Things to do / Travel Guide
You may be surprised to learn that New Mexico boasts the oldest commercial wine industry in the United States. Since the early 17th century, New Mexican vineyards have been producing wine commercially, originally for the production of sacramental wine for the Spanish colonies of the New World.
Ever since its pious beginnings in Old Spanish New Mexico, the wine industry has had it ups and downs, while permanently remaining a traditional fixture of the landscape. In recent decades there has been a rebirth in the industry, and the areas around Santa Fe and Taos, in particular, have opened up many new vineyards as of late. Most offer tours and are set amongst the beautiful, high mountain country of northern New Mexico. A highlight of each winter is the Winter Wine Festival in Taos in Mid-January. The festival features a wide range of wines from all over the world and culinary delights prepared by local chefs.
Santa Fe Vineyards
One of the largest and most tourist-friendly wineries in the region, Santa Fe Vineyards is conveniently located about 20 miles north of Santa Fe. The winery sports a popular tasting room where you can sample from amongst the ten wines produced there, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, and Indian Market White. The tasting room is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Balagna Winery
High in the sky, on top of an 800-foot gorge on the Rio Grande, the tasting room of this winery offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. The Balagna Winery's classic wines produced from New Mexico grapes include a Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Riesling, and exotic blends such as Celeste Blanco and Dago Red. Make sure to try the “La Bomba Grande” wine, made to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first atom bomb test in nearby Los Alamos. The high-altitude tasting room is open to visitors daily from noon to 6 p.m.
Black Mesa Winery
Located on the famous Camino Real between Taos and Santa Fe, this vineyard is known for producing wines with distinctively Southwestern labels, with names like “Coyote” or “Antelope,” that conjure up the landscapes of northern New Mexico. The wine itself, which ranges from Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot to Zinfandel, is highly rated and sold internationally. Tours of the Black Mesa Winery are easily booked at the vineyards and the tasting room is open seven days a week.
Wineries in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado
Wineries
|
|
|