2016 Gruet Gilbert Grande Reserve New Mexico 750 ml

Not Carneros or Anderson Valley. Not Santa Barbara or the Sonoma Coast.

After decades of crafting fine Champagnes, the late Gilbert Gruet visited the US and found his ideal New World sparkling-wine terroir in New Mexico. His winery’s elegant, vibrant 2016 Grande Reserve proves that “Land of Enchantment” applies to the state’s wine scene too.

Crafted only in great vintages from free-run Chardonnay, vinified using the méthode traditionnelle, Gruet’s tête de cuvée has power and finesse in equal portions. Aromas of Amalfi lemon zest, yellow apple, marzipan, and tropical fruit precede a palate that explodes with cleansing acidity and carries notes of hazelnut to a lingering finish.

New Mexico might occupy the nation’s imagination as the land of green chiles, UFOs, and Route 66 diners, yet its high altitudes, sandy-loam soils, and sweeping winds have proved ideal for sparkling wine.

Gruet sources from three vineyards across the state, all well above 4,000 feet. The elevation provides coolness, and strong winds keep pests away and thin the canopies. That lets sunlight ripen grapes evenly during the day, while huge diurnal temperature swings preserve their buzzing acidity. Gruet selects only the best clusters from these sites for their Grande Reserve.
Gruet’s New Mexico story started in the 1980s, when Gilbert took his family on a vacation to the American southwest. Inspired by New Mexico’s centuries-long winemaking history, he later purchased a vineyard outside Albuquerque, and his children Laurent and Nathalie moved there to help.

Employing the same vinification as they do with their Champagnes, the Gruets have almost single-handedly put New Mexico sparkling wine on the map. The 2016 Grande Reserve is one of their finest expressions.