In my search to find a diverse range of wines from all over the United States a few wines from Arizona Stronghold were put forward and I am really glad they were. Both the white wine reviewed here and the red blend I tried were great wines with some unique grape varietals thrown in for good measure. Rock music fans will also be interested to note the winery owner and founder is Tool front man, Maynard Keenan!
The Tazi is a unique and aromatic blend of Malvasia Bianca, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay with a pale golden colour and medium weighted, fruity aroma. On the palate this wine is full of tropical fruits, citrus and a slight floral note. It is well balanced, enjoyable and easy drinking and along with the ‘Nachise’ Red Blend, also by Arizona Stronghold, this has really been a pleasant surprise. Initially I was sceptical about the quality of a wine coming out of such a hot and arid part of the world such as Arizona so I am very pleased to see any scepticism was unfounded. Enjoy Tazi on its own or as per the winery's own food pairing recommendations of Oysters, Shellfish, Caesar Salads, Thai Curried Vegetables or Fettuccine Alfredo.
Arizona Stronghold ‘Tazi' 2010 White Table wine
Price - $39 from Grand Central Cellars
Region - Cochise County, Arizona
Final Sip - This wine certainly shows the US is capable of producing a wide range of great wines, even in parts of the country that I'd never thought would be ideal vineyard locations! If only it was available at its local price of $20!
