MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN: Winemaker / Singer

By Stuart Pigott - last revision: 14.11.26

I first saw Maynard James Keenan perform live in New York City back in 2015, and since then I’ve seen him sing with all three of his groups - Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer - many times, SO I'M A FAN LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHERS. What re my favorite songs? I love Tool’s Sober, A Perfect Circle’s Eat the Elephant, Puscifer’s The Humbling River, and I'm currently slowly sinking into the new Puscifer album, Normal Isn't. But the real reason for this story about MJK is that he’s also one of the most important winemakers in Arizona.

Thursday, 29th October, 2026 in Berlin

“Winemaking is chaos; rock music is chaos too. You don’t want to get into either of them if you can’t take chaos!” flashes through my mind as my wife Alexandra and I enter Hot Spot Restaurant and we’re warmly greeted by MJK, live in Berlin (and Puscifer)! I remember how he said those words as he drove a converted cop car - a kind of low-tech Batmobile - along a Lost Highway south of Tucson/Arizona at dusk in November, 2014. I was on a tour of the wine country and wineries of Arizona for journalists that he’d organized, and it was the first time we’d met. As soon as we got to our hotel in Tucson I hurried to my room and went online to finally hear some of MJK's music, because I’d deliberately avoided listening before meeting him, according to the motto: DON’T INFLUENCE THE JURY! Since then, I’ve closely followed the progress of this unique winemaker / singer.

The official purpose of this evening’s meeting is to taste half a dozen of MJK’s wines to get back up to speed on them, and this happened a bunch of times over the last decace. However, this evening’s also going to be an exchange of ideas, like every other one of our meetings was. Past key subjects he raised included: how self-anointed financial advisers end up looking like they're wearing diapers and bunny ears; how the music business is now financed by live performances and not album sales (the opposite of how it used to be); how wine in Arizona is so rewarding, because he's helping to build an industry; Hunter S. Thompson (good); Bad Drugs; Bad Wine...

“Rule One: be nice to other people Rule Two: don’t eat other people’s shit!” I remember him saying that to me and the other journos back in November, 2014. At the time I wasn’t sure whether it was a direct reference to Our Group, Journalists as a Species, or the Entire Known Universe. Now, I’d say it was applicable to all those groups, and remains so.

„In Arizona we are trying so hard to win whatever we can and the egos are outweighing the mission,“ MJK says from the safest seat in the house, Pedro, his head of security sitting opposite him scanning the restaurant for trouble, but finding Absolutely Fuck All. I’m sure that what MJK said referrs to some of his winemakers colleagues in Arizona, but frankly this also applies elswhere on Planet Wine. „The focus should not be on what grape varieties you want to grow, rather what grows well.“ Eaxtly! 

MJK’s approach to winemaking is one of radical pragmatism, and his first working principal is adaptation to the actual growing conditions; forget all flights of fancy! He once gave a lecture on the importance of friction, which happens whenever you or I rub against the world as we are all bound to do. MJK strikes me as being a prophet of the complete acceptance of friction, then directing its energy to creative purposes. I think you can find these kind of ideas in his songs as well - Yes, FINALLY THE SONGS GOT A MENTION.

Of course, the conditions for winegrowing in Arizona aren’t mild and it is no place for the meek. However, if you think that heat and drought are the big problems, think again. The vineyards are situated at high altitude, often 1,000 meters plusand sometimes as much as 1,500 meters above sea level (for example MJK's Nagual del Judith vineyard close to Jerome), both the North and South of the state. Phoenix, the capital and point of AZ-orientation for the rest of America and the world, sits roughly in the middle at just over 300 meters, in a wide bowl. For much of the year the days in Phoenix are brutally hot, and it's not much better at night. In the wine country it's significantly cooler during the day and much cooler at night. Hard as it may be to believe, the biggest danger for the vineyards is actually rain. The Monsoon Season can begin any time from the 15th June and continues through September, meaning that there can be heavy rain during the harvest period…like in Europe! THIS IS NOT CALIFORNIA!

„So, we ask ourselves about each grape variety: 1) How easy is it to farm?; 2) How generous does it crop?; 3) How impressive is the wine?; 4) How well does it work with other grape varieties in blends? For example, Barbera grows and crops well,but isn’t great by itself, but it’s a great blender.“ And this is very relevant to our tasting, because Onesto is a blend of Barbera with Malvasia Bianca. I remember being very struck in the vineyards during that first trip to Arizona how healthy and vigorous the Malvasia Bianca vines were. For Alexandra the idea of blending this aromatic white into serious reds is as strange as it probably is for you. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! For MJK Malvasia Bianca, "tics all 4 boxes."   

“I’m not delusional, Nebbiolo could fail, because that’s the track record. However, if we can pull a white rabbit out of a hat and make it work here we’ll go with that,“ was how MJK described the most famous red grape variety of Piemont to me back in June 2015. It turns out that the Arizona Top Hat of Winemaking contained some beautiful white rabbits, as we find out when we reach the two Nebbiolos MJK brought with him on the Puscifer tour in what looks like the Most Indestructible Box in the Known Universe. I never encountered a white rabbit like the Caduceus Cellars  Nebbiolo Nagual del Judith  2018 before. It's easily the most stunning Nebbiolo I ever tasted from outside the grape’s homeland and as compelling as Schism, the amazing Tool song. OMG, I MENTIONED THE MUSIC AGAIN!

Saturday, 14th November, 2026 in Eppstein/Taunus

Back home and all the excitment is now WAY BEHIND US. After the evening with MJK in Hot Spot, came the Puscifer concert followed by a backstage conversations with MJK about a Georgian red from the Saperavi grape I brought for him to try, hellos to Carina Round and Gunnar Olsen of Puscifer, plus Dave Hill of...well, the one only Dave Hill. Today was all normality in our beautiful, but boring town somewhere close to Frankfurt: laundry, food shopping and the erratic search for inspiration...

I just looked in the cellar and pulled out a couple of bottles from Caduceus Cellars. That's the label for the wines MJK makes himself in The Bunker, the winery integrated with his house. The wines made by his team according to his directions go under the Merkin Vineyards label. He likes systems, and so do I.

I am particularly curious about one of these wines, the Caduceus Cellars Garnacha  Airavata 2019, because I tasted a barrel sample of it at The Bunker at the end of January, 2020. Back then I was struck by its lightning strike freshness and clarity of flavour; remarkable because hail struck the vineyard shortly before the harvest. In the world of wine FRICTION doesn't get more intense than that,and coping with this kind of Big Trouble requires extreme adaptation. Suddenly, MJK smartphone buzzed and when he looked at the screen he smiled mildly and said, "Tool just won a Grammy. Champagne tonight!"

11 wines tasted on three different occasions on two continents. Bubbles, dry white, then rosé and FINALLY RED, so you may need scroll to find what lights your fire.

SPARKLING

Caduceus Cellars  Arizona  Pet Nat  Trial Series  NV - ??% / Smooth and gentle with plenty of yellow apple and pear. Juicy with tingling bubbles and just a hint of dryness giving backbone. Yes, Pet Nat is all about no-brainer-drinkability, but with a bit of time in the glass and the mind this develops an orange blossom character, so hang in there! A cuvée of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Malvasia Bianca that were co-fermented. 91 (SP)

DRY WHITES

Caduceus Cellars  Yavapai County, Arizona  Dos Ladrones  2021 - 12.5% / This really shows the progess that Maynard has made with dry white wine vinifcation during the last years. Delicious! Medium-bodied with moderate acidity, but crisp and fresh at five years of age. Fascinating aromas of nectarine, Mandarine orange, jasmine, sushi ginger. A 50:50 blend of Chardonnay and Malvasia Bianca from the Eliphante Block vineyard that was feremented in stainless steel, then matured in a mix of steel 500 liter oak casks. 93 (SP)

DRY ROSÉ

Caduceus Cellars  Yavapai County, Arizona  Nebbiolo Lei Li Rosé   2023 - 13.2% / Way more than just another rosé, this is closer to what the Spanish call Rosato, meaning a deep pink/pale red wine with some grip. There’s a touch of richness in the middle, but the finish is emphatically dry and elegant. From the Eliphante Block vineyard, the grapes were whole cluster pressed, then it was feremented in concrete tanks and matured in 500 liter oak casks. 92 (SP)

RED CUVÉES

Caduceus Cellars  Yavapai County, Arizona  Le Cortigiane Onesto  2024 - 14% / Dark and fleshy, but with crisp tannins and a lively acidity, this is seriously delicious from the moment it hits the glass, but thos who are patient will also experience its floral beauty. The touch of blood orange at the end really makes it sing! An eccentric cuvée of 80% Barbera with 20% Malvasia Bianca from the Eliphante Block that did submerged cap fermentation, then was matured in French oak barriques and 500 liter oak casks for 18 months. 93 (SP)

Merkin Vineyards  Willcox, Arizona  Chupacabra  2023 - 12.6% / This fresh and tasty light red reminds me of what I’m going to call "old-fashioned Chianti" before these wines became deep in colour with ample tannins. The thread of earthiness running through the red cherry fruit pulls you back for more. You could serve it slightly chilled like a Beaujolais, and in spite of my that the wine is primarily from the Mediterranean grapes Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre. From the Buhl Memorial Vineyard in the south of Arizona. 91 (SP)

Caduceus Cellars  Yavapai County, Arizona  Primer Paso  2022 - 13.5% /  What a dangerously charming wine. Vibrant redcurrant, cherry and cranberry aromas, but also a slew of floral notes, even some jasmine…in a red! I love the brightness, vitality and the crunchy texture on the palate. Long finish that’s tingling with spice. An eccentric cuvée of 75% Syrah, 20% Malvasia Bianca and 5% Durif from the Elephante Black vineyard.  94 (SP)

GARNACHA REDS

Caduceus Cellars  Yavapai County, Arizona  Garnacha  Airavata  2019 - 13.6% / A maelstrom of red berries, savoury and forest floor aromas plus a crisp acidity aren't exactly what you expect for a wine from a semi-dessert region, but the base of velvet tannins deftly anchors all this. And as it aerates notes of cherry, bitter chocolate and anise rise up from the abyss of things past. 93 (SP)

NEBBIOLO REDS

Caduceus Cellars  Yavapai County, Arizona  Nebbiolo  Pacienca  2024 - 13.4% / The aromas of liquorice, star anise, orange peel and violets  are wonderfully fascinating. Although only medium-bodied it has an ample, but well-crafted tannin structure, and the bass has some real power. From the Eliphante Block vineyard, this did open top and submerged cap fermentation, then was matured in French oak barriques and 500 liter oak casks for 18 months. 94 (SP)

Caduceus Cellars  Yavapai County, Arizona  Nebbiolo  Nagual del Judith  2018 - 13.2% / The greatest Nebbiolo from outside its Italian homeland I ever encountered! So subtly floral in the nose - think rose petals and hibiscus! -  with delicate notes of dry forest floor, orange peel and red berries. But all that beauty doesn’t prepare you for the way its combo of fine tannins and richness weaves filigree patterns all over your mind. Lingers oh so long! From the terraced Judith vineyard site at 1,500 meters altitude close to the ghost town of Jermone. Open top and submerged cap fermentation, then matured in French oak 500 liter casks for 18 months. 98 (SP)

TEMPRANILLO REDS

Caduceus Cellars Yavapai County, Arizona  Tempranillo  Nagual del Judith  2019 - 13.5% / So deep and intense with powerful yet plush tannins this spirals out into savoury darkness. And there’s also a meaty-gamey element that’s wound tightly right into the very core. And the velvet carpet finale extends out towards the horizon. From the terraced Judith vineyard site at 1,500 meters altitude close to the ghost town of Jermone. Open top and submerged cap fermentation, then matured in French oak 500 liter casks for 18 months. 96 (SP)

Caduceus Cellars Yavapai County, Arizona  Tempranillo  Sancha   2018 - 13.5% / Warm and meaty, the beautifully ripe blackberries enveloping you in their dark embrace. There's a great milk chocolate and cocoa powder dimension to this microcomos of plush power. The lingering hint of clove is just another ingredient in this wine's witches' cauldron. 94 (SP)