse wine-tasting experiences—from high-end pairings in Napa Valley to barn tastings in Sonoma County, to cave tours and winemaker chats from Mendocino County to Temecula.”
California isn’t the only place to find locally grown wine in the Southwest. As Josh Coddington, director of communications for Arizona Dept. of Tourism, says, “Arizona is home to three AVAs, which means wines produced with grapes from these regions have characteristics unique to those areas.” Sonoita AVA and Willcox AVA, located in the southern part of the state, are approximately 50 and 85 miles, respectively, from Tucson. Verde Valley AVA, located in central Arizona, is approximately 100 miles north of the Phoenix metropolitan area. “In the Phoenix metro area, the Scottsdale Wine Trail offers an eclectic collection of places to taste Arizona wine,” he says.
“Colorado liquid arts” refers to the state’s locally produced small-batch distilleries, craft brews, and wines. With more than 400 breweries, Colorado is often called the “‘Craft Beer Capital of the United States,’” says Hayes Norris, communications manager for Colorado Tourism. Craft beers include seasonal barleys and triple ales, as well as one produced especially for Red Rocks Amphitheater. In addition, there are more than 140 wine producers throughout the state and in Western Slope, the heart of Colorado’s wine country.
Nevada has been producing its own wine since 1990. TravelNevada.com lists a variety of wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Ben McDonald, senior director of communications and public affairs for Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, says one of Nevada’s oldest breweries produces an India Pale Ale named for the state fossil, the Ichthyosaur.
Not to be outdone, New Mexico is home to the oldest wine region in the country—dating back almost 400 years to the first grapes planted along the banks of the Rio Grande River, according to NewMexico.org. Today, there are more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms throughout the state. New Mexico also features approximately three dozen independent microbreweries, brewpubs, brew houses, and taprooms, as well as local distilleries turning out homegrown cocktails.
Utah’s craft breweries continue to grow in number and popularity, according to VisitUtah.com, although Utah consumes the least beer of any state. There are also more than a dozen licensed distilleries throughout the state (Utah’s first legal whiskey distilling operation since 1870 began in 2006). Wine lovers can visit five wineries included with the Southern Utah Wine Trail Pass.
