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New Mexico
New Mexico
You might think California started the party, but Spanish friars were fermenting fruit here way back in 1629. It combines ancient roots with dizzying altitudes for a scene that is drastically underrated and surprisingly bubbly.
You might think California started the party, but Spanish friars were fermenting fruit here way back in 1629. It combines ancient roots with dizzying altitudes for a scene that is drastically underrated and surprisingly bubbly.
You might think California started the party, but Spanish friars were fermenting fruit here way back in 1629. It combines ancient roots with dizzying altitudes for a scene that is drastically underrated and surprisingly bubbly.
What's it's about
Ancient Roots
High Desert
Scrappy Producers
While neighbors get the glory, this state holds the title for the longest winemaking history in the United States. Production isn't massive compared to the West Coast giants, but the output is mighty in character. Growers here battle intense sun and high desert elevations to craft bottles that surprise snobs and casual sippers alike. It is a scrappy survivor story that proves terroir exists everywhere.
While neighbors get the glory, this state holds the title for the longest winemaking history in the United States. Production isn't massive compared to the West Coast giants, but the output is mighty in character. Growers here battle intense sun and high desert elevations to craft bottles that surprise snobs and casual sippers alike. It is a scrappy survivor story that proves terroir exists everywhere.
While neighbors get the glory, this state holds the title for the longest winemaking history in the United States. Production isn't massive compared to the West Coast giants, but the output is mighty in character. Growers here battle intense sun and high desert elevations to craft bottles that surprise snobs and casual sippers alike. It is a scrappy survivor story that proves terroir exists everywhere.
What they're proud of
Gruet Sparklers
Heritage Vines
Bold Reds
Gruet put this place on the modern map with bubbles that rival authentic Champagne for a fraction of the price. Locals also boast about their heritage vines and the ability to ripen bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo despite the desert heat. They love pointing out that their vines were thriving over a century before California even planted its first grape.
Gruet put this place on the modern map with bubbles that rival authentic Champagne for a fraction of the price. Locals also boast about their heritage vines and the ability to ripen bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo despite the desert heat. They love pointing out that their vines were thriving over a century before California even planted its first grape.
Gruet put this place on the modern map with bubbles that rival authentic Champagne for a fraction of the price. Locals also boast about their heritage vines and the ability to ripen bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo despite the desert heat. They love pointing out that their vines were thriving over a century before California even planted its first grape.
WHAT'S TRENDING
Mediterranean Varietals
Altitude Push
Earthy Reds
Winemakers are currently obsessed with pushing the altitude limits to preserve acidity in a warming climate. You will see a surge in heat-loving Mediterranean favorites like Aglianico and Montepulciano replacing thirstier crops. Crisp sparkling wine remains the headline act, but distinct, earthy reds from the Middle Rio Grande Valley are gaining traction among somms looking for the next cool, obscure pour.
Winemakers are currently obsessed with pushing the altitude limits to preserve acidity in a warming climate. You will see a surge in heat-loving Mediterranean favorites like Aglianico and Montepulciano replacing thirstier crops. Crisp sparkling wine remains the headline act, but distinct, earthy reds from the Middle Rio Grande Valley are gaining traction among somms looking for the next cool, obscure pour.
Winemakers are currently obsessed with pushing the altitude limits to preserve acidity in a warming climate. You will see a surge in heat-loving Mediterranean favorites like Aglianico and Montepulciano replacing thirstier crops. Crisp sparkling wine remains the headline act, but distinct, earthy reds from the Middle Rio Grande Valley are gaining traction among somms looking for the next cool, obscure pour.
LOCAL TALES
The Holy Smugglers
The Holy Smugglers
The Holy Smugglers
In 1629, two Franciscan monks, Fray García de Zúñiga and Antonio de Arteaga, decided that shipping wine from Spain took way too long and tasted like vinegar by the time it arrived. Ignoring Spanish laws that banned planting vineyards in the colonies - Spain wanted to keep the monopoly, obviously - they smuggled vines into the Rio Grande Valley. They planted them at a Piro Indian pueblo south of Socorro, ostensibly for "sacramental purposes." Sure, guys. That holy loophole birthed the first wine region in what would become the United States, beating California by over a century. Next time you drink a Napa Cab, tip your hat to these rebellious friars in the high desert.
In 1629, two Franciscan monks, Fray García de Zúñiga and Antonio de Arteaga, decided that shipping wine from Spain took way too long and tasted like vinegar by the time it arrived. Ignoring Spanish laws that banned planting vineyards in the colonies - Spain wanted to keep the monopoly, obviously - they smuggled vines into the Rio Grande Valley. They planted them at a Piro Indian pueblo south of Socorro, ostensibly for "sacramental purposes." Sure, guys. That holy loophole birthed the first wine region in what would become the United States, beating California by over a century. Next time you drink a Napa Cab, tip your hat to these rebellious friars in the high desert.
The French Detour
The French Detour
The French Detour
Fast forward to the 1980s. Gilbert Gruet, a winemaker from Champagne, France, was road-tripping through the Southwest. Most people saw cactus and dust, Gilbert saw high-altitude potential, cool nights, and cheap land. It reminded him of the climate of his hometown in Bethon, just with more rattlesnakes. His family thought he was crazy to plant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the sandy desert soil, but he bought land near a town called Truth or Consequences (yes, really). Today, Gruet wines are poured in top restaurants worldwide, proving that a French visionary can turn high-altitude scrubland into America’s unlikeliest sparkling powerhouse. It is arguably the best value bubbly in the entire country.
Fast forward to the 1980s. Gilbert Gruet, a winemaker from Champagne, France, was road-tripping through the Southwest. Most people saw cactus and dust, Gilbert saw high-altitude potential, cool nights, and cheap land. It reminded him of the climate of his hometown in Bethon, just with more rattlesnakes. His family thought he was crazy to plant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the sandy desert soil, but he bought land near a town called Truth or Consequences (yes, really). Today, Gruet wines are poured in top restaurants worldwide, proving that a French visionary can turn high-altitude scrubland into America’s unlikeliest sparkling powerhouse. It is arguably the best value bubbly in the entire country.
The Great Washout
The Great Washout
The Great Washout
By the late 1800s, this state was pumping out over a million gallons of wine, thriving as a major producer. Then nature got angry. A massive series of floods along the Rio Grande, particularly a devastating one in 1943, wiped out vineyards that had stood for generations. Combined with the hangover of Prohibition, the industry practically vanished into the mud. It sat dormant for decades, a ghost of its former self, until a revival in the late 1970s brought it back from the dead. It is the ultimate comeback story, proving you can wash away the vines, but you can’t wash away the history.
By the late 1800s, this state was pumping out over a million gallons of wine, thriving as a major producer. Then nature got angry. A massive series of floods along the Rio Grande, particularly a devastating one in 1943, wiped out vineyards that had stood for generations. Combined with the hangover of Prohibition, the industry practically vanished into the mud. It sat dormant for decades, a ghost of its former self, until a revival in the late 1970s brought it back from the dead. It is the ultimate comeback story, proving you can wash away the vines, but you can’t wash away the history.
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