You’re in the Page Springs Cellars wine club and your own cellar is stocked with vintages from Los Milics Vineyards and Dos Cabezas WineWorks. Now there’s another way to show your support for Arizona wine: the Verde Valley Wine Country specialty license plate. The brainchild of Verde Valley Wine Consortium board member Danusia Szumowski, it bears a pastoral illustration by local artist Sterling West designed to honor “the beauty, agricultural character and cultural identity of our wine region,” Szumowski says. Each $25 license plate purchase directs $17 toward the consortium and its goals of sustainable vineyard practices and viticultural education. 

 We chatted with Szumowski to learn more about the origins of the specialty plate and exactly whom it will benefit. 

 How did this initiative come about?  

 I came up with the idea for the Verde Valley Wine Country license plate because I saw the need for a sustainable, year-over-year funding source to support the Verde Valley Wine Trail and the agricultural growth of our region’s vineyards. The wine industry in the Verde Valley is expanding rapidly, and we needed a mechanism that would grow alongside it. 

 With that vision, I brought the idea to the Verde Valley Wine Consortium Board, and together we began the multi-year process of turning it into a state-authorized specialty license plate. I partnered closely with consultant Tom Pitts, who helped me present the concept at the State Capitol and navigate the legislative process. We were fortunate to secure Representative Selina Bliss as the primary sponsor of the bill, along with co-sponsors in both the House and Senate, including Representative Quang Nguyen and Senator Ken Bennett. Their leadership and advocacy were essential to successfully passing the legislation. 

 Once the bill was approved, the project went into the official process that governs specialty plates. This involved ADOT and MVD reviews, compliance with statutory requirements and final approval of the plate design and color scheme. 

 Speaking of the design, will you please explain the elements of the illustration and their significance? 

 Every design element has meaning. The red-rock silhouette represents the iconic Sedona and Verde Valley formations that define the landscape. The vineyard rows symbolize our agricultural foundation and the rapidly expanding viticulture of the Verde Valley. The sunset-inspired palette reflects the natural beauty and warm hues of Northern Arizona evenings. The grape cluster honors the unity of our wine community and our American Viticultural Area (AVA) status. 

 Sterling created a design that is both visually striking and deeply rooted in our region’s history, agriculture and sense of place. 

 How does the financial aspect work? 

 Arizona specialty plates cost an additional $25 per year—$8 goes to ADOT as the state-mandated administrative fee and $17 is donated annually to the Arizona Wine Trail Special Plate Fund, benefiting the Verde Valley Wine Consortium.

These funds directly support marketing and expansion of the Verde Valley Wine Trail; agricultural development, including water-efficient vineyard practices; responsible-drinking initiatives within the industry; wine-education partnerships, including the Southwest Wine Center; and economic development efforts tied to the region’s AVA status. 

A standard Arizona license plate does not contribute to any nonprofit or agricultural initiative—so choosing this plate directly supports our community every year. 

Can you talk a bit more about how this connects to agriculture and sustainability? 

This is fundamentally an agricultural bill, not just a tourism initiative. The legislation requires that funds benefit a nonprofit entity with more than 20 winery members located in an AVA “that has vineyards that are examples of sustainable practices, making grapes an even more efficient water crop.” It also requires that funds promote “water-friendly vineyard development” and support professionals working to advance responsible drinking.  

 This plate exists to strengthen our region’s agricultural framework—supporting vineyard growth, water conservation and sustainability across the Verde Valley AVA. 

What is the economic impact of the wine industry in the Verde Valley and in Arizona at large? 

 The 2021 Northern Arizona University “Economic Impact Study of the Arizona Wine Industry” highlighted the enormous economic potential of Arizona’s wine regions. According to the study, the Arizona wine industry generated more than $155 million in total economic output, created more than 1,000 jobs and drove tens of millions of dollars in tourism-related spending. 

 The Verde Valley is one of the fastest-growing wine regions in the state, contributing significantly to this overall impact. Local tasting rooms, vineyards and events attract visitors year-round and help diversify the region’s rural economy. 

 As our AVA continues to gain national recognition, the specialty license plate becomes a powerful tool to support long-term economic development and agricultural sustainability. This plate is more than a keepsake—it’s an investment in the future of Arizona agriculture, sustainability and wine tourism.