May 12: Vivac Winery
vineyards in New Mexico? yes!
Welcome to Postcards from New Mexico! Every Sunday, I share beauty, stories, and culture from this region that has been my home since 2008.
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Okay, I can guess what you’re thinking — vineyards in New Mexico? Huh? France, California, sure…. but how can there be wineries in a desert?
One of the Postcards of New Mexico themes has been highlighting the unexpected. And yes, there are wineries here! Remember this is high desert, punctuated with many kinds of life-giving waterways: rivers, creeks, artesian wells, and acequias for irrigation. The water plus the dry climate make it a perfect place to grow grapes.
Wine making has a long history in New Mexico, in fact it goes back farther than anywhere else in the United States! In 1629, Fray Garcîa de Zuñiga and Antonio de Arteaga smuggled vines out of Spain and planted grapes in a field south of Socorro (in the middle part of the state). At the time, Spain banned grape exports so this was a rebellious act, but one with positive consequences. Soon churches all over the region began planting and cultivating vineyards and by 1633, New Mexican viticulture had taken hold. Now there are more than 40 wineries and vineyards in the state.
Vivac Winery is one of my favorites. It’s situated on NM-68, the main road between Santa Fe and Taos, just north of where you’d turn to get to the little village of Dixon. The setting is gorgeous and you can relax on their patio, enjoying a glass of one of their great handcrafted wines such as Tempranillo while gazing at the vineyards and the foothills.
