SantaFe.com

June and July are the months to sample a little chardonnay, try a new merlot or go sweet on a muscat in northern New Mexico.

With wine festivals planned in Santa Fe, Taos and Red River, there’s something for everyone from the casual sipper to the wine connoisseur — and for music and art lovers, families and gourmands as well.

El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a Spanish Colonial living history museum south of Santa Fe, will host the 16th annual Santa Fe Wine Festival on July 5 and 6.

The event runs from noon to 6 p.m. each day. Admission is $13 for adults, including a souvenir wine glass; $5...

Sunday, June 1, 2008
by Tania Soussan • Journal Santa Fe

From bighorn sheep to pinyon jays and elk to osprey, there are plenty of opportunities to view wildlife in northern New Mexico — especially if you’re willing to do a little hiking.

The region has lakes, rivers, grasslands and high-elevation mountains that offer habitat for a wide variety of species.

It’s possible to see birds and other animals from places as easily accessible as the Randall Davey Audubon Center a short drive from downtown Santa Fe. But to see the really unusual critters often takes a bit more effort, says Oscar Simpson, conservation and policy chairman for the New Mexico...

Sunday, June 1, 2008
by Tania Soussan • Journal Santa Fe