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Grape expectations: Vara moves into new space, creates new spirits and wines
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There is a new kid in town in the Nob Hill neighborhood.
Vara Winery & Distillery recently opened a new tasting room at 201 Hermosa Drive NE. The space, formerly known as Public House wine bar, has been transformed into a Vara wonderland filled with its wide array of wines and spirits. It also offers High & Dry Brewing craft beer, according to JP Clement, Vara CEO and general manager.
Grape expectations: Vara moves into new space, creates new spirits and wines
Its tasting room at its location near Balloon Fiesta Park has been scaled down into a micro-tasting space. The rest of the property will be used for storage and a solera room where Vara can make its rum and brandy. The lawn, where patio cabanas were located, will remain open for guests who want to lay down a picnic blanket and enjoy a glass of wine on the grass.
The shift to Nob Hill opens the door for a more urban setting that is inviting to an eclectic mix of clientele from different backgrounds and age groups.
鈥淚 want Vara to be known as this local New Mexican brand that鈥檚 really doing New Mexico proud with its wines and spirits,鈥� Clement said. 鈥淏ut also, that is not a snobby wine brand. I want Vara to be more approachable, to appeal to a lot of us, and be able to democratize wine, really good quality wine to a much wider demographic and equally younger people, millennials and Gen Zs.鈥�
The Nob Hill location offers Vara鈥檚 catalog of wines as well as its signature cocktails, including its Spanish 75 and Vesper Viper. Guests can also keep things simple and order Vara spirits with a mixer, such as gin and tonic and vodka sodas.
Spirit flights and wine flights are also available to allow guests to sample what Vara has to offer. Patrons can also enjoy small bites Wednesday through Saturday, including loaded Papas Bravas and Albondigas Sliders.
An expansion to the food offerings is coming soon with The Kitchen at Nob Hill. It will offer a menu that is similar to what Vara鈥檚 Balloon Fiesta Park location offered, including charcuterie boards. Soon the Nob Hill location also will be doing pop-up dinners and private events.
Opening a new tasting room is only the beginning of things to come for Vara. It recently launched a whiskey program and barreled its first bourbon made with New Mexico corn. The bourbon is being aged in French oak barrels.
鈥淭he French oak barrels came from the people we buy our barrels from for our wine,鈥� Clement said. 鈥淲e try to kind of cross-pollinate the spirits side and the winery side.鈥�
Vara is bringing back its dark rum that will be released in the coming weeks. It also will soon release a Spanish solera-style aged brandy that is cask strength.
鈥淚t鈥檚 higher alcohol (content) that gives you a greater mouthfeel,鈥� Clement said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 lovely, it really pushes the flavors off. And that鈥檚 been aged for at least four years. I know we have a lot of things in the pipeline.鈥�
An exciting addition to Vara鈥檚 spirit offerings will be a blanco tequila and an a帽ejo tequila, as well as a mezcal. The line, named Ladrones by Vara, has been approved by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), a governing body formed to regulate and protect tequila production as it emerged as a national icon in Mexico. The line will be bottled in New Mexico.
Vara will soon be releasing a ros茅 made with 100% New Mexico grapes.
鈥淲e鈥檝e made a conscious effort to source more New Mexican grapes,鈥� Clement said. 鈥淲e are actually about to bottle (the ros茅) in April. So it鈥檚 going to be probably be released in May ... It鈥檚 going to be called New Mexico Ros茅.鈥�
On the horizon is the release of a godello wine made with the white variety of Spanish grape and a cabernet from Spain that will be made in very small quantity. Laurent Gruet, Vara partner and winemaker, is working on a Silverhead Zero Dosage sparkling wine that does not add sugar during the wine during the disgorging process. A sweet sparkling wine is also in the works.
鈥淭hose grapes are sourced from California,鈥� Clement said of the godello. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty famous Spanish grape, but not many people know. It is a delicious white. It鈥檚 a very fruity, very clean, very acidic, but with a lot of big notes to it. It鈥檚 a lovely wine.鈥�
Vara鈥檚 sangria is so popular that it is working on canning it and making it available as a ready to drink cocktail. The limited batches of cans will be available for purchase at Vara tasting rooms soon.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just going to do a little test and see how people like it,鈥� Clement said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 gonna be a few surprises. So (it is a) very innovative product in the sense of how it鈥檚 packaged and how it鈥檚 going to work.鈥�
