If you find yourself in Santa Fe, there are so many ways your life could change! You could have a spiritual awakening in the desert, you could find a new love for the southwest lifestyle, or you could fall in love with the New Mexico version of Champagne.

Do you love Champagne as much as we do? Or are you one of those people who enjoys bubbles at NYE and weddings only? Either way, you are in good company. About 50% of wine club members are or better yet, were, in the “special occasions” category of champagne drinkers. On one of our recent trips to Santa Fe, we found an amazing tasting room, serving only champagne method sparkling, inside of the Hotel St. Francis. https://gruetwinery.com/visit-santa-fe It belongs to Gruet, whose primary winery is located in Albuquerque. The tasting room is small, with an amazing patio, that feels like a secret garden. The staff are wonderful, and all the wines are sold by the glass. We recommend stopping for a flight or two. If you are together with a partner, get two flights and compare. The variety is amazing and you can really start to understand the differences when they are side by side. Just off the plaza, this is a must do pit stop after a long day of shopping!

After you enjoy the tasting room, you will want to go to the winery for a full tour. A little about Gruet. The winemaker, Laurent Gruet, learned from his father, Gilbert Gruet, the art of making Champagne. The family moved to New Mexico, from France in 1984 and began the winery shortly after making all of their bubbles in the traditional champagne method. The winery is located just off the interstate, and has an Urban Winery feel, since there is no vineyard onsite. https://gruetwinery.com/visit-us Nevertheless, once you step inside, you are imported to an amazing winemaking experience.

Gruet produces a nice handful of spectacular sparkling wines all at prices that are very reasonable. $20-$30 a bottle. You can check out all of their wines here, https://gruetwinery.com/our-wines , but our favorites begin with the Sauvage line. They have a Blanc de Blanc (100% Chardonnay) and a Rosé. Both have no dosage, or extra sugar, and both are crisp, dry and dance in the mouth. This is our go-to! The Brut and Brut Rosé are the variety most found in your local wine shop, and they really hold up well. All of these champagnes have the same minerality, crispness and body that you would find in many French counterparts, but at half the cost.

You came all this way, so you should definitely give their still wines a try! If you do love bubbles, you know that many sparkling producers try to bottle still wines and do it poorly and vice versa. I recently heard a Texas wine producer was going to start producing bubbles, bad idea, but I digress. In this case, Gruet has shown their skill with two wines I like to serve to my wine snob friends. The Red Blend and the Reserve Barrel Aged Pinot. The Red Blend is a big wine. If you like a cab or a big jammy wine, you’re going to be right at home with this Bordeaux style wine that blends Merlot, Cabernet and Cab Franc to create a smooth, fruity, bold wine with tobacco and earth notes. The Reserve Pinot is not always around, so if you find it, pick up a case! The regular Pinot is decent…. but this reserve Pinot has an intense oak bomb at the outset and an elegant finish that coats the mouth. If you like a soft Pinot, this is not your wine. His wine has a lot of complexity, super tannins, subtle fruit and body that persists. That means you can enjoy it with steak!

We love Gruet! So remember, if you are in Santa Fe, head one block off the plaza to the tasting room. And if you find yourself in Albuquerque take an Uber to the winery. We promise a life changing experience. Bubbles lovers, you will find a new friend, and “occasion-ers” you will understand why we drink champagne daily! Cheers!