Ignacio Mesa realizes vision with Clear Creek Vineyard and Winery.
With grape vines stretching across most of his 10 acres in Camp Verde, Clear Creek Vineyard & Winery Owner Ignacio Mesa has cultivated sustainable solutions for his viticulture paradise. He purchased the land in 1994. Today, he produces about 1,150 cases of red and white wines per year.
Patiently and methodically, Mesa has approached his Clear Creek Vineyard & Winery with a purpose and a plan for developing a wine-growing ecosystem. Mesa’s two white Great Pyrenees dogs, Pancho and Cisco, are part of the operation. Not only do they greet guests, but they also keep coyotes and raccoons away. Frolicking between the rows of grapevines, geese munch on weeds, chickens chomp on bugs and ducks, which have proliferated through the years, keep the pond regulated by eating the moss.
Using his past insight gained through managing irrigation projects in Phoenix, Mesa built a pond, gravity fed from Clear Creek, in an area where irrigation is possible around and below it. “Four valves open so water can be released to irrigate the vineyard without electricity. This reduces the carbon footprint,” explained Mesa. “It can be costly to pump water, as it uses a lot of electricity. It is very costly to run electric powered pumps.”
When he was having problems with too much moss in the pond, he was having to dredge it. But then, migratory ducks moved in and took care of the problem. “Deposits from the ducks and fish provide natural nitrogen for the vineyards. We don’t have to buy expensive chemical nitrogen fertilizers, requiring the use of electricity, which also reduces the carbon footprint,” he said.
Mesa studied engineering at Phoenix College, Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University. While attending school, he enrolled in viticulture classes, where he learned about farming grapes both organically and non-organically. “I was 20 years old at the time, so I wasn’t financially able to pursue a vineyard at that time.”
For 37 years, Mesa worked for Salt River Project (SRP) before settling into his dream occupation as a winegrower. “While at SRP, I worked in construction, drafting, mechanical engineering, inspection, project manager and site manager for several projects.”
With retirement in mind, he combed a 75-mile radius looking for land where he could grow grapes and raise cattle. “I found land with grandfathered water rights dating back to 1875. My wife and I started off with three cows and a small vineyard. Since the previous owners used the land for horse and cow property, it was very fertile.”
Mesa planted a small test vineyard in the year 2000, with about 1,000 plants of 10 different varieties to see which ones would do well. After his wife passed away in 2002, Mesa sold his cattle and planted more vines. He retired from his SRP career in 2004 and continued to plant and nurture the grapes. In 2015, he opened the vineyard as a commercial estate operation, meaning all wines produced from the winery would be made from grapes grown on the property. It also means that the wine stays on the premises during the entire production process, including fermentation, bottling and aging.
“Clear Creek Vineyard & Winery is a fully sustainable winery, and the way Ignacio designed it is the way nature works,” said Berkshire Hathaway Realtor Tina Viola, who volunteers at the winery. “He throws me out in the vineyard to work and I love it.”
Mesa’s vineyard is the first Arizona winery to earn the Silver Innovator Sustainability Certification from the Arizona Sustainability Alliance.
With crystal clear water in the pond fed by Clear Creek, Mesa’s vineyards blend well with the distant views of mountain vistas.
“My husband, Tim, and I really enjoyed our visit to the Clear Creek Vineyard & Winery tasting room,” said Flagstaff retiree Irene Blume. “Barbara, the sommelier, served us and she was so friendly and informative about the wine and also so welcoming. It’s a very quaint atmosphere, so we visited with another couple there who are regular customers.”
Hints of Mesa’s Hispanic heritage encompass the Rio Claro label, which means, “clear river.”
“I attended the Wine and Grapes Symposium in Sacramento and met a talented graphic designer. She developed my label,” said Mesa.
Clear Creek Vineyard & Winery produces a popular 2012 Terciopelo Red Blend of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 50% Petite Syrah. Another favorite is the 2018 Gran Blancas White Blend, made with 45% Viognier, 20% Chardonnay and a 35% Chardonnay blend.
Also on the premises is Club Rio, a renovated vintage wine party bus available to rent for birthdays, anniversaries, nights out or other festive occasions. QCBN
By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN
Located at 4053 E. Highway 260 in Camp Verde, Clear Creek Vineyard & Winery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, call 602-859-7418 or visit
clearcreekwineryaz.com.
Leave a Reply