Nestled in the high desert about an hour southeast of Tucson, surrounded by the Santa Rita and Patagonia mountains, lies the small unincorporated community of Sonoita. This is home to Kent and Lisa Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards.
In collaboration with the University of Arizona and Old Main Mercado, they have released two wines: a 2023 white blend featuring 100% estate-grown grapes (61% Malvasia Bianca, 28% Petit Manseng and 11% Marsanne) and a 2019 vintage made from 100% estate-grown Grenache, both bottled under the La Osa label.
Kent, a Tucson native and University of Arizona alum, along with his parents Karen and Harold, established their vineyard in Elgin, Arizona, in 1990, building upon Gordon Dutt’s pioneering efforts that launched the Arizona wine industry. Today, Kent ranks among Arizona’s largest producers of award-winning wines. His celebrated vintages have been served at the White House on four occasions. Lisa, also a Tucson native, brings three generations of family ties to the university, creating a deep local connection for the couple. When the partnership opportunity arose, it made complete sense.
Like most Callaghan wines, La Osa represents a celebration of their family’s bond with the university and the region. This wine honors Lisa’s great-grandfather, J.C. Kinney, who founded the La Osa Livestock Company and co-founded the Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo. Though Kinney’s 1932 gubernatorial campaign was unsuccessful, he remained a committed local businessman with an unwavering dedication to expanding commerce in southern Arizona—a legacy of community commitment that continues with the family today. The wine’s story and distinctive packaging extend even further into the family history.
The Label
Officially licensed by the University of Arizona, the label captures the story the Callaghans want to tell. The cowboy drawings on the label were created by a good friend of Kinney, Native American artist Hart Merriam Schultz, who also used his Blackfoot name Lone Wolf. They were on envelopes that were painted and sent to Kinney in 1917 and 1922. There’s a classic Wildcat image and “A” mountain in the distance on the left side and storytelling and sources for early university extension wine courses on the right. For the Callaghans these wines represent both collaboration and continuation.
Arizona Winemaking: Growing Something Special
Kent deflects any notion that this is a beginning, since he has been working hard at winemaking for over three decades. The beginning was spent in experimentation and trials—which grapes work the best? He started early with Zinfandel and Bordeaux varieties, yet today he has Grenache, Graciano and Roussanne, among others.
“It’s important to grow the correct varietals to your area, or you’ll never get anywhere,” he explains, and in the last 15–20 years, “winemaking is wildly better.” When the area’s correct grapes are coupled with improved winemaking, everything is more consistent.
Even though a visitor might observe the same varietal grown at a neighboring vineyard, “You’re not splitting hairs tasting the same wine, style or varietal,” he says. “You have people with different ideas of what styles of wine they want to make, what blends. We celebrate diversity in varietals, diversity in blending, and see it as an asset.”
Lisa quickly adds, “Come down to visit, and you’ll see you’re at the beginning of something special. You’re even likely to meet an owner.” Kent and Lisa, they invite you to come on down, enjoy a tasting and pick up a bottle or two.
You can purchase Arizona La Oso at:
Tempe: TDOriginals & ODV Wines, 1323 W. University Dr.
Phoenix: GenuWine Arizona Wine Bar, 888 N. 1st Ave., #101
Tucson: Arizona Wine Collective, 4280 N. Campbell Ave.
Or, directly at Callaghan Vineyards, 336 Elgin Rd., callaghanvineyards.com
