The Windmill Winery

AZ Highways visits The Windmill Winery and Florence Farms

About

The Windmill Winery's blend of rural authenticity and subtle elegance makes it one of the most unique wedding venues in Arizona. Our vast property boasts 2 lakes, lush greenery, a soaring 100-year-old barn, and a brand new Hampton's-styled Lake House with a beautiful dock. Not only can you purchase wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages, but we also offer special events throughout the week. THE BARN: The Big Barn provides a spectacular ceremony site under the picturesque Aqueduct arches. You will notice that the Aqueduct is not perfect, as we had it built to seem as if it has been standing for over 100 years. These arches, along with the lake, and surrounding greenery provide a stunning, picture perfect backdrop! COOKIN' N CORKS: The Wine Tasting Room at The Windmill Winery proudly presents Cookin N’ Corks with Chef Ed of Kiss the Chef Catering. Please join us for a Gourmet meal you won’t soon forget! Many of our couples choose to combine Cookin’ N Corks with their Wedding Rehearsal. A BRAND NEW VENUE FOR A ELEGANT LAKE WEDDING: The Lake House was created to give couples the option of having an elegant lakeside wedding, right here in the middle of the desert. Its rustic charm and jutting pier makes it easy to imagine that you are on any lake, in any part of the world. Many couples who choose the Lake House did not come here with the intention of doing so, but once they saw it in person, they fell in love with its vintage charm. Some have even said that although the pictures of The Lake House are beautiful, they do not compare with an actual visit. The Lake House includes the same amenities being offered at the Big Barn, and provides a great spot for a wedding or a corporate event. You can enjoy a delicious gourmet meal, followed by drinks on the deck, S’mores by the Bonfire, and games on the lawn, all while the vintage lights reflect off the water and sounds of laughter resonate from the tree-lined lake. A LAKESIDE BRIDAL COTTAGE: We couldn’t be more proud of our beautiful Bridal Cottage for the Lake House. Designed with a Hamptons feel, it features muted-colored walls and elegant wooden floors. The French Doors open up to your own private veranda overlooking the lake, where you can peek at your guests as they are being seated. In turn, your guests will soon be delighted to catch glimpses of you through the trees, as you round the lake on your Horse-drawn Carriage. Many of our guests (and employees) have expressed interest in moving into the Lake House Bridal Cottage! THE LAKESIDE GENTLEMAN’S QUARTERS: While the bride is being pampered in the bridal cottage, the groom and his groomsmen will be relaxing in the Gentleman’s Quarters at the Carriage House, which is located right next to the Lake House. The Carriage House is furnished in a western theme, lending a rugged manly-man feeling to its surroundings. THE SETTING FOR A BEAUTIFUL EVENING: As the stars shine above, the vintage lights reflect off the water, and laughter echoes across the lake, you and your guests will savor the moment and relish the memories of your perfect day.

Location Description

Located in Florence, Arizona overlooking the Superstition Mountains.

Features

  • One of the most unique wedding venues in Arizona!

Additional Information

  • Meeting / Conference Facilities:
  • Caves:
  • Wedding Facilities:
  • Picnic Facilities:
  • Dog Friendly:
  • Winery Tours:
  • Wine Tasting:
  • Art or Architecture:
  • Organic / Biodynamic:
  • Awards:
  • Wine Club:
  • Lodging / Bed & Breakfast:

Average Bottle Price

$ 20.00

History

We originally purchased the property that is now known as The Windmill Winery in 2001, in order to house our expanding plant nursery. At the time it was a weather-beaten, shack-strewn farm that had seen better days. The history of the property indicates that it was Arizona’s first brickyard, established in 1906, and known as the “George Smith Brick Foundry.” Many of the historic buildings in Phoenix and Florence were built with bricks that were handmade by George and his two sons.

In the late 1930’s George sold the brickyard and began working for the government, building what became Camp Florence – the largest WWII POW camp on American soil. Throughout that time he also taught his brick-making skills to the prisoners and staff at the camp. An odd tidbit of information: during his employment with the prison system, George Smith built the double-electrocution chair which is currently displayed at the Pinal County Historical Museum.

Although it was no longer a brickyard, the property was leased to other Smith family members, who converted it into a small dairy farm. It is said that Mrs. George Smith lived out her days here, on the farm.

After purchasing the property, we found that along with the old buildings, we also acquired a “ton of bricks.” In keeping with history, we used those bricks to create the grand entrance to The Windmill Winery, the Aqueduct Arches for our ceremony site, and many of the walkways throughout the grounds. The buildings that were salvageable were refurbished and are being used today: our Shabby Chic Bridal Cottage for the Barn venue and our charmingly rustic Wine Tasting Room are just two of these buildings.

THE BIG BARN, Circa 1910

Once we purchased the property, we realized that we now needed a sturdy barn in which to house our equipment. As we had always been attracted to the architectural design of Midwest-styled barns, our search took us to Green Bay, Wisconsin where we found the majestic beauty that is now lovingly referred to as The Big Barn. Disassembling the barn, which was originally built in 1910, was a painstaking process, to be sure. We had to take it apart one board at a time, and mark each one appropriately in order to put it back together again. That alone took us three months to achieve; putting it back together is a whole different and much longer story. Regardless, it was a labor of love and we believe that the results were well worth the effort it took.

Once erected, word of the barn spread throughout the valley, and we began to receive rental requests. The most popular request for its use was, of course, for wedding receptions. We began to see the value in helping couples realize their special day, without having to do all the work themselves. Therefore, in 2006 we attended our first Bridal Show in Phoenix. We were hoping we would book one wedding that year, when in fact we ended up providing a venue for 17 ceremonies! Here we are, nine years later, and are now hosting an average of 200 weddings each year!

Practices & Techniques

DUTCHMAN’S BOLD:

Dutchman’s Bold is processed using the native North American Norton grape. This wine is just what the Doctor ordered! Dr. Daniel Norton, that is, founder and cultivator of the Norton grape. This robust, full-bodied red wine features intense flavors that will fill your palate with wondrous delight!

HUMMINGBIRD NECTAR:

This delightful wine is produced with the finest of Muscadine grapes and sweetened with wild honey. This white wine is sure to gratify both the sweet and semi-sweet drinker.

POMEGRANATE WINE:

Made from 100% Pomegranate Juice marks this as the perfect wine as springtime rolls around. This is a crisp, clean wine that starts out a little bit sweet, but finishes with the perfect amount of tartness. A seamless combination!

Be the first to review this item!

Hours

The summer schedule for The Wine Tasting Room at the Windmill Winery is Thursday 4:30pm-10:00pm

Address

1140 W. Butte Ave.
Florence, Arizona 85132
United States

Get Directions

Advertisement
Newsletter