Wine is beginning to flow like water in the Verde Valley.
Just a few years back, the wine industry had yet to take its hold on the area and the economy, but there was hope in the air.
Today, area leaders look to its possibilities to boost the economy.
On Saturday, April 28, the Verde Valley Wine Consortium will host the first ever Verde Valley Wine Symposium and Auction.
Wine is putting the Verde Valley on the map.
Each community in the Verde Valley relies heavily on tourists to spend their money in our businesses, generating sales tax to pay for local government service.
The wine industry gives us one more edge.
We have Sedona’s red rocks, Oak Creek, the Verde River, Jerome and Fort Verde State Historic Park bringing visitors from all over the world each year, but how do we keep them coming back for more?
From vineyards to tasting rooms, wine adds another element to offerings and seems to be thriving in all of the communities.
The wine consortium, a nonprofit, came together to promote Sedona and the Verde Valley as a region on the wine scene, and the symposium is a sign it is making progress.
The event will give participants a chance to see what has taken shape in the Verde Valley with regard to the industry.
Not only is the Verde Valley now home to vineyards and tasting rooms, but it is actually training the next generation of winemakers. Yavapai College in Clarkdale now offers a viticulture program and operates its very own vineyard.
The symposium will be held at Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde and features guest speakers, a painted barrel auction and a silent auction. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.yc.edu/WineSymposium2012.
The color of Verde Valley’s future may be a deep red as wine takes hold of the region and attracts even more people to our beautiful valley.
