When visiting our friends Anne and Lee in Deming, New Mexico, my husband and I were surprised to find a thriving wine industry. 

Three days in Deming gave us plenty of time to experience the town, including lunch at the Wild West-like restaurant called the Adobe Deli, which lives on in fame and glory after four decades.

Showcasing what Deming has to offer, our friends took us to a wine tasting at Lescombes Family Vineyards. We loved every wine we tried, including a delicious 2021 Brut Sparkling Wine ($22). 

“We proudly use only the finest early-harvest fruit from our family-owned vineyard to produce this sparkling wine of great character,” says proprietor Florent Lescombes. “Beautifully soft, fine bubbles dance on your tongue and reveal a perfectly crisp, clean finish.” She recommends serving it with hors d’oeuvres, which we enjoyed for our couple of hours in the tasting room.

Lescombes recently won several awards against stiff worldwide competition at a premier wine event in Croatia. You can buy Lescombes wines online or take a trip to Deming.

Lescombes Family Winery and Tasting Room, 7075 Hwy. 549, S.E. Deming, New Mexico, 575-546-9324. lfv.wine.

Outstanding in the Field Dinners

The founder of the famous Outstanding in the Field dinner series, Jim Denevan, returns to where it all started to prepare a fine feast—his brother Bill’s apple orchard in Santa Cruz. 

“The idea for Outstanding in the Field was born with this place in mind,” says Denevan, “one long table right here, where these heirloom apples were planted several generations ago along the Santa Cruz Coast.” Expert local winemaker Ryan Beauregard will bring elixirs from his namesake Beauregard Vineyards and serve them for your absolute pleasure. What a glorious time this will be. Denevan’s dinners are now widely held, including in Europe and Africa.

Outstanding in the Field, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 3pm. Happy Valley Farm, Santa Cruz. $385. outstandinginthefield.com.