Vinos Unidos adds wines to NM United, Sheehan Winery collaboration

May 24—Vinos Unidos has kicked up its wine list to more than triple the offerings it had last year.

The wine collaboration between Sheehan Winery and New Mexico United helps benefit the soccer team's nonprofit, The Somos Unidos Foundation, which is dedicated to creating positive outcomes for New Mexicans through art, sport, community, and unity.

The Vinos Unidos line now offers 11 different wines and will have its own tent at the New Mexico Wine Festival Albuquerque that runs Friday, May 25, through Monday, May 27, at Balloon Fiesta Park. Last year, Sheehan Winery only offered three Vinos Unidos wines: a cabernet, a dry rosé, and a sweet white wine that is a Riesling and Moscato blend.

"Last year, I felt like the Vinos Unidos was very tightly tied to Sheehan Winery," said Sean Sheehan, owner and winemaker at Sheehan Winery. "The tent space was shared and we had a single salesperson going out selling both Vinos Unidos and Sheehan Winery (wines). And this year, it should be really different. I think that the brand is strong enough to stand on its own. I think our partnership with New Mexico United is awesome and amazing."

Sheehan said it brings him great joy to be a part of helping The Somos Unidos Foundation continue its goal to better the community.

"We're supporting kids' access to soccer and academic counseling and tutoring and community outreach," he said. "I think it's such a cool project. It's such a cool collaboration that for this year, we'll have our own tent completely Vinos Unidos (at the New Mexico Wine Festival). We have our own dedicated team promoting the wines, talking about the wines, and showing people what an awesome collaboration it is."

One of the new Vinos Unidos wines is a crisp and clean Sauvignon Blanc made with grapes from the Las Cruces area.

"So instead of kind of the grapefruit juice, of like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, instead we're getting more guava character," Sheehan said. "It's a little riper, a little more tropical, but still really crisp and clean. Really refreshing on a hot day."

The Vinos Unidos Chardonnay also features grapes grown near Las Cruces. Unlike the Sheehan Winery Chardonnay, which spends time in oak barrels, the Vinos Unidos Chardonnay matures in 100% stainless steel barrels, so it exudes the richness of the Chardonnay without the oaky character. The Vinos Unidos Chardonnay features golden, delicious apple notes, that is bright and fresh on the tongue.

Two different red blends are part of the Vinos Unidos line. The red blend has been the most popular. It is a mixture of Baco Noir and Rougeon grapes that come from the old Anderson vineyard property in Los Ranchos.

"So we take that whole vineyard and we've been turning those grapes into our (Sheehan Winery) Ollpheist red blend, which is our most popular of our red blends," Sheehan said. "We decided that those grapes are really awesome. So we're doing about 70% of that Baco Noir Rougeon from there and then about 30% of a real fruit forward red Zinfandel that we're getting the grapes from the Las Cruces area. So bright, fruit forward and a little bit of spice. We call it like a New Mexico du Rhône, like a Côtes du Rhône but New Mexico style."

A Malbec and a Syrah have been added to the Vinos Unidos line. The Malbec is a deep, dark, juicy wine with a lot of body that is created with grapes grown in Picacho, New Mexico, near Las Cruces. The Syrah features grapes from Paolo D'Andrea's vineyard in Deming which is the largest in the state. D'Andrea is the founder of Luna Rossa Winery.

"That Syrah's got a really deep, dark, inky black color, really good concentration," Sheehan said. "It's definitely a big bold steak wine. (I am) definitely super happy with that one."

An upcoming release is called United in Love. It will be released on June 8, at the New Mexico United store in Nob Hill as part of the Albuquerque Pride celebration which will feature a parade that will pass by the store 3500 Central Ave. SE.

"It's Léon Millot, which is grapes that come from the South Valley, one of the key components to our (Sheehan Winery) Ollpheist wine as well," Sheehan said. "So a similar blend, about 70% Léon Millot and 30% of that real fruity red Zinfandel, light, bright, really nice summer red. (It has a) really tasty, really nice spice component to it as well."

Sheehan did not forget about the sweet wine lovers and added new offerings to the Vinos Unidos lineup.

The Moscato, made from grapes grown in the Las Cruces area, is semi-sweet and has a restrained sweetness that is "refreshing, juicy and beautiful." Another sweet treat is the Unido Rojo, which is a sweet red wine that pairs well with New Mexican food and Mexican cuisine.

"Nothing goes better with carne adovada than sweet red wine," Sheehan said. "And so, we're doing kind of a cabernet, rosé and Moscato blend. it's the perfect thing for carne asada, carne adovada, and red chile. It's just a perfect pairing for that. So it's been really well received as well."

Wine enthusiasts who cannot make this year's New Mexico Wine Festival will be able to sample and purchase Vinos Unidos wines at the Sheehan Winery Tasting Room, located at 303 Romero St. NW Suite 110, in Old Town. The tasting room will offer Vinos Unidos flights that will feature the Chardonnay, rosé, the Somos Unidos red blend, the Malbec, and the Unidos Blanco sweet white, Moscato and Riesling blend.

"My hope is we really get some good pickup on the (Vinos Unidos) wines and we really get people excited about the partnership and the wines and the extent to which we're helping kids in New Mexico," Sheehan said. "If it really goes well. I think the plan for next year would be to do our own Vinos Unidos tasting room/soccer bar, either in Nob Hill or in the new Winrock (Town Center) space."