Kenneth E. Harker
2005 New Mexico Wineries

We visited two New Mexico wineries in August, 2005. Both Casa Rondeña Winery and Gruet Winery are located in the greater Albuquerque area. We were able to visit both in the same afternoon. My personal favorite from Casa Rondeña was their Cabernet Franc, the original red wine varietal that the winery has focused on since they started the business in 1996. All of Gruet's sparkling wines were good, if you like sparkling wine, but their still wines did not impress me.

These photos are copyright © 2005 Kenneth E. Harker. All rights reserved.

	Casa Rondeña Winery was a very attractive estate located on a small road in the suburban town of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.
	Vines surround the several buildings of the winery, and were close to being harvested. These are Viognier vines.
	This is the front of the tasting room and reception building on the estate. It is typical of Southwestern/New Mexican architecture.
	Behind the tasting room building was a patio that looked out on this small pond and lawn.
	Between two rows of the Viognier vines, the winery has set up an intimate dining area for two.
	Some of the bunches of Viognier, a white wine grape. I'm not sure how close they are to harvest.
	A small rosebush was planted at the end of each row of grapes in the vineyard. Roses are very sensitive to some of the same pests and diseases that might affect the grape vines, so they can provide early warning to the farmer about potential trouble in the vineyard.
	Another major building at the Casa Rondeña Winery estate. This winery does a lot of business in weddings and events.
	The Gruet Winery building is simply the most spectacularly ugly winery I've ever been to. This one building houses the entire business, and it is right on the frontage road of IH-25 in Albuquerque.
	The winery had a token plot of four or five short rows of vines between the parking lot and the business next door. Odds are that these are Pinot Noir, although I didn't actually ask.