Bike and Wine Tour this weekend
Casa Vieja, Old Church Road added to annual Corrales event
Peddle your way to the vineyards of Corrales during the Corrales Bike and Wine Tour.
The tour, which takes place today and Sunday, will wind through the Corrales Wine Loop and have stops along the way at Acequia Winery, Corrales Winery and Pasando Tiempo. New this year will be wines from Los Ranchos’ Casa Rondeña, which will be avail- able for tasting and purchase at Casa Vieja, 4541 Corrales Road. Registration also will take place at Casa Vieja as well as an after party from 5 to 7 p.m. with live jazz.
“Casa Vieja reopened as an event center, which is a really awesome, historic, old house that they converted into a commercial property and so it’s beautiful,” event organizer Dana Koller said. “It has two beautiful patios. It’s all redone inside.”
Also new this year is the addition of Old Church Road to the tour route.
“We’ve been trying to get the historic old church road in the loop, so to speak,” Koller said. “This year we’ve been able to add that,
which I’m really excited about. That is going to be extremely fun and just add a whole other dimension to the ride. Part of the fun is the views in Corrales. They are really going to be able to experience Corrales to its fullest.”
Eventgoers will be able to take the tour at their own pace and stop at the participating Corrales wineries: Acequia Winery, 240 Reclining Acres; Corrales Winery, 6275 Corrales Road; and Pasando Tiempo, 277 Dandelion Road.
“They can ride at their convenience, ride at their own leisure and the reason why is sometimes people will enjoy one winery more than the other and they will want to stay and have a glass before they start riding so it gives them an opportunity to really enjoy the wineries,” Koller said.
The cost of the ticket includes the four tastings at four wineries. Eventgoers also will be able to purchase bottles. Event staff will pick up purchased bottles and take them back to the registration booth so that cyclists do not have to ride with them. Riders can pick their bottles up after the tour at the registration booth.
The Bikesmith, which is sponsoring the event, will be on hand to give cyclists some help if they have any problems on the route. They will be there to fix flats and help people do adjustments on their bicycles, according to Koller. The Bikesmith also will be renting out bicycles. Koller recommends reserving a bike prior to the event by going to the store at 901 Rio Grande NW in Albuquerque or by calling 242-9253.