Walking up the hill, via the concrete staircase from Main Street, catch your breath and check out the Jerome Winery (403 Clark St). The view is even better from up here and the wine selection is sure to delight.
Because the Jerome Winery features single-varietal selections, this is the perfect opportunity to compare straight flavors from fruit cultivated in Cochise County, near Wilcox, Arizona. These wines are not as highly distributed as some of the other Arizona vintners, so if you like, take along.
As it turns out, having an outlet in Jerome is an excellent idea, because chances are, more people from the valley would elect to take the shorter trip to visit a high-country Jerome tasting room rather than one in Wilcox. This trend of Cochise County wine tasting rooms being scattered throughout the Verde Valley soon became apparent after a few stops. Traffic, that’s what it’s all about.
Of Jerome Winery’s white wines, their Chardonnay has the most zip. With a hint of apples, oak overtones, and a balanced acidic finish, this wine is quite versatile. If so inclined, it will work quite well with a big plate of mountain trout! It also is the perfect sidekick for an appetizer of assorted cheeses with bread.
If you are looking for one of their wines that shows off a little Cochise County, Arizona terroir, check out the Syrah. Their red selections pick up many flavors from Arizona terrain they grow on and this one is no exception. It displays a smoky fruit bouquet and a good dry acid base that will go well with broiled lamb as well as a pan fried steak. There are also a significant amount of tannins in its body, so pairing with charbroil is the best option for this rugged wine.
Before leaving, you will be quickly informed of their “sister” winery, Bitter Creek, that’s just down the hill. So off with ‘ya, down we go through the fresh, cool, Verde Valley air, thinking about grapes yet to come.
Article by Tom Peiffer, Phoenix Wine Shopping Examiner at Examiner.com
View more of Tom’s articles on Examiner.com by visiting his writer’s page.
