Rod Keeling

Rod Keeling and Jan Schaefer of Keeling Schaefer Vineyards in
Pearce, AZ. Keeling Schaefer Vineyards is located on Rock Creek
at the base of the Chiricahua Mountains at about 5000 ft.
elevation, about a 45-minute drive from downtown Willcox in
southeastern Arizona. They are proving to be key players in the
Arizona wine industry in their relatively short time on the
playing field. Their wines have been received with both national
recognition and local praise. Rod has also been an influential
factor in the industry through his actions as the President of
the Arizona Wine Growers Association, heading into his third
term. Having been instrumental in changing the wine laws which
allow the smaller boutique wineries to have more control to self
distribute and consequentially reach higher profits, Rod has seen
the intense growth in the industry that such legislation has
helped to provide.


Rod and Jan have harnessed their unique and individual abilities
to create really great wine. In talking with the team, it’s clear
that the success of their wines is due to the marriage of their
strengths. As Rod explains it, he does most of the physical work,
while Jan stays integral to the wine-making through her natural
palate. “She’s got a palate that’s much better than mine. I can
tell certain things about the wine. I can detect the flaws. I can
tell whether it’s good or bad. But I can’t [pick up] the details
she can.” Rod credits the blending as the step that takes the
wine to the next level, making a good wine great. Humbly, he
basically says he’s the physical labor and the chemist. His
contribution is in growing the grapes, doing the crush and
assisting the mechanical operations. He says, “I think a good
wine-maker has to be a good wine drinker,” and although he likes
wine and accredits basic tasting skills to himself, he doesn’t
have the natural innate palate that he adoringly attributes to
Jan. Not to say that the lines never cross, both partners are
involved throughout the process, but Rod’s passion is the numbers
and Jan’s talents are a key factor to the finish of the wine.
It’s obvious that they’ve transcended their romantic love to the
love of wine-making.


It all began for Rod when he fortuitously tasted a glass of wine
with a friend at PF Chang’s in 1994. At that time in Arizona
there were few wine bars, no real wine scene and even finding
quality wines by the glass was difficult. His friend, Roger Egan,
had worked in California through the 1970’s, during the initial
boom of the California wine industry, where he had met Mike
Grgich. Knowing that Grgich had produced fine wine he recommended
that Rod splurge for the $9 glass of the Grgich Hills Zinfandel.
Rod was blown away. “Oh my God! I didn’t know wine could taste
like that . . . [it was] a big blockbuster Zin!” That’s when he
said to himself that he had to figure this out. How could wine
taste like that and how could he learn to produce it? Previously,
he felt that if he was going to drink wine it would be
inexpensive because it was “just OK”. White wine was fine because
it was refreshing. But red wine, nothing had ever tasted like
that glass of Zinfandel before. “But that got me going because I
thought I could make it myself. I’ve got to try making this!” . .
. plus he sheepishly admits that he really didn’t want the pay
the $9 per glass.