TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A new tasting room has opened up in the Old Pueblo and it's seeing success despite the pandemic.
Old Pueblo Cellars opened their tasting room last month to the public, but the business is eight years in the making.
The property is home to its own vineyard and cellar as well.
Owner Roger Peloton said the first vines were planted in 2013.
“The first major harvest was in 16. And that's the wine that we're selling now from 2016,” said Peloton.
Vines of grapes are not something you see every day in the Old Pueblo, but Peloton grows six different types.
"We have heat-loving grapes. We have four reds. We have Petite Sirah and Malbec, and we have Sangiovese and Tempranillo, which a lot of folks know about, and then the two whites are Viognier and Malvasia," said Peloton.
When it comes to creating the wines, he said they do things differently.
“We use cold fermentation we don't filter the wines. We don't add any sulfites to the wines, and the old grapes are grown basically organic. So, it's a healthy, great-tasting wine,” he said.
His business is regulated by the county, so his taste room is reservation-based to keep capacity low.
“We try to adhere to that very closely. And because we are in a zoning area called Suburban Ranch. We do have neighbors, and we have to respect those folks,” he said.
But despite opening, the tasting room during the pandemic, he said it's been a success.
“We've been busy," said Peloton. “It's good. It feels great."
Old Pueblo Cellars is booked for Mother's Day, but it's not too late to pick up a bottle of wine for your loved ones.
They are located at 10088 N St Patrick Road.
