Our Flight Path: A High-Altitude Story
How Our Dream Of High-Altitude Wine Took Off.
Soaring Wines makes Arizona high-altitude wines for people who discover rather than follow. This is the Soaring Wines story — a flight path from a daydream of high-desert viticulture to a vineyard at 4,200 feet, and the first wines to come off it.
So, fasten your seatbelts! We’re excited to share the behind-the-scenes journey of how we’re bringing you a taste of Arizona’s high desert.
About Us: Our Mission Briefing
The Story Behind The Soaring Wines Mission.
Our vineyard was an airfield before it was a vineyard. The parcel we bought in 2008 was home to the Sky Gypsy aerotrekking club, founded by software pioneer John McAfee — and that history, and the spirit of adventure behind it, is where our name came from. With this vision as our guide, we officially set a course for the future in 2019 by planting our first vines. Four years later, in 2023, we proudly launched our first wines.
We craft every bottle to honor that original mission—to bring you a taste of adventure, one vintage at a time.
Our Vineyard: The Launchpad
The Willcox High Desert: Our Perfect Proving Ground.
All great flights need a launchpad, and ours is the high-elevation origins of Willcox, Arizona. The high-desert climate—with its intense sun, cool nights, and mineral-rich soil—is the perfect training ground for our grapes.
It’s here, at over 4,000 feet, that we tend to our vines with care and precision, planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Viognier.
Grenache and Mourvèdre trace back to Spain; the rest of our estate plantings are French in origin. Varieties we don’t grow — Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio — come from neighboring Willcox vineyards.
Our philosophy is to let the fruit come forward, allowing the pure, clean flavors of our terroir to shine and ensuring every bottle delivers a taste that’s truly out of this world.
Flight Crew Honors
A High-Altitude Achievement.
We’re absolutely thrilled to have our wines recognized for their exceptional character and craftsmanship!
The Soaring Wines crew is proud and happy to have received several prestigious Governor’s Cup awards, which are a huge honor and a true flight above the rest.
A special thanks to all our grapes and team members for this amazing accomplishment! We couldn’t be more excited to share this success with all of you!
Arizona Governor’s Cup Awards:
- 2025 Best of Class Super Tuscan Style Blend, Aereo Italian Style Red Blend
- 2025 Bronze Award, Runway Rosé
- 2023 Bronze Award, 2019 Rhone Style Red Blend — now bottled as Bon Voyage Red Blend
- 2023 Best of Class Award, 2019 Petite Sirah
- 2023 Judge’s Favorite Award, 2019 Petite Sirah
- 2023 Gold Award, 2019 Petite Sirah
Connect with Us: Flight Crew
Your Flight Crew Is Standing By.
Our Flight Crew is the heart and soul of this operation. We are the pilots, co-pilots, and ground crew team dedicated to bringing you the best possible wine experience.
We love hearing from fellow wine adventurers! Connect with us on social media or stop by our downtown tasting room to meet the crew in person.
If you have a question or just want to get in touch, send a message to our Flight Crew. We’re always ready for a new story or a shared glass, with no turbulence, just pure enjoyment.
