When the neighbors invited me to go wine tasting out at the
Granite Creek Vineyards, I jumped at the chance. Of course. It was a lovely way to while away an afternoon with a box picnic lunch, a few sips each of five excellent wines, listening to folk music and relaxing in the shade of huge Chinese elms at an old Chino Valley homestead.
The Hoult family operation had been growing organic table grapes there since 1974; in 2000, their son, the winemaker, persuaded them to join the ranks of Arizona wineries. Here, the wine tasting room.
The barn dates back to the early nineteen hundreds. It overlooks the shady lawn where picnickers enjoy music and wine on summer weekends.
There are 20 acres of vines, irrigated by well water.
Concrete ditches -- leftover from the days when water from Watson Lake in the Dells belonged to Chino Valley farmers. Because Chino was turning into a bedroom community, the water rights were sold to the City of Prescott in the 90s.
A few old farm artifacts are scattered unobtrusively about the grounds, but there's no attempt at cuteness. The corrogated iron shed (below) is a remnant from the past.
One of the main attractions of the farm: a small collection of peacocks. This fellow put on quite a show for a hen who paid him little mind -- at least, while I was watching.
I should mention that
sheoflittlebrain lived on this farmstead as a child. Maybe she will comment here -- or even better, write a post of her own memories.
When the neighbors invited me to go wine tasting out at the Granite Creek Vineyards, I jumped at the chance. Of course. It was a lovely way to while away an afternoon with a box picnic lunch, a few sips each of five excellent wines, listening to folk music and relaxing in the shade of huge Chinese elms at an old Chino Valley homestead.
The Hoult family operation had been growing organic table grapes there since 1974; in 2000, their son, the winemaker, persuaded them to join the ranks of Arizona wineries. Here, the wine tasting room.
The barn dates back to the early nineteen hundreds. It overlooks the shady lawn where picnickers enjoy music and wine on summer weekends.
There are 20 acres of vines, irrigated by well water.
Concrete ditches -- leftover from the days when water from Watson Lake in the Dells belonged to Chino Valley farmers. Because Chino was turning into a bedroom community, the water rights were sold to the City of Prescott in the 90s.
A few old farm artifacts are scattered unobtrusively about the grounds, but there's no attempt at cuteness. The corrogated iron shed (below) is a remnant from the past.
One of the main attractions of the farm: a small collection of peacocks. This fellow put on quite a show for a hen who paid him little mind -- at least, while I was watching.
I should mention that sheoflittlebrain lived on this farmstead as a child. Maybe she will comment here -- or even better, write a post of her own memories.
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