Syrah, grenache and cabernet sauvignon may lead the pack, but Arizona’s wine country is home to a far more eclectic mix of grapes than most people realize, according to a new report from the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
The 2025 Arizona Wine Grape Growers Harvest Report, the first of what will become an annual publication, found that growers across the state harvested 532 acres and more than 1,100 tons of grapes last year spanning nearly 80 varieties, from everyday favorites to obscure Italian grapes.
“The breadth of the different varieties that we grow is impressive,” said Matt Halldorson, Yavapai County Extension director and co-author of the report. “The Verde Valley has a lot of minor and Italian varieties — barbera, aglianico and sangiovese are big.”
Just six varieties — syrah, grenache, cabernet sauvignon, viognier, malvasia bianca and chardonnay — accounted for half of all acreage harvested. At the other end of the spectrum, some varieties like gamay noir and lemberger were grown on less than half an acre each statewide.
A $351 million industry
Arizona’s wine industry generated $351 million in economic output in 2023, according to a study commissioned by the Arizona Office of Tourism. Until now, no data existed to show exactly what was being grown, where, or how much it was worth.
Based on data submitted directly by 67 growers, estimated to represent roughly 90% of Arizona vineyards, it gives the industry its first real baseline.
“We’ll be able to see how the industry grows from year to year,” Halldorson said. “Right now, we have one data point, but in 10 years we’ll have a really nice trend as to where the wine industry is going.”
Growers can use the information to make business decisions.
“They can tell what’s hot,” Halldorson said. “What should they plant more of? What should they plant less of? It’s also good for pricing. We have the average price of a ton of grapes, red and white, and if you’re selling for way under that price, you might not be getting all the value out of your grapes.”
Arizona has three federally designated American Viticultural Areas: Willcox, Verde Valley and Sonoita.
The findings are expected to be valuable not just for growers, but for tourism officials and marketers trying to tell Arizona’s wine story.
“They’ll know how to describe it, how to market it,” Halldorson said. “What kind of wines do we sell? What kind of varieties do we grow? I don’t think anyone really understood this.”
