Meet Desiree Gerth of STRIVE Vineyards in Willcox, Arizona.
Desiree is a wife, mother, winemaker, and entrepreneur who wears a lot of other hats, as well.
THE WINEMAKER
I met Desiree in October of 2023 at the Willcox Wine Festival when I stepped into the tasting room that she owns and shares with two other wineries: Soaring Wines and Copper Horse Winery. I sat down at a cute little table near the large windows where I could continue tasting wine while watching the festival action. I tasted her co-fermented Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah aged in a bourbon barrel, and her Petit Verdot.
From the very first sip, I designated myself as STRIVE Vineyard’s number one fan and determined to return to Willcox at a less busy time to have an extended conversation with this incredible woman. I made it back for a visit in February as Desiree was headed out to Phoenix with her daughters for a cheer competition. I’m so grateful for the time I spent with Desiree and I’m very eager to tell you about STRIVE Vineyards and the woman behind the wine.
Desiree will be the first to tell you she hasn’t built the business alone. She and her husband, Ryan, are very much a husband-and-wife team who engaged the help of family and friends to create Strive Vineyards.
THE WINERY
Several wineries are located in what is known as the Kansas Settlement area of Willcox Bench. Desiree and Ryan purchased land there in 2014, just a couple of years before Willcox became an American Viticultural Area. (For more information on AVAs, click here).
That fact that Desiree is a highly successful female winemaker and entrepreneur makes her a rarity in the wine business but get this…STRIVE is completely an off-grid enterprise! They use solar power for their well pump and all of their farming practices are green sustainable. Desiree and Ryan, with their friends and family, built the entire operation from the ground up. That includes the irrigation system, trellising, solar panel arrays, the fencing, gates, and more. The high-altitude vineyards—sitting at 4,400 ft. above sea level—are surrounded by gorgeous views of the Dragoon, Chiricahua, and Dos Cabezas mountain ranges. It is breath-taking!
This unique desert highland boasts vine-loving sandy-loam and clay. Both are characteristic of the Dos Cabezas foothills. Soil, along with a large diurnal temperature shift helps create a lovely, fruity profile supported by a refreshing acidity. Each winemaker in Willcox has a distinct personal wine style, but they typically share a hint of the terroir that makes Willcox wines uniquely identifiable in blind tastings.
The journey toward earning their rightful place in the wine world is somewhat unexpected with a little hint of whimsy. Both Ryan and Desiree are from Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Desiree has a degree in psychology and Ryan has a PhD in pharmacology. So, how did they get from Wisconsin to Willcox? Well, you can read all about that HERE.
THE GRAPES
STRIVE Vineyards has several Estate Grown Varietals—Mostly Reds and Mostly French.
White grapes include Sauvignon Blanc and Picpoul Blanc. Picpoul, also known as Gros Plant and Folle Blanche, literally translates as “lip stinger” due to its high-level of refreshing acidity. Red Grapes grown in the STRIVE Vineyards include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Primitivo (Zinfandel).
THE WINES
The best place to taste STRIVE’s wines is in their tasting room downtown. Desiree owns the oldest building still standing in Willcox. It’s still referred to, by locals, as “the commercial building,” but now it boasts three tasting rooms in one locations.
The wines from STRIVE Vineyards represent some of the very best expressions of the Willcox AVA. For me, it is the standard by which Willcox wines can be judged. I know there is always lively “discussion” among wine enthusiasts regarding the validity of “terroir” as an identifier and, honestly, I’ve been skeptical myself at times. When it comes to Willcox in general and STRIVE specifically, I am a real believer in the value of the terroir to influence the final product. I’m sure a lot of that is Desiree’s low-intervention style. While she is innovative and somewhat experimental, her philosophy is to stay true to the grape and, as she says, “Try not to mess it up.”
Desiree’s favorite wine is Cabernet Franc and she considers that to be STRIVE’s flagship wine. Along with the Cab Franc, I tasted the Picpoul 2021 which was fabulous. Desiree’s other fave is her FORTE which is a port style wine and great for special occasions. The best seller at STRIVE is the fruity, Mélange Rouge—a Bordeaux-style blend that Desiree calls “The Gateway” wine for people who lean toward sweet wines. In chatting with customers, Desiree has discovered that people often mistake fruitiness and sweetness. Once a sweet wine drinker has tried the Mélange Rouge, they have an easier time understanding the difference and have a newfound willingness to try more dry reds. STRIVE also makes a Mélange Blanc from the Symphony and Petit Manseng grapes.
STRIVE produces a couple of Rosés that are absolutely delicious. In fact, Desiree’s Petit Verdot Rosé made me eager to give more Rosés a chance.
I thoroughly enjoyed all the wine I tasted at STRIVE, but my favorites are the Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah Co-Ferment and the Petit Verdot. You can order from the STRIVE website or, better yet, go pay them a visit. Willcox may not look like much at first glance, but it really has a lot to offer. If you want to stay a night or two–which I highly recommend–Desiree rents a cute little Bed & Breakfast right behind the downtown tasting room.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I am so happy that I decided to go to the Willcox Wine Festival back in October 2023. As my readers know, I love New World wines and I have been a huge advocate of New Mexico wines since beginning Wine of Enchantment. After tasting MANY Willcox wines, I have no hesitation about expanding my reviews to the rest of the Southwest. Desiree told me the biggest challenge Willcox Wines face is to be taken seriously. I think that’s true of a lot of boutique wineries in the Southwest. By the way, if you missed my introductory post on the Willcox AVA, you can read it HERE.
Desiree Gerth is a mover and a shaker in Willcox. She is a co-founder of the Cochise Wine Company and with her partners, she makes the wine for several other Arizona wineries. She hosts an Industry Night for 14 other wineries who have active tasting rooms in the Willcox area as she is a firm believer that together they are stronger and make better wine. I couldn’t agree more.
When you take a close look at the STRIVE logo, you’ll see the emphasis on “V” for victory. The word “strive” means “to make great efforts to achieve or obtain.” The Gerth’s challenging story of starting a winery is inspirational for anyone—wine lover or not. STRIVE encourages everyone to embrace life’s challenges and savor life’s victories.”
Until next time…
#CHEERS
Wine of Enchantment 