Vara Balloon - Fiesta Park

This was a fantastic experience of Spanish wines and amazing food. We found this place on OpenTable and decided to give it a go. Service was top notch, with one server walking right up with a brand new bottle of water when I finished my last sip saying "I gotcha!". Wine flights were super affordable giving 4 tastings for $14. Each wine came with a paper charm that explained the tasting notes and origins of the wine. We had the elote, the arugula salad with the orange honey vinaigrette (yum!), the bread with tomato spread, and the pork chop that was braised in Tempranillo. The pork chop was hands down the best chop I've ever had. It was presented by the chef who humbly said "sorry it took a while this was a big chop" Let me tell you the best things are worth waiting for. This chop was so juicy and well seasoned.We will be back!

We were trying to find the parking lot for the balloon fiesta and randomly drove by this winery. The people sitting outside on the patio area looked like they were enjoying their time, so that's when we made the last minute decision to stop here before the fiesta! I would say their drinks are a little overpriced. These are prices we see in Los Angeles. Their (not too small but also not too big) glass of sangria I ordered was $15/$16. They are understaffed (we went on a Sunday evening), and it took awhile for our drinks to come out, as well as getting our checks. I probably wouldn't come back unless I decide on going to the balloon fiesta again.

Vara used to be a great place, we liked coming for dinner and a bottle of wine over many years, but won't anymore.This new policy of charging a $30 corkage fee for drinking a bottle of wine on the premises is a money making scam. There is NO law mandating it.You now have a choice to pay the cost of the bottle of wine at about $34, plus a $30 corkage fee, so $64 to drink a bottle on the premises. OR you can buy four glasses of wine at $14 for a total of $56.Trust me there are plenty of fine restaurants in ABQ with better food and better wine for much less.

Reservations process was easy. We got there and in no time they checked us in and escorted us to their cute outside seating area. They have big umbrellas on the tables to cover you from the sun and/ or the wind. And this time, since it was winter, they had warmers all around, having everyone feel comfortable enjoying the nice day.I went with a wine flight, and really enjoyed their wines. So much we ended buying some bottles. They also have scotch/ whiskey flights, and cocktails. And they have a food truck with some good wine pairing options, and tapas style great for sharing, having you feel like you're on a picnic. Service was excellent, quick and friendly, and they have their own parking space. Really a great spot!

Enjoyed an excellent early dinner on the patio.Quiet and peaceful with great service Tapas menu is extensive so everyone enjoyed the variety I will recommend the Paella....serves 3-5 fir sure....oh so good

Nothing better than a winery and distillery in one place along with delicious food. The waitress was knowledgeable about the wine and checked with me frequently to make sure I was satisfied. The food was delicious.

Based on one visit for 4 here are my thoughts... I feel that this is not the type of place where you can casually walk in and taste wine or just sit with a friend or two and chat while sipping wine. You must make a reservation. You can do so online. Limit party to 6 due to covid...The place is nice and a little on the small side. There is a shop in front of the tasting room. The service is good and there is a wine menu with several flights available to try. Beverage selections also include various distilled beverages to sample. There is also a tapas menu. Our group had popcorn, dates, and soup. Prices are as expected which is reflective of the venue - a little pricey for little amounts of all items. The service was very nice indeed. No issues here, it just would never serve as a place to go and casually hang out on a routine basis.

I was excited when Vara first opened, and I loved their concept. They imported wines from Spain that they bottled here and also made wines in the same style from grapes grown in New Mexico. Very nice line up of wines. Things have changed a lot, unfortunately.Vara, sadly, no longer imports wine from Spain (which I thought was a big part of what they were about). Worse, they hired the folks who ran the, now defunct, Gruet winery, and now a large percentage of Vara wines are sparkling/bubbly. Not a staple in my house, nor I would expect, in most other wine-lovers' homes. I drink sparkling wine once a year, if that, on a holiday and usually the bottle was a gift. I don't think I've ever bought it. I attended the Christmas event, 2024, at the winery with a friend who had never been there and was considering joining the wine club. But they were not giving tastings in the tasting room, so she wasn't able to taste many of the wines at all. That was a mistake. There was a long table that offered tastings of a few of their new wines and spirits. The woman who gave tastes of the spirits told me she was now the head distiller at Vara. I asked how she happened to get into distilling (thinking it had probably been a long-term goal, involved a lot of training, etc.). She told me it hadn't been a plan of hers, but she had "worked her way up" at Vara and the position was offered to her.A couple of years ago, I met the distiller at Vara at the time, who was very knowledgeable and passionate about his work. He spontaneously took my friends and me on a tour, showing and explaining to us the distilling process. Fascinating. Sad that he is no longer there.I miss the old Vara.

If you're a foreigner or just visiting the U.S., avoid this place at all costs. My group and I went in to enjoy a wine tasting, only to be met with outright discrimination. The server demanded ID, which is fair, but when we presented a valid foreign passport, she rudely informed us that only U.S. passports or driver's licenses are accepted.A passport--an internationally recognized and official form of ID--was not enough for them. This policy is not only ridiculous but also an obvious attempt to exclude non-Americans from enjoying their establishment. It's appalling in a country that prides itself on welcoming people from around the world.The server handling the situation was unprofessional, dismissive, and showed no willingness to understand or accommodate. Instead of providing a sensible resolution or even showing basic courtesy, we were treated like second-class citizens.This place clearly doesn't care about customer service, inclusivity, or even common sense. If you look young and don't have a U.S. passport or driver's license, don't bother coming here--they'll treat you like you don't belong.Save your money and go somewhere that respects ALL customers. Would give zero stars if I could.

Heads Up! You can no longer Buy a BOTTLE of their Wine or Champagne to just Sit-Sip & Share with your table without paying the Bottle Price PLUS a $30 Corkage Fee ( per Bottle!) - makes it exorbitant & Not customer friendly from my perspective. Sorry guys- too many other nice options- at those prices especially... you used to be classier & more Fun. Good Luck with THAT decision flying with your other peops- I'll just Cha-Cha On