Team C&J
This Winery Is Permanently Closed.
Winery Rating
Located at:
8400 Pan American Fwy NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113, USA
Wine Club Rating
Price Range For Tasting
Craving a glass of exceptional sparkling wine? Who would have thought you could find one of the best sparkling wine houses in America in New Mexico?! Gruet Winery’s inviting tasting room in Albuquerque offers a wonderful wine tasting experience for those new to wine or experienced enthusiasts.
Sip crisp, elegant wines on their charming patio, or cozy up inside in the Southwestern-themed tasting room. Friendly servers and a relaxing atmosphere make Gruet the perfect spot to unwind and try some great local wines. Keep reading to discover why this New Mexico winery is a must-visit for anyone visiting Albuquerque!
Gruet Winery is a New Mexico-based winery that produces sparkling wine and still wine. The winery was founded in 1984 by Gilbert Gruet, who already had a boutique Champagne house in his native France (Gruet et Fils). New Mexico might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of wine, but the winery produced its first vintage in 1989, and opened what is now the most popular wine tasting room in Albuquerque in 1993.
Despite its large size, (Gruet produces over 200,000 cases of wine a year), Gruet Winery does not own its own vineyards. It contracts from three sources in New Mexico: Luna Rossa Vineyard, Engle Vineyard, and Tamaya Vineyard.
Winemaker Carrie Gurule also uses grapes from Washington and California.
Gruet Albuquerque Tasting Room Gruet Winery’s Albuquerque Tasting Room has a lovely Southwestern charm to it. You can sit on the patio under umbrellas, or inside in the comfortable tasting room. There is also a small library seating area and a mini barrel room.
Not visiting Albuquerque but still want to try a wine tasting at Gruet? The winery also has a Tasting Room in Sante Fe.
Several tasting room experiences are available at Gruet Winery. You may from:
Indoor Seating
Patio Seating
The Grand Cru Private Lounge
Private Fireside Patio Experience (if you book a party of 6+ guests, you will have your own private patio!)
For guests who want a traditional tasting, the indoor or patio option is great. Reserving the Grand Cru Lounge or a Fireside Patio also gives you the option of ordering cocktails, in addition to wines by the glass and the bottle.
Like any good sparkling wine house, Gruet offers a caviar tasting to pair with your bubbles! We could not resist this option – how can you pass on delicious salty caviar with all of the accompaniments and well-crafted sparkling wine?!
Choose from:
Golden Osetra: $110
Classic Osetra: $85
Smoked Trout Roe: $50
Check out our photos. The presentation rivals that of wine tasting experiences in Napa Valley!
This experience is offered at both the Albuquerque and Santa Fe locations.
On our visit, we tried a Custom Flight and a Flagship Flight. Our server, Jordan, was excellent, and was very knowledgeable about both the still and sparkling wines. What really stood out to us was how nice the sparkling wines are for the price. They were crisp, elegant, and we truly
enjoyed sipping them.
Custom Winemaker’s Flight
2018 Blanc de Blanc, $36
We did not think we’d find a sparkling wine like this in New Mexico: elegant, complex, and balanced. A nice toasted brioche finish, too.
2018 Gilbert Gruet Grande Reserve, $48
Gruet’s premium sparkling wine, this bottle is an ode to founder Gilbert, and is made with 100% Chardonnay grapes. Pleasant citrus and peach define the palate.
2020 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, $48
An interesting Cabernet made with Napa grapes in New Mexico. Dark berry fruit, oak and a touch of spice.
2020 Coombsville, Cabernet Sauvignon, $54
A nice wine with soft tannins. This bottling is forward with the red fruit and spice.
Flagship Flight
Sauvage NV, $22
Delicate, dry and full of minerality.
Blanc de Blanc NV, $17
A rich, non-vintage sparkling wine with notes or brioche, crisp green apple and tropical fruit.
Brut NV, $15
A versatile sparkler with nice notes of citrus and a zippy minerality.
Blanc de Noir NV, $17
A beautiful peach color in the glass, the palate is rich with berries and cream.
While reservations are recommended for busy days, or if you’re visiting the tasting room with a group of six or more guests, you can also walk-in and enjoy Gruet’s delicious New Mexico sparkling wines.
Both the Sante Fe and Albuquerque locations have a wonderful line-up of wine events each month. The Sunday Mimosa Brunch and Patio Pairings (wine paired with summer dishes) are very popular.
Do visit Gruet Winery’s tasting room if you are in Albuquerque. This spot made our day, and the wines are so reasonably priced – in addition to being very good! If New Mexico allowed wine corkage, we would absolutely have taken a bottle of Gruet to our dinner at Campo restaurant!
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