Arizona has been seeing a rise in wine making as a hobby. In the mid-2000s there were only a handful of wineries. In 2014, the state was home to 78 wineries. Many fine wines are produced in Arizona today. 

Homebrew suppliers are becoming more common and there are an increasing number of resources to help amateur wine makers perfect their craft and turn their hobby into a real winery. This growing group is actually producing a great product that's in demand. The tricky part of the transaction is finding a marketplace where wine makers can sell and consumers can easily buy this privately brewed wine.

Here are 3 places to buy and sell privately-brewed wine in Arizona:

Art and Wine Festivals

Dozens of art and wine festivals are held around the state each year. One great example is The Stagecoach Village Fine Art and Wine Festival that takes place in the Valley Of The Sun each year during the fall. The festival showcases local artists, jewelers and other arts and crafts along with local wineries. 

As a seller, it's a great way to get your wine in front of a lot of people. As a buyer, festivals are a great way to sample a wide range of wines in one place.

Local Wine Merchants

There are individuals and companies that work directly with small vineyards and home brewers with the appropriate licenses to sell their wine to retailers or other individuals. Using a wine merchant is a great way to sell your wine. You get cash immediately and don't have to sell directly to distributors or liquor stores.

As a buyer, if you can't find the wine that you're looking for in a local store a wine merchant may be able to find it for you. They have a large network of connections and can track down even the most obscure wines.

Locally Owned Wine Shops

Retailers often carry local wines. The key is to find those that are locally owned. Shops that have multiple locations or are owned by an out of state company are much less likely to carry local labels; however, locally owned shops are more than happy to support local wine makers.

If your local store doesn't carry the wine that you're looking for, there's a good chance that they would be willing to source it for you. That's the great thing about working with a local business, they want to help their customers and support other local businesses. If are are looking for a specific wine, don't be afraid to ask.

Likewise, if you are a local wine maker in Arizona, these wine shops are often eager to sell wines that are unique or difficult to find. Take a case into the shop, let the owner try a sample and he may buy it from you on the spot. 

Until shipping laws change that allow wine to be sold over the internet, it will always be a challenge to buy and sell great local wine. In the mean time, however, try these 3 ways and you'll surely find exactly what you're looking for.