La Chiripada Winery

Same as before but better. Call it age, maybe the wine or us. Same girl, same place, new perspective. Wines were solid, people were great, place is well maintained and unique and went home with glasses again and a bottle of the jammy Embudo Red. Don't know why I didn't give this place five stars the first time. Thanks for what you do!

Not sure what just happened, but that was not a pleasant experience. The winemaker was rude, not warm and we couldn't leave fast enough. Even after we bought a bottle. Still can't wrap my head around what we did to deserve sub par service. You are better doing wine tasting for this vineyard at Blue Heron, where the locals and employees are delightful!

La Chiripada Winery is a beautiful little winery in Dixon, New Mexico. An easy drive from Taos, it was worth the trip. It is a small vineyard that sources most of their grapes from Deming, New Mexico. Katie Hagan is not only the Tasting Room Director, but she is also the winemaker. While not classically trained, she has an excellent palette and is putting together some amazing stuff. Here, you cannot buy a bottle or a glass, but you can taste everything for free. They have a tremendous selection. Tasting won't be free in the end - I don't see how you can leave this place without some wine. We are taking 6 bottles on the plane home, which were super well packed by the winery. I cannot recommend this winery enough. As a California girl, this is worth the trip. A casual, counter top tasting with the wine maker - yes, please!

We stumbled across this cute winery on our way to Taos. It wasn't the easiest to find, tucked away in an unassuming back road. But what a treasure, One of the oldest wineries in New Mexico. The selection of red wines was great with complexity of character and fruit forward flavors reminiscent of some of the best wines in Sonoma California. The atmosphere was cozy and the hostess was very friendly and knowledgeable, she really made our tasting experience memorable.

How can one not do a wine trekking adventure in New Mexico without stopping at the oldest winery in the state? This small family run winery in the Rio Embudo Valley was founded by Michael and Patrick Johnson. Named after the original site ranch meaning "stroke of luck", they have transformed this ponderosa into a top-notch wine producing winery. Vines were originally planted on the estate in 1977 and the tasting room was opened in 1981. In addition, grapes are also sourced from the Mimbres Valley near Deming, New Mexico. In 2020, the Johnsons gave full winemaking reins to Katie Hagan who had been working there for a while. Yes, that Katie from some of your favorite 90's movies! She has made an impressive list of wines to choose from and best of all, tastings are free! With at least two dozen wines to choose from (or all of them), there will be a style of wine for you to enjoy. Below was our selection for the day. First up, was the 2021 Chardonnay. With just 3% Muscat in this one, notes of apples will delight your wine senses for this light and crisp wine. The next white was the 2021 Winemakers Select. This blend of Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Chardonel, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Viognier may pack a lot of different varieties, but you'll be pleased with the fruit forward sensation and mixed palate feel. There is also a great apple wine on the list that you absolutely must try called Embudo Blanco. With 10% field grapes added, you'll be very pleased with the fruit forward apple freshness and crisp texture of this fruit wine. For the reds, we started off with the 2018 Winemakers Select. This 50/50 blend of Shiraz and Ruby Cabernet has great pepper and raspberry notes along with some smokiness and good tannins. Next up is the Rio Embudo red blend. This mix of Leon Millot, DeChaunac, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz will envelop your wine senses with berry aromas and a smooth mouthfeel. Getting into the bolder reds, the 2020 Vintners' Reserve is a blend of 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Ruby Cabernet, 25% Tempranillo, and 25% Petite Sirah. What you get for this two year American and Hungarian Oak aged blend are great cherry notes and a super dry feel for you hard core red wine drinkers. Not to be left out, the 2019 Tempranillo also shines with delicious blackberry notes and leather. Petite Sirah fans will be thrilled with the 2019 release. It punches you with rich plums and a good tobacco feel with a bit more tannins than the previous reds. Save their 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon for last and relish this old-world style wine with cherries and vanilla to delight your palate. Fear not, port lovers are not left out! First, try the 2019 Vino de Oro. This white dessert wine beast from Muscat grapes is not only fortified with some fine Brandy but will shine with a luscious mouthfeel and great mango and peach flavors. For the finale, dive into the 2018 New Mexico Port. This fortified Ruby Cabernet monster not only reflects its Hungarian oak aging but is also silky smooth. No worries if you missed something during your tasting session, just come back, try again, and don't forget to retaste your favorites from the last time. You will also be impressed with the lovely native designs on the labels too. Many of these wines have taken top awards at several recognized wine competitions. Currently in the works are a dry Rosé, Merlot, and a Gewurztraminer. Next time you're on your way up HWY 68 to Taos (or back from), take a quick detour through Dixon and check out this winery. Cheers!

This is a review more about why you should stop here, and what's special about this winery, rather than what Mind-Blowing wine this is. If you are driving between Santa Fe and Taos, or taking one of old roads to visit artists, stop at La Chiripada.Odd as it may sound New Mexico is the oldest wine producing region in the US. I am skeptical about wine from weird places, but this wine is surprisingly well made. They have been making wines since the late 1977.We tasted 7 red's, their port, and their muscat, and if I could have brought some home, I would have bought the Tempranillo. The port and muscat were good; in fact the port really good for a fresher tasting, less deep port. There were some weaklings, but their efforts for a New World style were commendable.La Chiripada's $2 charge for tasting is peanuts. Most important, this is a stop you should make when driving through Dixon, south of Taos. Let's face it: New Mexico wine is a curiosity, and if you're going to try it, stop here.

We had a great visit on a sunny day in late February. Nathan, one of the vintners, was happy to pour us a smattering of tastes and was very knowledgeable about both the varietals and history of the wines of NM. The wines we sampled were all excellent - our personal faves were the Chardonnay, Tempranillo and Cab Sauv. Highly recommend a stop in if you are in the area!

What a warm, cozy, & inviting place! Whenever I get a chance, I make sure to stop by and see what they have in store for me. I always let Katie steer me in what to try, she is very knowledgeable in the product and knows exactly what I like! They make something for everyone and I was able to find several different kinds that I love. Very delicious and awesome place, everyone should stop by!

Just as fabulous as it was 35 years ago. The wines are wonderful - although the staff mentioned that their own vines hadn't produced two years ago due to a flood. That didn't stop them from using grapes from southern NM - great idea! Will definitely be back!

It is a nice small place with a very kind server. The only reason I give it a three is there is no tasting room to sit and enjoy. There is a counter you can try wines and then buy to take home.