Maynard James Keenan Advocates to Grow AZ Wine Industry

Arizona wants to make more wine. And if Maynard James Keenan, frontman of alt-metal bands Tool and A Perfect Circle, gets his way, they will. According to Roll Call, he has been advocating for “legislative efforts to grow the [wine] industry” in Arizona alongside Republican congressman Paul Gosar who represents Keenan’s Verde Valley region where he owns Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards. The Arizona Wine Growers Association estimates that “wine tourism brings in about $37.6 million in economic activity to the state. Indirect business taxes provide about $5.9 million in taxes.” The two are convinced that Northern Arizona is an interesting place to make wine, which seems to be shared by the 87 wineries now in operation—a doubling in number since 2011. [Roll Call]