KIEF-JOSHUA VINEYARD KIEF-JOSHUA VINEYARD

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"Nestled within a picturesque valley high above the Arizona Desert, Sonoita's warm days and cool nights provide even ripening while retaining balance and complexity, allowing our small family run winery to produce high quality, hand-crafted wines." Featured Wine Magdelena   Our only blend on the list, a mixture of Petit Verdot and Barbera. A nose reminiscent of cherries and plums with a slight herbal quality. The palate portrays a nice earthiness and nice round tannins. Great pairing with pork or beef, as well as your heavier chicken dishes.

 About the Vineyard

Our History
Kief-Joshua Vineyards is a small family business that is

situated on 20 acres in beautiful Elgin, Arizona, right in the

middle
of what has become known as "winery row." Our first planting

was in 2005 and we have about ten acres under vine, consisting

of ten different varieties: Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot,

Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Syrah, Zinfandel, Reisling,
Semillion and Viognier. And we continue to expand our vineyards every year.

Our
first harvest from our vineyards was in 2008.

The idea to start a vineyard and winery stemmed from a long standing hobby

 of
winemaking and gardening at home. "Kief was making wine in his home in

Tempe," said Jeff Manning, Wine Sales Manager. "The day we tasted his lemon

 
wine, which was made from fruit off a tree in his backyard, I knew he had found

his passion."

In 2002, after the decision was made to open a winery, the house was sold, the

property purchased and Kief Manning left Arizona State University, to pursue

Viticulture studies in Australia, where he earned both a graduate and

undergraduate degree in Viticulture and Enology.

 

Kief practices traditional winemaking methods of minimal interference, open

fermentation and barrel aging. In 2006, Kief eliminated the use of herbicides and

pesticides in the vineyard. "We strive for excellence in winemaking and

sustainability in our vineyard," says Kief. "With time, I hope to produce

outstanding Arizona wines that demonstrate the intensity, richness and complexity

of the area."

Kief-Joshua Vineyards is a winery defined by family, passion and enthusiasm.

We're committed to winemaking that will exceed your expectations.

Our Vineyard Philosophy
At Kief-Joshua Vineyards we specialize in dry, full-bodied wines, that are crafted

by hand using traditional methods of barrel aging and gentle handling to produce

top quality wines for any occasion.

 

Our Vineyard practices are customized to match the particular characteristics of

the soil to help the vines produce the best fruit possible, and to in turn, achieve

the best wine possible. Directed by Kief Manning, his team implements irrigation

and nutrient regimes, trellis system and canopy management, rootstock and clone

combinations, and pruning and cane selection for each block within a vineyard.

Because of the land's diverse geological makeup, even within one vineyard parcel

there may be several different types of soil with different degrees of nutrients for

vines and water-holding capacity.

 

In addition, Kief practices sustainable farming techniques, such as recycling

organic matter for use as mulch in the vineyards, planting cover crops and other

plant species to avoid soil erosion, add desirable nutrients back to the soil and to

attract desirable insects, and integrating animals to naturally enhance biodiversity

and nutrient recycling.

Striving for Environmentally Friendly Vines

Kief-Joshua Vineyards is practicing sustainable farming techniques to help protect

the land. Kief realized early on that to achieve his goal of producing memorable

wines of outstanding quality, he needed to start in the vineyards and not focus

solely on the winemaking. Inspired to meet present goals while preserving the

land for future generations, Kief made the commitment to implement sustainable

farming techniques from vineyard to bottle. The vineyard is free of herbicides

and pesticides, and this environmentally approach will continue to be

implementing over the years.

 

Weed Control

 

 

 

 

 

Kief-Joshua uses Kimko equipment to eliminate the weeds effectively without the use of herbicides.

Baby Doll sheep, an ancient breed measuring only two feet tall at maturity, have been integrated

into the vineyard rows to graze on the green grass and weeds, enhancing both biodiversity and

nutrient recycling. This practice will decrease the use of harsh pesticides to eradicate weeds and

grasses, as well as the cutting down on emissions to the air.

Integrating Wildlife Into the Vineyard

The addition of nesting boxes, hawk perches and bird houses for various species

will be situated around the vineyard, and will be an integral part of the

sustainable program. Attracting desirable owls and bird species to patrol the

vineyards will also decrease the amount of gophers and rodents that can pose a

problem in the vineyard. We are also hatching praying mantis to aid in the

elimination of unwanted creatures.

Organic Recycling and Crop Nutrition

Kief-Joshua Vineyard ensures natural crop nutrition by recycling organic matter,

such as discarded and collected grape stems, for use as mulch in the vineyards,

and the use of naturally occurring cover crops. These practices have many

benefits: use of mulch in the vineyard and planting of cover crops adds back

desirable, rich, moist and long lasting nutrients to the soil and helps prevent soil

erosion; the integration of desirable plants throughout the vineyards attract

advantageous insects which helps to naturally resist pest and disease attacks from undesirable species.

Recycling Wine Barrels
In lieu of discarding the wine barrels, Kief and Jeff are turning the old barrels into

high-top barrel tables, end-tables, candle holders, bottles racks, clocks,

chandeliers and baskets. All are reasonably priced and for sale in our tasting

room.

        

Our Wines Chenin Blanc A nose reminiscent of nectarines and stone fruit with a hint of lime. Soft on the palate, while evoking the flavor of orange and peach with a subtle grassiness. Perfect pairing for spicy food, grilled fish or a light dessert such as creme brule $29.00/bottle $27.00ea./case 2009 Roussanne On the nose this wine conveys fragrances of rose and orange zest. While being crisp and citrusy on the palate, with overtones of passion fruit and melon. Great pairing with spicy food, fresh fish, light desserts and fruit. Or try it with an glazed ham or pork roast. $22.00/bottle $20.00ea./case Cephus Coming Soon. $20.00/bottle $18.00ea./case 2008 Tempranillo This wine displays a deep red color with aromas of blackberry, spice, and pleasant oakiness. On the palate, you will find ripe plums and raspberry with underlying characteristics of anise and vanilla while displaying nice dusty tannins. Makes an excellent pairing to grilled meats, duck confit, or roast lamb $25.00/bottle $23.00ea./case 2008 Malbec Possessing a rich ruby color, and aromas of black currants with a pleasant herbalness. The herbal and fruit characteristics found on the nose resonate in the mouth, along with flavors of ripe red cherries and a dusty earthiness. This wine is slightly peppery, while possessing a nice soft tannin structure, and a pleasant finish. Pairs well with red meats, tomato based sauces, salumi, or try it with red wine poached pears. $25.00/bottle $23.00ea./case Magdelena Our only blend on the list, a mixture of Petit Verdot and Barbera. A nose reminiscent of cherries and plums with a slight herbal quality. The palate portrays a nice earthiness and nice round tannins. Great pairing with pork or beef, as well as your heavier chicken dishes. $20.00/bottle $18.00ea./case

 

 

Winery Location Address: 370 Elgin Rd

Elgin, AZ 85611

Region: Arizona

E-mail:

Website: www.kj-vineyards.com

Telephone: (520) 455-5582

Fax: (866) 553-0364

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