Ideal Wine Coolers is located in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, Arizona.  People have commented that a business selling wine refrigerators should be closer to the infamous wine growing regions of the United States like Napa Valley for example.  The fact of this matter is that the Desert Southwest is home to more than just the Grand Canyon.  A wide variety of award winning wines can be discovered in the great State of Arizona.

The Spanish Missionaries of the 1700’s were the first “Arizonans” to start producing wine in the region.  Wineries scattered here and there survived through the years, but in the 1970’s, wine cultivation in Arizona really begin to flourish as an industry.  Currently there are over 30 vintners actively culturing grapes in the great state of Arizona and the industry, while young, is growing fast.  One of the largest vegetative zones in Arizona is the high desert grassland with elevations ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation.  It is in this elevation zone where most of the wineries in the state are established.

There are three primary wine growing zones in the state.  One of the zones is in northern Arizona and is commonly associated with the Verde River Valley.  Towns with names like Skull Valley, Cornville, Jerome, and Sedona are the focal point of what I term the Northern Zone.  In what I call the Southern Central zone, the communities of Sonoita, Patagonia and Elgin are the focal points.  The last zone can simply be called the Wilcox Zone, where several wineries are located, but other close communities like Bowie and Portal also are home to wine growers.

Because of the clustering of wineries within each respective zone, it is very realistic to make a day trip to one of the growing areas to discover Arizona wines.  To tour the Northern Zone, take Interstate 17 north from Phoenix and then State Highway 179 to Sedona.  Take Alternate 89 from Sedona to reach the Jerome area.  To visit the Wilcox Zone, take Interstate 10 east from Tucson to reach that wine growing area.  The Southern Central Zone can be accessed by taking Interstate 10 east to State Highway 83 to reach Sonoita.  Wineries in Patagonia and Elgin can be reached from Sonoita on State Highway 82.

Arizona’s high desert grassland hot daytime temperatures and cooler nights make for “happy” grapes.  The climate and soils in the wine growing regions of Arizona are similar to regions around the world like southeastern Australia, Spain and southern France.  The Arizona Wine Grower’s Association (AWGA) also views the Arizona wine growing region as similar to the area located around Paso Robles, California.  If you want to know more about Arizona Winery locations, check the website of the AWGA.

Some Arizona wines have received national and international awards. They have been served in prestigious places like the White House.  Red and white wine types that are especially good are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mataro, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Zinfandel.  Arizona’s wine country, while infantile relative to other U.S. wine growing regions, is worth the time to investigate.

Do not forget to keep all your wines safely stored to protect their taste and longevity.  At Ideal Wine Coolers, you can find a wide variety of wine storage solutions that will fit your every need.

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers, 2/2010

Wines are unique beverages in that their taste can vary dramatically from one vintner to the next and from one type of grape to another. This very fact is what makes wine interesting for us to drink, compare and enjoy. However, these same variations also tend to complicate their respective wine storage and aging processes.

Red wine is fermented with the juices and solids (skins and pulp) mixed. On the other hand, grape juice that is separated from the solids is used to make white wine. Red wines are often improved by aging them from five to fifteen years. White wines generally are made to be consumed immediately and aging them beyond three years may actually be detrimental to their enjoyment.

Many wine information sites generalize that the optimal wine storage temperature is 55 degrees F. Some wine sites establish a range of temperatures for red wines at 50 to 64 degrees F., while the white wine range is from 41 to 50 degrees F. Because white wines generally age faster than red wines, storing them at a cooler temperature will slow their respective aging process and allow them to be stored longer than if at higher temperatures. Storing red wine at slightly higher temperatures than white wines will allow them to age within a reasonable period.

What is the best solution to wine storage when enjoyment of both red and wine wines is your desired goal? Investing in a wine refrigerator or wine chiller designed with two different storage zones is the best solution. Commonly called dual zone wine coolers, these appliances have two separate and independently controlled temperature environments: one for red wines and one for whites. This type of wine cellar allows the wine enthusiast to “enjoy the best of both worlds”.

Dual-zone wine coolers come in two basic configurations. The most common configuration is to have the two independent zones on top and bottom of your wine refrigerator. Each of these two compartments will have their own respective temperature controls. Another configuration you can purchase is the side-by-side configuration. This type of wine cooler commonly has what are often termed “French Doors”. Either configuration will enhance the look of your home and solve the problem of storing and aging different types of wine.

Storing and aging your red and wine wines at their best temperature will enhance your enjoyment of them. Being prepared to address all of the different wine choices of your guests will make you an entertainment professional.

See our entire line of dual zone wine coolers at:  http://idealwinecoolers.com/page/dual_zone_wine_coolers.html

Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president of Ideal Wine Coolers, 11/27/2009