Television personality and AZfoothills.com columnist Nadine Toren is scouring the area, finding savvy Valley features, bringing readers “on the scene.”  Every day she’ll introduce you to celebrities, athletes, and give you an inside look into local events and hot spots.  She'll touch on topical issues, and keep AZ fans posted on all the big talkers around town.

Get your buzz on sipping only the finest of Arizona wine.  We're taking you inside a hidden gem full of vino.

Cab.  Zin.  Syrah.  Is your mouth watering?

If you’re craving a weekend getaway, savor this: an escape to Arizona’s Winery Row.  Yes, forget forking out the cash to fly to Napa; instead, put the car in cruise control and take the 3-hour road-trip to Elgin, Arizona, centered in the heart of Senoita.

Nestled outside of Nogales, Mexico, you’ll find the serene desert destination with vino galore.  More than 40 wineries make up Arizona’s southeast corner, but you’ll want to prepare your taste-buds for a grapey-buzz at the Kief-Joshua Vineyard--the hot hub for wine lovers.  (www.kiefjoshuavineyards.com)

“We’re 5,000 feet up surrounded by five mountain ranges.  It’s one of the state’s best kept secrets.”

Kief Manning runs the small family biz 365 days a year, and all his employees are blood-related.  The 28-year old and his dad tend to the 20 acres, while his mom and sister manage sales and behind-the-scene business.

“Besides the crushing of grapes, everything is done by hand.”

It takes anything from 6 months to 2 years to produce Kief-Joshua blends, but once things are bottled, your palate will thank you.  Take your pick from a variety of luscious reds or a handful of delightful whites.

“We produce many unique combinations like our 2010 Chenin Blanc with fragrances of orange and rose and hints of melon.”

Yum.