Arizona wine

Viticulture in Arizona called viticulture in the American state of Arizona. According to U.S. law, each state and each county is a protected designation of origin by definition and does not need to be recognized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as such.

History

European missionaries first came in the 16th century in the area: Marcos de Niza, a Spanish Franciscan, traveled to the Southwestern part of the United States by 1539 and described the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, a Spanish Conquistador, examined these cities 1540-1542 in the area. The actual colonization began by Catholic Spanish missionaries. They began to convert the Indians to Catholicism. In order to have an appropriate measurement Wine, the missionaries presented the first vineyards in Arizona.

Location

Much of the wine areas are located in the southeast of the state near the metropolitan area of Tucson. There is the American Viticultural Area Sonoita AVA, the only specific defined denomination of origin. In recent years, particularly from the Italian varieties Nebbiolo and Sangiovese as well as the typical Rhônewein varieties Mourvedre, Durif, Syrah and Viognier wines emerge successful.