Tasting Panel Magazine Awards Aridus Viognier 92 and Syrah 93 Points.

Aridus 2018 Viognier, Cochise County, Arizona ($28) PUBLISHER’S PICKS

What once was an apple warehouse is now home to this Arizona winery. The 40-acre estate in Pearce, AZ is about a half hour away: high elevation vineyards rising to 5,000 feet, experiencing the monsoons and snow in extreme temperatures of hot and cold. This aromatic, floral white spent 22 months in oak, and showcases a long-lasting apricot nectar and a line of salinity. Lush and elegant, with lemon verbena and toffee, it manages to uphold acid structure and comes in at 12.7 percent abv which keeps alcohol fairly low and the flavors dynamic. 92

Aridus 2017 Syrah, Cochise County, Arizona ($37) PUBLISHER’S PICKS

With an addition of 17% Viognier, this northern Rhone style Syrah has notes of grilled smoked meats and mountain sage. On the palate, vanilla and rhubarb are spiked with cedar, cinnamon and black olive. In an earthy core, this red has depth of character. 93