Yes, That Winery Is Still Open

There are two area of hip, modern life where I am a failure ... a member of the lumpen proletariat ... a real turkey. One is wine, which I do drink regularly, tho I secretly prefer a good beer or ale. I usually have a box of what my dear bro calls plonk on hand; beer is simply too filling at my tender age. The bottles above? Brought by the Memphis niece from Trader Joe's on her way up to Prescott; you will note my rather cavalier treatment of the opened bottle and my little 6-oz. glass that once held Dona Maria mole sauce. The pretty red glass is from a set that the youngsters used.

What brings up the subject of wine again? The AZ Republic has answered the question of what has become of the mysterious San Dominique winery over at the east end of the junction of SR169 and I17. Basically, nothing. It's still in business! Sez the Republic:

[Bill] Staltari began the winery and tasting room in 1981. Since then, he's hosted garlic, apple, jazz and wine festivals. The shelves of the tasting room are filled with spices, canned items and garlic. "I have a couple of vines left," he says, "but now, I buy most of my grapes when I need them."

He says water costs and warming weather have made growing his own grapes too difficult. Visitors are given 16 choices to taste, at 50 cents per taste. The wine is served in tiny plastic cups, similar to shot glasses. Staltari says dry reds are his favorite, but the novelty wines are a hit with visitors.

"I attended a seminar and they said to make wine appropriate to your area," he says, pouring hot-pepper white wine. It's dry, spicy and unforgiving; peppers swim at the bottom of the bottle.

The article did not answer the question of what is at the top of the mesa just south of the winery. There's a road going up the side, but what's up there? A rich couple's summer cottage? Perhaps a cell phone tower. Someone fill me in.