We hear this one a lot! There are several mountain ranges in view of Charron Vineyard's famous tasting patio. Nestled in the foothills of the Empire mountains, Charron offers stunning views of the Santa Rita mountains. Some of the peaks you will see include Josephine Peak, Mount Wrightson and Mount Fagan. The vineyard itself is located at around 4000 feet elevation.
MERLOT! Merlot thrives in warmer climates, making it perfect for Arizona. Our five acres of merlot vines were planted in the 1990’s and have been producing beautiful grapes ever since. Merlot is incredibly smooth, versatile and delicious. It pairs perfectly with yummy foods like steak, rich pastas and pizza. Often described as “velvety”, Merlot is the second most-planted grape in the WORLD (right behind her cousin, Cabernet Sauvignon).
Charron Vineyards produces a unique “Dry White Merlot” and also a “Sweet White Merlot”, both created by removing the skins of Merlot grapes and fermenting them like a white wine. We also mix our Merlot with sweet favorites like Moscato to produce popular wines like “Nelle’s What a Hoot” and “Rincon Red”.
"English Walnut"
And yes, it produces walnuts! In fact, the vineyard cat, Ballerina, climbs up the tree, knocks down walnuts, and then she chases them around the patio. She also loves to hang out in the tree and meow at customers from above.
This tree provides great shade for our patio.
In your checked baggage only!
If you purchase wine to bring home to friends and family, GREAT! Just know that it has to travel in your checked luggage. The only alcohol that can go in your carry-on bag is those little 3.2 oz mini bottles, and well, Charron doesn't sell those!
Wine travels really well in checked luggage. Roll it up in a thick sweater, or purchase a travel case from us.
Honestly, it saves us dishes! Since we are a super small business with limited staff, Charron Vineyards, along with most of the wineries in Sonoita and Elgin, will help you save money on your tasting if you bring a glass from home. If you don't bring a glass from home, you receive a souvenir stemless wine glass from us. If you come in and just want a glass or bottle of wine, no need to bring your own glass.
Wine Tasting Prices:
$10 - If you bring your own glass
$16 - With an included crystal stemless glass
Don't forget to bring your glass to the other local wineries, too.
YES! Please stop by any time the tasting room is open. We usually have a pile of corks that you can have, and we ALWAYS have empty wine bottles that would love to be upcycled in some creative way.
Yes!! Just take it slow. That's the advice of this Corvette's owner, who made it up to the vineyard with no problem. The road is graded and smoothed out every year ... but yes, it's a bit bumpy. That being said, every type of vehicle can make it safely if you take your time.
There are several options! So, Uber is hit or miss. We have had people Uber to the winery, but have trouble getting picked back up. So, if you do Uber here, make sure you schedule your return trip with plenty of notice for the driver.
Another option is to hire one of the local winery tour companies. Pictured here is a fun group driven by Arizona Winery Tours. Another great choice is AZ Wine Hops Touring. Both of these companies charge you a flat rate which includes your wine tasting glass, lunch, snacks, waters, and a safe ride to 3-4 wineries in southern Arizona. Click here for more information.
Our vines start to bud in early March, and it’s so exciting when they do! We call this "Bud Break" - and this is when the vines enter their flowering and springtime growth phase. From March until May, the vines and rose bushes come alive! By May you will see flowers on the vines, which is where the baby grapes will emerge in June.
Charron Vineyards currently holds a “Domestic Farm Winery” license, which allows us to sell our wine but does NOT allow us to serve any other sorts of alcoholic products. This may change in the future, but for now, we specialize in delicious, locally produced Arizona wine!
If you have a non-wine drinker in your party, we do offer plenty of non-alcoholic drinks (including non-alcoholic beer). We have also seen “non wine drinkers” become OBSESSED with our wine slushies, so that is another great option!
Grapes grow beautifully here in southern Arizona! We irrigate the vineyard, just like you might irrigate your yard at home. Our field team works hard to ensure that our irrigation is working properly, giving each vine exactly what it needs to grow. We use ground water to irrigate and run the farm. Vines are surprisingly hardy and strong. In fact, there are currently three AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas) in Arizona (Verde Valley, Willcox and Sonoita) and new wineries are popping up every year. This photo was taken in May of 2023, and you can see how lush and green the vines get! You may also spot one of our hardest working field employees.
Well, in addition to being beautiful, rose bushes are traditionally planted in vineyards as sort of a “canary in the coal mine”. Roses tend to prefer the same soil and moisture content as grapes, but they are less hardy.
Roses can act as an early warning sign of a problem on the farm. If the roses indicate an issue (with irrigation, pests or disease), we will be on the lookout for an issue with the vines. 🌹
It takes about 2 years for a cutting to get large enough to plant in the field. After it’s planted, it takes another two years for it to produce grapes. When we plant a new vine, we are sure to care for it and prune it so that it has a good balance of leaves and fruit. We prune the bottom so it grows upward, and that encourages it to use its energy to produce more grapes.
Charron Vineyards
18585 S Sonoita Hwy, Vail, Arizona 85641, United States
Copyright © 2024 Charron Vineyards - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.
Monday: 12:00 - 5:00
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: 12:00 - 5:00
Thursday: 12:00 - 6:00
Friday: 12:00 - 7:00
Saturday: 11:00 - 7:00
Sunday: 11:00 - 6:00