by Ashleigh Sanchez
Daily Lobo
Nothing says New Mexico like food, friends and wine.
The New Mexico Wine Festival, the state's largest and oldest wine festival, is held in Bernalillo every year.
This year's festival featured 19 state wineries in addition to a wide selection of local art and food.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"We come for the wine but love the fair food," Gina Dillard said. "It's all good and fatty."
Dillard and her husband, Ryan, have been attending the wine festival for five years. He said their tastes have changed over the years.
"Sweet wine is fine when you start out drinking, but once you actually start to like wine and not just get drunk off it, it's not so good anymore," he said.
Gina Dillard said she thought it was better to buy local wine rather than wine from California.
"And I'm from Deming," she said. "So we like to support that - Luna Rossa and St. Clair's."
For sweet wine, a main attraction on Saturday afternoon was the Wine-a-Rita, a cooling lime-and-tequila-flavored wine from St. Clair Vineyards.
Wine slushies were also a favorite and available from several vendors such as Women's Health clinic.
Black Mesa Winery's Black Beauty wine was back and attracted longer lines than last year. A deep, red dessert wine, Black Beauty finishes with a sweet, dark chocolate flavor.
High-selling refreshing favorites were the Bellissimo and Mimosa from St. Clair Winery.
Valley Garlic Oil promoted bottles of garlic oil for creating flavorful dishes and dips. Dominique Henke and her family own the 20-year-old company, whose products sell in stores such as Whole Foods Market.
Enjoying its second year at the New Mexico Wine Festival, the Pecos Valley Chile Co. offers sweet green chile.
Earl Lusk, a Pecos Valley Chile Co. owner, said they came up with the recipe by experimenting. He said the jelly-like consistency makes it perfect for a glaze on chicken and other meats.
But how does he make it so sweet?
"I talk to it real nice," Lusk said.
Besides wine and food booths, the festival offered face painting, live music and a kids' playground, making the festival family-friendly.
Decades ago, the festival began as a project to help promote the town of Bernalillo.
"Twenty years ago, we did it across the street, and we had three wineries, maybe four," said Al Briley, board chairman for Main Street of Bernalillo. "So it's grown a lot."
He said attendance usually ranges from 13,000 to 28,000 during the three-day festival. The busiest days tend to be Saturday and Sunday, Briley said.
"People come the first two days and enjoy the day like this," he said. "Then, the buyers come back Monday and stock up."
A shuttle ran from the festival grounds to the Rail Runner station in Bernalillo.
A designated-driver program was also set up to ensure attendees had a safe way home.
The festival continues to grow, to the delight of the participating wineries.
"It's really busy," said Jim Dowling, owner of Tierra Encantada Vineyards and Winery. "You bet. We'll be back here next year."
