By Richard Ruelas | The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com
A pair of sisters whose plan for a combination brewery and winery in southern Arizona was thwarted by liquor laws can now draw up blueprints and buy brewing equipment.
The governor signed legislation last week allowing such operations.
Megan Haller and Shannon Zouzoulas, co-owners of Arizona Hops and Vines in Sonoita, had already planted a vineyard and hop field when they discovered that state law prevented the operation of both a brewery and a winery on the same piece of land. The Republic told their story in January.
Legislation reversing that rule was introduced in the state Senate in March. Gov. Jan Brewer signed it into law on Thursday.
“Never in a thousand years did we think things would move this quickly,” Zouzoulas said.
The sisters had long dreamed about opening a winery. So when the two found themselves in coinciding midlife crises, they decided to take the gamble. They opened their winery in March 2012.
