A Day In Jerome – An Art-filled Arizona Town Rocking A New AVA and a Growing Wine Industry

Among a daunting number of tasting rooms, Caduceus is not to be missed

Those of us lucky enough to live in celebrated wine country such as the Walla Walla Valley and Willamette Valley AVAs may all too easily dismiss lesser known, emerging reasons as being of little interest. Big mistake. If you love, as I do, the pleasures of being among the first to discover world class wines from a place unfamiliar to the vast majority of wine drinkers, it’s important to get out and explore at every opportunity.

I have only had a handful of wines from Arizona in my life. I set my sights on a visit to Jerome, just a few hairpin turns away from Sedona, because I’d seen an ad for the town mentioning that it was home to about a dozen tasting rooms. And like my town of Waitsburg, it’s got a rich history, a vibrant arts scene, and (to my surprise) a comparable climate. In fact on the day we visited there was snow on the ground, blue sky, bright sunshine, and temperatures in the upper 50s. About the same as late February in Waitsburg.

Waitsburg was founded and built upon farming and the establishment of a flour mill. Jerome was built on mining – vast copper deposits found in the 1870s that helped it to quickly grew from a small mining camp into a thriving mining community. Eugene Jerome, the principal backer of the United Verde Copper Company, gave the town its name. By the early 20th century, Jerome had a reputation as the "Wickedest Town in the West" due to its numerous saloons, gambling establishments, and bordellos. At its peak, Jerome was home to over 10,000 residents, and its mines produced an astonishing amount of copper, along with significant quantities of gold, silver, and zinc.

As in Waitsburg, where the flour mill closed after a century of operation and all-but shuttered the town, Jerome’s fortunes fell when the mines closed, turning it into a ghost town by the 1950s. A decade or so later, attracted by the scenery and cheap housing, a small but steady stream of artists and free spirits began arriving. Galleries, shops and cafes opened, and with the start of a small wine industry, propelled in large part by the founding of Caduceus winery, the renaissance was complete. In 2021 Arizona’s third AVA, the Verde Valley, marked a further important step in the growth of the industry.

Caduceus Cellars & Merkin Vineyards is the project of Maynard James Keenan, known to music fans as the lead singer for his band Tool. But for two decades he’s planted vineyards, explored terroirs, made innovative wines and in many ways been the single most significant figure behind the growing national reputation of Arizona wines. He now has 110 acres under vine in six vineyards, some in the Verde Valley, some in the southern wine district around Willcox. A dizzying mix of grapes are grown:  Albariño, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Monastrell, Aglianico and others still more obscure.

I visited the Caduceus tasting room in downtown Jerome. A more ambitious project recently debuted in nearby Cottonwood as a showcase for one of the estate vineyards, a new winery, a view restaurant and retail space. In Jerome the tasting room, right on Main street, offers a generous selection of ‘merch’ along with the wines and a few food options. Tasting flights of four wines each are offered – $14 for small sips. I tasted through a half dozen wines and brought a couple more home with me to explore in depth. No scores, just impressions. But overall I found these wines to be aromatic, balanced, elegant and complex, with lingering flavors that in some cases were truly captivating.

Caduceus

Right on the bottle you’ll find this explanation of the name. It reads “Caduceus is the staff of the god Hermes, the herald of temporality and transformation, eloquence and change”.

Caduceus 2022 Dos Ladrones – Half Chardonnay, half Malvasia Bianca, this is fermented in stainless and aged in neutral wood and stainless. Bright and fruity, it brings out the best of both grapes in a bone dry, virtually unoaked style.

I next tried a pair of light colored wines. The Merkin Vineyards 2022 Chupacabra Rosa ($20) is a Grenache/Carignan blend sourced from the Buhl Memorial vineyard in Willcox, one of Arizona’s oldest sites with vines dating back to 1982. A nice mix of citrus fruit and tangy acids. The 2020 Airavata Garnacha ($50) is a pretty sunset hue, with delicate, elegant flavors of strawberry/cherry pastry. The aromatics are captivating.

Caduceus 2021 Anubis – This is half Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cab Franc and the rest Aglianico. One of the compelling aspects of these Caduceus wines is the innovative blending. This is sourced from the Buhl Memorial vineyard; at 13.5% abv it’s one of the most substantial wines in the lineup. There’s a distinct scent and flavor of tanned leather, and the plum and cherry fruit is a bit dried out. But the wine is drinking well and maintains its balance, at least for the time being.

Caduceus 2020 Nagual de la Naga – First produced in 2004, this is 90% Sangiovese, 5% Souzao, 5% Negroamaro sourced from the winery’s largest northern Arizona vineyard. MJK:  “an orgy of fresh strawberry, cherry and roses. Distinctly layered mouthfeel with suggestions of spice and pancetta.” PG:  Impressive and distinctly different from any west coast Sangio I’ve had. Dried roses and sandalwood, strawberry jam, cherry pie and a touch of rhubarb. Excellent balance and length, with a sappy, snappy finish. 13.6%; $50 (Verde Valley)

Caduceus 2021 Primer Paso – A blend of 85% Syrah, 10% Durif, and 5% Malvasia Bianca. MJK:  Our first wine… First Step. The Malvasia adds a welcome floral brightness which complements the dark fruit and peppery notes on the palate.” PG:  Needs to breathe open, and don’t drink it too chilled. It opens gracefully to express clear Syrah aromatics. It’s forward, flavorful and balanced, with surpassing elegance. 13.6%; $50 (Verde Valley)

I visited one other wine shop in town and tasted a broader selection of micro-production wines from a number of new wineries, including one at the community college. Those notes and thoughts on what may become the real strengths of Arizona will be on my next post.

Final thoughts… This Northwest Wine Guide is designed to showcase the boutique artisanal wines and wineries of the Pacific Northwest. Subscribing is free, and will remain so, though a bonus option may soon be added for paid subscribers. The best way to support my work is by subscribing and passing these columns along to friends and colleagues with your recommendation that they too subscribe.

PS: My band, the DavePaul5, will be playing at AK’s Mercado on Friday March 8th – part of Walla Walla’s Guitar Fest weekend. Totally stoked for that! Walla Walla wineries take note – we are now filling up our calendar for the 2024 season. If we have performed at your winery previously and have not been in touch please send me a note and let’s get back on your schedule. If you want a preview of our music, search for DavePaul5 on any streaming site.