Page Springs Cellars is a boutique winery situated along the scenic Oak Creek in Cornville, nestled within Arizona’s Verde Valley American Viticultural Area. Established in 2004 by the visionary winemaker Eric Glomski, whose family ranks among the pioneering wineries in Arizona, Page Springs Cellars has become a sanctuary for wine enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. The winery is renowned for its exceptional Rhône-style wines and offers an unparalleled visitor experience, combining top-notch wines with the natural beauty of the region.
Eric Glomski graduated from Prescott College in the early 1990s with a degree in riparian ecology. While inventorying perennial streams in the Prescott National Forest, he stumbled upon some wild apples and decided to make wine from them, an experience that changed the course of his life. According to Brandi Corley, Director of Marketing at Page Springs Cellars, the wine created a “liquid gate” where he traveled back to the moment in time when he picked the apples. “He could smell the river; he could smell the vegetation. He could remember the things that were around him that were elevating his senses by drinking this wine,” Corley explains.
Before founding Page Springs Cellars, Glomski honed his winemaking skills at David Bruce Winery in Paso Robles, California. With this experience, he returned to Arizona, driven by a vision to create a unique wine culture in a region with a lesser-established wine industry. Says Corley, “It was Eric having a vision and seeing it through.”
The winery’s location occupies prime land along Oak Creek, with Page Springs—a natural artesian spring—running the length of the property. This spring provides vital water for everything from irrigation to drinking water, truly serving as the “lifeblood” of the vineyard. The unique terrain and soil conditions, influenced by the nearby shield volcano House Mountain, create an ideal environment for growing grapes, akin to the famed Rhône Valley in France. “I think people often mistakenly think that grapes require a lot of water, when in fact they are a very drought-tolerant crop that is well suited for an arid environment like a high desert that we are [located] in,” Corley explains.
Page Springs Cellars cultivates 15 to 20 varietals on its 35 acres, producing nearly 60 different labels annually. This diversity reflects Eric Glomski’s passion for experimentation and creativity in winemaking. “The Arizona wine industry is still very young. We are still doing a lot of trial and error to see what works best here [in terms of exact varietals],” Corley notes. This willingness to innovate keeps the winery’s offerings fresh and exciting, drawing visitors back year after year.
Page Springs Cellars offers a unique visitor experience that showcases its commitment to quality and sustainability. The entire winemaking process, from handpicking and harvesting the grapes to processing, aging, and bottling the wine, takes place on-site. This integrative approach allows visitors to witness the journey from vine to glass, making their tasting experience even more special. As Brandi Corley puts it, “Our ability to offer a tour of the vineyard, the winemaking facility, and the cellars, and then invite guests to taste the wine that’s being processed below them while overlooking the vines is what sets us apart.”
Visitors to Page Springs Cellars can easily spend a full day exploring and enjoying everything the winery has to offer. Corley recommends starting with lunch and wine tasting in the tasting room or opting for a picnic lunch along the creek. Next, the 60 to 90-minute estate tour is particularly educational, covering the history of the area and the winery. Throughout the tour, there are opportunities to taste the wines. After the tour, visitors can relax on the creek deck overlooking Oak Creek, indulge in birdwatching, or hike the trail to the Page Springs fish hatchery, where the spring originates. To cap off the day, a dinner paired with their exquisite wines offers a perfect conclusion to the visit.
As a celebrated name in Arizona’s burgeoning wine industry, Page Springs Cellars represents the fusion of passion, nature, and community. “People visit Oak Creek and the Verde River to birdwatch, hike, and mountain bike. Not only can we provide a place for people to enjoy those various things, but on top of that, we provide an experience that’s pulled from the landscape, placed in a bottle, and shared with all,” says Corley.
written & photographed by: marci symington
Page Springs Cellars | 1500 N Page Springs Rd, Cornville, AZ 86325