Rune Wines — Attraction in Arizona

With the addition of Rune Wines by James Callahan, the quality, the story and the experience of skillful craftsmanship in Arizona wines deepen. His initial release under Rune Wines includes a Viognier, Chardonnay, Rose, Grenache, Classic Syrah and a Wild Syrah. Each an excellent testament to the careful crafting and dedication of the winemaker. My personal favorite is the Wild Syrah with its robust and lush taste, and am charmed by how each element unfolds across the palate.

In addition to the great craftsmanship within the bottle, the labels elevate the story of the wine and Rune Wines all together. The strong, engaging visuals and storytelling captivate your attention, and along with the wine, you're left lusting about how the next chapter will unfold – no doubt we’ll all be just as spellbound.

Finally, and yet the first thing you’ll notice when you arrive at Rune Wines is the unprecedented, breathtaking and unique tasting room. Callahan doesn’t do things the typical way, and has mastered the ability to pull the details together to enhance the experience by offering an outdoor tasting venue under a canopy, surrounded by sweeping and unobstructed 360 views of the Sonoita region.

Make sure you visit Rune Wines, it’s...

Rune is a sleek little winery that has the perfect vibe — minimalistic but sophisticated, with crafted detail at every turn. The tasting room is a solar-powered eye-catcher, with a soaring ceiling, smooth-line bar, and well-stocked merch shelves, but the prime draw is outdoors, where tiered seating areas offer panoramic views of the grasslands and surrounding mountains. As serious hikers who enjoy "al fresco everything," we sank into the chairs and felt as though we could stay there all day (practically did, with guitar and snacks in hand). From shade sails and stone-ringed fire pits to natural DG walk paths, the spaces have an exceptionally organic fit to the surroundings, and we thoroughly enjoyed being able to do our hosted tasting outside too. We were also impressed with the menu — house-made hummus, burrata, caprese salad, fresh sandwiches, and more. It's clear that winemaker James and team have put careful thought into every element of this place, right down to the edgy narrative art on the labels of all the...

I was to visit only three wineries, so I attempted to pick the three with the best reps. Another winery suggested Rune or I may have missed it. As it turned out, it was the best of the three I visited. The rose and viognier were surprisingly good. All but one of the reds was highly drinkable, although, as with all other Arizona wines I've tasted, I'd put them in the category of table wines. On a return visit three years later in Feb 2022, I found all the wines on the red tasting menu to be very satisfying. Delicate but flavorful. James is doing a fine job as best I can tell. As for the tasting experience, it was superb and thoroughly enjoyable. The staff was friendly and informative. On both occasions I've visit, I had a great...