Since 1990, Callaghan Vineyards has been collecting awards for its dedication to Southern Arizona’s unique terroir and has even had the honor of serving its wine at the White House on four occasions.
Callaghan Vineyards is also a foundational winery in Sonoita-Elgin Wine Country. Growing grapes and making wine in Arizona didn’t always seem possible, though, until research from a University of Arizona professor — often called the Father of Arizona Winemaking — spread the word.
“The Arizona wine industry is what it is because of Dr. Gordon Dutt,” said Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards, “That research work he did in the early to mid-70s, that’s basically how this whole industry started.”
To celebrate both the University of Arizona and the Callaghan family’s four generations of Wildcats, they’re amped to introduce their newest wine: Arizona La Osa.
“So, there’s a long history with mostly Lisa’s family, but then the obvious, more recent history is the ties to the U of A directly — to the whole beginning of the Arizona wine industry as we now know it,” Kent added. “Without that research, this industry wouldn’t be anywhere close to where it is now.”
Tasting Notes
Arizona La Osa is a 2019 Grenache, aged for 18 months in neutral 500-liter puncheons and bottled unfiltered. It recently received a 92 out of 100 score from the Purely Domestic Wine Report and won a silver medal in the San Francisco Chronicle Competition.
“It’s the kind of red that you could have without food — it isn’t one of those really dense reds that you need to drink while eating meat,” said Lisa Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards. “It’s plush and pretty easy-going. I can drink it while I’m making dinner or have it with dinner.”
“It just reminds me of a well-concentrated noir-ish style Grenache,” said Kent. “Grenache can be pretty flamboyant and high in alcohol — kind of tough to take for a lot of people — but this is 14% alcohol. For Grenache, that’s not crazy and it fits the bill for a lot of different uses. It’s something that I think will have a pretty broad appeal for folks, and it will age for at least another 10 years.”
“It’d be good for Thanksgiving and all throughout the holiday season,” Lisa added.
A Work of Art
Now, let’s talk about the artwork of Arizona La Osa! It’s the first thing you’ll notice before uncorking the bottle, but even after the wine poured into my glass, I couldn’t stop admiring the label.
The label reminded me of how I’d get lost in the back of a cereal box as a kid, studying every detail while eating a big bowl of cereal. For me, it’s nostalgic; for the Callaghans, it’s a walk down memory lane, dating back to 1886 when Lisa’s grandfather rode the Chisholm Trail at just 14 years old.
“My great grandfather, J.C. Kinney, they named Kinney Road after him,” she said. “He rode the Chisholm Trail and paid for it by cutting other cowboys’ hair. He finally made it and it’s kind of a ‘rags to riches’ story.”
A year later in 1887, the University of Arizona broke ground on Old Main. From the completion of the iconic ‘A’ on Sentinel Peak to the launch of Tucson’s first annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros rodeo — co-founded by Lisa’s grandfather — the bottle’s artwork captures a truly unique piece of history.
“My grandfather was friends with a Native American man named Lone Wolf, and he would spend half of the year out at the ranch,” said Lisa. “My grandfather hired him to do artwork for him back then. He would create paintings on envelopes for holidays and they’re all at my parents’ house now. Then he’d make his own art, too, which is the cowboy artwork there on the Arizona La Osa bottle — it was all done by Lone Wolf.”
Get a Bottle
On Saturday, November 2, Callaghan Vineyards started selling Arizona La Osa for $35 in their online store, which can ship to select states in the U.S.
Also, Arizona La Osa can be found at local businesses like Feast, The Parish, both Tap & Bottle locations, Westbound, Arizona Wine Collective, Time Market, and Plaza Liquors as well as GenuWine Arizona in Phoenix.
“It’s going to be a really fun wine for people to gift during the holidays,” Lisa added. “We have such pride in Arizona and this wine shows it.”
For more information and to purchase a bottle online, visit callaghanvineyards.com.
Exploring Wine Country
“A lot of people still don’t know about the wine industry in Arizona,” said Lisa. “Every weekend we have people who live in Tucson visiting us, saying, ‘Oh, I’ve never been here before. Oh my gosh, it’s only an hour away. It’s so beautiful. It’s so different.’
Callaghan Vineyards offers tastings at 336 Elgin Rd. from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Thursday – Sunday — it’s a perfect weekend getaway or day trip.
“When people from California come in or people from Oregon come in, they have such a pride for their state,” Lisa added. “That’s exactly how we feel about this wine. We’re sharing our history and our love for Arizona.”
Callaghan Vineyards’ tasting room is located at 336 Elgin Rd. For more information, visit callaghanvineyards.com. Purchase the new Arizona La Osa here.
Check out our “Best Spots to Sip Wine in Sonoita-Elgin Wine Country” guide.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
