Enchantment Vineyards wins four medals at 2020 Fingerlakes International Wine Competition

Enchantment Vineyards wins four medals at 2020 Fingerlakes International Wine Competition

Each spring, we submit many of our wines to a variety of national and international wine competitions. With 2020 proving to be a challenging year for all, we were thrilled to learn that we have won four medals at this year's Fingerlakes International Wine Competition.

Our homegrown hero, 2018 Estate Chambourcin received a gold medal at this year's competition, which excites us immensely. This bold, dry red wine features dark fruit and sweet tartiness of blackberry, smokiness that goes so well with grilled and smoked dishes. If you have not tried it already, we invite you to buy a bottle for your next summer cookout.

Additionally, our other medal winners include bronze medals for Enchantment Vineyards 2018 Syrah and 2018 Merlot, plus a silver medal for our Native Red Bordeaux blend. As fans of dry red wines, our efforts have been validated on an international stage alongside so many other great winemakers. We are thrilled to receive these honors alongside vineyards and winemakers from all over the world. 

Held each year as a fundraiser for Camp Good Days, Finger Lakes is one of the largest international wine competitions. It features some of the biggest names in vineyards and winemaking. Camp Good Days provides camping experiences in upstate New York to children who have cancer. To learn more about these organizations, please visit Camp Good Days online.

Aug 10, 2020 at 3:37 PM Permalink

Enchantment Vineyards to Temporarily Close

It saddens us to inform you that we've been monitoring the Coronavirus situation very closely in New Mexico as it pertains to bars and restaurants, and we have decided to close until things in our state and country have settled. We're not looking at the glass being half-empty (or all the way empty for that matter), but ready to be filled again when the time is right, and when our communities are safe.

Enchantment Vineyards photo by Theta Perez

We never in a million years thought we would be impacted so closely by something like this, but we still believe there are ways to come together and become an even stronger community on the other side of these recent and challenging events. We're working with our employees to ensure their needs are met at this time, and we are thankful for the resources made available for small businesses that make up such a considerable percentage of our local economy.

In the meantime, we are actively thinking about ways to stay in touch with you all on social media. We're planning some creative online meetups for local wine enthusiasts to get together and raise a glass with one another. We strongly feel that sharing wine with one another makes the human experience deeper and life more fulfilling.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we all navigate these uncharted waters. Finally, we would like to raise a glass to everyone in the healthcare industry and first responders, and anyone else in public health working to keep people and families safe. We hope to raise a glass with you all soon.

- The Enchantment Vineyards family

Mar 18, 2020 at 1:35 PM Permalink Comments (206)

Recipe: Not Your Momma's Mimosa

Not Your Momma's Mimosa!

Looking for the ultimate cool and refreshing twist on mimosa? We created a fresh recipe with tropical pineapple and added a New Mexico twist with fresh green chile!

Ingredients:

• Orange juice (no pulp)
• Pineapple juice
• Crushed pineapple (one can)
• Mandarin oranges ( 1 can/jar)
• One fresh Green Chile (seeded, halved longways and sliced)
• Pineapple Slices (quartered)
• One bottle Enchantment Vineyards Moscato (more to taste)
• New Leaf Hard Seltzer by Bosque Brewing Company

Place the fruit and green chile into a fruit diffuser, alternating each one, then place the infuser into a gallon container. Pour in half of the orange juice and pineapple into the container, then add one bottle of Enchanted Moscato wine from Enchantment Vineyards. Add the rest of the juice, then allow the mixture to sit for several hours or overnight in your refrigerator.

When you're ready to serve, pour over ice and add a splash of New leaf Hard Seltzer for carbonation and kick. Garnish your glass with a sliver of green chile and a piece of pineapple.

This summer, we're offering our award-winning Enchanted Moscato on special. Buy three bottles and get a fourth free! Stock up for all of your weekend celebrations and wine cocktails!
 

Jul 26, 2019 at 2:31 PM Permalink

Enchantment Vineyards Pinot Noir Wins Double Gold at 2019 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

We are incredibly proud to announce that our 2015 Pinot Noir has won a Double Gold medal at this year's Finger Lakes International Wine Competition!

Pinot Noir is a unique varietal, known famously in regions like the Willamette Valley of Oregon, Russian River Valley in California, as well as Italy and France. Our Pinot Noir was made in the very traditional Old World style similar to traditional pinots found in Burgundy. It is earthy with a velvety texture and does well with aeration or plenty of time to breathe to let the beautiful aromas fully develop. It can accompany bolder dishes or stand alone. When drinking our Pinot Noir, you will first observe its beautiful rusty, ruby color while taking in aromas of woody mushroom and supple leather. We recommend pairing this wine with poultry and fish dishes or anything with rich and creamy sauces.

However, our Pinot Noir was not the only winner for us at Finger Lakes! Enchantment Vineyards also won two silver medals for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, plus five bronze medals for our Reserve Chardonnay, Traveler Red, 2015 Syrah, Native White, and Cacti White. Our family is pleased to be so well received on an international stage for this labor of love. We want to share this victory with every customer, our volunteers who have helped us with our first harvest, and all of the locals who visit and support us in Portales, New Mexico each week. Our intention in starting our vineyard in 2015 was to make wine a part of our local community, and it fills our hearts with much gratitude to be recognized a second year with this victory.

Held each year as a fundraiser for Camp Good Days, Finger Lakes is one of the largest international wine competition, featuring some of the biggest names in vineyards and winemaking. Camp Good Days provides camping experiences in upstate New York to children who have cancer. To learn more about these organizations, please visit Camp Good Days online.

May 6, 2019 at 7:03 AM Permalink

Looking Back on Our First Year

Though we planted our vineyard in 2015, we knew the real work (and fun) would begin in early 2018. As they say, time flies, and this March we will celebrate our tasting room's one year anniversary after opening on March 2, 2018.

First Awards

One spring afternoon in 2018, our winemaker called us with the news that we had won nine medals at the Fingerlakes International Wine Competition. We couldn't have been more thrilled with our first competition results! After only being open a few short months, receiving these esteemed awards from such a prestigious competition was incredibly validating and that our hearts were in the right place when we started this crazy vineyard plan. We hope 2019 will bring other medals!

First Harvest

Harvest season in August and September meant meeting new friends and neighbors, as we put together a few crews of vineyard pros and volunteers. Spending time with each and every vine gave us an intimate opportunity to hand-pick our grapes, tasting the fruits born from our Portales soil. Time-consuming? You bet. Worth it? Absolutely! Later this spring, we hope to give some wonderful updates on our grapes, how they're growing, and a look into some of the science before the bottle. By summertime, stay tuned for updates on Harvest 2019 if you wish to join us as one of our volunteers for a unique Portales experience!

First (Big) Dinner

In September, we hosted our very first Chef's Table event, which featured delicious foods from our friend Chef Jason Morse and 5280 Culinary. One hundred guests joined us for a beautiful evening outside, and we were grateful for New Mexico weather cooperation. Jason and his team not only served some truly delicious plates, but he also cooked in front of everyone with a serious repertoire of outdoor grilling and smoking equipment!  Come for the food and stay for the grilling education. Response to the event was tremendous and we look forward to possibly teaming up with Jason again soon. Stay hungry, Portales!

First Festival

We finally made our way to our first New Mexico wine festival in February 2019. Vines in the Pines was an exciting event that was full of wine making friends from around the state, as well as new customers from great cities like Las Cruces, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas.

Along with 13 other participating vineyards and wineries, we had an absolute blast sharing ten of our wines with ticket holders to this amazing event. Standout favorites for the festival included our Chambourcin, Rising Red table wine, as well as our award-winning Enchanted Moscato.

What's Next for 2019?

After learning so much and making new friends through wine, we hope the rest of 2019 is just as exciting. We're looking forward to hosting more events, new wine release parties, special pairing events, and dinners that celebrate wine. Stay tuned for the first of these events beginning this spring, with the return of our popular wine and cheese pairing event with local gouda and more!

As always, we love to hear your feedback. Get in touch with us on social media (Facebook, Instagram) or email us. From our family to yours, thank you for an amazing year one. Cheers!

Mar 6, 2019 at 10:38 AM Permalink

Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

This Thanksgiving, whether your cuisine remains the traditional turkey, or if you cook a bit more adventurously for your guests, wine pairings for your holiday meal should not be overlooked. This year, we recommend three of our New Mexico wines to pair with your dishes.

For starters, turkey lovers can do no wrong by pairing their bird with a quality Chardonnay. Our crisp Chardonnay offers a balanced blend of acidity, with just enough flavors of oak and butter to work with your bird, no matter how its prepared.

Serving something a bit less traditional like a prime rib or peppered steaks? Syrah is our choice! Even if you wanted to pair this with a turkey entree, the spiciness of Syrah will compliment meats peppery dry rubs for a greater impact.

When it comes to dessert, a sweet wine like Travelers Red will work with your pumpkin pie, not outshine it. It offers a balance  of being sweet, but not too sweet! If you want to shake it up a bit, swap it out for Sunset Rosé.

From our family to yours, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. Cheers!

Nov 19, 2018 at 12:33 PM Permalink

Summer Rosé Punch by Enchantment Vineyards

Summer is the best season to enjoy a chilled glass of rosé. Rosé food pairings are also the epitome of summer cuisine, with dishes like grilled pizza, seafood, and light salads. We tasked Donna, one of Enchantment's most talented mixologists, with coming up with a special rosé punch recipe.

Enchantment Rosé Punch

- 1 bottle Sunset Rosé
- 1/2-cup to 1 cup frozen Limeade
- 33 oz bottle of club soda
- 1 Liter of Sprite 

Depending on how much of a citrus twist you'd like to have, add more or less Limeade. Mix all ingredients together, then serve on ice. Garnish with fresh sprigs of mint and a strawberry.

Cheers, and happy August!

Aug 11, 2018 at 12:23 PM Permalink

Sangria Showdown: Part 3

Sangria with a New Mexico twist, you ask? Why of course! This week we are featuring a collaboration of our very own Lisa Jaynes and Samantha Black, two Enchantment wine experts and budding mixologists who teamed up to deliver perhaps our most unique sangria yet. Have they achieved a fine balance of spicy meets sweet? You be the judge.

Picante Sandia Sangria

• 1 bottle Pinot Noir
• 1/2 chopped Jalapeño
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 C Strawberry Juice
• 1 cup Watermelon Juice
• 1 cup Frozen Strawberries
• 1 cup Watermelon Chunks
• Top off with Sandia Watermelon Cider

Combine all ingredients except for cider and let sit overnight to extract flavors of the fruit and jalapeño. Stir well before refrigerating to dissolve the brown sugar. Serve over ice, adding Sandia Watermelon Cider. Enjoy the subtle flavor of jalapeño mingling with strawberry and watermelon, preferably with views of the mountains!

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This one's got my vote for sure!]

Jul 21, 2018 at 4:07 PM Permalink

Sangria Showdown: Part 2

The summer salute to sangria continues, this time with a tropical take on this sweet beverage. This week, Enchantment mixologist Scott Knauer offers this tropical twist on sangria, full of the tropical flavors of pineapple, grapefruit, and ginger. Inspired by this tiny pink pineapple spotted at a bottanical garden in Hawaii in 2017, this concoction can be topped off with a favorite cider, and then your set for an afternoon at the beach (or a land-locked swimming pool in your backyard).

Piña Rosa Sangria

• 1 bottle of Enchantment Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• Two-inch slice of ginger
• 1 can of pineapple rings
• 1 to 2 cup Sandia Pineapple cider (add just before serving)
• Two 10 oz. packages of frozen strawberries

Mix Pinot Noir and brown sugar, stirring to begin dissolving sugar. Add can of pineapple rings and include all the juice (if you want more pineapple flavor, add pineapple juice or concentrate). Skin the ginger and cut into a few small pieces. You may zest the ginger to bring out extra flavor if you like. Add frozen strawberries and let sit overnight. Before serving, add pineapple cider. Pour over ice and garnish with pineapple rings or sliced grapefruit. Now close your eyes and take your first sip, picturing yourself on a distant shore of a tropical island, letting a smile come across your face. Ahh...

Jul 14, 2018 at 7:29 AM Permalink

Sangria Showdown: Part 1

During the hot summer months in New Mexico, our favorite beverage shifts from the elegant simplicity of wine to the traditional Spanish concoction of sangria. We've decided to host an informal competition between the family and staff of Enchantment Vineyards. First up is June, the matriarch of Enchantment. Known to be a master mixologist, June's recipe for Enchanting Sangria is sure to be a hit on a hot summer day by the pool.

Enchanting Sangria

• 1 bottle of Enchantment Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
• 1/2 cup Cocktail Artist Triple Sec (non-alcoholic)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 to 2 cup Sandia Pineapple cider (add just before serving)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• 8 maraschino cherries

Mix the first six ingredients together, stirring well until the sugar is completely dissolved. Next, add the sliced fruit and cherries. Refrigerate the muddled fruits overnight, then prior to serving, add the cider for a fizzy kick to the experience. It's okay if you experience the urge to flamenco dance.

This July, we will be featuring a different sangria recipe each week, each making use of our wine of the month, our 2015 Pinot Noir. Save 10% on all bottles of this uniquely delicate wine either online or in our tasting room.

Jul 6, 2018 at 10:48 AM Permalink