Arizona Tasting Rooms for a Group Celebration

A group celebration in Arizona wine country can happen in three places: Old Town Scottsdale, the Verde Valley and Willcox. Old Town Scottsdale is the closest to Phoenix, and Willcox is the farthest. The Verde Valley sits between them.

Old Town Scottsdale: Six Tasting Rooms You Can Walk Between

Six Arizona wineries run tasting rooms on the Scottsdale Wine Trail in Old Town. They are Aridus Wine Company, Carlson Creek, LDV Winery, Los Milics, Salvatore Vineyards, and The Wine Collective of Scottsdale.

All six sit within walking distance of each other. Ask for the $5 passport at your first stop, since it takes $2 off a tasting at each room.

Thursday evenings add a second reason to walk. From 7 to 9 p.m., the Scottsdale ArtWalk opens the galleries along Main Street and Marshall Way. Some of the rooms sit on those streets, so a tasting can lead straight into the galleries.

Your group needs only one drop-off here. A party bus that seats everyone can stop at a single corner, and the walking starts there.

The Verde Valley: Cornville, Cottonwood and Jerome

The Verde Valley suits a celebration that deserves a full day away from the city. It became a federally recognized American Viticultural Area in November 2021. It now has more than two dozen tasting rooms across Cornville, Cottonwood, Clarkdale and Jerome.

The official site for the Verde Valley Wine Trail has a trail map, a passport, and a passport app. The wineries sit in different towns, so pick one cluster for the day:

• Page Springs Road in Cornville suits a group that wants a vineyard setting. Page Springs Cellars has a Vineyard Deck for up to 20 guests and recommends advance notice for parties larger than six. Its tasting room takes no reservations, so Saturdays can mean a wait. The private Crow’s Nest holds up to 10 and opens only in some months, so call to confirm dates. Javelina Leap Vineyard is on the same road.
• Old Town Cottonwood has a wine trail along its main street, so you can park once and walk between stops. Arizona Stronghold Vineyards pours at 1023 N. Main Street, with couch seating and board games. The Jail Trail follows the Verde River for about a mile from Main Street, which gives your group a walk between tastings.
• Jerome sits on Cleopatra Hill, and its tasting rooms are close enough to walk between. Caduceus Cellars is on Main Street in Jerome.

The trail reaches Sedona as well, which adds red rock scenery to a day of wine tasting near Sedona.

Cottonwood sits about 100 miles north of Phoenix. Take I-17 north to exit 287, then turn west on AZ 260. The drive takes about 90 minutes in light traffic and up to two and a half hours on a busy weekend. Friday afternoons after work can be the slowest, so leave extra time.

Willcox: Wine Country That Works Best with a Night

If you start in Old Town Scottsdale, you may already know some Willcox wine. Several of those rooms pour grapes grown around Willcox, so a trip here shows where the bottles start.

Downtown Railroad Avenue is the easiest place to start in Willcox wine country, where farm wineries and tasting rooms spread across southeastern Arizona. Birds and Barrels is at 100 N. Railroad Avenue. Keeling Schaefer Vineyards pours at number 154, in the former Willcox Bank and Trust building from 1917. The Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum is at number 150, so a museum stop fits between tastings.

Most Willcox rooms open Thursday or Friday through Sunday, from about 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A flight costs roughly $7 to $10 and usually includes a glass. Bringing that glass to the next room can lower the tasting fee. Few rooms serve more than snacks, so eat a full meal between stops.

Willcox is about three hours from Phoenix each way, so it works best as an overnight celebration. Some groups opt for a charter bus for the whole group on this trip. Everyone shares the three hours, and nobody drives home after the last glass.

How Many Tasting Rooms Fit in One Day

Three wineries make a full day in the Verde Valley. Each stop takes about 45 minutes to an hour. A full day with three wineries leaves time for lunch and the drive back.

A Willcox flight is typically four to six one-ounce pours, roughly one glass in total. A small number of rooms per day works best there.

In Old Town Scottsdale, you can finish the trail in one afternoon or spread it across two days.

What to Ask Before You Call a Tasting Room

Groups of six or more should call each winery on the Scottsdale trail. When you call, ask:

• How many people can the room seat together?
• Does the room sell food, and can your group bring its own?
• How long does one tasting last?
• Is the room open at the hour you want to arrive?

Choosing Your Corner of Arizona Wine Country

Every corner of Arizona wine country works for a group, and the right one depends on how far you want to go. Match the area to the hours you have, then call the first room to confirm space for everyone.