Best Arizona Red Wine 2024 | Chateau Tumbleweed 2021 Le Blend | Food & Drink | Phoenix
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Best Arizona Red Wine

Chateau Tumbleweed 2021 Le Blend

Ten grape varieties. Six vineyards. Two counties. Le Blend is not just a clever name. It's an amalgam representing the harmony that arises in the hands of a talented winemaker willing to push the boundaries in an emerging Arizona wine industry while having fun with it. The actual blend changes every year. This vintage flaunts sangiovese, cabernet franc, mourvedre, petite sirah, graciano, aglianico, grenache, tannat, montepulciano and tempranillo sourced from vineyards in Cochise and Graham counties in southeastern Arizona. The list may seem overwhelming, but the combination of light and fruity grapes with meatier and hearty ones produces a very likable, straight-forward red that offers qualities red wine loyalists crave — hefty dark fruit characteristics with a nice mouthfeel — and none that tend to scare non-fans away from it, such as intimidating tannins or a finish that overstays its welcome on the palate. It's also super food-friendly. Le Blend originated 10 years ago, when winemaker Joe Bechard wanted to use grapes leftover after creating his other wines. It was intended to be a one-off. But it proved so popular that it's been part of this Clarkdale winery's regular lineup ever since, with the grapes intentionally sourced for this blend.

Best Liquor Store

Trevor's Liquor

Sara Crocker

A visit to the liquor store is often called a run because the implication is that it's a quick trip. When Trevor's opened its first outpost on McDowell Road, the expansive and luxe liquor shop proved that a visit doesn't always need to be rushed. In addition to boasting impressive selections of whiskies, craft beer, wine and cigars, these stores also come with bars, food and plenty of room inside and out to sit, sip and savor. Each location has something unique and fun to offer, too, from golf simulators to pinball machines. This combo of play and shopping works so well that Trevor's continues to expand, with three locations and counting. Coming up next is a spot in PV, the redevelopment of the Paradise Valley Mall. We'll be there, not just to make a run but also to relax and linger.

Best AZ-Born Nonalcoholic Beverage

Big Marble Organics

When the owners of The Breadfruit & Rum Bar released the first of Big Marble Organics' bubbly sodas in 2020, that ginger beer was a bright spot amid the swirling chaos and uncertainty of the pandemic. Although The Breadfruit has shuttered, owner Dwayne Allen has continued to dazzle drinkers with Big Marble's growing roster of award-winning zero-proof sips. That lineup now includes tonic water, a lemon soda and — our personal favorite — a hibiscus soda that highlights the warm, floral notes of a Jamaican sorrel. You'll find these sodas around town at local bars and restaurants, as well as at retailers including Fry's, Whole Foods and Total Wine and independent shops such as Arcadia Meat Market and Nelson's Meat + Fish.

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