wine. spirits. food. art.

life’s pleasurable essentials

OUR WINES OUR FOOD

Vara is open during normal business hours for dining, pick up orders, and we are shipping any online orders.

You can always enjoy Vara at home. Our spirits, wines and food are available for take-out.

Wine & Spirits Retail Room
Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm

Dining & Take Out
Wednesday – Friday 4pm – 8pm
Saturday 12pm – 8pm

We appreciate your continued support.

At Vara, we invite you to join the passion. Our setting is an eclectic mix of winery, distillery, Taberna, retail shop, and events venue. The atmosphere is unique and diverse with an industrial chic feeling inside and a spacious patio outside to watch the awe-inspiring sunsets.

Our tasting room provides wine, beer, and spirits tastings, and a host of delicious cocktails, along with hot and cold tapas service, live music, and an occasional breakout of Flamenco dancing.

Our weekly events are very popular, so we recommend that you make reservations, and remember that under current social distancing rules we cannot accommodate groups larger than 6 at a table.

We’re also available by appointment for wine tastings and special events. Call 505.898.6280 or email us at info@varawines.com.

Vara lets you choose your own experience with a full complement of possibilities. Come visit us. We are certain you will be back for more. Join the passion and live it!

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Our Wines

We produce wines from Spanish grape varietals grown in Spain and various American vineyards including right here in New Mexico. 

Under the direction of our winemaking team, Bob and Louisa Lindquist, we acquire fruit from the highest quality growers of Spanish grape varieties in the U.S. The harvested fruit is brought to our New Mexico facility where the wines are made and aged in individual lots until Bob and Louisa assemble the final cuvees.

Vara co-founders Doug Diefenthaler and Xavier Zamarripa regularly travel to Spain and are committed to growing or locating the best fruit for our Spanish wines and cava. We are very fortunate to have agreements for grape production and wine making with the best grape growers and producers in Spain. 

With a salute to their Spanish heritage, Vara’s wines are simply put — remarkable.  

Our Food

Our new Dining Menu offerings are already receiving great reviews. You’ll find our pairing suggestions with each menu item, but by all means, have fun trying out new combinations. If you like the way it tastes, then it’s the right pairing.

Vara DINING

tapas calientes

Papas Bravas

Spicy Fried Potatoes, Chipotle Aioli, Crisp Chorizo, Rosemary

6.5

Citrus Roasted Asparagus

Sea Salt, Chile Oil

7

Fried Brussels Sprouts

Sherry Vinegar, Salsa Balsamica

8

Add Chorizo +1

"Arroz" Con Pollo

Chicken Pinxtos, Herb Couscous, Saffron-Tomato Fonduta

8

Fried Green Chile Bombas

Bomba Rice, Shrimp, Chorizo, Green Chile Saffron Aioli

9

Lamb Merguez

Brandy Mustard, Pickled Red Onion

10

Albondigas

Certified Angus Beef and Pork Meatballs, Manchego Cheese, Spicy Heirloom, Tomato Ragout

11

Gambas al Ajillo

Marinated Shrimp, Salsa Seca Crunch

13

Vara Paella

Saffron Bomba Rice, Chicken, Chorizo, Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Saffron Aioli

40

postre

leche frita

Fried Milk Custard, Seasonal Berries, Taragon Cream

7

Chocolate Flan Cake

Ancho Chile, Candied Orange

9

Tables are reserved for two hours.
At this time we are unable to split checks for parties of six or more. Thank you for your understanding.

Consuming raw or undercooked meets, poultry, seafood, shellfish, eggs or unpasteurized milk may increase your risk of food borne illness

VARA WINERY & DISTILLERY

315 Alameda Blvd. NE.  Albuquerque, NM 87113 
505.898.6280

reservations recommended