Formerly a professional volleyball player in Spain turned corporate pencil pusher who after a bout of shingles coupled with a desire to be active vs nailed to a desk, decided it was time for a major shift in her life.
And here is where Brooke entered the AZ wine Conversation.
After graduating from the Southwest wine center at Yavapai College in Clarkdale, with a degree on viticulture and enology, Brooke hung her hat with the likes of Maynard at Caduceus and Merkin, and Kent Callaghan who is one of the most respected winemakers in the state. It was Kent who got in her ear about setting up her boutique winery. Her Elgin based winery became a reality in 2019. And all of us in the region could not be happier to not only call her a neighbor, but an up-and-coming talent that already adds a great deal to the Arizona Wine landscape. Already, her wines are sold in places like Genuwine, ODV wines, Arcadia Premium, Far and Away wine and provisions, which by the way, received “Best Wine Bar” nod from the Phoenix New Times. Independent restaurants that showcase Arizona like Beckett’s and Southern Rail, and obviously the little gin joint—fnb also showcase her efforts.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the big nod from the annual Arizona Republic’s Governor Cup which landed her an award for making the best Grenache in the state…not too shabby.
I also reached out to some fellow winemakers for some intel
"She really worked her tail off helping me with harvest in 2018 when I was in between hip surgeries. Great, “can do” attitude. Very refreshing."
Kent Callaghan, Callaghan Vineyards
"Brooke is good people. and she is hustle. she is a great addition to our wine world and brings much to the conversation."
Todd Bostock, Dos Cabezas Wineworks
"Years ago a beautiful and shiny smiling Brooke showed up at Chateau Tumbleweed holding a key lime pie in her hands. I had never seen or heard about her and I was arrested by her excitement at entering the industry. And, the pie was fantastic. I think we were super busy so I did not really understand if she was in the college or really where she went. She became a rad woman who I connected with who also made us a pie which we wolfed. Months and months later, Derek or Big D as we call him, a guy who has worked for Maynard for years, came by Tumbleweed to drop wine off for something. He said “there was this chick bottling who is you, I mean you guys work the same and look the same” much later, I figured out it was Brooke and it made my soul smile, to be compared to her, that is. Needless to say, she has become a person I adore and am so happy to call my friend. "
Kris Pothier, Chateau Tumbleweed
“She’s done an amazing job of representing what Arizona has to offer and the varieties that are unique to it,” Scott says. “Her wines are really well done. The branding is certainly very fun, irreverent, and also very catchy.”
Scottie and Katie Stephens, Beckett's and Southern Rail
Ok, let’s dig into it.