Category Archives: In the Press

Awards, In the Press

Voted Best Winery & Best Wine Bar

Thank you for making your voices heard and voting us Best Winery and Best Wine Bar!  

Community members were able to cast their votes for the Bulletin’s Best in Arts & Entertainment, Auto & Transportation, Business & Finance, Community, Eating & Drinking, Education, Health & Well Being, Home, Professionals, Shopping, Sports & Recreation.  

“I personally am excited about Bulletin’s Best. Because you’ll be voting online, it’s a truly COVID-safe event. It’s a chance for everyone in the Mesilla Valley to voice their opinion on almost anything you can imagine. But it also means we’ll be doing something together, and engaging with the whole community.” – Richard Coltharp/Las Cruces Bulletin Publisher  

We are honored to receive the Best Winery and Best Wine Bar award. Thank you to the staff of the Las Cruces Bulletin for the hard work they put in to recognize the outstanding businesses in our community.  

The awards are a testimony to the hard work and dedication of the Lescombes family that has been crafting wine in New Mexico since their emigration from Burgundy, France in 1981.

Our winery is located in the Mimbres Valley, just outside of Deming, New Mexico. Our traditions are preserved by Florent and Emmanuel Lescombes, who carry on their family’s six-generation history of winemaking.  

Our wine bar offers numerous award-winning wines for every taste. Just like New Mexico’s first vintners, our goal is to produce great wines and food for you to enjoy in the company of friends and family. 

“I am thankful for the trust our guests have placed in us. We continue to work extra hard to push ourselves to the next level.” – Thomas Perez/General Manager 

Blog, In the Press, News

St. Clair To Adopt D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro Name

Owned and operated by Lescombes Family Vineyards, St. Clair Winery & Bistro will be adopting the name D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro. The transition will take place at all St. Clair branded locations across the state this spring.

As one of the most recognizable and popular wine brands in New Mexico today, St. Clair hasn’t always been that way.

“The original investors that opened St. Clair in Deming were unsuccessful, the winery closed its doors, and the timing just worked in our favor,” recounts Hervé Lescombes.  “I was in a position to purchase the winery in the early ’90s, and we moved in and picked up where the investors left off.”

Hervé had been producing wine for many years near Lordsburg after he and his wife, Danielle, emigrated from France in 1981 with their three children.

The family has owned and operated the winery ever since. New Mexicans happily sipped on the new St. Clair wine in addition to the family’s selection of existing Blue Teal wine.  Hervé’s sons, Florent and Emmanuel, soon joined in the business as winemaker and viticulturist, respectively. Growth was steady as the family made use of the larger winery facility. Hervé’s family label, D.H. Lescombes—standing for ‘Danielle & Hervé’—had been also added to their product line in 1991.

In 2005, the family opened their first restaurant in Albuquerque under the St. Clair name, and a new concept was born. Highlighting St. Clair wines paired with unique bistro dishes proved to be a winning combination. The family soon built upon their success and opened restaurants in Las Cruces and Farmington. In Santa Fe, they recently opened Hervé Wine Bar one block from the historic plaza. The family enthusiastically caters to their guests, offering a unique experience that melds wine, food, and a dose of family heritage.

What was once a small-town family business grew to be a New Mexico icon whose success story was owed to the ingenuity, hard work, and dedication of the Lescombes family. Spanning six-generations and three continents, the family legacy of winemaking is more alive than ever.

“We are moving in a direction that better tells the story of our heritage,” says President, Florent Lescombes of the adoption of the D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro name. “The grapes we grow, the guests we serve, and every step between is a part of who we are. We are proud to put our family name on it.”

The wine focus will shift to their D.H. Lescombes wines to include their Heritage Series, Limited Release, and new 6-3-1 Signature Series at company-owned locations. St. Clair wines will continue to be offered at retailers across the state and ingrained in the Lescombes family’s bright future. After all, their St. Clair Mimbres Red has grown to become the number one wine in the state, beating the likes of Kendall-Jackson, Mondavi, and Yellowtail.

“St. Clair will always be part of us,” said Florent, “While St. Clair will remain one of our brands, our locations will be centered around the family name, allowing us to connect on a more personal level with our guests. We want you to feel like you are dining with our family.”

Guests will be delighted to see new signage, menus, and additional details proudly displaying the Lescombes name.

“We are excited and proud that we have this opportunity,” says CEO, Brandon Young, “We’ve always loved telling the story of Hervé, his family’s migration to New Mexico, and the winemaking heritage of the Lescombes family. It makes sense that we allow the Lescombes name to shine through. We are true to our roots, we want our name to reflect that.”

Lescombes Family Vineyards is the premier vineyard and winery in the state of New Mexico. Since 1981, they have been leading the industry with an array of wines to include traditional, hand-crafted releases and highly-acclaimed, award-winning favorites. Their company-owned locations consist of Bistros in Albuquerque, and Las Cruces; Hervé Wine Bar in Santa Fe; and a tasting room in Deming. Their family-owned vineyard thrives just east of Lordsburg with 200 planted acres. The family’s mission is to passionately craft quality wine and food to be enjoyed with friends and family. You can read more about the family and their offerings at www.lescombeswinery.com.

Blog, In the Press, News, Uncategorized

ST. CLAIR AND COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT CANCER WARRIORS

Just in time for Christmas, the St. Clair Winery team presented a check to Cancer Support of Deming and Luna County from the proceeds of the 8th annual St. Clair Winefest. The local non-profit provides a variety of support to cancer patients in the community. They also provide outreach services for general education, early detection, screening programs, and general
cancer awareness.


“We provide transportation assistance to cancer patients within Deming and Luna County” explains Patient Advocate, Joanna Costilla. “We have vans that we offer to transport patients to and from out-of-town appointments at no charge. We also have a voucher program that can also help defray the cost of gas for qualifying patients who drive themselves.”


“Year after year, our amazing community comes together to support this local cause,” said Lora Robinson, General Manager at St. Clair Winery & Tasting Room. “We’re grateful we are able to continue to carry on this tradition to benefit local cancer warriors and thankful for the continued support from our guests and employees.”


This year’s Winefest donation was $8,407.10, which has been credited to both attendance and silent auction donations collected from local businesses.

Deming & Luna County Cancer Support can be reached at (575) 546-4780

Blog, In the Press

2017 D.H. Lescombes Rosé Earns Silver in Rosé Competition in France

Each year, for the past 14 years, the Union des Enologues de France meets in Cannes for 3 days to blind taste and judge rosé wines coming from all over the world during the Le Mondial du Rosé®. Competition.

This year, there were approximately1300 entries, from 25 countries, including 776 French wines.

We entered our 2017 D.H. Lescombes Rosé Syrah and were excited to have been awarded a Silver Medal, the only medal awarded to a U.S. Winery.

“Our goal is exhibiting excellence, here is another example. This is great recognition for our team, putting New Mexico on the map. Hard work pays off! – Josh Gomez, Winery Operations Manager 

The wines were evaluated by 67 judges, from 18 countries.

The Judge’s Notes: With its beautiful raspberry color with coral fragments, this wine reveals an elegant nose of ripe red fruits like cherry and raspberry. With aeration, violet completes the aromatic palette. The flavors are in perfect harmony with the aroma. One finds the sweetness of raspberry and sour cherry, all supported by a citrus freshness on the finish. A fruity dessert rosé that will delight all connoisseurs.

Pictured from L to R: Florinco Luna -Cellar Associate, Jordan Cardenas -Cellar Associate,Raul Rosas -Cellar Master, Justin Lawrence- Lab tech,Melissa Porter- Winemaker, Memo Rivera- Cellar Associate,Roger Lopez -Cellar Associate, Joshua Gomez -Winery Operations Manager

“I’m extremely proud of our entire viticultural and winemaking team for their continued efforts to craft the highest quality New Mexico wine. This award shows that our wines can compete side-by-side  with the best wines in the world, and it’s a reflection of the amount of work our team puts in.” – Vice President, Florent Lescombes

“As I reflect on the years that have gone by,  one thing that has never left is the passion to create quality wine for the world to enjoy with friends and family while making memories. I can truly say hard work pays off. -Melissa Porter, Winemaker 

The new vintage Rosé will soon be available to the public at all St. Clair Winery locations.  
In the Press, News, Special Events

St. Clair Event Center Hosts “Yappy Hour” to Raise Money For Deming Animal Guardians

DEMING – Rain or shine, Deming Animal Guardians held another successful Yappy Hour fundraiser hosted by St. Clair Winery in Deming this past weekend. Rain didn’t end up being a problem since St. Clair Winery offered its indoor tasting and event center.

“There was a little indoor dancing, pledging and shopping and a little outdoor visiting and tasting happening. It worked out perfectly.” says event coordinator Debbie Troyer.

The event brought in just under $1,400 to help support DAG’s no-kill rescues and spay/neuter programs. Money was raised through pledges taken in a contest that bid Crystal Pena of HELP-NM against Will Jansen of Mimbres Hospital. Each competed for a $100 prize to be given to their charity of choice. Congratulations to the winner, Crystal Pena, for playing along in her kitty costume and raising funds for Luna County’s Early Childhood Coalition.

yappy hour in st clair winery event center in deming
Crystal Peña congratulated by Will Janson at Yappy Hour inside St. Clair Winery’s Special Event Center.

St. Clair Winery donated use of their spacious indoor special event center as well as $1 for every glass of wine/beer sold, vendors sold beautiful oil and acrylic paintings, hand cut stone jewelry, candles and engravings. Faces were decorated by Megan Lemcke, dancing was provided by EnJ Entertainment and everyone was entertained by the always fun MC Greg Morrow. Belle Pacheco gave away $200 GoodLife VIP gift cards.

“It’s not easy to bring these events together, but the support from our community and volunteers always amazes me. We have a great time at our fundraisers,” Troyer said.

DAG invites you to follow them on Facebook to keep up on all the upcoming and fun events. Next up, “Bowling for Fur-Balls” on August 12 at the Starmax Bowling Center, 333 N. Country Club Road. This will be a No-Tap Tournament for all ages. There will be a Blu-Ray DVD Player raffle, door prizes, music and handmade awards.

For more information, please contact DAG at 575-544-2209

In the Press, News

St. Clair and Community Come Together to Support Cancer Warriors

Photo courtesy: Daniel Gonzales/St. Clair Winery. Pictured are St. Clair Winery Staff led by Sales Manager Robert Duran, Tasting Room Manager Lora Robinson and Event Coordinator Naomi Morales presenting this year’s donation to the Cancer Support of Deming & Luna County, Patient Advocate Joanna Costilla and Board Member Don Hill
Photo courtesy: Daniel Gonzales/St. Clair Winery. Pictured are St. Clair Winery Staff led by Sales Manager Robert Duran, Tasting Room Manager Lora Robinson and Event Coordinator Naomi Morales presenting this year’s donation to the Cancer Support of Deming & Luna County, Patient Advocate Joanna Costilla and Board Member Don Hill

St. Clair Winery of Deming, NM, held their annual St. Clair Winefest the first weekend in October, with proceeds benefitting Deming & Luna County Cancer Support for the sixth year in a row. The local non-profit provides a variety of support to cancer patients in the community. They also provide outreach services for general education, early detection, screening programs, transportation assistance, and general cancer awareness.

This year’s Winefest donation was $5,433, which is over $2,000 more than last year’s donation. Major growth is attributed to the community support that has grown every year since its inception.

Each year since 2010, St. Clair has paired with the organization to donate some of the proceeds from their annual Winefest, which has become a destination for those looking to have a great time while also supporting a great cause. The largest portion of the fundraising stemmed from the Silent Auction, which is full of donated items from regional businesses, including St. Clair. The local winery also donates admission fees, pink ribbon sales, and vendor fees for the good of the cause.

“It’s amazing to see the support from all the local businesses that donate to the silent auction,” said Joanna Costilla, Patient Advocate from Deming & Luna County Cancer Support. “We’re extremely grateful to St. Clair for hosting this event and the generous amount of work they put into donating to help those in need. We’re also grateful to the community who continually supports the organization and our local cancer warriors.”

“It all went really well,” said St. Clair Tasting Room Manager, Lora Robinson. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather, and the turnout from the community was wonderful. We’re thankful for all the businesses and individuals who donated to the silent auction this year, it was a huge success. We can’t wait to do it again next year.”

Silent auction sponsors included: 1st New Mexico Bank, Allie Pelayo, Angel Nails, Black Hat Trading, Big-O-Tires, Bill Schnuk, Border Pest Control, Carol Smith, Car Quest, Cats, Circle S Western Emporium, Cliff & Terri Paulk, The Cookie Jar, Crafter’s Den, Dawn Lint, Deming Coke, Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, Deming Mattress, Diaz Farms, Dollar Tree, El Rey, First Federal Credit Union, Forghetaboutit, Foxworth Galbraith, Furniture Gallery, Gabe’s Fitness, Gene’s Equipment, Hofacket Law Firm, LLC, John Deer South Plains Implement, Karl’s Embroidery & Screen Printing, Kmart, La Fonda, Larry’s Music & Sound, Las Casuelas, The Lescombes Family, Mango Maddie’s, Marty & Will Willis, Mimbres Valley Feeds, Napa, The Patio, Pepper’s, Punkin Gose, Quality Inn, Rancher’s Grill, Samantha Crim, Shifflet Farms.

Deming & Luna County Cancer Support can be reached at (575) 546-4780

In the Press

St. Clair celebrates safety

Winery recognized as accident-free business

By The Deming Headlight Staff- March 14, 2016

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Pictured from left to right: CFO Brandon Young, Plant Manager Macaryo Argott, OSHA Safety Consultant Mike Gonzales, OSHA Consultation Manager Lisa Spahr, CEO Florent Lescombes, Safety Coordinator Robin Lee, Quality Control Manager Ziedney Valenzona.

DEMING – St. Clair Winery is a safe place to work, according to its administrative staff and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). This high standard of attendance to health and safety issues is being fully recognized, something that other businesses may want to make note of. What makes this business so special is that they have done everything in their power to ensure that their employees are working in a safe environment. Through incorporating specific types of ladders, from somewhere like Platforms and Ladders (https://www.platformsandladders.com/crossover-ladders/) to help reach items that may be out of reach, to implementing the relevant health and safety guidelines, they are the epitome of a safe business. This is why they should get noticed by the wider community.

The winery, a local product of Southwest Wines Inc., was awarded and recognized on Wednesday in an induction ceremony commemorating participation in the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) through OSHA. Many companies strive to reach this same level of safety, with First Aid Safety Signage and other means to help keep their employees safe implemented throughout the work zone. However, very few manage to get to the same point that St. Clair Winery manages to achieve, with their careful adherence to health and safety standards keeping them all well and able. In areas that handle food and drink, safety measures must be to high standards, which also includes the storage of the relevant chemicals in places such as this. Knowing how should chemicals be stored in food premises is extremely important and must be understood by all those who work within the company, it can prevent contamination and other related problems.

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“We are very proud of the accomplishment they (St. Clair) have made toward being a SHARP certified employer,” said Lisa Spahr, OSHA consultation manager. “They are one of eight SHARP employers in New Mexico.” This standard is very hard to achieve, as many companies are unable to retain such stringent levels of safety regulation and procedure. Being one of the few named in the region is a well-deserved accolade for this company in particular. Read more here.

View the ceremony here!

In the Press, Special Events

St. Clair Winery Creates Special Label Wine to Benefit Roadrunner Food Bank

SC & RRFB logosThis month, St. Clair Winery will release a new wine to the public in a unique way.  The New Mexico Winery will use their 2012 Bistro Red as an avenue to raise funds in partnership with Roadrunner Food Bank.

“Through the partnership, St. Clair has pledged to donate $1 per bottle sold of our new wine, Bistro Red, to Roadrunner Food Bank,” said St. Clair Marketing Director, Maritza Gomez. “This year, we anticipate the donation will be between $12,000 – $15,000.” The partnership between St. Clair Winery and Roadrunner Food Bank will help raise awareness around the issue of hunger in New Mexico.

Roadrunner Food Bank’s mission complements the deeply embedded family values of the St. Clair brand. “They pair perfectly!” said Gomez “Our goal was to ensure the donation would make an impact locally.” St. Clair chose to partner with the food bank because they are not just a city or county affiliate; their assistance spans the whole state and includes the entire spectrum of those in need including women, children, men and the elderly.St. Clair Bistro Red

Roadrunner Food Bank will be the sole beneficiary of this distinctive promotion. Melody Wattenbarger, president and CEO of Roadrunner Food Bank said, “Partnerships like this one help us extend our ability to reach more of our hungry neighbors. As one of the hungriest states in the country, every dollar we raise helps in our mission to end hunger. The funds raised over the length of this unique promotion will help us provide about 75,000 meals. Thank you, St. Clair, for this wonderful opportunity to raise funds and also remind people about the issue of hunger in New Mexico.”

To introduce the promotion, St. Clair Winery & Bistro will host a Release Party at both their Albuquerque and Farmington locations. Attendees will be asked to donate $5 to the Food Bank which will include a glass of the St. Clair 2012 Bistro Red poured from the barrel.

Media are invited to attend the kickoff event at noon on Wednesday, March 23 to learn more about the partnership.

Each of the St. Clair Winery & Bistro locations in Albuquerque, Farmington and Las Cruces will have the Bistro Red wine available for purchase.  Other New Mexico retail locations such as Albertson’s, Smith’s, Walgreens; and others who are contributing partners to Roadrunner Food Bank; will also stock and sell the uniquely labeled wine.

For details about volunteering or giving to the Food Bank, visit www.rrfb.org or call 505.247.2052.

In the Press, News

50 States Series: Top Wineries & Breweries Worth Traveling For (2016 Edition!)

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Tasting an oaky wine straight from the barrel or a hoppy beer perfectly poured from the keg will always be an experience unlike anything from a can or a bottle. And, in many cases, it’s an experience worth working into your travel plans while you’re on vacation. Whether you’re enjoying an urban escape in a big city or are trying your hand at country-living for a bit, take a detour to a sprawling vineyard or find the nearest local brewery to add some fun and flavor to your getaway. As you travel to your amazing getaway and (hopefully) make a quick stop at a vineyard, you are going to need to be prepared for any last-minute travel plans, it may be wise to look on websites such as BuyerImpact.co.uk for some travel tips and accessories that you can bring along with you, maybe even a little travel mug that you can sip some of that free wine when you’re back at your hotel… who knows! Just as long as you are prepared and you enjoy yourself.

We’ve searched for the best winery and/or brewery in every state to put together a list of places you just can’t miss. These are places where the ambiance is unbeatable, and more importantly, the craft brews and aged wines are award-winning. Our list will lead you to the best wineries and breweries across the United States, so you’ll have no excuse not to go for a tasting on your next trip. Take a look:

https://www.flipkey.com/blog/2016/02/26/50-states-series-top-wineries-breweries-worth-traveling-for-2016-edition/