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The Coffee Moment In the mid-90s, I somehow talked my way onto a mission trip to Costa Rica with a group of eye doctors who were visiting rural villages to give eye exams and fit people for glasses. I had zero optometry experience. My official job became “Vanna White of the eye chart.” Vanna in the jungle - Costa Rica 1995 The trip was sponsored by the local Lions Club, and I quickly became friends with the organizers and their families. One morning, I was grumbling about not

In 1991, while teaching in Prague, I traveled to visit a college friend who had married a Cypriot and was living in Nicosia. Getting there was its own epic. Still very new to international travel, I set off alone with a giant duffel bag (this was pre–roller luggage) on a week-long journey that began with a bus ride to Vienna and then a long train ride through a Yugoslavia, that was actively falling apart. Slovenia. Croatia. Serbia. Macedonia. Sleepless nights. Guarding my bag

I grew up in a wine-drinking household, but I didn’t really drink wine myself until my twenties. I was very principled about waiting until I was legal to do so, which meant I arrived in adulthood as a complete novice to wine. And then I moved to Prague in 1990. It was the first wave of ESL teachers after the Velvet Revolution. The Iron Curtain had just fallen. The world felt like it was rearranging itself in real time, and I wanted to live inside that change. It was exhilarat

One of the things I love most about wine has very little to do with tasting notes or scores. Wine brings people together. On our recent trip to France, we visited several wineries, but one experience in Burgundy really stood out for me: Domaine Gille . We were hosted by the wife of a husband-and-wife winemaking team whose family has been growing Pinot Noir for more than a century. She showed us the cellar and vineyards and talked about how the land has been passed down throug

We get asked all the time: “How many grapes does it take to make a bottle of wine?” I am breaking it down for you. Let's do some barrel math!

My sister and I have always joked that the ultimate symbol of adulting isn’t buying a house, it’s buying a couch. A real couch. Not the hand-me-down futon or the lumpy Craigslist find, but the “we’ve made it” kind of couch.   Well, I think I’ve found the business equivalent of that moment: hanging your sign .   Sure, we’ve had a modest little sign at the vineyard gate since 2023—just a one-foot by two-foot rectangle that quietly whispered, “We’re here… somewhere past the dirt

Skyhaven Wines Blends Arizona Terroir and Medieval Flair at New Willcox Vineyard

People keep telling us, “Ohhh, I love Arizona Sangio!” And honestly? Same. Sangiovese (that’s San-gee-oh-VAY-zay ) is a red grape from Italy, but here in Arizona, it takes on a vibe of its own. It's not super big or spicy. Instead, it’s fresh, smooth, and bright. We think it’s the kind of red you’ll want to pour more often than not. What Is Sangiovese? Sangiovese is Italy’s workhorse red — the backbone of Chianti and Brunello — with ancient roots in Tuscany. Its name is said

We’re thrilled to announce that Skyhaven’s tasting room is officially— softly —open!   It’s rustic.  It’s real. It’s in the shed next to...

We are delighted to be a part of the Outlands Wine Festival at Rune in Sonoita, AZ, on July 26th. Come sample two of our freshly bottled...

At Skyhaven, we’re bringing that same spirit of innovation to Southern Arizona. Our version of a Super Tuscan blends Sangiovese, the heart of Tuscany, with Petit Verdot, a bold Bordeaux varietal known for its deep color and intensity.

If you ever need proof that every part of starting a winery is an adventure, look no further than our cabinet full of mismatched,...

Years ago, long before I picked up a pair of pruning shears, I remember standing in southern Arizona thinking, Why aren’t we making wine here? Our temperatures were 15 to 20 degrees lower than Phoenix's, with a 30 to 40-degree daily high-low temperature range, allowing vines to recover overnight like most established growing locations. We should make wine here.

In 2021, my partner and co-conspirator, Chris, invited me into what would become our most ambitious adventure yet: starting a medieval-themed vineyard and winery in Southern Arizona. Much like the history professor did, he pitched the venture with absolute honesty: “It'll be tough, exhausting work, and we’ll always be broke.” But we’ll have an amazing life.” Without hesitation, I said yes.