Wine Weekend Get-A-Way

In my last post, we briefly described our get-a-way weekend, but now that I have more time, I will give you the full details. We started our weekend by driving to the Biosphere II in Oracle, Arizona. The biosphere was a science experiment to create a self-sustaining environment that could support human life. It is now used as a research laboratory to understand all different types of ecosystems and environmental changes. The picture to the right is from one of the wings that has been created to be representative of a tropical rain forest.




After the Biosphere, we continued south another hour to hour and a half. Just outside Tucson we visited San Xavier del Bac, which is an old Spanish Mission dating back to the 1700's. The most interesting part of the church, is that the East Tower was never completed, and no-one knows why.






San Xavier is still a functioning mission, church and school. Just to the east of the main building is a small courtyard where the monks would meditate and pray in the 18th & 19th century. Standing there, you can feel what it might of felt like so long again. What I love about this photograph, is that it feels like a worm hole, bringing present day back into the olden days of cowboys and priests.

After our stop at the church, we headed East about an hour to enter Arizona's own wine country! In towns of Sonoita & Elgin, there are approximately 7 wineries in a 10 mile radius. The barrel tasting was held at Canelo Hills Winery who only produces wines using Arizona grown grapes. The winery was established in 2003 with the first production of wine being released in 2007. This was the first time Krag or I have drank wine straight from the barrel.

For more photos from this weekend, you can find them on our Facebook page.

Please visit my site, Red Rain Photography