Arizona has some surprisingly good wineries. For years I have admired the wines by Aridus. The winery is family-owned and is located in southeastern Arizona. The winery opened back in 2012 after refurbishing an existing 28,000 square foot apple warehouse which had been built in 1982. It is one of the largest winery facilities in the state. They have a 40 acre site for their estate vineyard along Turkey Creek in Pearce, AZ which they have owned since 2009. At 5,200 feet in elevation, the site has warm days and cool nights. A range of varieties have been planted there including Viognier and Tempranillo.
Winemaker Lisa Strid is at the helm and makes a range of delicious and forward wines. I love the new 2020 Aridus Viognier (OB, 91) which is bright and juicy with a good underlying acidity. Learn more about these exciting wines at https://www.ariduswineco.com and here are the new releases by Aridus.
2020 Aridus Viognier- This comes off very smooth on the mouth with a silky texture. Layers of ripe peach and sweetened gooseberry greet you with some solid underlying tension. Enjoy now. Drink 2023-2027- 91
2019 Aridus Syrah- The 2019 Aridus Syrah is a seriously good wine that shows outstanding flavor range on the palate. Smoked brisket and bacon fat tones combine with bright black raspberry and wild blackberry tones, with loamy soils. Delicious and showing good underlying finesse, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 91
2019 Aridus Tempranillo- Flinty and stony, the 2019 Tempranillo displays a delicious core of red and dark fruits on the palate, with hints of milk chocolate. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 91