Los Milics Vineyards won triple honors in the AZ Central Arizona Wine Competition 2024.

Sandra’s 2022 won the Governor’s Cup for best wine in Arizona — the first time a rosé has won this prestigious honor. Sandra’s also won The Grower’s Cup as the best rosé wine in Arizona and Los Milics’ Hannah’s 2022 won The Grower’s Cup for best white wine in the state.

Sandra’s 2022 is a blend of two red grapes, Petit Verdot and Montepulciano, and two white grapes, Vermentino and Petit Manseng. It is described as “a rosé for the red wine drinker.”

Hannah’s 2022 is a blend of Marsanne and Malvasia Bianca.

Pavle Milic, winemaker and co-owner of Los Milics, thanked the judges on behalf of the entire Los Milics team.

“None of this can be possible without the vision and business acumen of Stephanie and Mo Garfinkle,” said Pavle. “This wine would not exist if it were not for my wife Ita’s suggestion that we make it. As you know, we are a young winery. We stand on the shoulders of all the Arizona wine growers who have worked so hard to build up Arizona’s reputation for excellent wines. We are humbled and honored to be recognized for our efforts. Thank you.”

Sandra’s is named in honor of the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who was the first woman to be named to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“This is the first time we named a wine for someone outside our ‘Los Milics family,'” said Mo Garfinkle, co-owner. “Justice O’Connor was a proud Arizonan and a legal trailblazer who distinguished herself on the Supreme Court and throughout her career. We wanted to honor her and her Arizona heritage.”

Another Neat Tidbit: USA Today voted Los Milics the third-best new winery experience in the U.S. in 2023.

How It All Started

Los Milics was established by Mo Garfinkle and Pavle Milic in 2018 and opened its architecturally stunning tasting room in Elgin, Arizona in 2022. In addition to the 20-acre estate vineyard in Elgin, Los Milics has two other vineyards in Southern Arizona.

In February 2024, Los Milics opened a Scottsdale tasting room in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale.

Los Milics Vineyards is located at 423 Upper Elgin Rd. #824, Elgin, AZ. For more information, visit losmilicsvineyards.com. Check out our guide to Sonoita-Elgin Wine Country.

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