Wine & Culinary
Cuisine
A fusion cuisine based on Native American, Mexican and Spanish ingredients and techniques, New Mexican food is unlike anything else you’ve ever tasted. And Albuquerque is one of best culinary vacations in the state to experience this unique cusine. The star ingredient is the chile pepper, our state fruit. Harvested in the late summer while still green, the long, narrow peppers are served freshly roasted and peeled, or frozen for use throughout the year. Most commonly, you’ll find green chiles made into a spicy sauce that’s ladled over enchiladas, burritos and stuffed sopaipillas. (To sound like a local, just call it “green chile,” not “green chile sauce.”)
Albuquerque is one of the best culinary destinations with mom 'n pop restaurants offering green chiles fried into rellenos, piled on top of cheeseburgers, stuffed into breakfast burritos and made into a satisfying stew with hearty chunks of potato. Red chiles, left on the plants to ripen to a deep garnet color, are strung into ristras to dry. These dried red chiles are rehydrated and pureed into a velvety smooth sauce (again, simply called “red chile”) that adorns huevos rancheros, tamales and enchiladas—served stacked, not rolled.
While
New Mexican cuisine is based on familiar ingredients like corn, beans and squash, our secrets lie in the preparation of our addictive chiles, fluffy fried sopaipillas and tender tamales. Take some of these secrets home with you by taking a cooking class and learning how to make authentic New Mexican dishes in your own kitchen. And don’t forget to stock up on cookbooks, ingredients and equipment that you’ll need to bring the flavor of Albuquerque home, wherever you live.
New Mexico Wineries & Breweries
Nearly 150 years before the first wines were made in California, Spanish missionaries planted grapes in the Rio Grande Valley, making New Mexico the country’s oldest wine-making region. Today, grape growers continue to take advantage of the high desert’s warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights, producing award-winning wines that you’ll find offered on wine lists all over town. Many Albuquerque wineries offer tours and tastings that allow you to walk among tangled vines, observe the wine-making process and taste the results fresh from the cask.
Albuquerque is also home to an active and enthusiastic brewing community. Local brews are served all over town at restaurants, bars, brewpubs where you can eat while you watch the brewmasters at work, and tasting rooms where you can drink in the difference between ales, lagers, bocks and porters. You can even learn how to make your own beer and take home bottles of your own blend!
Annual Food and Wine Events
The Albuquerque area hosts unique food, beer and wine festivals that draw thousands of visitors every year; see below for a list of major events. Also be sure to check our calendar for smaller beer-pairing dinners, wine tastings and other savory events.