FAQ: What is the name of that mountain?
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.
FAQ: What variety of grapes do you grow?
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”.
FAQ: What kind of tree is on the patio?
"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.
FAQ: Am I allowed to bring wine on the airplane?
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.
FAQ: Why do you want us to bring our own glass for wine tasting?
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.
FAQ: I'm crafty! Can I grab some corks or wine bottles from you?
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.
FAQ: Will my car make it up the dirt road to Charron Vineyards?
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.
FAQ: Do Ubers drive to Charron? What's the best way to go wine touring without driving myself?
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.
FAQ: When do the vines start to bud?
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.
FAQ: Why don’t you serve beer or liquor?
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!
FAQ: Grape vines can grow in the desert? How do they get enough water?
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.
FAQ: Why do you have rose bushes at the end of each row of vines?
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. 🌹
FAQ: How long does it take for a vine cutting to grow and produce fruit?
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.
FAQ: Does it matter if a wine bottle has a cork or a screw top?
No, it doesn’t affect the quality of the wine! We happen to use corks here at Charron because the business came with a corking machine! If we were to invest in a screw top machine it would be quite expensive. Plus, many people expect a traditional cork in their wine, and we are happy to stick with that tradition.
P.S. We sell these REALLY nice wine bottle openers in the Gift Shop!
FAQ: When do you harvest the grapes?
We decide to harvest when the grapes tell us they are ready! We closely monitor the sugar content in the grapes, and when they hit the perfect sugar content to support yeast and fermentation, we harvest. “Harvest watch” is from mid-July to mid-August, and harvest can occur anytime during this period. Actual dates for harvest depend on the ripeness of the grapes. We won’t know for sure until the WEEK OF HARVEST.
Charron Vineyards is 100% volunteer harvested, which means we need YOUR HELP. We ask the community to come help us harvest our yield every summer. Harvest hours are from 5:30am - 10:30am. This is your chance to be part of the winemaking process and see how we do it! Learn all about how harvest works by clicking here.
FAQ: - What are some of your biggest challenges as vineyard owners?
People ask us this all the time! Many think our biggest challenges must involve water supply, or super cold temperatures in the winter. Actually, those two things are rarely a problem! While it’s true that working on our irrigation takes up a lot of our time, it works very smoothly and the vines are happy and healthy. The only frost we might worry about would be one that comes late, in late March or April. Our vines are budding during that time and a frost could be detrimental. Bigger challenges over the years have involved bugs (especially invasive caterpillars), pests and possible disease in the vines. We have also had some challenges in wine-making, as we learn on the job. We first bought the vineyard in June of 2021, and have learned a lot over the last few years!
FAQ: Do you stomp your grapes with your feet?
We don’t. Although it does look fun! We throw all of the harvested grapes into a large silver machine with a “hopper”. This machine removes the stems and crushes the fruit, producing grape juice and skins. Then, that mixture goes into the wine press, which filters out the juice (Eleanor, age seven, likes to enjoy a glass of juice at this point).
Then, the juice goes into our large, stainless steel tanks to start the fermenting process! The leftover skins, stems and seeds (called “pomace”) are spread throughout the vineyard to be used as nutrient-rich compost for next year’s harvest!
FAQ: Why are your grapes so little?
Wine grapes are much smaller than the table grapes you might buy in the store and eat for lunch! But, wine grapes are SUPER sweet and delicious! In fact, they are SWEETER than table grapes because all of their yummy sugars are concentrated in a smaller membrane, which helps us create delicious wines. the BRIX (sugar) level of a typical table grape is around 18, while the BRIX of our wine grapes is around 25 at harvest.
(Pictured: Table grape vs. one of Charron's own Sauvignon Blanc grapes)
FAQ: How long can a vine live?
Our current vines were planted in the 1990’s, so they are going on 30 years of age! Of course, some plants have died over the years. When that happens, we remove the dead plants and replace them with cuttings. We take cuttings every year and propagate a new generation of grape-producing vines!
Pictured here is a vine that came from a 2021 cutting that was then lovingly planted by Sarah in the spring of 2023. It started producing grapes in summer of 2024!
FAQ: Do I need a reservation for wine tasting? Which wines are on your "Tasting Menu"?
Charron Vineyards offers flights of wine any time we are open, and we never require a reservation! That being said, if you have a large group (8+) a heads up is great ...
email us at info@charronvineyards.com or call the tasting room at 1-520-762-8585.
You may choose from ANY of the wines on our menu - including our delicious specialties: Frozen Wine Slushy or Warm Mulled Wine! We usually have between 14-16 wines on the menu and they are all available to taste. Your server will give you a Tasting Worksheet which you will fill out with your six (1 oz.) selections. We recommend listing your choices from dry to sweet. Then, your server will bring out your flight all at once, so that you may enjoy your tasting at your leisure.
2024-25 prices for wine tasting are:
$16 with an included Souvenir Crystal Wine Glass
$10 if you bring your OWN glass!
FAQ: How many grapes do you yield in an average season?
In 2023, we harvested about 6,000 lbs of grapes! We have 5 acres of vines and are 100% volunteer-harvested. We would love to have you help harvest! It generally happens between July and August, and we will notify everyone via our website, newsletter, and social media.
FAQ: Where did you get the name "Charron"?
Charron was the maiden name of the original winemaker's wife, Rhea. Leo Cox and Rhea Charron were both born and raised in Detroit, then married in 1947. The story goes that she wasn't too excited about starting a vineyard from scratch! He promised to name it after her, and Charron Vineyards was born. The first vines were planted in 1995 on bare desert land. Leo really believed in this area as an up-and-coming wine region... and he was right. Charron is one of the oldest vineyards in Arizona!
(Charron is pronounced "sha-ROAN"... like in the song My Sharona)
FAQ: Why should I join the Charron Vineyards Wine Club?
To save money. If you are already a fan of our wines, you want to support a local business, and you come in occasionally for a glass of wine and some snacks, the Wine Club makes a lot of sense for you. There is no fee to join ... you just agree to purchase wine from us twice a year! In return, you get discounts on ALL wine, food, and events ALL YEAR LONG. Plus, get a free glass of wine (or a tasting) once a month (or two, if you choose the Grande Level).
Learn all about Wine Club on our website!
Or, ask your server.
FAQ: What happens to the vines in the winter?
Grapevines go dormant in the winter. This period of rest is important for future growth. Like many plants, the leaves change color in the fall and the vines lose their leaves in the winter. While you may not think it gets "that cold" here in Arizona, our vines agree that it's cold enough for them to rest and regroup for the next growing season. In fact, this time spent at cold temperatures is crucial for a healthy "bud break" in the spring.
Our Field Team prunes back the vines in winter. Pruning reduces the number of buds on a vine to control the number of grape clusters that will grow in the upcoming season. The vines can grow more high quality grapes for wine when they have fewer clusters.