Man slept in his truck to chase a dream — now he's putting Arizona wine on the national map

Former ecologist Eric Glomski became a winemaker, discovering his calling in Arizona and founding Page Springs Cellars in Verde Valley's volcanic soils. Wine Man slept in his truck to chase a dream — now he's putting Arizona wine on the national map Dedicated winemaker reveals 'liquid landscape' epiphany that changed his life By Peter Burke Fox News Published February 15, 2026 10:00am EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video How the same wine tastes different from vineyard to vineyard One grape, three vineyards — totally different wines. From slope and sunlight to soil, rainfall and elevation, an Arizona winemaker tells Fox News Digital how terroir transforms identical Syrah into unique expressions. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Eric Glomski still remembers the first time he discovered his "liquid landscape." "I remember closing my eyes and smelling this wine, and it reminded me exactly of the place where I harvested those apples," he recalled in an interview with Fox News Digital.Glomski had not been a winemaker at that time. He was a restoration ecologist, hiking the perennial streams of central Arizona, cataloging river systems and abandoned homesteads. TEXAS WINERY BEATS NAPA ELITES WITH SMALL-TOWN SAVVY AND TOP-NOTCH TASTE It was there he found heirloom apples growing wild. He hauled them out in a backpack, made apple wine with a mentor and, eight months later, experienced what he calls his epiphany. "I realized I was having an artistic experience with the landscape that wasn't analytical, and it wasn't scientific," he said. Eric Glomski of Arizona was a restoration ecologist before he decided to dedicate himself to winemaking. (Page Springs Cellars)He dropped out of graduate school, moved to California and volunteered at wineries — sleeping in his truck. He finally landed a position at the acclaimed David Bruce Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains.For nearly six years, Glomski immersed himself in a culture guided by one principle: "What's best for the wine?" WHAT HAPPENS TO OPENED WINE — AND HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT'S GONE BAD Glomski said he always intended to return to Arizona."I always wanted to come back to Arizona and make wines that expressed Arizona," he said.In 2003, he founded Page Springs Cellars & Vineyards in the Verde Valley. The region's volcanic soils, limestone deposits and elevation offered what he saw as untapped potential. Page Springs Cellars & Vineyards has been pouring wine for visitors since 2003. (Jill Richards) Contrary to popular perception, Arizona wine country is not a blistering desert floor, Glomski said."My two biggest issues are frost and freeze, and monsoon rains — the exact opposite of what people expect," he said.IRANIAN REFUGEE BUILDS WORLD-RANKED AMERICAN WINERY ROOTED IN HERITAGE AND HEALTH His vineyards stretch from 3,500 to 5,500 feet in elevation. "It snows in my vineyards regularly," he said. "People don't realize this, because Arizona is very mountainous.""I like to think of myself as an ambassador for Arizona." That elevation, combined with volcanic, limestone and even granite soils, allows him to grow Rhône varietals that express distinct personalities depending on where they're planted. He grows Syrah in multiple estate vineyards, and said the differences are unmistakable. The vineyards at Page Springs stretch from 3,500 to 5,500 feet in elevation. (Jenelle Bonifield)"They're so distinctive because of these different ecological characters," he said. For Glomski, that distinctiveness is the point. "I like to think of myself as an ambassador for Arizona," he said. "I mean, obviously I have my own business, and I'm excited about doing well, but I really believe in Arizona too."NASHVILLE'S HIDDEN 'WINE COUNTRY' PROVIDES TASTE OF TENNESSEE IN WHISKEY BARRELS That belief was tested in 2006, when out-of-state distributors introduced legislation that would have prevented small Arizona wineries from selling directly to consumers and retailers. Glomski and the other small group of winemakers received notice from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control ordering them to "cease and desist all direct-to-consumer sales." The vineyards at Page Springs are home to a distinctive variety of wines. (Grace Stufkosky)Wineries would have been forced to sell exclusively through wholesalers — even buying back their own bottles to pour in tasting rooms, Glomski said."It was this very heavy-handed middleman move to control the market," he said. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Working with a volunteer attorney and a handful of fellow winemakers, Glomski spent two months going "door-to-door" at the state Capitol, meeting "every senator and every representative in our state" to help reform the legislation, he said."Ultimately, we beat them," Glomski said. Glomski, left, dropped out of graduate school, went to work for a California vineyard and eventually opened Page Springs Cellars in Arizona. (Page Springs Cellars; Grace Stufkosky) In the decade that followed, Arizona's winery count grew from eight to more than 100."If that isn't case in poin