By local contributor
Jenelle Bonifield
Arizona’s wine industry has experienced phenomenal growth in the last decade. From the Verde Valley to Sonoita/Elgin to Willcox, as well as tasting rooms in Old Town Scottsdale, the women in our wine industry are making their mark in a previously male-dominated field. Join me as I introduce you to several outstanding Arizona Women in Wine.
As Brand Ambassador for Arizona Stronghold Vineyards (ASV), Nissa Dell represents the winery at events and tastings. Building relationships with industry professionals is her area of expertise, as well as leading and participating in the winery’s charitable events and initiatives. Nissa’s previous career path was in structured finance in Chicago, which is where she met her now-husband and fellow wine-enthusiast Terry Glomski, co-owner of ASV.
Having witnessed the Arizona wine industry’s tremendous growth in a short amount of time, Nissa says, “I’m amazed how it’s such a tight-knit community and how everyone is willing to help each other out.”
Vineyard: Willcox, AZ
Tasting Rooms: Old Town Scottsdale and Old Town Cottonwood
In her duties as co-owner and General Manager, Peggy Fiandaca oversees every aspect of the winery — from vineyard operations to marketing and public relations. She collaborates on wine formulas and manages LDV's presence across social media and other platforms. Founded by Peggy Fiandaca and Curt Dunham, who both left behind careers in community planning, LDV Winery is a story of vision and passion.
“Each day in the vineyard or winery brings new challenges that stretch my creativity and knowledge,” says Peggy. “As a cooking enthusiast, I love pairing our wines with meals. Seeing someone savor our wine, recognize its flavors, and connect with the vineyard it came from is incredibly rewarding.”
Peggy is actively involved in the following organizations: Arizona Wine Growers Association, Experience Scottsdale, Women at the Top, and Les Dames d’Escoffier.
Vineyard: Pearce, AZ
Tasting Room: Old Town Scottsdale
At Los Milics Vineyards (LMV), Ita Milic is involved in vineyard management, winemaking, and the tasting room, with a focus on team care and customer engagement. Explains Ita, “Everything begins in the vineyard – the love, passion and care for the environment.” She particularly enjoys “giving a little haircut to the ladies,” a playful term for pruning the vines to enhance sunlight penetration.
Co-owned by Ita, her husband Pavle, and the Garfinkle family, LMV practices sustainable farming with minimal intervention.
The vineyard’s location not only offers exceptional wines but also provides dining and lodging experiences. In 2024, LMV was ranked No. 2 in the nation for Best Tasting Room and in 2023 No. 3 for Best New Winery Experience by USA Today.
In 2024, the AZ Central Governor’s Cup was awarded to LMV for its Sandra’s Rosé 2022, marking the first Rosé to receive this honor. Since 2022, LMV has garnered five top awards at the AZ Central Wine Competition.
Vineyard: Elgin, AZ
Tasting Rooms: Elgin and Old Town Scottsdale
During an anniversary trip to a vineyard, Jules and Bob Dixon had the epiphany: "I bet we can figure out how to do this.” Passion and spontaneity fueled Jules to embrace the challenge of winemaking.
Appreciating the supportive wine community, Jules notes, “There are wonderful people in this industry who are willing to share and provide help, many of whom we now call family. I love expressing myself through the wines I make and seeing people enjoy them.”
Jules’ debut release, the 2018 Deep Thought Syrah, earned a silver medal at the 2020 AZCentral.com Arizona Wine Competition. Since then, Seventeen Sixty-Four Vineyards has garnered over a dozen awards in regional and national competitions, including a Double Gold for their 2021 8 Years Later Red in a prestigious national contest.
Vineyard and Tasting Room: Pearce, AZ
No stranger to the wine industry, Zoya Vora-Shah founded The Wine Collective (TWC). This cozy Old Town Scottsdale tasting room “represents the unrepresented” in Arizona wine. By curating a premium Arizona wine list, she highlights the diversity and quality of wines from across the state, offering a unique tasting experience for guests.
Her dedication to organizing events and workshops at TWC not only enhances guests' appreciation of wine but also supports Arizona's wine community. Her focus on education and guest experience clearly demonstrates her passion for sharing the story of Arizona wines and making them accessible to a broader audience.
“The Arizona Wine industry is very welcoming. I love the camaraderie among other tasting rooms in the area,” states Zoya. “There is always a new grape, new way of making wine and new stories of why the wine was made. The stories never get old.”
Tasting Room: Old Town Scottsdale
Founded in 2020, Vin de Filles (VdF), French for “girl’s wine,” is entirely woman-produced, from vine to bottle, and aims to empower women in the wine industry while benefiting the community. Gayle Glomski envisioned a women-centric wine project and invited Bree Nation and Lauren Maldonado to join her. Together, they crafted a mission statement for the venture: a wine produced by women to highlight the vitality and feminine strength within the world of wine. Most of VdF’s profits are donated to The Verde Valley Sanctuary, a nonprofit aiding women affected by domestic abuse, assault, and human trafficking.
Gayle, founder of VdF, was introduced to the Arizona wine industry by her husband, Eric Glomski, who owns Page Springs Cellars. She oversees all aspects of the VdF project. Reflecting on her work, Gayle says, "I love working outside in the vineyard and caring for the vines. It’s like yoga — there’s always more to learn and new challenges to face.”
Bree, co-founder of VdF, currently is the assistant winemaker at Page Springs Cellars with a degree from Yavapai College. “What I love most about winemaking is the endless opportunity for growth and learning. The subject is so vast that I never get bored, and my curiosity is constantly being nurtured,” Bree shares.
Lauren, co-founder of VdF, embarked on her wine journey when she discovered Arizona's blossoming wine industry. She worked at Page Springs Cellars for several years before acquiring her two tasting rooms with husband Jonathan in Sedona, Art of Wine and Vino di Sedona. ”I love diving into wine's rich history, and I find great joy in sharing that knowledge with others," Lauren says.
The culmination of Gayle, Bree and Lauren’s labors results in an annual wine release dinner (always sold-out) at Page Springs Cellars in October, featuring women chefs, winemakers, vineyard owners, and a female beer brewer. This event, along with a silent auction and wine sales, raised $40,000 last year alone for The Verde Valley Sanctuary.
Commuting from her Scottsdale home and family, Brooke is a one-woman operation at Vino Stache Winery in Elgin. She works with vineyard owners to ensure quality product and grape maturity, making wine, bottling, packaging, shipping, deliveries, sales, marketing – essentially, everything!
“I feel like making wine in Arizona is the ultimate respect and love for our state. The climate and soils of the different regions I make wine off of are truly a taste of the diversity of Arizona's microclimates,” says Brooke.
Brooke is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier. Her wines can be purchased at The Wine Collective Scottsdale as well as many local markets.
Tasting Room: Elgin, AZ