Tularosa Vineyards
NEWSLETTER
SPRING 2003
WHERE’s the GRapes?
One of the many questions people ask us from time
to time passing through our winery is: Where’s the
grapes? And it is a very important question indeed.
Because, curious wine lovers are intrigued to learn
more about grape growing in New Mexico. First of
all Tularosa Vineyards has approximately 7.5 acres
of grapes under our direct cultivation. In addition,
we purchase grapes from other New Mexico grape
growers mostly from the Tularosa Basin area as well
as some from the Deming area and the number is
always growing to supplement the ever increasing
demand. All of our wines carry a New Mexico
appellation that means by law that at least 76% of
our wines are made from New Mexico grapes.
However, 100% of Tularosa Vineyards wines are
made from New Mexico grown grapes. Here are
some other common misconceptions about
grapevines and grapegrowing in New Mexico:
Myth: Grapes need a lot of water.
Fact: Wine grapes only require 16 to 30 inches of
available water for full production. Most of southern
New Mexico recieves between 6 to 13 inches of annual
rainfall and the rest is supplemetnted with the use of
drip irrigation. Drip irrigation allows the growers to
control the amount of moisture thus controlling the
quality and vigor of the wine grapes.
Myth: It’s too hot in New Mexico for winegrapes.
Fact: Wine grape varieties thrive on intense sunlight to
ripen the grapes. New Mexico is also one of the highest
altitude winegrowing regions in the world. Most of
New Mexico’s winegrapes are grown at 4,000 feet or
higher above sea level. The high altitude is good for a
very invigorating cooling effect on the winegrapes that
help them retain acidity. The end result: intense
sunlight = sugar and cool nights = good acid balance
and the end result is very flavorful wine!
Myth: Wine is only a recent thing to New Mexico.
Fact: New Mexico has been growing grapes and
making wine since at least 1629. The very same
winegrape variety (the mission grape) that started
California’s wine industry was already thriving in New
Mexico 100+ years before California’s vineyards were
ever established. Wine was not a small industry in New
Mexico either and at one time during the 1880’s New
Mexico was listed as the 5th largest producer of wine in
the U.S. with production around 1million gallons of
wine.
VOLUME 2
Upcoming Wine Festivals
Wine lovers in New Mexico definitely know that summer
is just around the corner, because of the always well
attended wine festivals held throughout New Mexico.
And since Tularosa Vineyards attends all of them we will
list the upcoming ones for your information.
MEMORIAL DAY: ONE WEEKEND, TWO FESTIVALS!
Southern New Mexico Wine Festival (formerly Wine &
Chile War Festival)
Southern NM Fairgrounds, Las Cruces
Memorial Day weekend - May 24, 25 & 26th
Albuquerque Wine Festival
NM Golf Academy at Balloon Fiesta Park
Memorial Day weekend - May 24, 25 & 26
Another medal!
Recently Tularosa Vineyards won a Silver medal with
our 2001 Sangiovese in the Grand Harvest Awards an
international competition. With more than 1400
wineries from around the world competing we feel it only
bodes well for the future of New Mexico wine.
In T
ular
osa it’
Tular
ularosa
it’ss made in the shade
shade.
Hammers are pounding away to create more room
for our ever increasing amount of visitors to the
Tularosa Vineyards tasting room. A new 32 x 20 or
640 square foot covered redwood deck will allow
even more people to sample our world class wines in
a beautiful environment. With our many days of
sunny weather and clear blue skies, the covered deck
will allow Tularosa Vineyards wine lovers to have it
made in the shade. Of course, we are very excited
about the future expanded possibilities this will allow
in the future. Think big barbeques with plenty of
good New Mexico wine and good company.