by Jeff Voth

Santa Fe, New Mexico is one of my favorite places to visit. An eclectic mix of art, cuisine and Native American culture provides the perfect atmosphere to reconnect with the things that are important in life; faith, family and friends.

Albuquerque is located one hour south of Santa Fe and is the main gateway into the area. A bustling city in the middle of nowhere, it lies on the banks of the Rio Grande at 5,000 ft. above sea level.

Our first stop on the trip to Santa Fe was the renowned Gruet Winery in Albuquerque. Established in the mid 1980's by Gilbert Gruet of the successful Champagne house, "Gruet et Fils" in Bethon, France, the Gruet family located their new vineyard near the small town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, some 170 miles south of Albuquerque on I-25.

At 4,300 ft. altitude, the Gruet Vineyards are some of the highest in North America. Daily temperature fluctuations of up to 30° Fahrenheit moderate the growing process, while a sandy loam soil and lack of humidity provide the perfect setting to produce award winning wines. Included in their list of fine wines is the limited production Methode Champenoise, Blanc de Blancs. Aged to perfection over a four year period, it offers a full, fruity bouquet with crisp accents of roasted almonds and minerals. Limited to 1,000 cases per year, it sells out fast.

Leaving the winery, we were chauffeured, (thankfully) to our accommodations for the evening. Las Palomas is a charming country inn located in Santa Fe. The dream of world-renowned tenor Neil Rosenshein, the resort is designed to reflect two unique styles of architecture found throughout much of the Southwest.

The first is a style referred to as Pueblo. Constructed of adobe brick, the historical buildings of Las Palomas have been graciously updated to reflect the modern conveniences of today, while maintaining their original charm. A wood burning kiva fireplace provides warmth. Earthen colored walls, wood furniture and leather seating combine with ceramic tiles of vibrant green, yellow and blue to add a classic Southwest flavor to each room. (CONTINUE...)