In 1984, Gilbert Gruet – whose Champagne house (Gruet et Fils) has produced fine Champagnes in Bethon, France since 1952 – made the decision to plant an experimental vineyard in Engle, New Mexico. With high elevation, sandy loam soils, and sweeping winds to naturally keep away pests and thin the canopy for greater flavors, New Mexico’s desert landscape proved the ideal starting ground for Gruet. The first releases of Gruet wine in the U.S. were in 1989, and today Gruet is celebrated for delivering authentic méthode champenoise quality at an accessible price point.

In order to ensure outstanding consistency year after year, Gruet sources its grapes from various vineyards in different regions of the United States: New Mexico, Washington, and California. Just as in Champagne, France, where the grapes are often selected from multiple vineyards in the region, sourcing from several states leads to a more complex wine. Different terroirs bring different components to the final blend. For example, from New Mexico Gruet gets rich fruit flavors and from Washington, Gruet achieves bright acidity. This cross-state blending truly establishes Gruet as the genuine American Sparkling Wine.