296: Peggy Fiandaca on Arizona Wines and Grapes.
Growing quality grapes and wines in the Grand Canyon State.
After a slight detour through urban planning, Peggy found her true calling in growing and producing wines. With her Italian family heritage and a grandfather that produced alcohols during prohibition, this path was in her ‘vines’ so-to-speak.
She and her husband Curt Dunham own a vineyard in south eastern Arizona and the LDV Wine Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Here she enjoys watching someone taste wine and identify the flavor characteristics for the first time, or examine a vine closely with a new appreciation for its role in producing that wine. Peggy has served two terms as the President of the Arizona Wine Growers Association, which represents wineries and vineyards statewide, and she cares deeply about all the vineyards in the state.Don’t miss an episode! Click here to sign up for weekly podcast updates
In This Podcast:
At a point in their lives where they were ready for something new, Peggy Fiandaca and her husband decided to take their interest in wines to the next level. They decided to become vintners to make high quality wine and got serious about it. Now they have a 40 acres winery and a wine tasting gallery. She explains some of the wine growing history for the state and even some of the processes that vintners use to make wines. Like everything they do, they do it with style!
Listen in and learn about:
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- How she and her husband got started in the wine business as a nice mid-life “crisis”
- Some of the grape growing history in Arizona which started before it did California
- Why California was able to start a wine industry early and Arizona did not until the 1980’s
- The federal designation of American Viticulture Areas in the state
- Some information on Arizona’s wine industry
- The criteria they used to select their property for their winery, including climate, water, soil and air
- More about their property and how they are growing the grapes
- Which varietals they are growing and why
- Some of the process they used on the TONS of grapes they bring in each year
- The path the grapes take from harvest to barrel
- The store they opened to let customers experience the wines and learn more about the process
- The Harvest Festival at the LDV Gallery on October 28th
As well as:
Her failure – Wanting to be an architect and going through the process with all the classes but not getting accepted into the college of architecture
Her success – Receiving the Historic Planning Pioneer Award in Arizona, and being the first woman to do so
Her drive – Connecting with people and places, and sharing her passions
Her advice – Wake up, Get involved, and Have Fun!
Peggy’s Book recommendations:
The President’s Shadow (The Culper Ring Series) by Brad Meltzer
How to reach Peggy:
Website: LDVwinery.com
Gallery Phone: 480-664-4822
Facebook: @LDVWinery
UrbanFarm.org/LDVWinery
