Couple Uncorks Secrets to Success in Roswell Wine Industry

Learn why this New Mexico region is a great place to grow grapes.

By Kevin Litwin on December 9, 2023

Pecos Flavors Winery + Bistro

Pecos Flavors Winery + Bistro was founded in downtown Roswell, NM, by Paul and Cindy Ragsdale in April 2004, and today the business is run by their son, Josh, and his wife, Megan.

Josh sat down with Livability to talk about the popular winery and restaurant and why the Roswell wine industry is so successful. 

Give a little background on Pecos Flavors, and how is your winery and bistro doing in 2023? 
Pecos Flavors planted its first vines in 2004 and began bottling wines in 2007, and we now have 11 different varietals and also opened a bistro restaurant in 2016. The business has grown from four employees to a current staff of 20. 

How has your business model evolved over the last couple of years? 
[During COVID], we rolled with the punches and actually found an extra clientele when we decided to start packaging large family-style meals to go. We also began selling beer and wine to go. Some people still prefer that method today, so we’ve gained a whole new customer base. Plus, now that things are back to somewhat normal, our dining room is full, and we’ll be releasing a couple of new wine selections in 2023-24. 

Why is Roswell-Chaves County and New Mexico a good place to plant vines and grow grapes? 
New Mexico is the oldest wine region in the United States, dating back to the late 1500s. We have warm days and cool nights, which is ideal for some of the heartier grapes like cabernet. We don’t have long periods of freezing weather, and Roswell has an abundance of water for irrigation because the city sits on a large aquifer. Growing grapes is still a gamble every year, but we do pretty well by primarily growing cabernet, syrah and tempranillo grapes. 

What happens if you have a poor growing year? 
People in the New Mexico wine industry are friends with most of the other vineyard owners doing business, so if you harvest all your fruit and have a shortage one year, you can buy supplemental fruit from your grower friends. I typically work with a gentleman named Paolo D’Andrea, who owns Luna Rossa Winery in Deming, so I can call Paolo and say I need 1,000 pounds of cabernet, and he will help me out. 

Along with good food and good wine, what else is at Pecos Flavors Winery + Bistro? 
We carry a nice selection of New Mexico-made products like coffee, green chile foods, sauces, stew mixes, chocolates, pecans, pistachios and cheeses, and also available are New Mexico-brewed beers. In addition, we often feature live local entertainment at our bistro.