Vino Stache Winery is a new boutique winery located at 60 Lone Mesquite Court in Elgin. The family farm winery, open by appointment only, is owned by Brooke Lowry Ide and her husband David Ide. Set atop a hill on 54 acres of rolling grassland with 360-degree views of the Sky Islands, the Ides built a 40′ by 60′ steel building which houses two spacious rooms, one the work, storage and bottling room and the other a tasting room with a bar, a comfortable seating area and floor to ceiling windows showcasing the magnificent views.
Brooke Ide is the winemaker with help from the family some weekends. Her two school age daughters have fun operating the bottling machine and the two older sons sometimes help, too. Currently Ide commutes one day a week from Phoenix where the family lives and accomplishes several days’ worth of work in one long day before driving home. Weekends are spent either working at the vineyard or promoting her wines at wine festivals around the state. Ide is full of the requisite energy, enthusiasm and passion for winemaking and thrives on devoting long days to her work. She is not a person who likes to sit still.
The grapes are sourced from three local vineyards. Caretto Vineyards, owned by Mark and Gail Caretto, Whitmill Vineyards, owned by Kat Crockett and George Whitmill, both Elgin-Sonoita vineyards, and Rhumbline Vineyards of Willcox, owned by Michelle and Todd Meyers, provide the varieties of grapes. Ide considers these vineyard owners to be close friends and mentors who have shared invaluable local knowledge and assistance through the extreme weather challenges of the past three years.
Before settling in Elgin, Ide graduated Magna Cum Laude from an Arizona-specific viticulture program in Clarkdale which included many hours of practicum, including internships in intense harvest and cellar work. During this time, she met Kent Callaghan, of Callaghan Vineyard in Elgin, and with his encouragement did two harvest internships, one in Willcox and the Verde Valley and the other with Callaghan and his wife Lisa.
According to Ide, she would not be here now if not for Callaghan who has been extremely generous and who personifies what it is to be a mentor. “These are my people, my tribe” said Ide, referring to her grape suppliers and the Callaghans. She credits her success in producing her high-quality wines to them.
Vino Stache’s business plan involves selling half the annual production via distribution to wine shops and restaurants, primarily in Phoenix and Tucson, and the other half through her wine club, wine festivals, and wine tastings. Interested people can make an appointment for a tasting by phone, email or the Vino Stache website.
Locally, the Lumberyard in Patagonia is offering Ide’s wine. Because the Ides feel it is important to give back to the community, one dollar of every bottle sold is committed to a charity they choose, which changes each year. This year, Chrysalis of NW Phoenix, benefiting victims of domestic violence, is the designated charity. Ide intends to choose next year’s recipient from the Elgin Sonoita community.
Ide said that she and her husband’s shared dream is to one day, when he retires, build a farmhouse on the hill, become farmers, and continue to happily make wine.
For more information about Vino Stache Winery, visit their website www.vinostache.com or email brooke@vinostache.com