How to visit the winery opened by Tool singer Maynard James Keenan
Tool lead singer Maynard James Keenan has a wide range of interests outside of his day job in progressive metal music. From practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu to writing and performing comedy, Keenan keeps himself busy when not writing music and lyrics. But perhaps his biggest passion comes from the fine art of winemaking.
Keenan has been in the winemaking business for over a decade, with the singer relating the practice to relatives from Italy who were winemakers. That desire eventually led to Keenen opening Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards just outside of Sedona, Arizona.
Keenan’s exploration of the world of wine was chronicled in the 2010 documentary film Blood into Wine. He even claimed to have played different playlists of music to the grapes at his winery during different points of the growing season.
“During vintage, I choose whole albums to play to the grapes while processing,” Keenan told Discogs back in 2020. “Some playlists are played year after year to the same fruit. We note what music was played to what grapes and then these playlists are included with the tasting notes. All whole albums. Played to the new grapes all day on rotation, but not shuffle.”
Just recently, Keenan expanded the enterprise by opening Merkin Vineyards Hilltop Winery & Trattoria and Caduceus Cellars Hilltop Facility and VSC Ventura Room, expansions for his already-thriving business.
“In the many years I’ve been working towards this moment,” Keenan said in a press release announcing the opening of the new facilities. “One of the things I discovered when it comes to bridging the hurdle of exposing people to Arizona wine is context.”
“So by putting a place like this in the middle of Cottonwood with five acres of vines, to winery facilities with a full greenhouse, and a full kitchen, all the context becomes visible, and you kind of break down the barriers of whatever preconceptions you have of Arizona wine,” he added.
Complete with a tasting room and a restaurant serving Italian classics like traditional pasta and wood-fired pizza, the expansion for Keenan isn’t just for vanity or production. Starting on October 6th, the facility will be open to the public. With the success that Keenan has experienced so far with Merkin and Caduceus Cellars, it seems like the new Cottonwood facility will be quite the hit for wine connoisseurs.
Check out a flyover of Keenan’s new facility down below.
