America's oldest wine region: high-desert vineyards along the Rio Grande and the nationally acclaimed sparkling of Gruet. Updated for 2026.
New Mexico holds a remarkable distinction: it is the oldest wine-producing region in the United States. In 1629, long before California, Franciscan monks planted the first European wine grapes in the country at a mission along the Rio Grande south of present-day Socorro, smuggling the vines in against Spanish law. Those Mission grapes took root, and wine has been made in New Mexico ever since, through centuries of boom, flood, and revival. Today the state's high-desert vineyards (most sitting between about 4,000 and 6,000 feet) stretch along the Rio Grande from the northern mountains near Taos down through Albuquerque to the southern valleys around Deming and Las Cruces, where most of the grapes grow. New Mexico's crowning achievement is sparkling wine, thanks to the nationally acclaimed Gruet, but its wineries span everything from historic high-country estates to beautiful architectural showplaces.
Below are the New Mexico wineries we recommend most, from the famous Gruet to beautiful Casa Rondena and historic northern and southern estates. Current as of October 2026.
Nationally acclaimed sparkling
New Mexico's most famous winery by far, Gruet was founded by a family from France's Champagne region who planted in the state's high desert in the 1980s, and it earned national acclaim for its traditional-method sparkling wines at remarkable value. Its Albuquerque tasting room is the essential first stop for understanding New Mexico wine.
Good to know: Tastings; Albuquerque.
Our tip: Taste the traditional-method sparkling; New Mexico's nationally acclaimed star.
A beautiful Los Ranchos estate
Set in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque along the Rio Grande, Casa Rondena is one of New Mexico's most beautiful wineries, a Tuscan-and-Spanish-inspired estate pairing well-regarded wines with stunning architecture and gardens, a destination as memorable for its setting as its bottles.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.
Our tip: Taste amid the stunning architecture and gardens; New Mexico's most beautiful estate.
New Mexico's largest producer
The Lescombes family, French winemakers with deep roots in New Mexico (formerly St. Clair), run the state's largest winery, with vineyards in the south and bistros around New Mexico. A well-established, widely available producer and an easy, food-friendly introduction to the state's wine.
Good to know: Tastings and dining; multiple locations.
Our tip: Taste the broad range with a meal; New Mexico's largest, most established producer.
A major southern grower
An Italian family's estate in Deming in southern New Mexico, Luna Rossa farms extensive vineyards in the Mimbres Valley (where much of the state's fruit grows) and makes a well-regarded, Italian-inflected range, a quality-first anchor of southern New Mexico wine.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Deming / southern New Mexico.
Our tip: Taste the Italian-inflected range; a major grower in the southern vineyards.
Historic high-country winery
One of northern New Mexico's oldest wineries, set high in the scenic Dixon area of the Rio Grande's northern reaches, La Chiripada makes estate wines at elevation, a historic, characterful stop that shows the high-country side of New Mexico wine near Taos.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Dixon / northern New Mexico.
Our tip: Taste the high-country estate wines near Taos; historic and characterful.
A northern Rio Grande favorite
A welcoming winery (and cidery) in Velarde along the northern Rio Grande between Santa Fe and Taos, Black Mesa is a longtime local favorite known for its reds and its playful Black Beauty dessert wine, a friendly, scenic stop on the high-road wine country.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Velarde / northern New Mexico.
Our tip: Taste the reds and the Black Beauty; a friendly northern Rio Grande favorite.
A small Corrales estate
A small, family-run estate in the village of Corrales along the Rio Grande near Albuquerque, Milagro grows its own grapes and makes estate-driven wines in limited quantities, a personal, quality-minded stop that reflects the agrarian charm of the middle Rio Grande.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Corrales.
Our tip: Taste the small-lot estate wines in Corrales; personal and quality-minded.
A south-central pioneer
A longtime family winery in Tularosa in south-central New Mexico, near the dramatic white dunes, Tularosa Vineyards grows its own grapes at elevation and makes a well-rounded range, a welcoming, established stop that shows yet another corner of New Mexico wine country.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Tularosa.
Our tip: Taste the estate range near the white dunes; a welcoming south-central pioneer.
New Mexico's wineries are spread along the Rio Grande corridor, so plan around a base. The easiest hub is Albuquerque, where Gruet, Casa Rondena (in Los Ranchos), Milagro (in Corrales), and a D.H. Lescombes bistro cluster within a short drive, an easy day of tasting. To the north, the scenic high road toward Taos passes Black Mesa (Velarde) and La Chiripada (Dixon); to the south around Deming and Las Cruces, Luna Rossa and D.H. Lescombes anchor the state's main grape-growing valleys. Pick a region, plan three or four stops, and visit spring through fall; the high desert is warm by day and cool at night, autumn harvest is lovely, and some smaller estates keep limited hours, so check ahead.
Do not expect a single compact wine region; New Mexico's wineries are spread across the state along the Rio Grande, so choose a base (Albuquerque is easiest) rather than trying to see it all. Do not overlook the sparkling wine, Gruet put New Mexico on the national map and is the state's signature strength. And do not assume every winery is open daily; some of the smaller, family estates keep limited hours, so confirm before you go.
Which are the best wineries in New Mexico?
A well-rounded list spans the state: the nationally acclaimed Gruet and the beautiful Casa Rondena in the Albuquerque area, the state's largest producer D.H. Lescombes, the southern grower Luna Rossa near Deming, the historic La Chiripada and the friendly Black Mesa in the northern Rio Grande, the small Milagro in Corrales, and the south-central pioneer Tularosa Vineyards.
Is New Mexico really the oldest wine region in the United States?
Yes. In 1629, Franciscan monks planted the first European wine grapes in what is now the United States at a mission along the Rio Grande south of present-day Socorro, New Mexico, smuggling the vines in against Spanish law. That is decades before winemaking took hold in California, making New Mexico the country's oldest wine-producing region, with a continuous, if turbulent, history ever since.
What wine is New Mexico known for?
Sparkling wine, above all. The nationally acclaimed Gruet, founded by a family from France's Champagne region, made New Mexico famous for traditional-method sparkling wines of real quality and value. Beyond that, the state's high-desert vineyards produce a wide range of still wines, with much of the fruit grown in the warm southern valleys around Deming and Las Cruces, and historic high-country estates in the north near Taos.
Where is New Mexico wine country?
Along the Rio Grande corridor, spread across the state. The Albuquerque area (including Los Ranchos and Corrales) is the easiest hub; the scenic high road north toward Taos passes wineries in Velarde and Dixon; and the southern valleys around Deming (Mimbres Valley) and Las Cruces (Mesilla Valley) grow most of the state's grapes. Vineyards generally sit at high elevation, roughly 4,000 to 6,000 feet.
When is the best time to visit New Mexico wineries?
Spring through fall is ideal. The high desert is warm and sunny by day and cool at night, and autumn harvest is especially lovely. Summers are hot in the southern valleys, so mornings are most pleasant there, while the northern high country near Taos is cooler. Many wineries host festivals (New Mexico has a long tradition of wine festivals), and some smaller family estates keep limited hours, so it is wise to check schedules ahead.
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