Rail Paul Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 The Gruet operation now includes an award winning winery, a steakhouse, and a grill. I'd like to check them out on my next trip to New Mexico. At 4300 ft. the vineyards are some of the highest in the United States, so regardless of how hot the days might be, the temperature at night can drop as much as thirty degrees, cooling the fruit and slowing down the maturation process on an otherwise short growing season. Sandy and loamy soil, and a lack of humidity that might contribute to rot, give us a consistency of fruit year in and year out, and allow us to produce our award winning wines without the use of pesticides. The excellent 1987 harvest allowed Laurent to produce his first two wines following the strict guidelines of a true Methode Champenoise. His Gruet Brut N.V., and his Gruet Brut Blanc de Noirs N.V. Production totaled 5000 bottles. All manual machinery had been shipped from France and the wine was produced in a small rented facility in the city of Albuquerque. In 1989, after the required minimum of two years aging on tirage, our first two sparkling wines were introduced to a very appreciative wine world. Critics and connoisseurs alike were astonished by the quality and the value. New Mexico wine was on the map! In 2005 Gruet produced 80,000 cases of wine and distributed them to 47 states. We now produce seven different sparkling wines: Brut NV (non-vintage), Blanc de Noirs NV, Rosé NV, Demi Sec NV, vintage Blanc de Blancs, vintage Grand Rosé, and Laurent's latest bubbly creation — an homage to his late, great father, and the Gruet Winery's luxury tête de cuvée — the vintage Gilbert Gruet Grande Reserve. We also produce two excellent Chardonnays and two Pinot Noirs, both with a regular bottling and an unfiltered barrel select reserve bottling. Winery Steakhouse Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rail Paul Posted September 9, 2017 Author Share Posted September 9, 2017 Gone! The Gruet people decided to stick to making sparkling wines But the steakhouse has been replaced by the Monte Vista Fire Station Restaurant, a burger, drinks, and music place. The Fire Station is a classic 1930s public works building on the east side of ABQ https://www.facebook.com/MonteVistaFireStation/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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