dos viejos winery

If you like wines (and especially local appellation flavor) this is a great stop. Wines are priced at a good value, tasting is laid back, and you'll get one or two varietals that will be new (mission and symphony). We will come back.

Although this winery gives you a flavour of the countryside atmosphere and vineyard settings of Alamogordo the wines were of poor quality (bottles had been left open a long time) and the manager was not as knowledgable as I'd have expected.Arena Blanca (on the main route to Alamogordo) has better wines and is more professional. Overall, it was ok to experience the atmosphere and have a chat with some local guys but don't go expecting big things from the wine.

This winery was quite the surprise. It's a little off the main highway but quite nice. One of the owners was presenting his wine for our tasting. He was very funny and knowledgeable. We stayed longer then expected. He doesn't seem to mind letting you taste the entire stock for the price of one testing. Great time.

Spouse and I made the journey to Tularosa, which in itself is out of the way, and then to the even more out-of-the-way Dos Viejos (Two Old Guys/Men) Winery out southwest of town. Despite being in a very attractive area, the road to the winery isn't what you'd call scenic. We finally came to the unprepossessing structure that serves as the headquarters and tasting room. Let's just say it's practical and to the point, not frou-frou or aura'ed in je-ne-sais-quoi. The Dann brothers were there, and for a brief while, we were the only visitors. When my spouse, who is an Episcopalian priest, told the Viejos that we were in part looking for sacramental wine(s) for her church, the tasting began. The price for the tasting is basic and economical and fair; what you get is more than generous. The wine prices were surprisingly low, considering their quality. We not only got to sample just about everything they had in stock, we got what would elsewhere amount to an in-depth lecture on the entire subject of local and regional -- as well as cultural and historical -- oenology. And I'm pretty sure we were provided with samples of at least a couple of varieties that aren't readily accessible to the general public. The information was very enjoyable and useful, the honest ambience was truly Southwestern and friendly, and the wines ranged from damned good to outstanding. The church became well stocked and so did our small personal "cellar." We stayed longer than we anticipated and felt welcome the entire time. We'll definitely be back.