Casa Abril Vineyards & Winery

My boyfriend and I were in the area for a weekend trip and decided to stop by a local winery. Thanks to Googlemaps, we were directed to Casa Abril.
Raymond, the owner, was such a great host. We did the tasting – all of the wines were delicious but our favorites were the Zinfandel and the 2014 Tempranillo Rose. We were served chocolate raisins and Marcona almonds which were lovely with our wines.
The vineyard has the most breathtaking views of the mountains. I wish I lived closer because it would be the best spot for a private party.
If you are in the ABQ/​SF area, I highly recommend stopping in to meet Raymond and try his excellent wine.

The winemaker and her parents are fantastic, have a great sense of humor, and are so very welcoming. My husband and I immediately wished we were a part of their family. We lost track of time enjoying our wine tasting and talking to them all. We wish we lived closer and could try some of Mom’s incredible sangria, since they’re hosting a sangria festival at the end of this month (August 2015). We bought the Zinfandel and 2013 Rose and are bringing the bottles back to South Carolina with us. I highly recommend this winery.

Should not miss an opportunity to taste truly some of the best reds… Vigils craft distinctive, full body Tempranillo, Malbec and Zin. A credit to the NM industry. This is not your Father’s California wine country!

Casa Abril has everything you look for in a winery. Amazing award winning wines, a beautiful setting and wonderful friendly owners. Take a Sunday drive north of Albuquerque and be sure to stop in. My personal favorite is their Malbec that is made from grapes that were grown from plants brought in from Argentina. Enjoy a tasting, the views and some wonderful conversation.

Jerald Cross
Casa Abril Winery
We went there for a wine tasting today. They are up I-​25 at the Budaghers exit 257. For $ 8 you get 5 samples-​we had a Muscat Canelli, Sol de Abril 2009 Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Savignon Blanc, Tempranillo 2011. Also almonds and chocolates. They also have a Tempranillo 2010 Reserve for sale. Raymond Vigil was a great host, told us some great family history. Showed us his wine making facilities. They made about 500 cases last year, hope to do 1000 cases this year. We came back with 3 bottles of vino.

We visited Casa Abril this past weekend for the second time and, while it was a solid 3 – 4 stars the first time, they’ve definitely gone up to 5 stars now!
The tasting room itself is gorgeous– a great view of the mountains! When we visited the first time they had 3 – 4 wines and most were pretty sweet, which is not really my favorite. Now they have some great wines– the Sauvignon Blanc and Sangiovese were great and rivaled any we’ve had in other NM wineries, Napa, or Sonoma. The wine is reasonably priced ($ 16 – 25 a bottle) and they give you chocolates and nuts to pair with your wine tastes.
What made this experience for us was the service. The owner, Raymond, warmly greeted us when we entered and introduced us to his daughter, who is the winemaker. I love it that it’s a female wine maker too, that’s so cool! We will definitely come back on our trips to Santa Fe.
Warning: it’s hard to find using the address given, since they are not technically in Algodones, but in Budaghers. If you exit I 25 at Budaghers, there are signs leading you right to it.

What a great little winery! We have visited vineyards in Napa, CA, Washington State, Oregon, even a few in Italy, and Casa Abril can hold it’s own next to any of them!
It is small, but the proprietor, Raymond, really makes you feel welcome. The location is between SF and Albuquerque, so is easy for a quick stop-​in. They have a patio outside for enjoying a glass (or two), and beautiful views.
But the main attraction is their wine. Every palate is different, but for me every taste was near perfect in what I expected. The whites were well balanced, sweet but light for the Muscat, and a bright crisp Sauvigon Blanc. The reds were easy drinking and smooth. A bit more complexity in the Sangiovese would hopefully develop in time. I’m a big, bold red fan, so looking forward to their Zin when it becomes available.
It is definitely worth stopping by, and if they added a deli it would become a true destination spot.