Cost is $85 Per Person or $130 A Couple | educational and fun | Must register and be over 21

The Yavapai Community College is offering a private wine tasting experience at the Verde Valley Campus Southwest Wine Center on September 13th. It will also offer the same program in October and possibly November.

The cost is $85 per person or $130 per couple per program.  The session lasts 1.5 hours.

The College in its advertisement of the program says the following: “Our 1.5-hour Private Wine Tasting Experience provides an educational experience for attendees to further to develop their palate through sensory evaluation. As we move through a flight of SWC student-crafted wines, we will describe the essential components of wine tasting to deepen your connection with what’s in your glass. This session will focus on individual palate development and creating YOUR own unique ways of describing what you sense on YOUR palate.”

Participants must be 21.  You may register by clicking here.

Cost is $85 per person or $130 a couple for 1.5 hour program| both educational and fun

The Yavapai Community College is offering a private wine tasting experience at the Verde Valley Campus Southwest Wine Center on August 30 and  September 13th. It will also offer the same program in October and possibly November.

The cost is $85 per person or $130 per couple per program.  The session lasts 1.5 hours.

The College in its advertisement of the program says the following: “Our 1.5-hour Private Wine Tasting Experience provides an educational experience for attendees to further to develop their palate through sensory evaluation. As we move through a flight of SWC student-crafted wines, we will describe the essential components of wine tasting to deepen your connection with what’s in your glass. This session will focus on individual palate development and creating YOUR own unique ways of describing what you sense on YOUR palate.”

The session details follow below.

Tasting Room will reopen on Thursday, March 4, 2021 via reservation-only

The Southwest Wine Center on the Verde Campus in Clarkdale will reopen  March 4, 2021.  It will be  open Thursdays-Sundays from 12-6 p.m. There will be  reservations for  12 p.m., 1:30 p.m.  3 p.m.  and 4:30 p.m.

 Group size is limited to 6 people and all seating will be outside and appropriately distanced to keep everyone safe.

For more information, go to https://www.southwestwinecenter.com/wine-tasting-room/ or click here.

Several wines produced by students of Yavapai Community College’s Southwest Wine Center were winners

Yavapai Community College’s  Southwest Wine Center did well in the latest Arizona wine competition that was conducted in November.  Following below is a news article written by the College’s Public Information Officer, Cynthia Heneage, announcing the awards received by the Community College in the competition.

By Cynthia Heneage | Public Information Officer – Verde Valley Campus & Sedona Center

When the 2020 azcentral.com Arizona Wine Competition announced its awards this year, several wines produced by students of Yavapai College’s Southwest Wine Center were winners. The 2019 Viognier won Best in Class; Silver Medals were awarded to three wines: 2018 Hopper, 2018 Delta, and 2019 Joy; and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 Noble One, and 2019 Piquepoul Blanc were awarded Bronze Medals.

The Arizona Republic has hosted the Arizona wine competition since 2010. Nineteen regional sommeliers, restaurant owners and wine professionals judged the 232 entries from 27 wineries at Mountain Shadows Resort in Paradise Valley on Nov. 2nd. Strict guidelines were followed during the tasting to prevent the spread of COVID 19.

Students at YC’s Southwest Wine Center (SWC) can choose to study Viticulture, Enology, or both. The Enology programs are where the students learn the science of evaluating and making wines. A crew of students worked together to create the Best in Class Viognier: Brandon Lang, Dana Dellis, Elizabeth Krecker, Jack McFarland, Aaron Mason, Erica Lindsay, Nancy Boschetto, Amanda Oswald, Kim Schneider, and Steve Gesell. The students paid close attention in their classes, learned how to work the equipment, and then applied their education to winemaking. They worked as a team, asking each other for ideas and second opinions. The crew decided to ferment the Viognier in the concrete egg and inoculate it with 4600 yeast. “It can make you a little nervous when Michael hands you the book of yeasts and tells you to pick one, especially when it’s one of your first days in class.” said Amanda Oswald, one of the winning students.

Winemaking is part art and part chemistry. The wines produced at SWC are truly a manifestation of the choices made by the student-winemakers. Although Michael Pierce, Director of the Viticulture and Enology programs, teaches the chemistry, science, and math behind winemaking, he believes in giving his students free rein in making their wines. Amanda Oswald said, “Even though we were just learning, we had a lot of autonomy in our winemaking choices. Michael put a lot of trust in us and only intervened to save us from complete disaster.”

The crew of winemakers that produced this years’ best Viognier in Arizona are ecstatic about their win. After last year’s Viognier won Best in Show there were high expectations for this year. People expect the SWC Viognier to be delicious— and it is!

One measure of the SWC’s success is how many other graduates, who have started their own labels, also won top awards this year. Heartwood Cellars, run by Dan and Valerie Woods, won the Growers Cup Best Dessert Wine for Romance, Best of Class: Non-Traditional Red Blends for 2018 Serendipity, a Double Gold Medal for Romance, and Gold Medals for 2018 Graciano Reserve and 2018 Syrah, among others. Julia Dixon of 1764 Vineyards won a Silver Medal for her 2018 Deep Thought Syrah.

Amanda believes the hands-on experience enhances the quality of education at the SWC. She highly recommends the SWC winemaking program. “It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that is enjoyable and brings a wealth of knowledge and relationships. Wine is very much a lifestyle and hard work, but if you are willing to put in the work it’s incredibly fulfilling.”

The SWC award-winning wines are available for curbside pick-up at the SWC Tasting Room located at 601 Black Hills Drive in Clarkdale. To place an order and schedule a pick-up contact [email protected] or call 928-634-6566. High school students, parents, and anyone interested in attending YC can join our live virtual open house on December 5.  Viticulture and Enology academic programs will be covered. Register now at https://www.yc.edu/v6/marketing/pages/openhouse/or go to www.southwestwinecenter.com.

On-line donations must be made by November 15, 2020; because of the pandemic  this   replaces annual fall Wine & Dine Gala that has been held the last eight years; funds will be used to purchase vineyard equipment

The on-line crowdfunding campaign for the Southwest Wine Center has raised 71 percent of its goal of $15,000.  Twenty-nine supporters have donated $10,780.  The campaign closes out November 15.

Recall that over the past eight years the Yavapai College Foundation and the Friends of the Southwest Wine Center have held the annual Wine & Dine Gala in October. However, because of the pandemic, the Gala could not be held this year.

 For this campaign, the College asked the Southwest Wine Center Director, Michael Pierce, for a list of equipment that “will assist the students and staff in the vineyard now and into the future.” He provided the list and the donations from this campaign will go to purchase the items on it.

You can make your donation to the campaign, if you have not already done so, by clicking here and you will be taken to the crowdfunding page. 

Alternative campaign used because  Yavapai College Friends of the Southwest Wine Center are  unable to fundraise this year through the  annual Wine & Dine celebration

Over the past eight years, the Friends of the Southwest Wine Center and the Yavapai College Foundation have held the annual Wine & Dine Gala in October on the Verde Campus.  However, because of  COVID-19, the fundraiser had to be canceled. 

The Center  needs financial support if it is to maintain its standing  as one of the top rated programs in the four state regional area of the southwest. The Center  has educated and trained hundreds of individuals who now are gainfully employed in the Arizona wine industry, which contributes to our local economies. This year’s campaign focuses on  specific identified needs of the program.

You may view the website for the campaign and make your contribution by clicking here. The goal is to raise $15,000 and the campaign will last only thirty days.

Article explores ten varieties of Arizona wines

Yavapai Community College Southwest Wine Center wines were among those featured in a story written by Georgann Yara that appeared in the September 19 edition of the Arizona Republic.  The article explored the more than 100 Arizona wineries located that  rely on fruit from the three designated American Viticultural Areas of the Verde Valley, Sonoita and Willcox. These areas serve  as the state’s three main wine regions. The vast majority of grapes are grown in the Sonoita and Willcox areas in the south and southeastern parts of the state.

Photo appeared in Arizona Republic of Sept 19, 2020.

The article featured a photo of Michael Pierce, Viticulture and Enology Director, Yavapai Community College Southwest Wine Center.

You may read the full story by clicking here  if you are an Arizona Republic subscriber. (Photo from Arizona Republic of September 19 and attributable to the Southwest Wine Center.)

Must make reservations; will be open Thursdays-Sundays from 12-6 p.m

The Community College has announced that the Southwest Wine Center on the Verde Campus  Tasting Room will reopen from Thursdays-Sundays from 12 to 6 p.m.  starting on September 10th. Entrance to the tasting room is  by reservation-only.

In its announcement the College said that “We’ll have 4 reservation times per day starting at 12 p.m. with the last reservation at 4:30 p.m.” 

Vineyard produces record 33.27 tons of grapes compared to 25.83 tons last year

Volunteers picking grapes in Verde Campus vineyard in 2020

Thanks to the volunteers and Friends of the Southwest Wine Center, the Yavapai Community College vineyard on the Verde Campus in Clarkdale picked a record 33.27 tons of grapes in 2020.  According to the College note about the harvest, this compares to  25.83 tons of grapes picked in 2019.

The Community College has created a special video of the 2020 harvest that features its volunteers.  You may view the video, which is located on YouTube, by clicking here.