New Mexico wine: Exploring the Middle Rio Grande Valley

New Mexico has long been known as an artist’s dreamscape complete with sweeping desert valleys and craggy mountain ranges dotted with piñon pine, spiny cacti and brilliant pastel-coloured sunsets. There’s a reason it’s received the moniker Land of Enchantment but it’s more than just brilliant sunsets and high-desert vistas.

There’s quite a bit of wine history here. In fact, it’s the home of the first Vitis vinifera planted in the United States. Spanish Franciscan monks planted grapevines in the Rio Grande Valley in 1629, over 130 years before the first established California vineyards.

By the late 1800s, New Mexico flourished with grapevines, considered the state’s third most important agricultural product. Prohibition in the early 1900s hindered a resurgence of the wine industry, followed by devastating floods in the 1940s that ravaged the area. In the 1970s, the industry began to revive.

Today, New Mexico is home to three burgeoning American Viticultural Areas, including the Mesilla Valley AVA – straddling the western border of Texas – the Mimbres Valley AVA and the Middle Rio Grande Valley AVA.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for nine Middle Rio Grande Valley wines

While the Mimbres Valley is the centre of most viticulture with an estimated 405ha of vineyards near the southwestern part of the state, the Middle Rio Grande Valley, located in central New Mexico from Santa Fe to just south of Albuquerque, is the heart of wine tourism.

The landscape

The Middle Rio Grande Valley is defined by the Rio Grande and its resulting river valley, the Rio Grande Basin, and the Sandia Mountains, a range which stretches 27km from north to south just east of Albuquerque.

Soils within the Middle Rio Grande Valley are a mixture of alluvial fans from mountains and basalt deposits from isolated volcanoes and mountains to the west side of the basin.

The AVA spans nearly 113,300ha, with many vineyards planted in sandy loam soils at elevations ranging between 1,370m and 1,980m. With intense sun exposure, hot days and cool nights during the growing season, grapes can retain a desirable acidity.

The grapes

Considering its youthful history, New Mexico’s grape growers have had the luxury of experimenting with an array of varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot are relatively common throughout the state.

In the Mimbres Valley, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and various Mediterranean varieties, including Viognier, Mourvèdre and Aglianico, do well. About 72km north of Santa Fe, some producers have taken advantage of higher elevations and cooler growing conditions to plant Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Syrah and Pinot Noir.

Albuquerque and Santa Fe

Albuquerque and Santa Fe are hubs for tourist-centric wineries and tasting rooms, making it easy for locals and visitors alike to get a taste of the Land of Enchantment.

Nestled up against the western slopes of the Sandia Mountains, Albuquerque was once home to the trade routes forged by the Native American tribes of the region. The historic town offers a range of art galleries, farmers’ markets, craft breweries and wine-tasting rooms, particularly in the new Sawmill District, a market of various eateries and tasting rooms.

About an hour northeast, the historic capital city of Santa Fe is happily situated on a 2,100m plateau at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The charming old town boasts an endless selection of Southwest-inspired art galleries, furniture and jewellery shops, excellent restaurants and beautiful adobe architecture.

It was the first American city designated a UNESCO Creative City, acknowledging its place as a leader in art, crafts, design and lifestyle.

A tasting tour

There are over 50 wineries in New Mexico, and so there are plenty of options for visitors to the state and the Middle Rio Grande Valley. Here are five selections to give you a sense of the region’s depth and breadth as well as some of the state’s top quality producers.

Noisy Water Winery

Headed up by owner Jasper Riddle, this Ruidoso-based winery is considered one of the state’s most progressive and entrepreneurial producers. Riddle sources grapes mainly from the Mimbres Valley AVA and farms a few vineyards.

In 2019, he took over management of New Mexico’s historic Engle Vineyard from Gruet, originally planted in the early 1980s. Comprised of 101 total hectares, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the vineyard is the largest contiguous site in the state.

Noisy Water runs five separate tasting rooms throughout the state, including at its flagship location in Ruidoso, Cloudcroft, Red River, Alto and, more recently, Albuquerque.

Located in an old 19th-century building in the Old Town district adjacent to San Felipe de Neri Church, the new tasting room is part of a market plaza with other great shops and galleries.

Vivác

Just north of Santa Fe in the town of Dixon, Vivác Winery sits beneath the rugged sandstone cliffs of the Barrancos Blancos, which jut out over the rolling New Mexico scrub-brush terrain. Here, brothers Jesse and Chris and their respective wives Michele and Liliana Padberg farm about 7.6ha on three estate vineyards, each at elevations above 1,767m.

Among their organically-farmed varieties in this cooler part of the state are Merlot, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Riesling, and French hybrids, Léon Millot, Baco Noir and Marechal Foch.

The Padbergs also source much of their fruit from the Mimbres Valley. The 84-square-metre adobe tasting room features dynamic local art, from blown glass to oil paintings throughout the space. Walk-in tastings are welcome and reservations for larger parties are required.

Sheehan Winery

In Albuquerque’s South Valley in the Vecinos del Bosque neighbourhood, Sheehan Winery resides in the converted backyard garage of its owner, Sean Sheehan. Sourcing grapes from the three nearby vineyards, Sheehan also works with small vineyard growers across the state.

Since launching the winery in 2015, Sheehan has grown his eponymous brand to an average of about 84,000 bottles annually, offering a variety of blends and single variety selections from Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, and Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and French hybrid grape, Chambourcin.

While some tasting events may still occur at the original backyard winery, Sheehan has recently opened a more centralised tasting room in Old Town Albuquerque.

Gruet Winery

New Mexico wine is where it is now, owing to the pioneering efforts of Gruet Winery.

In 1984, Gilbert Gruet of Champagne house Gruet et Fils purchased vineyard land in Engle near the Elephant Butte Reservoir and planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He established a new winery with a focus on making traditional-method sparkling wines.

For decades Gruet has purchased the lion’s share of its fruit from California, Washington and Oregon while working with a few grape growers in New Mexico.

Gilbert’s son, Laurent Gruet, carried on his father’s legacy for many years. But in 2014, the company sold to Washington-based Precept Wine beverage company.

Gruet eventually moved on to pursue other avenues, and today, Cyril Tanazacq serves as head winemaker. The sparkling portfolio includes everything from brut, blanc de noirs, blanc de blancs and demi-sec, as well as vintage and limited-edition special releases.

The winery is in the heart of Albuquerque and includes a modern, rustic-chic tasting room. Reservations are recommended for flights of four wines for the barrel room, wine bar, lower patio or main tasting room.

Visitors to Santa Fe can also enjoy the elegant, white-washed adobe design of the Gruet Winery Tasting Room at the historic Hotel St. Francis.

Vara Winery and Distillery

Founded in 2016, Vara is the concept of winemakers Bob Lindquist and Louisa Sawyer Lindquist.

Inspired by the Spanish heritage of New Mexico, its winemaking history, and their connection to California, the couple set out to juxtapose the Old World and the New, crafting wines with grapes from Spain, California and New Mexico.

In 2020, they welcomed New Mexico wine royalty Laurent Gruet to the team to introduce a sparkling wine programme marrying American grapes with Spanish grapes.

Vara also makes still wines such as Albariño and Tempranillo, sourced from Spain and some from California. It also makes fortified wines, including Vara’s heritage project, Viña Cardinal, an aperitif made from 100% New Mexican Listán Prieto grapes, the first variety planted in the US by Spanish missionaries in 1629, and which continues to grow in the Rio Grande Valley.

Vara’s tasting room in Albuquerque offers classes and small plates of food. In addition, the team recently opened Santa Fe Vinoteca steps away from the historic Santa Fe Plaza in an adobe-style building with modern interiors featuring offerings from the winery and distillery.

Where to eat, drink and stay

Campo restaurant at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

In the heart of the Rio Grande River Valley, this historic farmstead was designed in 1932 by architect John Gaw Meem, the ‘father of Santa Fe style’.

The boutique guest lodge features 45 rooms spread across a pastoral landscape with lavender fields, flower gardens and fruit and vegetable fields. The 10ha property offers shady cottonwood trees, Spanish-tile fountains and winding walking trails.

The farm restaurant, Campo, offers a fresh daily field-to-fork menu using organic house-grown and local ingredients. Dishes include braised lamb birria with seasonal roasted vegetables, blue corn hominy and house-made Sonora White-Wheat tortillas. The extensive wine list devotes an entire page dedicated to selections from New Mexico.

Level 5 and Gruet Bubble Bar at Hotel Chaco

Featuring a selection of New Mexico wines and spirits from producers such as Gruet, Noisy Water, Vivác and Santa Fe Spirits, Level 5 enjoys a rooftop view from the fifth floor of Hotel Chaco in the city’s Sawmill district.

The menu features a broad taste of Southwestern cuisine, including quinoa, pork-stuffed piquillo peppers, grilled chicken, and vegetables with corn flan and chimayó peppers.

The outdoor patio is home to the Gruet Bubble Bar, a rooftop outpost featuring a selection of sparkling wines from the Gruet portfolio. Guests can sip and stroll the rooftop patio while enjoying the city’s best views.

While you’re there, consider a stay at the urban-chic hotel combining contemporary design with Southwest flare and featuring luxe rooms with scenic views, and a respectful nod to the heritage of the region’s indigenous peoples.

Arroyo Vino

With a playful name meaning the ‘wine ditch’, this off-the-beaten-path locale offers a fresh, creative approach to local fare. Celebrated chef Allison Jenkins integrates her classical culinary training with Mediterranean flavours to match the warmer climes of the state.

She balances the flavours of each season with dishes such as Ligurian-style braised rabbit with buckwheat polenta, roasted carrots and olives or cider-braised short rib with 45-spiced carrot purée, roasted fall vegetables, hazelnut-apple gremolata.

As the name suggests, the restaurant is also home to a well-curated wine list and a retail section featuring international selections from every corner of the world.

Terra at Four Seasons Rancho Encantado

A few kilometres from Santa Fe’s historical centre, the historic Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado is one of the region’s most peaceful retreats.

Once a working dude ranch at the turn of the century, the expansive 23ha, high desert property tucked up in the Sangre de Cristo foothills was once a hidden gem for Hollywood celebrities, including John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart.

Cosy villas offer privacy with breezy patios, luxe Southwest décor, and there are ample hiking trails and outdoor amenities throughout the property.

The hotel’s restaurant, Terra, offers stunning sunset views and features a seasonal menu with regional staple ingredients such as corn, beans, squash, chiles and bison from executive chef Jose Fernandez. Dishes include spicy green chile corn chowder, a rack of lamb with blue corn polenta, and fire-grilled ribeye steak with Chimayo chilies.

Nine wines from the Middle Rio Grande Valley

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