Everything was nice and people were beyond friendly. I highly recommend this spot. Not hard to find but off the beaten path. Beautiful! read more

Nice, small winery. It was raining the day I visited, so had a tasting inside. Met the very chill dog, chatted with the owner and had an enjoyable time. The wall hangings about wine were cute. My favorite wine was the Arriba sangria. I was hesitant to try it since it has jalapeño and I'm sensitive to spicy things, but you don't even taste any spice! Thanks to Karyl for suggesting I try it. read more

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My sister was visiting from out of state. She had purchased some Wilhelm wine for me as a gift a few years ago and the gift included a free wine tasting. We headed down there on a Friday. The young man who attended us had no wine knowledge ("I'm a whiskey drinker"). While he was very nice and pleasant, he couldn't answer any of my questions about how Wilhelm wines compared to other wines. I was asking about Merlots, Cabs, etc. We decided to get a cheese board for a light lunch. He told us that the person with the Food Handlers license wasn't there that day and he couldn't serve us any food. There was a menu board outside the door and he left it out there after telling us he couldn't serve us. So, all in all, a waste of what was supposed to be a fun road trip for us. The wines we did try were good and I bought three bottles of the Arriba Sangria. We, most likely, will not return. read more

Very disappointing wine experience. It seemed all the wine choices were very old bottling dates resulting in a brownish color and taste that seemed like the wine had turned. The syrah, zinfandel, and petit verdot were indistinguishable from each other. If you like ports this is the place for you as every wine pretty much drank like a port. And it didn't matter which one you were trying...all tasted the same. read more

Wine wasn't all that great, Kat was extremely nice and knowledgeable about the wines though. Seemed like a 2nd employee on staff would have been useful for how busy it was, send Kat help! read more

Kind, relaxed, knowledgeable people. Sit inside, sit outside, walk in the vineyard, they are fine with all of it. We had such a fun relaxing time here. Beautiful and the wines were really good. Best part? No pressure. Loved that about this whole area. read more

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Its like going to a good friends house and having a pleasant conversation over a great bottle of wine . . . A whole lot of fun! Take a drive out to Sonoita, turn onto lower Elgin road and drive through the beautiful rolling Canelo hills and instantly be transported into what looks very much like the wine areas of northern California. As you pull up to the beautiful Casa surrounded by lush vineyards, Karyl will welcome you, invite you to sit down and treat you to some of the yummiest wines in all of Arizona. Whether you are a novice, expert, oenophile or just plain like one of the worlds tastiest beverages, Karyl is generous with her knowledge and will explain all terms if you so desire; or just sip, chat and enjoy. This Vineyard is the real deal and Karyl knows her stuff. She is an expert winemaker and has produced some outstanding blends from the varietals grown on property. You really cannot get any closer to the artist than this. The great thing about visiting is you immediately feel as though you are a long time friend and you will quickly begin making plans for your next visit. There is no pretension or pretense here. Just plain fun times and good wine: this is what all wineries should aspire to be like. Be prepared to take home several bottles or a case, you'll be glad you did. If you can only visit one winery, in this area: this is it. Rating: solid 5 Stars. - Salute! Prost! read more

Good wines, but come here for the sangria and port tastings! Karyl (the owner) has a fun and engaging personality and knows her stuff. Wine listings change as needed, but ask about one and they can tell you if/when it'll be back! They just opened a tapas and wine room in Tucson as well! read more

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We had an amazing time at the tasting luncheon yesterday! Incredible wine paired with delicious food! Karyl was a wonderful host full of knowledge and experience. We stayed after and enjoyed a few bottles of red, rosé, and sangria! The sunset at the vineyard was breathtaking. Karyl and Kevin were so welcoming and didn't mind us staying to watch it. What a great time at a great place!! We will definitely be back :) read more

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I've been to many of the wineries in Sonoita, and Wilhelm is decent. There used to be a red named after the owner that was very good, but I didn't see it on the tasting menu last time I was in. A lot of my friends like this winery. And I think they have more to offer than many of the others. They have a huge tasting menu of whites, reds, sangrias, and fortified wines. I don't like sweet wines, but if you like ports, this is a good place to come, because they have a few. We brought snacks, but their cheese boards looked really great. The tasting room was pretty busy when we came in, so we found ourselves a comfortable spot on the patio. The two associates working were both very nice, but they were super young (even said they were "underage"), so I'm not sure how well they can speak to all the wines. read more

Karyl, one of the owners, was hosting a group of us and what a good time! She told us many stories about the wine, her family and the winery. Wilhelm has many dinner kinds (dry, semi sweet, dessert). The sangria, especially Arriba, is super fun. It's a place for both red and white wine lovers. read more

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Super cute little vineyard to spend a couple hours while wine tasting around Sonoita! The staff and owner are extremely hospitable and clearly passionate. I did a wine tasting of 2 reds and 2 whites along with the mulled wine. The whites were extremely light in flavor and aromas (expected of AZ whites), but the reds were great! Big bold blends and ripened fruit and spice notes. The mulled wine was sensational! The white was a tad too sweet, but C enjoyed it! I easily gulped down a mug of the red. The souvenir glasses and mugs are cute too! A must do in Sonoita! read more

Wilhelm Family Vineyards - Rondevous - Wineries Near Me - Elgin, Arizona

As a recent visitor to Wilhelm Family Vineyards in Sonoita, I can say without a doubt that I DO NOT recommend patronizing this winery! If you're looking for fantastic wine and a friendly, relaxing, environment, please skip Wilhelm Vineyards, and instead go to Hops & Vines or another winery nearby. I can guarantee you will be glad you skipped this one! We really wanted to patronize this winery as a group of military spouses from DM because the owner is retired military. I had promoted the tasting and the glasses to our spouses, and we were all looking forward to trying the wine and port there, and purchasing glasses and bottles. It was not meant to be, apparently. Below is what our group of 18 experienced: -The owner Karyl was outlandishly rude because we arrived later than expected (at 12:30 instead of between 11:00pm to 12:00pm) despite the fact that we had been accommodating her last minute request to come at an earlier time because a big "car group" had changed their arrival time to 1:30, (so we were bumped, essentially). Karyl sneered when I apologized for our delay and I politely explained that I had been trying to call them, and we can leave if she wishes or stay for a quick tasting. She loudly responded, almost yelling "I don't believe that you couldn't find us and you didn't have cell service!" Keep in mind, I have years of experience dealing with the type of people who yell and belittle servers, customer service representatives, etc. so while this caught me off guard, I merely raised my eyebrows. At this point though, the 3 customers sitting at the small bar were staring at her, mouths agape as the owner's face turned a bright shade of beet red and she continued to berate a few of the military spouses who came in with me to say hello and apologize for our delay. I didn't find it worth getting into the fact that she had bumped our group time, and we tried our best to arrive when she asked. She told us to all go outside and someone will come by to serve us. Meanwhile, the tasting rate she offered us was different from what she had told me via phone and email, and I attempted to pull up her email on my phone to point this out, but I did not have cell service. Many in our group were taken aback by her invidious behavior and decided not to order a glass or tasting (especially after she gave us a different price), so as to keep our visit as brief as possible and avoid any further wrath of Karyl. -As an aside- I spoke to owners from 10 different wineries and Karyl was the only one who asked us to come at specific times if we wished to taste wines. The other wineries either said "a heads up is nice but not required, for large groups," which I made sure to do, or said they don't have the space to accommodate a group of 18. -Another aside- the bar is absolutely tiny, as is the patio, especially compared to other Sonoita vineyards, and I don't believe they're equipped to handle large groups. The overwhelming smell of cheap air freshener inside was nauseating, and would make an indoor wine tasting rather difficult! -When Karyl's husband came by several minutes later to greet us, (I later found out our bus driver asked him for assistance and he graciously helped her) he was very nice and seemed a polar opposite to his spouse. He had missed his wife verbally harassing patrons, but seemed to figure out quickly that something was amiss, and before our group left, he must have asked his wife to apologize for her unprofessional and rude behavior, so she came on the bus to do so. Karyl chalked it up to having broken her foot recently, and we graciously accepted her excuse so we could get away from Wilhelm as quickly as possible, never to return. read more

I like their moscato. The tasting room is a bit small, but a nice building. The servers provide good service, but could be a little more friendly. Maybe just my experience, but I've been there several times, and the customers here seem a little more uptight, and a little less friendly, bordering on snobbish each time I was there. The wine is good, and I would ultimately recommend going at least once, but the other customers soured my experience there a little. read more

I visited Wilhelm Family Vineyard and it was great! I can't actually believe there are reviews about the "menacing dog" as the dog was incredibly sweet and friendly. The tour was great and Karyl was super informative and friendly. I have to admit that, while I enjoy wine, I am not very knowledgeable about it. I really enjoyed learning more about the wines as well as drinking them - they were all fantastic! I also enjoyed the Sangria and bought a bottle. Unfortunately, a friend and I finished it already - will definitely make the drive to get more soon. I also found the prices very reasonable. Great experience!! read more

Came here for a wine tasting and aroma seminar recently, and I have to tell you, it was extremely informative and fun, and the owner, Karyl, really knows her stuff. As a noob wine-taster, I didn't know what to expect going to the Elgin-Sonoita area. Being more of a beer drinker, I was expecting to encounter snobby wine drinkers in the wineries, and be turned away at the door. Not like that at all! Very casual, laid back. Most of the wineries have a deal where if you buy one glass from one of them, you get discounted tasting fees at all the others. I'm totally coming back and bringing others. The area is a short 1 hour drive from Tucson and about 10 degrees cooler, so it is a nice escape from the heat. If they ever offer a wine tasting through GroupOn again, I recommend hopping on it. Worth it! Recommend grabbing a bottle of the Unwind and Albarino Sangria Mix. read more

I can't wait to visit this lovely winery again. The delicious scent of mulling spices, mixed with popcorn, uber friendly staff, and delicious wines made this our favorite visit in Elgin/Sonoita. Thank you for such an amazing visit and introducing us to new flavors, and a terrific experience. We'll be back and we can't wait to drink your wines at home too! read more

We got to Wilhelm about 25 minutes prior to their 5pm close on a Saturday. It was a stop I'd been looking forward to since I'd read such good reviews. The woman working didn't acknowledge us when we came in - no big deal, the small tasting room was fairly busy. But after a few minutes of waiting, her filling up a tasting for the gentlemen right next to me, making eye contact, but then continuing to chit chat with their group, it started to feel as if she was actively ignoring our group of 3 tasters and a DD. So, after a few very easy opportunities for her to get our tasting started, we decided we'd just leave since there were a couple of other wineries in town that close at 6 so we should probably get moving. That was when it got weird. The woman chased after us, to our car, shouting at us asking what was wrong, why we were leaving, telling us to come back and taste. She then lied to our faces saying "IM TRYING TO HELP YOU, EVERYWHERE ELSE IS CLOSED." (False, in fact, I had heard her tell other patrons while she was ignoring us that Hops and Vines doesn't close until 6). It was one of the most bizarre encounters of my life. She seemed frazzled and relayed that she had been working by herself all day, but even then I can't think of a circumstance where it's appropriate to chase people down in the parking lot and yell at them in an attempt to get them to spend their money at your establishment. The wine may be good but I certainly won't be back to try it. read more

Another awesome thing about Tucson is that the vineyards of Sonoita are only a hop, skip and a jump away. We went and checked out Wilhelm Family Vineyards and it's by far my favorite place so far in Sonoita. We had a great Groupon that allowed us to taste six different wines as well as a cup of Gluhwein (yum!). We got to take home a mug and a wineglass. Mention the 'Groupon deal for 2' and they will honor it! What I really liked about Wilhelm is not only it's family-focused vineyard, they also support military veterans and carry the largest selection of wines i've seen in the area. There are at least 10-15 kinds of Ports alone! Check it out, you won't be dissapointed. read more

Wilhelm Family Vineyards - Outside the tasting room..mention the 'Groupon deal' for a steal of a deal for 2! - Wineries Near Me - Elgin, Arizona

Out of all the Elgin wineries, this is always the one I have to go to. The BEST wines, the BEST service, OUTSTANDING education on the wine / what it is / why it tastes like it does, and FUN! Karyl takes the time to get to know her customers, share some stories, and on those really fortune visits, some great jokes as well. The wines are complex, ranging from light sweet whites (these are always the favorites of friends I bring along) to big bold reds (always puts a smile on my face! Karyl's Kuvee - anyone?). Special recognition goes to "Kevin's Choice" - a smooth red with a surprise finish. Normally, I can't stand any sweetness in my wine, but they found a way to make the end of every sip a vanilla/caramel treat. I appreciate the pet friendly atmosphere, as I like to bring my lab with me - and she and the Wilhelm pup, Chance, enjoy playing almost as much as I enjoy sampling. I will also say that this is the first Yelp review I've ever written, and I can't think of a more deserving establishment for me to take a few minutes and praise. It is truly a great place with great folks and great wine. Try it! -Jacob Carter read more

I came here with a Groupon one afternoon with my boyfriend. I had never gone wine tasting before, but had been to Sonoita once with a group of friends to try out the various wineries. There were no other customers when we arrived, but we enjoyed the privacy. The menu was arranged from dry to sweet, and we were told to select our wines in ascending order so a sweet wine would not interfere with a dry one on our tastebuds. Wine puts me out pretty quickly, so I was worried I'd be legitimately drunk half way through the tasting. The staff, however, was really nice and provided popcorn for us to munch on, which helped a lot. She also explained a lot about the art of wine making, answered all our questions, and gave us a brief history of Whilhelm Family Vineyards. As for the wines themselves, I'm not a big fan of reds, so I do wish they had some more options of whites for us to try. Nonetheless, I really liked their dessert wines since I prefer sweet wines. The Rose was nice and was just the slighted bit bubbly. We wound up buying a bottle of their White Chocolate Almond Port. The ports were all very aromatic. Oh, and the peach sangria was truly fantastic! read more

Great dessert wines! We are locals and have visited almost all the wineries in the area. Wilhelm's wines are very unique and worth the trip. I hope that Monica's comment about the "guarding" and "menacing" dog at the door doesn't deter anyone from visiting; I've met Chance and he is a big, goofy love! read more

Obviously I touched a nerve with my comments on the dog which I completely understand since we all love our pets. I just get nervous around large dogs that I don't know so it was a surprise to see one roaming freely in a place of business. I wanted to write an update because I brought the bottle of Chianti I purchased at Wilhelm to a spaghetti dinner party at a friends house recently and it was a big hit. Everyone got a kick out of the fact that Chianti was spelled with a K. Keep on making great wine Karyl! read more

Came with a Groupon: tastings, glasses, and a cheese plate for four. Service: The owner and other workers were quite friendly. We were all impressed with the glasses -- instead of cheap flimsy things, they were really well-made stemless glasses. One in our party got a glass with a little chip in it and they graciously let her trade it in for a different one. Wines: Enjoyable. Particularly worth mentioning is their sweet wines. I'm not really into port but loved the butterscotch one they make. And what a selection! Chocolate raspberry, caramel...I must return to try more of them. It was also a treat to try glühwein for the first time (I prefer red wine to mulled wine, but it was fun to try!). Cheese: Wow! The spread was bigger than expected, and the chevre (goat cheese) was soooo good. They sell little cups of the chevre to bring home if you fall in love with it too. Ambiance: We hung out at a shaded picnic table outside (as others have noted, the tap room is pretty small). One of their dogs greeted us as we walked up, and came over to our picnic table later on -- we became fast friends, and he only added to our enjoyment. read more

This is one of my favorite wineries in this area. It is off the beaten path, but SO worth the visit. The staff are always very friendly and knowledgeable, AND they have a 'shop' dog which I LOVE. My favorites here, hands down, are - Fiesta (the red sangria wine) and the Rendezvous (red bold blend). I also love their tasting glasses, they are big... more wine to fill them with. We came here a few years back on a Groupon, and have visited several times since to stock up on our two favorites, and try anything new. A must visit. read more

Great wine and cheese plate!! Glasses included also. 5 tastings and all I just mentioned for $20 for 2 people. Great deal and the goat cheese was so delicious. Apparently it is locally made. Great first time wine tasting experience! read more

A must visit for the wineries in town. Karyl is the kindest person you'll ever meet--and she'll treat you right during your visit! Her ports and mulled wine are an absolute highlight and very unique drinks for the area. Sometimes I like to drop in for just the mulled wine. Great vibe at this place. It's a very chill, laid back atmosphere. Make this your first stop in wine country! read more

Rode up to a beautiful winery anxious to try it out. We asked some questions and the Lady behind the counter said "I honestly don't know a lot about wines , I'm not even old enough to drink". So--obviously we left. read more

This is a beautiful vineyard with a cozy tasting room run by a delightful host. I would recommend to anyone in the area!

Went to the Wine Tasting Luncheon yesterday and it was fantastic. The host/owner Karyl was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. The wine and food combinations were perfect. Couldn't recommend a better place to go for a wine tasting. read more

Certainly not a favorite from our Sonoita wine tasting experience. There was nothing captivating about Wilhelm except Hawkeye, the cute Pug. IMO, the wines were average in comparison to other wines that we tasted in the region. It is one of only 2 wineries that we did not purchase at least 1 bottle to take with us. read more

Wilhelm Family Vineyards - Hawkeye, the highlight of our visit. - Wineries Near Me - Elgin, Arizona

This is a very quaint and personable winery that goes above and beyond to make you feel welcomed. Karyl was so helpful and informative during our tasting. They have 2 very friendly dogs and commemorative glasses. The variety of wines was enjoyable and the port style wine selections were truly delicious. The Fiesta sangria was refreshingly sweet and the perfect summer beverage. read more

One of my other favorite wineries in the area! Yay! Love the staff here, and also love that they were very welcoming to my dog - I'm pretty sure he would have stayed if I let him. Vineyards are beautiful and it's slightly off the beaten path which I very much enjoyed. The wines were delicious! And the port flight - whoa! Who knew I liked port?! Now I know! Try the mocha one - you're welcome for that tidbit of info. I also joined the wine club and am looking forward to my first shipment (unless I head back down there to pick it up - twist my arm) next month! read more

We visited over the weekend from Green Valley. The wine selection was good. We enjoyed sitting and visiting with the wine maker. It was a fun place to stop. read more

Amazing! Karyl was so nice and the wine was spectacular. We took home a bottle of the Viva Sangria, which was great!

Visited for the first time today and had a wonderful experience. We went specifically because they offer Glühwein (German mulled wine). My husband tried that and four other wines and was pleased with each one. The staff was very personable and knowledgeable and I'm looking forward to visiting again with my parents. read more

We went here using a Groupon voucher. The experience overall was nice, but there were elements that could have been improved upon. When we called in advance (as suggested by the Groupon voucher) the woman on the phone was a bi condescending and short with us. When we arrived we were warmly greeted and had an enjoyable time. The voucher gave us a mug as well as a glass, which was nice, alone with a tasting flight and their seasonal Glühwein . Their white Glühwein is amazing! A must try. The red was pretty standard. The rest of the wines were nice, not the most amazing, but definitely better than some of the other vineyards. The owner came out and chatted with us about her methods, which was really enjoyable.. ..also, I feel that the tasting flights are a bit overpriced. read more

teeny tasting room! but great wine! We came here on a Saturday and boy, was it packed. We chose this winery to start with because not only was it one of the more reasonably priced tasting (at $5 or $7, if you didn't bring your own glass) but wanted to support this military family (and unfortunately, two large vans from Fort Huachuca had the same idea as us. I'm torn, because while the wine tasted great and I could tell that their employees were friendly, it was simply too busy. It was stressful to be inside the tasting room, so our party of 4 chose to stand on the cemented patio out front. And while they do have a couple of tables out front, they were covered in muddy paw prints from their dogs climbing all over them. Not exactly inviting, so instead we stood. And honestly, the running joke was that I kept getting stiffed on the pours. You know the amount of wine that's left in your glass after you finish it and the waitress takes the glass away because you clearly would have to lick the glass to get the final drops? Yeah. That's how much I was getting with each pour. While it was hard to really get the taste from that little, the rest of my group confirmed my suspicion that the wine really was quite tasty. But, we'll be back. Hopefully it won't be so packed and hopefully business continues to be good enough that they can expand that closet of a tasting room! read more

Went back to visit so the husband could try the wines. Again, staff was friendly and attentive. For what the place lacks in space they make up for in their bowl of popcorn. The Ports are truly amazing!. I also love that this winery give you a decent wine glass as part of the tasting (not those tiny little tasting glasses that are only good for tasting, not for home use). During the summer they offer a frozen sangria which was fun and tasty. Definitely my favorite winery in the area. read more

I sure love this winery! I recently traveled there with my sister and we were so impressed with the excellent wine (Albarano-favorite white and too many favorite reds to list!) There is a welcoming atmosphere in the tasting room and large courtyard area and the service was very friendly. The owners went out of their way to make us feel welcome! We both are already planning a return trip. read more