Road Trip Finds — Wine in the Desert

🍷 Sanders Winery
🌎 Pahrump, Nevada, USA – about an hour west of Las Vegas
🍇 Sampled wines grown and produced in Nevada (popular grapes include Petit Sirah and Zinfandel)

Do you think “wine” when you hear “Nevada”? I don’t. But yes, grapes do grow in Nevada and wine is produced from them! Even though there are only 8 wineries in the ENTIRE state, I was on a mission to find my way to one of them. I ended up in Pahrump Valley (Nevada’s Wine County) where I visited the Sanders Winery.

📝 The winery is really laid back and very inviting. Everyone is super friendly and very knowledgeable. The free wine tasting covers 9 samples, including one called “Red Ginger”, which is the house cocktail based with either their Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. The tasting is relaxed and not rushed.

I had no idea what to expect from these wines. Sweet wines? Earthy wine? I can say I was genuinely suprised by what I sampled. They were really easy drinking and not too sweet or too dry — perfect on their own or with food. Even the couple that were sweet weren’t over the top and could be great options on a summer day.

MY FAVORITES:

**Cabernet Sauvignon — this unoaked (yes, unoaked!) is impressive! Aromas of dark fruit, a hint of pepper on the end, and subtle tannins. It is a fuller body than I expected, but not as heavy as something like a Napa Cabernet. Paired beautifully with dark chocolate. I imagine this would be perfect with a chili or something with ground beef (burger, tacos).

**Serenity White Table Wine — a semi-sweet white blend that is the result of wild horses ruining vines! See, most wine areas in the USA have a deer problem when it comes to vines. Not in Nevada! The story goes that wild horses destroyed their vines and what crop was salvaged was blended to make this wine. It’s part Riesling so immediately you might think super sweet. Not at all! I loved the pear aromas with a little peach flavor. This will be one of my summer favorites for sure!

❓ Fun Facts:

The wine industry in Nevada started in the mid to late 1980s. So it’s pretty young.

Ok, now for my wine geek-out moment…yes, you’ve been warned! 😊 Sanders Winery was founded by Jack Sanders — considered a founding father of the wine industry in Nevada! You read that right – a FOUNDER! Not only did I have a chance to meet Jack and his wife, Betsie, but they took time to share their fascinating background with me. It’s not every day you get to meet someone so influential in the wine world and let me tell you, I will never forget this experience!

Great people and wonderful wines equal an awesome experience! So when in Nevada, please visit Jack, Betsie, and the crew at Sanders Winery (https://sanderswinery.com). You won’t be disappointed!