Sparkling wine from New Mexico?! You bet your bubbly, booby, and it's good stuff! Gruet was founded in the early 1980s by the Gruet family of Champagne. They watched as Champagne and Cava houses from France and Spain established new operations in California, but after investigating and rejecting that state, they took a close look at New Mexico and eventually decided on a high altitude (4,300 ft.) location about 170 miles south of Albuquerque, and haven't looked back since. Here's what one critic has to say about this excellent value:

83-86 Pts., Brad Baker/Gang of Pour. While this isn't a true Blanc de Noirs (as it has the white Chardonnay grape in the blend), it is a wonderful wine. This is clearly the star of the (Gruet) NV lineup and one of the best sparkling wine values out there. Black cherries and biscuits with hints of sweetness sum this baby up. It is yummy stuff that compares admirably with my old NV Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs standby