The small towns of Sonoita and Elgin, 50 miles south of Tucson, are a great day trip. Make sure to enjoy the incredible vistas with wide open spaces and mountains in the distance. As one of the top three wine regions in Arizona, it has a growing number of wineries and tasting rooms along with restaurants, breweries and distilleries to try. Check out the website for the Visit Sonoita/Elgin for the wineries and times.
My top recommendations on where to eat and what wineries to visit along with breweries and distilleries include:
Where to Eat
On my recent trip in May 2025 I went to the Copper Brothel Brewery for lunch. This is a local brewery and restaurant that opened in 2018. It has a fun, casual vibe. I had the best pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and sweet potato fries. I also loved their wheat beer which along with their other beers are all brewed on-site. in addition, they make a number of ales, IPAs, porters and blondes. 3112 AZ-83.
The Steak Out Restaurant & Saloon looks like a fun spot It is Sonoita’s longest running restaurant and saloon serving cowboys, wine enthusiasts, locals and out-of-towners for sixty years. The Steak Out, with a Western-themed atmosthere, has a full menu along with live music. It it opened at 3pm the day I was in town so I was unable to go. 3235 AZ-82.
The Cafe: Locals recommend this local cafe known for its great burgers. 3280 AZ-82 in Sonoita.
Wineries to Visit
Los Milics Vineyards is one of the prettiest vineyards that I have been to in the US. It has stunning architecture and views of the surrounding area. It has a great staff and also an on-site restaurant, The Biscuit, which is open in the evening for dinner. They have a 20-acre vineyard where they currently grow 17 different types of grapes including: Cabernet Franc, Carignan, Counoise, Graciano, Grenache, Malvasia Bianca, Marsanne, Monastrell, Montepulciano, Petit Manseng, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Tannat, Tempranillo, Teroldego, Vermentino, and Vranac. They make three whites, three rosés and ten reds which have been rated as some of the highest quality wines in Arizona with them receiving several Governor’s Cup Awards.
I enjoyed their Lorenzo’s Tempranillo Blend. They also have The Casitas where you can stay onsite in one of their nine one-bedroom/one–bath stand-alone “small houses.” They also have a tasting room in Old Town Scottsdale. 423 Upper Elgin Rd, Elgin
Rune Wines is small vineyard and tasting room that started in 2013. Their Sonoita tasting room opened in 2015. They produce the wines there, but grapes come mostly from nearby Willcox and also Deep Sky Vineyard. “Our wine is made from grapes grown across Arizona, from Willcox to the Verde Valley. We also have 3 acres of Grenache, Viognier, and Syrah planted on the Rune property in Sonoita.” I enjoyed their Wild Syrah which is their flagship red wine. They also have a food menu small bites and charcuterie. 3969 AZ-82 in Sonoita
Salvatore Vineyards is located in Elgin at 313 Elgin Rd. As a partnership with Passion Cellars, they produce a number of reds, whites and rosé wines. They have won several medals including a gold medal at the 2025 San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition I sampled and enjoyed the 2020 Syrah.
Nearby is the Elgin Winery and Distillery. This is the oldest winery and distillery in the area for over 40 years. It has been named the Best Southern Arizona Winery nine times. They produce several reds, white and rosé wines. They also have a distillery which was the first licensed distillery in Arizona and the highest awarded distillery in the west. They produce rum, vodka, brandy and gin plus bourbon, malt and rye whiskey. Their bourbon was won several major awards including for their 12 year Arizona Bib Bourbon Whiskey. I tried a sample and loved the flavor and the smoothness. It is a very small operation, but well worth the visit. 471 Elgin Rd.
Deep Sky Vineyard is an Elgin winery at 124 Elgin Rd. that makes a number of red, whites and rosé wines. They have an attractive tasting room with great views. When I was there, they also had live music on the outdoor patio. I enjoyed tasting their 2021 Comet blend of Grenache Syrah and Mouvedre.
Autumn Sage Vineyards is a winery in Elgin where they have a tasting room and host special events. The produce a number of reds, whites, rosé and dessert wines, several of which have won special awards. I had to try their Best in Class” 2021 Sagrantino Estate red wine which was very good and named one of the Best Arizona Wines of 2024 from the azcentral Arizona Wine Competition. They have a lovely tasting room and grounds to explore.
Dos Cabezas WineWorks: Located at 3248 Hwy 82 is the winery and tasting room for this Sonoita winery that originally started near Wilcox in 1995. They produce their grapes on 37 acres in Cochise County, AZ and 15 acres in Sonoita. They make several reds, whites and rosés. I enjoyed tasting the Aguileon, a blend of Tempranillo, Granache and Graciano. which was available when I was there. You can also buy pizzas from Thursday through Sunday.
Flying Leap Vineyards, located at 342 Elgin Rd., is is the Elgin Estate Vineyard Winery & Tasting Room. They also have a tasting room that I have been to in Wilcox AZ, as well as others in Bisbee, Tubac and in Tucson at St. Philip’s Plaza. They also have three fine art galleries. They feature a large selection of red wines including Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Grenache, Mourvedre, Graciano, Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Syrah and red blends. They also produce white, roses and a dessert wine. When I was there, the Graciano was very good.
“Our distillery began operating in August 2016. As one of Arizona’s largest growers of wine grapes, Flying Leap’s distilling emphasis is on grape-based spirits, including vodka, brandy, grappa and an assortment of delicious infused liqueurs made from eau-de-vie.”
Sonoita Vineyards, 290 Elgin-Canelo Rd.: This is the oldest of the wineries in the area. They feature dry whites, a dry rose, sweet dessert and sparkling wines plus dry reds including a pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and a petit sirah.
Callaghan Vineyards, 336 Elgin Road: Since 1990, they produce a selection of whites, reds, rosés and dessert wines. They have received multiple awards.
Arizona Hops & Vines: 3450 Hwy 82 in Sonoita. This is a funky tasting room featuring both beer and wine. They also host a series of almost monthly events. I enjoyed tasting their Zinfidelity made of 100% Arizona Zinfandel which was available at the time. They feature a number of red, white and fruit wines. 3450 Hwy 82 in Sonoita.
