A literary guide through my favorite Albuquerque wine lists and the people behind them

Anyone can build a wine list. It’s just a list of bottles, after all. But ultimately, the love and enthusiasm that a sommelier (or wine steward) invests in writing the list is what makes for a page-turner.

Cruvinet: A Cruvinet is a temperature controlled wine dispensing system, similar to beer taps. It uses gas to keep an open bottle of wine fresh for about two months, a fact that’s revolutionized the wine industry. Restaurants can now serve an immense variety of wines by the glass without waste. Today, restaurants can open many bottles at any price range, then serve the wines at the proper temperature, prevent spoilage and increase marketability because of the Cruvinet’s elegant appearance.

Spanish wine importer Ray Vigil has gone far, but his local roots run deep

You can’t help but notice Ray Vigil’s intense energy. His mind and body are always in motion, but his most noticeable characteristic is his positive outlook and contagious sense of possibility. When discussing his two favorite topics—cooking and wine—the Vin Iberian Wines founder becomes almost childlike in his enthusiasm. Speaking with him, you realize it’s his passion for these two hobbies, and not profit, that led him to his career as an importer of Spanish wines.

What cryptic “green” claims on wine labels really mean

Drinking responsibly used to mean having a designated driver and not showing strangers your naughty bits. But, as with all things in the 21st century, being “responsible” has evolved to include knowing the ecological status of what we consume, too.

’Tis the season for this controversial holiday wine

Last week’s release of Beaujolais Nouveau arrived like clockwork, just as it does every third Thursday in November. Whether the harvest was good or bad—and whether the wine is good or bad—signs in bistro windows shout to passersby, “Le Beaujolais Nouveau Est Arrivé!” (“The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!”)