What began on the last Saturday of September in 1991 in the Santa Fe Railyard as a modest, one-day culinary gathering with 20 restaurants and 20 wineries has grown into a world-class, six-day extravaganza at Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta. Co-founded by culinary pioneers Mark Miller, Al Lucero, and Gordon Heiss, the festival was built on a bold premise: to demonstrate that rich, complex Southwestern cuisine pairs seamlessly with fine wines that go beyond standard salt-rimmed margaritas and icy beers.
Today, the event welcomes over 4,000 guests, bringing together nearly 80 participating restaurants and 90 premier wineries for a week of Reserve Tastings, master seminars, live auctions, and the signature Fiesta Grand Tasting.
Note: This year’s 2026 Chile Friday and Grand Tasting have been moved to Midtown due to the recent rainfall.
The seamless execution of this multi-day event is made possible by a dedicated leadership group. Before diving into the culinary highlights through the years, get to know the organizers, board members, and staff driving the festival behind the scenes in our spotlight on the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta team.
Over the years, TABLE Magazine has had the privilege of capturing the vibrant spirit, talented chefs, world-class sommeliers, and unforgettable flavor profiles across the festival’s history. Explore our archive of reporting below:
2026: 35 Years of Flavor and Tradition at Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta
Marking 35 years since its 1991 debut, the 2026 Fiesta brings six full days of culinary celebration to Santa Fe.
The 2026 Chef Class Photo
Participating chefs gathered on the lawn at the Governor’s Mansion to celebrate 35 years of culinary excellence, honoring the community spirit and talent powering New Mexico’s dining scene. Browse the full lineup of the chefs taking over the 2026 Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta.
Winery & Culinary Pairings 2026
Six of this year’s participating wineries joined forces with TABLE Magazine’s Regional Editor, Julia Platt Leonard, to create custom recipes engineered specifically for featured bottles—ranging from DeLille Cellars’ Chaleur Blanc paired with roasted butternut squash to Brooks Wines’ Janus Pinot Noir paired with dark chocolate pots de crème. Read the complete sommelier tasting notes and recipes in our roundup of wine and recipe pairings from Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta wineries.
2025: The Chefs Representing Santa Fe’s Culinary Community
By 2025, the Fiesta hosted over 70 restaurants and 90 winery partners. TABLE Magazine teamed up with Executive Director Mary Hallahan at the Inn and Spa at Loretto to capture the beloved annual “Class Photo” tradition, showcasing the camaraderie, humor, and passion of Santa Fe’s hospitality industry. See the full photo set and participating roster in the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta 2025 class photo gallery.
2024: The Chef & Sommelier Matchmaking Challenge
In 2024, TABLE Magazine issued a unique challenge: take five top Santa Fe chefs preparing signature dishes—like 40oz wood-fired tomahawk ribeyes and crispy seafood mille-feuille—and pair them with world-renowned master sommeliers. Read about the delicious results in our story on how 5 Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta chefs found their perfect match.
2023: Dream Dishes & Festival Classics
Celebrating its 32nd year, six local culinary leaders shared the stories and recipes behind their dream festival dishes—from slow-cooked Caribbean oxtail at Jambo Cafe to house-made burrata caprese at Sassella. Discover all six culinary creations in our feature on chefs sharing their dream dishes for the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta.
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