Wine in the Pines, Plus Golf

Wine in the Pines

When the going gets hot in the valley of the sun, it’s pretty cool to head to Payson for a special event like Wine in the Pines.

This is one of many affairs scheduled for private members of The Rim and Chaparral Pines Golf Clubs, by Arcis Golf.

Wine in the Pines is highly anticipated by the members annually and this was the first year to be held outside by the driving range.

The weather could not have been more perfect at the Rim Golf Club.

The panoramic view of the forests on the Mogollon rim is breathtaking. 25 tables were spread with 227 bottles of wine and spirits from distributors.

Participants are given a glass for tastings of the wide variety and an order form is provided with member case pricing.

To pair with the wines, chefs from valley Arcis Golf courses joined the Rim and Chapparal Pines food and beverage team with seven tables of culinary delights.

Tim from Tatum Ranch concocted a Spicy Tuna Hanabi on a crispy sweet rice cake.

The Superstition Springs team of Isaac and Maria delivered ceviche on oyster shells and tasty smoked pork verde tacos.

Anthony with Ancala created rustic polenta two ways, with sausage and root veggies, both delectable.

The Raven’s Frank served the happy crowd his cochinita pibil sopes and the Rim’s own Sam rocked a smoked brisket and apple slaw.

The queen of cuisine for the evening might have been Lisa, the Chap’s pastry chef with towers of treats as pretty as they were tasty. Her cream puffs sent us momentarily back to Europe.

200 people partook of the fine tastings, learning from winery and distributor reps, socializing with friends, making new ones, and mingling with the execs like Sr. General Manager, Ron Wojcicki.

Wine notes were compared, and cases ordered beneath the setting sun in a scene that never gets old for the members.

Mark Conn, Director of Sales says that all he must do is give a tour to potential members and people are on board with life in the Mogollon Rim Country. The property sells itself, welcome home.

There are many planned activities within the community as well as fresh air nature hikes. We love nearby Woods Canyon for serene forest bathing. While there is much more to engage in than golf, the golf is exceptional.

Chaparral Golf Course

Check in at the gate if you are a guest at this private course and from the beginning, a service orientation is apparent.

Arcis Golf has hired experienced hospitality execs for improved quality across operations and the courses in Payson. Balls are ready on the range for warm up.

Food and beverage service is on demand by calling the phone number and receiving delivery on any hole. This is due to the obstacles of a regular sized beverage cart since cart paths wind up and down the mountain in a unique layout by David Graham and Gary Panks, running through the named chaparral with pinion and ponderosa pines.

The course is tight with giant boulders in the middle of a few fairways and beautiful streams and ponds. It would be a pretty walk in the woods, but a very long and arduous one. Carts are the way to go.

The Rim Golf Course

In our worldly travels we are often asked, what is our favorite course in Arizona.

We’ve always said Gold Canyon Dinosaur but now we will have to use the desert course disclaimer, because The Rim is our new fave.

We hadn’t played it in years, and it is in beautiful shape with brilliant shades of green from recent rains.

Look up and the ponderosa pine tops dance with the fluffy white clouds splattering the bright blue sky. Look down and the fall wildflowers pop out of nowhere like a season reversal in pink, yellow, purple, and white.

Look all around and the Rim’s horizon is so vast it feels like you are on top of the world.

The Mogollon Rim is home to the magnificent elks which have become so abundant that they can interfere with golfers and course maintenance as they tear up the greens.

All problems are solved, in this case with a constructed wall and local cowboys to round up the elk and safely move them out to where they are free to roam.

Ninety minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, at an elevation of 5,000 feet, The Rim Golf Club and Chaparral Pines Golf Club in Payson form a different kind of paradise to explore, secure a second home or like many, retire to permanently.

For a temperate year-round serenity www.rimgolf.com