The Spanish word chiripa means "stroke of luck." In the traditional dialect of northern New Mexico, the word is rendered chiripada. Some folks came to possess a patch of land in Dixon, NM, in the late 1970s, and decided to plant grape vines. Then they made wine one year. Not up to snuff. They tried again the following year. ¡Chiripada!
The vineyards and winery have been owned and operated by that same family ever since.
I visited La Chiripada in Dixon to remind myself what it is about New Mexican wine that is uniquely intriguing. The answer lies in the land: simultaneously sweet and spicy, rugged at first but friendly before very long, proudly standing up on its own but rich in rewards for those who taste of it. This holds true whether in reference to harvesting any of the scores of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices that grow in great abundance all over the region, or trekking among the most scenic hills and valleys that the country has to offer. This terroir does indeed make its wine, and we can be very grateful for it.
Producer: La Chiripada
Name: Special Reserve Riesling
Varietal: Riesling
Region: New Mexico, USA
Vintage: 2011
Tasted: August 17, 2012
ABV: 11.5%
The staff is very welcoming and the tasting room is a lovely atmosphere to both sip and chat about wine. The first wine that I tried was the 2011 Special Reserve Riesling, an estate wine. The aroma is sweet, fruity. It is acidic without being citric; when sniffing it, I imagined biting into a green fruit such as an apple. The palate does include citrus, though, and a few floral notes as well. It is sweet, and just a tad on the thick side. The finish is a delightful surprise, with notes of nectarine, papaya, and mango. All-in-all, it is quite as a Riesling should be.
Producer: La Chiripada
Name: Primavera
Varietals: Muscat 50%; Seyval Blanc 50%
Region: New Mexico, USA
Vintage: 2010
Tasted: August 17, 2012
ABV: 12%
Next up was the 2010 Primavera. I am told that the Seyval Blanc is a hybrid of Sauvignon Blanc and a strain of Vitis labrusca. The inclusion of a New World variety was intriguing and, it turns out, a keen idea. The Primavera offers a jumpy, lively nose with a full bouquet of flowers and some slight citrus notes around the edges. When sipping it, the mouth finds itself awash in nice, smooth orange blossom, with everything going down easy. The finish is its own elaborate production: the tasting notes take a step back, and then another, and then another, and soon, conspicuously but quite suavely, they have disappeared completely, leaving the taster quite ready to replenish his taste buds’ supply of the good stuff.
Producer: La Chiripada
Name: Río Embudo Red
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon 10%; Leon Millot 80%; Pinot Noir 10%
Region: New Mexico, USA
Vintage: 2010
Tasted: August 17, 2012
ABV: 13%
With two whites down, I was ready for some red. The 2010 Río Embudo Red, an estate wine, appropriately named for the river running through La Chiripada’s backyard, is billed as a perfect complement to Moroccan-spiced lamb. And is it ever! One can forgive the nose for thinking that a thousand tiny arrows of spice have been launched right at it from the glass. This can be a shock, but never mind, the glass's quiver empties out soon enough, and the nose finishes off with floral tones and a touch of fruit.
It is in this Río Embudo Red that the terroir resonates most. Notes of pine surround flush hints of the local flora: combinations of leaves and flowers, fruit and bark, herbs and spices, all fresh and sweet and harmoniously arranged together in an amazing expression of just how pure and beautiful and rich in earthly delights Dixon really is. The spice and sweetness coexist in a friendly balance, and though a tad dry, the wine is plenty smooth. It tries to specify a couple of particular flavors, rhubarb and hibiscus, for itself in the finish, but not before one has romped about in the hills and valleys of the Río Embudo and tasted of all that they have to offer.
Producer: La Chiripada
Name: Vintners' Reserve Red
Varietals: Ruby Cabernet 37%; Tempranillo 63%
Region: New Mexico, USA
Vintage: 2009
Tasted: August 17, 2012
ABV: 13%
After my mouth had a chance to descend back to ground level, it was recommended that I try the Vinters' Reserve Red. My kind readers may be wondering how I could fairly assess the merits of another red after being blown away by a different wine shortly prior. I myself was wondering just how the Reserve would perform. Excellently, it turns out. The Ruby Cabernet, a hybrid of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan, provides some clutch structure and depth, but the Tempranillo really shines through in the best way. The aroma is a refreshing blend of various red fruits and berries with blackberry in the forefront. The sweetness hits at the perfect angle. When sipped, the wine goes to work on the palate in the same way, full of delicious red everything. Strawberry has center stage now, and the wine is just an iota drier than when it was sniffed. Quite wonderful. Then, for the finish, the same notes briefly feint a linger before suddenly disappearing without a trace. Confound it, where did that flavor go? I want it back! Better have another sip… Ahh.
These La Chiripada wines certainly do have a way of including a dramatic flair on their way out.
At this point I took a tour of the winery. Josh Johnson, a second generation member of the La Chiripada family, was kind enough to show me around and answer some questions. They were only about a week into the harvest and had just begun the winemaking process that day. As a bladder press crushed some Chenin Blanc, it occurred to me that winemaking has none of the romance and double the coolness that everyone thinks. "See, most of these grapes won't be ready for harvest for another month or so," said Josh as he took a breather from washing tubs and pushing them onto a platform. "Actually, well, we've had a sort of drier season this year." He motioned toward the field of vines, which stretched from five yards in front of us to a point where, to the eye at least, they meld with the Río Embudo. "Maybe they'll be ready a little sooner."
Producer: La Chiripada
Name: Cañoncito Red
Varietals: Leon Millot 90%; Nebbiolo 10%
Region: New Mexico, USA
Vintage: 2011
Tasted: August 17, 2012
ABV: 13%
I returned inside to taste one more red before departing. This was unplanned, but I saw that the Cañoncito Red, an estate wine, includes Nebbiolo, and there was no resisting the urge to see how that grape fares on this side of the Pond. The 2011 opens with an enticing aroma of tart fruit. It was served chilled, and the nose combined with the refreshing coolness made me think right away of lounging outdoors on a hot day, eating a bowl of chilled apple and citrus slices, and sipping this wine. The palate is sweeter, and the texture smooth and thick. It has a long finish, which is also appropriate for lounging on a lazy summer day. The Leon Millot, another hybrid of European and American species, is a bit dominant due to the percentages. But the Nebbiolo really rounds it out great, and I was very glad to have tasted it.
The foothills of northern New Mexico have a great deal to offer. What with all of the museums, historical sites, shopping, culture, dining, music, dancing, walking, hiking, skiing, swimming, rowing, fishing, cycling, etc. to be done in the legendary expanse from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to Taos and beyond, not everyone will find it important to stroll into a small town with barely a handful of paved roads and a couple of thousand locals, just to see if those particular hills happen to have anything special to offer that cannot be found elsewhere. That is a shame, because they do. The land of Dixon, though close kin to the larger Río Grande valley, is a splendor all its own. Fortunately, even those who do bypass the Turnoff on their way between Santa Fe and Taos can sip wine from La Chiripada. It will bring them to the real thing in spirit, if not eventually in person.
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