The 5 Best Wines from America’s Oldest Grape-Growing Region

And it’s not California.

Everyone’s feeling the American drama these days, with a tense presidential election just a few months away. We’ve already witnessed an assassination attempt, the current president drop out of the race, and singer John Legend remove every ounce of sexual tension from a Prince song (a Prince song!) at the Democratic National Convention. It’s enough to make you want to smuggle a case of wine into a cellar and hide until the November 6. But don’t. You have to vote on November 5.

But if you do want some solid American wine in the meantime, turn your attention to the nation’s oldest wine-growing region, which actually isn’t California. It’s New Mexico.

The first grape seeds were planted there in 1629 and, after a few centuries of ups and downs, it’s been a consistent wine-producing region since the Carter Administration.

I recently returned from a whistle-stop tour of various wineries in northern New Mexico, and these five uniquely American—and Native American—wines get my vote.

Photo courtesy of Mirabal Reserve by Vivác Winery.

Embudo Valley Vineyards Racecourse Red 2021, $27

This small winery is nestled next to the mighty Rio Grande. They’re certified organic and only offer natural wines, which may seem laudable, but isn’t actually that difficult to achieve here. Thanks to northern New Mexico’s climate, there’s no need to use pesticides in winemaking and the volcanic soil is already rich in minerals. The Racecourse Red 2021 is 80 percent Nebbiolo and 20 percent Petit Verdot, with bold flavors of cherry, plum and even violets, with a hint of minerality.

Mirabal Reserve by Vivác Winery Vino Rojo, $24

Robert Mirabal was born in a field hospital in the village of Embudo. A proud Pueblo, he is also a Grammy Award-winning flautist and a winemaker with immense soul. He hosted a small tasting at his magical home on the sovereign Native land of Taos Pueblo. The Vino Rojo is a creative blend of Sangiovese grapes and local New Mexican choke cherries, demonstrating a depth and a smoothness, much like its maker. He waxes poetic about the grapes that compose this wine, "This is the DNA of the grand adventure of my bloodline. It started in Central America, into the Andes, and went across into Portugal and Spain and into the Mediterranean.” The journey is worth the pour.

At his home in Taos Pueblo, Robert Mirabal explains his philosophy on winemaking, music and life overall. Photo by Kerri Allen.

La Chiripada Rio Embudo Red 2023, $30

This table red comes from the longest continuing winery in the nation’s oldest grape-growing region. La Chiripada’s Rio Embudo Red may only be a year old, but it’s already an award-winner, blending Leon Millot and DeChaunac grown in the nearby Embudo Valley with Cabernet and Zinfandel from southern New Mexico. Its berry-forward bouquet with a dash of spice leads to a juicy and velvety finish. I have to admit that its lackluster label design initially lowered my expectations, but they were quickly surpassed. This might’ve been my favorite wine of the trip. 

Entrance to La Chiripada’s tasting room in Dixon, NM. Photo by Kerri Allen.

Vivác Abbot Merlot 2021, $32

I don’t normally reach for a Merlot and I’m not entirely sure why. (Is it still the “Sideways” effect?) But this vintage is a delight. Vivác is owned and operated by two brothers and their wives, and the merry band created this berry-forward, nutty wine, at a remarkable 6,000-foot altitude in a desert state. It nabbed the Gold at the Mondial des Vins Extrême and it’s easy to see why. The global wine competition awards "heroic" wines grown in extreme conditions. It pairs well with hearty foods and offers a lot of spice and dried fruit, with a bit of acidity before an easy finish.

Vines at a 6,000-foot elevation in Dixon, NM. Photo courtesy of Vivác Winery.

Wines of the San Juan Lavender, $32 

Is lavender wine kitschy? Is it legit? I don’t know, but it’s a ton of fun. I was tickled by this purple wine served alongside a bowl of hakurei turnip bisque at Nosa, a buzzy new restaurant in Ojo Caliente. These grapes are 100 percent estate-grown and field-blended at the Wines of the San Juan vineyard, which sits just 30 miles south of the Colorado border. It’s co-fermented with three varieties of lavender flowers for a uniquely delicate wine with an irresistible bouquet.

Wines of the San Juan’s lavender wine during sunset at Nosa. Photo by Kerri Allen.

Nosa restaurant in Ojo Caliente, NM. Photo by Kerri Allen.