Emmett
Emmett stumbled into a gig as a cellar-hand on the left bank of Bordeaux as a seventeen year-old & never looked back. He was hooked on the world of wine production — with its myriad declensions & practitioners the world over — and over the years, he found his way to Mendoza, Argentina and Rías Baixas, Galicia. Since 2017, he’s hung his hat in Southern Arizona, first as the assistant winemaker at Rune Wines & cellar-master at Pillsbury Wine Co. and, since 2021, as madman extraordinaire in the tiny barrel rooms of the Queen of Cups. You’ll find him staring off into space imagining all of the possibilities or jamming out to a genre apparently called “French indie-tronica” while passionately insisting rosé ought to be free (unfortunately it’s not).
Lily
Raised in Tucson, Lily has a deep love for the desert landscape she calls home. Although the process from desert lover to winemaker isn’t a straight shot, all the experiences, knowledge, and dreams she’s shared with others over a glass of wine have landed her here in Patagonia making it herself. She believes there is nothing more beautiful than sharing something made with intention, warmth, and care - something that nourishes the soul - with those you love. You’ll find her behind the bar, in the winery, cooking something fierce in the kitchen, responding to your emails, and trying to teach herself accounting.
Our STORY
Patagonia is essential to this story because it is where we came together in 2017. A couple of years went by and — craving some adventure — we moved to Galicia, Spain; Emmett to make wine & Lily to teach English to tiny Spaniards. One day after an especially fun lunch that included multiple courses and homemade wine served in a plastic water bottle, inspiration struck. We hatched a little dream that was meant to take time, one we thought would evolve over many years of pondering, wandering, and exploration. A dream of good wine, good friends, good food unfolding in a cozy, unpretentious space.
When the pandemic hit in March 2020, following a hasty escape from Spain & a warm welcome back to Patagonia, we accidentally began to actualize this dream. Perhaps sooner than we would have hoped. Perhaps a little scrappier than we would have liked. Still, with the help of some of the most amazing friends in the world (here’s looking at you K&B), we built out the space, made our first vintage of wine, and asked about 5 million questions to those wiser than us in the process. In July 2022, Queen of Cups opened its doors.
We’re a winery that focuses on low-intervention wines from local grapes located both in Arizona and Sonora. With an emphasis on a sense of place, Queen of Cups hopes to represent the rugged magic of the deserts of Arizona & Northern Mexico by creating wines that are equally elegant and succulent. These wines upon first taste are a little more subtle, but when you start to pay attention are so beautiful you can’t believe you never noticed it before. Similar to the grasslands flecked with pronghorn. Or the datura flower at dawn.
With reusable bottles, crown caps and decorative hang-tag labels, there is a lot that is unconventional about the way we do things. Where will we go? Your guess is as good as ours. Be sure that wherever we go and whatever it is we do, there will be a whole lot of love that goes into it. In the meantime, we’re glad you’re here. We hope you enjoy a glass of wine or two on this adventure with us.