Phoenix/Cowboy Caio

Was in Phoenix this weekend to compete in the PhoenixCup. Ate both Sat night and again Sunday night at Scotsdale's Cowboy Caio. One of the most amazing wine lists I ever done see'd. Assembled by Peter Kazperski. Some really incredible values, by and large (and a few that looked like they were mispriced...up). A lot of wines I had never even heard of before (like Kutjevo Grasevina, a white from Croatia that seemed like a Malvasia...a steal at $21/btl). I spent the dinner both nights reading thru the list a still didn't finish it. It's important that you read it on-line and make your decision afore you go in.
And the food was pretty amazing as well. Cowboy Chow it ain't. More like Western cusine done in a Meditterean/SouthWest style.
But the wine list...to die for.
Highly recommended.
Tom

Oh shucks

I was going to being Phoenic week after next for a conference, but couldn't get the advertised cheap flight so cancelled. I could have done with a recco like this.

(still if I had bought the flight it'd be in the balance with the EU ruling today....)

Tom,

Right behind Cowboy Ciao is Kaz's Wine Bar, which shares a cellar with CC and is owned by the same people. You have to know where it is, as there is no sign (they don't want tourists who are just looking for a cold one dropping in, but instead they cater to serious wine drinkers). It remains to this day the most interesting wine bar I've visited, and that was 6 years ago (and a lot of wine bars since!) A wine list the size of a book, with plenty of interesting options. They do some food, too, but the focus is really the wine.

Niki,
I never made it around back to KazBar. The wine list in Cowboy is (I was told) the same one as in KazBar. The only difference is the lighter-weight foods they serve in there and a larger wine-by-the-glass program. So I just stuck to Cowboy, knowing that list had all I could handle. My days were busy w/ the fencing, or I would have made a stop into KazBar to take it for a test drive. Maybe next year.
Tom

Good call on Kazimierz, Niki. We've been there quite a few times and I still havent absorbed that wine list. Maybe because the list is so haphazardly organized or maybe that having nearly 3000 choices is daunting. Last time there I tried a Sherry flight which was pretty informative and a so-so Guigal flight. I see they are doing an ESJ "spotlight" in the latest listing.

Tom, I havent been to CC but sister restaurant SeaSaw is pretty good.