Very confusing to navigate this winery. Their website is woefully out of date. It's clear they closed their tasting room but on a Saturday morning never answered phone or retuned VM to see about a visit. Not sure they even are in business. read more

Great visit with the owner who gave us our wine tasting. Awesome location with great views. read more

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This is such a friendly, inviting place. The owner Ann did our tasting, and she was such a kind spirit. We did both a wine and an olive oil/balsamic tasting. Yes, they sell olive oil made from their olive groves! Everything was top notch. My favorite of their wines was the soft sparkling, but the full Tuscan flavors were notable through their reds. The olive oils really shone, too. I ended up taking home bottles infused with habanero and garlic, and my friend took a balsamic with her. It didn't appear to be a "hang out" place with a large patio like other places, but the warmth and friendliness in the tasting room more than made up for it! read more

Beautiful scenery and tasty wine! Friendly atmosphere and a place to have fun. Enjoyed learning about the pioneering experience and how cattle are instrumental in building diversity. read more

Lightning Ridge Cellars is a beautiful winery in the Sonoita/Elgin area. It is unique in comparison to others in the area because it also serves/sells olive oils and balsamic vinegars. You can follow up your wine tasting with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar tasting! Their olives are grown on the property, so you can see the trees (and the resident donkeys) when you visit. Their balsamic vinegar is the BEST I have ever tasted - we're always sure to load up on it whenever we drive down. Their wines are good, and the service is excellent. It is located off the main stretch, so make sure to carve out some extra time to stop by Lightning Ridge - you won't be disappointed! read more

Ann was really helpful. Glad we went here first. Her glass ended up costing less than other wineries we visited. And we bought a bottle based on our tasting. Incredible to find rolling grasslands in Southern AZ with no cactus or mesquite. read more

Great Montepulciano! Beautiful testing room and location. The owners are friendly and often the ones in the tasting room serving us themselves. read more

LABLE ERROR We were at Lightening Ridge on Sunday October 6. We were hesitant to go as the last time we were there we enjoyed a wine enough to bring a bottle home. It sat in the wine fridge for a couple months and we decided to open it and enjoy. We were both surprised at the poor quality. We wondered why we bought it but chalked it off as maybe too much tasting that day. This trip we went earlier. We had a great time. We enjoyed the 2014 Montepulviano enough to bring a bottle home again. When we got it home I noticed the label had a hand written 4 over the 7 of a 2017 label. It makes me wonder what is actually in this bottle and maybe that is why the wine we brought home the last time was a switch as well. I wouldn't think a 2014 would have been bottled any time close to when a 2017 label was available. I would take it back, but it is a long drive. We will open it eventually and see. Disappointing as we enjoyed the tasting. read more

I have only been here twice, but have added it to my must visit list every time i am in Sonoita and Elgin. Great wine, awesome tasting room, and the servers and customers are always friendly and willing to make conversation. read more

I met staff from Lightning Ridge at the Arizona Wine Festival and they were very nice. Tasty wines too!

Hands down the best AZ wine I've had. Also, the vineyard is beautiful and reminds me of Tuscany. Speaking of Tuscany, they specialize in Italian varietals here and they do them very well. The Montepulchiano was my favorite. The host was great and the new Great Dane puppy was adorable. I can't wait to see how big she is the next time I swing through. read more

Lightning Ridge Cellars - Wine bar - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Elgin, Arizona

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Service: The first time we came here the service was wonderful, the bartenders engaging and very explanatory. The second time we had a larger group and there were multiple people at the bar, so we just had to stand in the open area and they were not as attentive. Atmosphere: Beautiful vineyards and grounds with a bocce ball court. The inside is like walking into the owners new home. However, there is a small bar with limited room. There are a few tables outside to enjoy the scenery at. Set tasting menu with majority of them being reds. read more

The Aglianico is fantastic! This is your more legit classy type wine tasting venue, with very nice and knowledgeable staff, beautiful setting a little distance away from the other vineyards read more

Really enjoyed tasting the wines here. We are partial to the montepulciano though, very balanced and enjoyable. Great conversation, comfortable and clean environment. One of our favorites to stop by when in the Sonoita area, recommended! read more

Lightning Ridge is one of my three favorite wineries in AZ; the other two are Callaghan and AZ Stronghold. Ron and Ann know that wine tasting is about the experience, which they do very well, as well as great wine. My favorites from them are the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Primitivo. Do yourself a favor, head down to Sonoita/Elgin and support the local winemakers. Make sure to stop by Lightning Ridge's beutiful winery and have some great wine, chat with the owners, and maybe play some bocce ball! read more

We happened upon Lightning Ridge on our way back from camping and it was well worth the stop. We had our 2 dogs with us and the owner had no problem letting us sit outside with them while they played with his adorable Great Dane. The wine was fantastic and we ended up getting a bottle. We will definitely be back in the future! read more

Really good wine here and the place is beautiful definitely one of the nicest looking vineyards around. It just makes you want to have a bottle pf their delicious wine and drink it on their many seating areas on the front. A big plus here is monte the huge great dane they have that's so friendly and Welcoming. The owner was really polite and the wines were great. The tasting was great and it had great whites and reds. They also had some nice souvenirs and munchies to enjoy your wine. Amazing place and again i say its worth visiting to experience the italian style home and monte. read more

Lightning Ridge Cellars is a perfect example of the best wines Arizona has to offer. Owners Ann and Ron Roncone established the winery in 2005 and their love for, and dedication to, making fine wines is abundantly evident. Ron served me some of the best Italian varietal wine I have had in our country. They do one thing differently than most wineries I have visited: they sufficiently age the wines before putting them on the tasting menu. Tasting a red that has seen 3 to 4 years in oak barrels is a much smoother and more balanced experience than is found in most tasting room offerings. Some highlights: 2011 Dolcetto. This Italian varietal is little known outside of the Piemonte in Northwestern Italy. Lightning Ridge's offering is made with grapes sourced from Temecula and is lighter than Italian versions, with smooth tannins (thanks to five years of aging?) and low acidity. Medium-bodied with plum on the nose and palate, with a light oaky finish. 8.5 out of 10. 2013 Sangiovese. The classic grape of Tuscany grows well in southern Arizona! Aged 32 months in oak (50% new), with characteristic notes of sour cherry and dried rose petals. Medium ruby, very smooth and eminently drinkable. 9. 2012 Montepulciano. A popular varietal in Tuscany that is rarely grown in the U.S., Sonoita Vineyards brings out the best of the Montepulciano grape. Probably my favorite of 18 wines tasted so far in Arizona, this 100% estate grown varietal is deep purple with medium to full body and complexity. Dark fruit, tobacco leaf and a light peppery finish, with a foundation of soft tannins and alcohol level of 15.3%. A delicious 9.5! read more

This was our last stop and a perfect ending to a day of wine tasting in Sonoita. Loved the art in their tasting room, and it was on par with quaint tasting rooms with a tuscan flare that I've liked in other regions. There's a Bocce ball court outside and a very pleasant host inside. Loved their Montepulciano and at a great price point, picked up several bottles. Highly recommended. read more

Lightning Ridge Cellars - Wine cork wall @ Lightning Ridge Cellars in Sonoita, AZ - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Elgin, Arizona

These folks know what they are doing. Consistently great wines; nice atmosphere, pleasant owners and a really excellent couple of bocce ball courts! read more

Wonderful wines and a friendly, informative tasting experience. I make it a point to visit every time I visit the Sonoita/Elgin area.

One of my favorite wineries in the area for sure! Ron (one of the owners - Ann wasn't in the day I was there) was VERY welcoming and explained how they started up the winery, on top of answering any other wine-related questions I had. The wine was (and is - I didn't leave empty-handed!) SOOOO good. The tasting room was adorable and the vineyard(s) outside were gorgeous. I'm ready to go back already! read more

The Verizon cell phone reception is a bit shoddy but the wine is worth all your attention. Fantastic as always.

Excellent Location & Wine! Breathtaking views and the hosts ( Ron & Ann ) are the best! Melanie & Tom Elgin, AZ read more

Unfortunately not a good experience. We came in on Saturday afternoon around 3.30 PM, three adults and two teenage girls. The room was completely empty, we were the only people there. Savannah told us at least six times how exhausted she was because thousands of people had come in over the past few weeks. We decided to do the tasting. I asked her if my girls could have anything to drink, Savannah told us she had nothing for them (while gulping bottles of coke during our visit). I asked her if she maybe had some water for them. She told me no, there was no water except dirty dish water that was standing right in front us in a jar. Very weird. It all went downhill from here. She was in such a hurry to get it over with. She started pouring wines before I even finished the previous one. Between wine number three and four I walked to my girls to check on them, they were on the other side of the room, but before I was there Savannah yelled at me from behind the counter that she was ready to pour tasting nr 4. We felt very, very rushed and it felt like she wanted to go home instead of doing her job. After the tasting Savannah asked us if we wanted to buy a bottle of wine. I was interested in a white wine, but no, they were completely out of that one. Because, you know, those thousands of people who came to Bisbee over the past couple of weeks. She didn't offer any alternatives, we felt like she just wanted to get rid of us. So we paid and left, and wondered what just happened. The whole experience lasted maybe 15 minutes. We do many wine tastings, in California and Arizona, but we will definitely NOT return to this one. read more

This was our last stop of the day during our wine tasting tour of the area. We knew what time they closed and rushed over hoping to catch them while they were still open. We arrived about 10 minutes after closing and went in to see if they would serve us (some of the vineyards in the area will not- doors barred promptly at closing). The owner was there and he told us that it is their job to stay open as long as there are visitors and that they are more than happy to accommodate us. We met the wonderful Great Dane, and ended up staying for about 45 minutes. The owner was extremely friendly and chatted with us about all sorts of topics. He even brought out home-made fudge for us to pair with the wine. The wines were all lovely and the experience made a great end to our day of wine tasting. I would definitely recommend adding this vineyard to your tasting agenda. We are looking forward to returning again! read more

Pristinely manicured vineyards greet you as you drive in which is nothing compared to the quality of the wine. Don't miss the Petit Verdot and the Montipulciano. Absolutely brilliant! read more

Great wines, including Italian varietals that are hard to find anywhere else, and a gorgeous setting- the perfect combination for a great afternoon. I have particularly enjoyed the estate grown Mourvèdre, montepulciano, and primitivo. read more

Toured several wineries in this area today. Mostly spit out wine or for people who really aren't wine drinkers. Lightening Ridge Cellars IS the class act of Southern AZ when it comes to wineries. Their Montepulciano is as good as any we had in the Sierra Foothills of CA or Italy. Also very good Cab and Zin. read more

Nice wines, a little on the pricey side. Very friendly tasting room people. It is a little small and got a little loud with 6 other people in the room. Monster sized dog that was very friendly. Well kept vineyard. Most of the wines were quite good and I think all but one were from Arizona. read more