Mesilla Valley Wine

The Mesilla Valley AVA in southern New Mexico, shared with neighboring El Paso, Texas, is one of the warmest wine-growing regions in the United States. The Rio Grande floodplain provides sandy, well-drained soils, and the region's low elevation relative to other New Mexico wine areas means hotter summers and longer growing seasons. Spanish varieties like Tempranillo and Grenache are the natural fit, alongside Italian varieties like Barbera and Montepulciano. The wines tend to be fuller-bodied and more generously fruity than those from the higher-elevation Albuquerque corridor. Las Cruces, the region's hub, is an university town with a growing food and drink culture that supports the area's modest wine industry.