Congratulations to Greg Tasker
Travel Classics Contest Winner 2025
Best Story on Arizona
Contest open to attendees of the 2024 Travel Classics West Conference in Scottsdale
Greg’s award-winning title---
“A Man Walked into a Wine Tasting Room”
What the experts are saying ---
“Greg's article does a phenomenal job of introducing Arizona's wine industry. We are producing some truly good wines and now the secret is out!"
Kimberly Todd
Director of Media Relations
Arizona Office of Tourism
“As an introduction to the lesser-known Arizona wine scene, the story's strength lies in introducing an unexpected topic and providing readers with specific details about a large-scale venture within it. This inherent novelty provides informational value and piques reader curiosity.”
Commentary from the Travel Classics West Editor Judges
Prize
Greg’s contest prize includes a complimentary spot in the October 13-16, 2025 Travel Classics International Conference at the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec, plus….
An Arizona Road Trip for two to Scottsdale, Tucson and Yuma!*
About Greg Tasker
Traverse City, MI
Instagram: gtasker_
A former managing editor of the luxury pub Cadillac Magazine, Greg Tasker is a freelance writer based in Traverse City, Michigan. He’s tackled assignments for Parade, BBC Travel, Budget Travel, AAA Explorer, AARP, Fodor’s, U.S. News Travel, Backpacker and the travel sections of newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times. He helps out at a Leelanau Peninsula winery and is WSET Level 2.
Read the Story
Greg’s award-winning article (1750 words) has not yet been published, so we can’t feature the entire piece here – not just yet, but Greg has offered to share some excerpts. See Below…
“Arizona is not known for its wine. But it could be.
That’s the aspiration of Tom Heshion, an entrepreneur who has successfully immersed
himself in businesses ranging from horses and hay to trust fund investments and technology. He also happens to be a big advocate of Arizona wine.
In fact, Heshion has big -- let’s say grandiose -- plans for Arizona wine.
I crossed paths with Heshion at the Wine Collective of Scottsdale, a small tasting room
serving only Arizona wine and located in Old Town Scottsdale, a palm tree-lined neighborhood
of coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants and art galleries.”
The Wine Collective is one of several tasting rooms along Scottsdale’s Wine Trail -- not
really a route of any kind but more a smattering of wineries with tasting rooms and retail outlets in the desert city, better known for its arts scene, golf courses and spas than wine. Still, the trail serves as a way to educate and expose locals and visitors to Arizona wine.
The industry
Did thirsty cowboys really walk into a saloon and order wine? It’s true. Whiskey and beer
were popular beverage choices in the Old West but so was wine. The state’s first commercial
winery was established in the 1880s in Mesa, and others sprouted up as well. Long before the gun-toting days of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp, Spanish settlers and missionaries had been
making and experimenting with wine in Arizona.
Most Recent Contest:
Previous Contests:
Best Story on Arizona 2019
Best Story on Arizona 2017
Best Story on Ireland 2017
Best Story on Arizona 2016
Best Story on Switzerland 2016
Best Story on British Columbia 2016
Best Travel Story on Arizona 2013