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VARA’s sparkling wine hits New Mexico Smith’s, Albertsons shelves
Wines made in New Mexico by Albuquerque-based VARA Winery & Distillery.
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New Mexico has come a long way from its early winemaking days.
A winemaking heritage that started with grape vines smuggled from Spain to New Mexico to make wine for ceremonies has since evolved into a more than 50-winery industry that produces bubbly variations found on store shelves.
One of those wineries is VARA Winery & Distillery. The Albuquerque-based winery, founded in 2013, is making its grocery store debut, selling its sparkling wines on shelves in Smith’s and Albertsons across the state, the company announced in a September news release.
The retail expansion aims to make the company’s locally crafted wines more accessible, the company said. The winery currently has one tasting room in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe; its wines can also be found at select restaurants and venues across the state.
“This launch is a milestone for VARA and a celebration of New Mexico’s thriving wine community,” said Carrie Freeman, CEO of VARA Winery & Distillery, in a statement.
The VARA products hitting the shelves include the winery’s award-winning sparkling wines, Brut and Brut Rosé, which General Manager Jon Murray said are VARA’s flagship products featuring fruits from California and New Mexico, all made in the Land of Enchantment. Murray said these wines take a minimum of two years to make, from grape to bottle.
The wines are now carried in 47 stores, split across 23 Albertsons and 24 Smith’s. VARA’s Zero Dosage and VARAxLG Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine products will also be added to shelves at Albertsons later this year, the news release said.
Murray, who came to VARA with more than two decades of wine industry experience, said seeing the product on the shelf for the first time made him feel “as giddy as a kid during Christmas.”
The statewide grocery store launch could open doors to greater distribution in other states, Murray said. The company is working on submitting its products to stores like Whole Foods Market and Sprouts for entry into nearby markets, he added.
“The intention is to be widespread across the Southwest,” Murray said. “Our focus is New Mexico and then really being the sparkling wine of the Southwest.”
