New Mexico's best-kept wine country secret
Old Town Β· Albuquerque Β· French- and American-influenced bistro with wine bar focus Β· Visit Website β
Reviewed June 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into D.H. Lescombes in Old Town, the wine list is unapologetically New Mexico β no Napa name-dropping, no tokenized French imports, just a focused commitment to what the Lescombes family has been doing in this state for decades. It's a refreshing move in a tourist-heavy neighborhood where plenty of restaurants coast on margaritas and mediocrity. The room feels warm and intentional, and the list matches that energy.
This is a single-producer list, and it works because Lescombes earns it. The 6β’3β’1 Signature Series anchors the approachable end, while the Heritage Series steps up for guests who want something with more structure and story. Wine flights are on the menu, which is genuinely useful for people who've never explored New Mexico wine β and most people haven't. The gap here is obvious: if you want anything outside the Lescombes family portfolio, you're out of luck, but that's the point, not a flaw.
The by-the-glass program is where this place really moves β happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 3β5pm, dropping prices to $5 for the 6β’3β’1 Signature pours and $8 for Heritage Series glasses, which is genuinely hard to argue with. The flight option at $12 for four pours is essentially a curated education for the price of a cocktail. Rotation details aren't confirmed, but the program is clearly structured and intentional rather than an afterthought.
Custom Wine Flight (4 x 1 oz pours, mixed Lescombes wines) β $12
Four pours covering the Lescombes range for twelve bucks during happy hour β the math works out to less than retail and you get to taste before you commit to a bottle. Best introduction to New Mexico wine available in Albuquerque at this price.
St. Clair Winery Legacy Bottles
The St. Clair legacy connection runs deep in the Lescombes family history, and any bottles from that lineage on the list carry more provenance than their price suggests. Most guests walk past them for the more familiar Lescombes labels β that's a mistake worth correcting.
Lescombes Heritage Series (by the glass, outside happy hour)
At $10 a glass outside the 3β5pm window, the Heritage Series hits a 178% markup that feels like a stretch for a wine you can find at New Mexico retail for $18 a bottle. Come during happy hour or just order the flight instead.
Lescombes Heritage Series + Coq au vin
The Heritage Series has enough body and structure to stand up to the braised depth of the coq au vin without steamrolling the dish β and keeping both in the same regional and bistro-minded conversation makes the whole table feel coherent.
MondayβFriday β Happy hour runs 3β5pm daily. $5 for 6β’3β’1 Signature Series pours, $8 for Heritage Series glasses, $8 wine cocktails, and $2 off any glass of wine. No confirmed dedicated half-price wine night beyond these hours.
π² The Bottom Line
If you think New Mexico wine is a punchline, D.H. Lescombes is the correction. The focused list, aggressive happy hour pricing, and flight program make this one of the most honest wine experiences in Old Town β just get there before 5pm.
Nob Hill Β· Albuquerque Β· French Bistro
P'tit Louis is doing something genuinely uncommon in Albuquerque: a French wine list that actually earns the bistro name. It's not the deepest list in the world, but it's focused, fairly priced, and full of bottles worth ordering β send a friend here and tell them to skip the Jadot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown Β· Albuquerque Β· Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de ChΓ£o Albuquerque won't win any awards for wine creativity, but the South American red game is solid enough to get you through a meat marathon without regret. Just don't expect to discover anything new β this list is on autopilot.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown Β· Albuquerque Β· Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Albuquerque is the reliable airport terminal of wine lists β you know exactly what you're getting, it'll cost more than it should, and nothing will go wrong. If you're celebrating and want to hand someone a bottle of Silver Oak without any drama, this is your spot; if you're here for wine discovery, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Valley/Los Poblanos Β· Albuquerque Β· Cocktail & Wine Bar
The Library Bar at Los Poblanos isn't trying to be a serious wine destination β it's trying to be an honest expression of place, and it largely succeeds. If you care about drinking local and you haven't touched a New Mexico bottle in a while, this is the right room to fix that.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside/Coors Β· Albuquerque Β· Italian
M'tucci's Coors isn't trying to be a destination wine program, and that honesty works in its favor. Show up on a Monday or Tuesday, grab a half-price bottle of the private label, and order the osso buco β you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Nob Hill Β· Albuquerque Β· Wine Bar/Italian
Scalo Wine Bar is the best Italian wine list in Albuquerque by a comfortable margin, and it earns that title by actually committing to the country's great regions instead of playing it safe. Markups are a bit aggressive and the staff won't always go deep with you, but the selection alone makes it worth the trip.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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