Mexican wines and wineries

Explore Mexico's wine country (NY Post)

2012-01-28T11:59:00.001-06:00

SEVERED heads. Mass graves. Kidnappings. Drug wars. The grim news pouring out of Mexico these days is starting to make Yemen look like the Italian Riviera.

And so it was with sweaty palms on the steering wheel that I crossed the border last month just south of San Diego, at the start of a visit to the wine country of the Baja peninsula.

I checked the State Department travel warning and learned that, in sketchy places, it’s best to “keep a low profile” and “don’t wear expensive jewelry.”

I rented a “low-profile” black Nissan at the San Diego airport and slipped my Swiss Army watch into my pocket. I thought about buying a sombrero at the border so that I’d blend in with the locals. But the one that caught my eye — lapus lazuli blue with pink fringe — didn’t make me look like a Mexican. It made look like a pinata. So I wore my low-profile yellow “Lion King” baseball cap instead.

History of Mexican wines 4/4

2012-01-22T11:00:00.000-06:00

Chapter 4: After the second World War

Only in the period of stability post-1940 did a modern winemaking industry emerge, helped by rigorous protectionism. There was revived interest in table wines in the twentieth century.

Interested ? Read more ...>>>

History of the Mexican wines 3/4

2012-01-20T10:58:00.000-06:00

Chapter 3: From the 19th century till World War II

At the end of the XIX th century, the Concannon family, pioneer in the Californian state (Livermore Valley, US) convinced the Mexican government to take advantage of the viticultural potential of the country and introduced a dozen French vine types and varietals in Mexico

Interested ? Read more ...>>>

History of the Mexican wines 2/4

2012-01-18T10:55:00.000-06:00

Chapter 2: The first downturn

The vines from Europe adapted well to their new environment and were so productive that one could make wine and brandy. The development of the industry was nipped in the bud however when Madrid totally prohibited the making of wine in order to protect Spanish home-grown product.

Interested ? Read more ... >>>

History of the Mexican wines 1/4

2012-01-16T10:53:00.000-06:00

Chapter 1: The beginning and the developpment

The Mexicans are the oldest American wine producers. In the pre-Columbian age (before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors) the Indians used the vine to produce a drink to which they added other fruits and honey.

Interested ? Read more ... >>>

Have a fine Mexican wine with your meal !

2012-01-04T03:41:00.000-06:00

In which restaurants in Mexico can you have a fine Mexican wine with your meal ?

For many years, the offer of wine lists in the restaurants has been an obligation more than an opportunity for the owner of the restaurant and difficult to understand for the client

But nowadays things are changing a lot The restaurants discovered the potentialities of the combination of wine with plates, making nice profits on every bottle offered, improving the satisfaction of the customer and much more interesting developments.

http://winesfrommexico.homestead.com/restaurantes.html

Vine and red wine varietals

2012-01-02T03:34:00.000-06:00

Discover here the wine grapes and varietals of vines raised by the Mexican wineries. There is a list of vines at the left and of wineries at the right. These wine grapes can be used for sole varietals wines in Mexico.

http://mexicanwineries.homestead.com/grapes.html

Enjoy the Mexican wineries and the wines made in Mexico.

2011-12-31T03:30:00.003-06:00

What about ...
... a visit the wine regions in the tourism section in the Mexican wineries from
Baja California ? More here ...>>>

... a list of Mexican grapes, used by the vintners and winegrowers all over
Mexico ? More here...>>>

... a tour in order to discover the wineries of Mexico, from Baja California to
the wine region of Queretaro ? Click here...>>>

... a fine restaurant where you can taste a good Mexican wine with your meal ?

Look at it here...>>>

Mexican white wines, tasting notes

2011-12-16T10:34:00.000-06:00

Freixenet Dolores Sauvignon Blanc 2009. A 100% Sauvignon Blanc that has spent 2-4 months in oak, has a pretty nose of newly mown hay, with dry, crisp flavors of sweet herbs, and tropical fruit, ending with a nice finish. Terrific food-friendly lip-smacker!

Freixenet Vivante NV Vino Blanco. A great warm weather sipper, a blend of Chenin Blanc, with two Spanish varietals, Macabeu, and Sant Emilion. Light (only 10.5% alcohol), crisp, dry-as-a-bone, sporting foxy flavors of honeysuckle, herbs and cashews that’s reminiscent of a good Pinot Grigio. Break out the cold cuts and ‘tater salad and head for the patio! A screaming deal!

Monteviña Blanco: Finally! A tasty, white quaffer at a great price! A blend of Chardonnay and Semillon, it serves up a light straw color and balances the crispiness of the Chard with the "fleshier" Semillon to create a fruit-forward, slightly sweet finish that will appeal to those who favor light food fare. From Casa Madero

San Lorenzo Blanco: A tasty blend of 50% Chenin Blanc, 25% Chardonnay, and 25% Columbard, it sports a pretty light straw color, with crisp, citrusy, tropical fruit flavors, along with sweet herbs and floral notes. It is excellent as an aperitif or to accompany cheeses, fish, or seafood, and a screaming value! From Casa Madero.

Source http://www.vinoclubsma.com

Collection of Tasting Notes, Mexican Whites

2011-12-16T10:32:00.001-06:00

Casa Madero 2V: A pretty 50%-50% blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, it sports a light golden color, which leads into aromas of honey and honeysuckle with hints of pineapple. Mouth-filling flavors of tropical fruit and pears tickle the palate, followed by a nice, looong finish....a great food wine!

Casa Madero Chardonnay: 100% Chardonnay. An attractive golden color, this wine brings aromas of warm toast, honey, and pineapple floating up from the glass, followed by delicious citrusy flavors of cinnamon, peach, and guayaba, with mineral and buttery notes. It is fresh tasting and expressive, with balanced acidity that confirms its fruit character. It has the hallmark of a superior vino, a long lingering finish. One third of the wine is fermented in American oak barrels for three months, the remainder in stainless steel.

Casa Madero Chenin Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc. This pretty little everyday quaffer starts with a delicate floral nose of honeysuckle, pears, and sweet nuts, then leads into a mouthful of delicious fruity flavors of pineapple and tangy orange zest, followed by a nice smooth finish. Clean as a whistle, this pretty little everyday sipper sees no oak; its early life is spent in 100% stainless steel. In 2007, this beauty won a Gold Medal at the Monde Selection in Brussels, took the Silver at the San Francisco Wine Competition and at The Thessaloniki Wine Competition in Thessaloniki, Greece. This is a wine for people who don’t ordinarily drink wine and is a great value!

Source http://www.vinoclubsma.com

Watch an interesting video about the Mexican winery Monte Xanci

2011-12-14T10:53:00.000-06:00

“To be the producer of the best world class wine from Mexico, advancing the culture of wine while becoming the permanent standard in our industry”.

VIÑAS PIJOAN a tribute to women and family

2011-12-13T10:49:00.000-06:00

Viñas Pijoan started as a hobby, a desire to make wine and share it with family and friends, but Pau Pijoan, a Catalan settled in México, made a hit with his hobby and had no choice than to keep it going and growing!!!

I visited this winery a little while ago and i was very well impressed, not only for the quality of the wines, but also for the personality of Pau, the owner and winemaker. But most of all, i was impressed to see the love of this man for his family and his wines; such love that as a tribute to the women of his family, each wine have their names.

Interested ? The article continues here: http://www.g-naya.com/2009/09/18/vinas-pijoan-a-tribute-to-women-and-family/

Valle de Guadalupe – The Ensenada wine country

2011-12-12T10:46:00.001-06:00

Located in the north part of the state of Baja California, the route of wine (sp. Ruta del vino) it enjoys the mediterranean weather, perfect for growing grapevines. There are just a few places in Mexico that combine these unique features: the altitude, seasons, weather, and temperature – without forgetting the love of the art of making wine.

The first colonies on this region where the Kiliwa and Kumiai cultures, followed by missionaries and Mexicans who opened the route to the arrival of immigrants from Russia, Europe and the rest of Mexico. All this influences helped to create a unique characteristic of the route of wine.

Valleys of Calafia, Guadalupe and San Antonio de las Minas are the hearth of the wine route that also extends to the north of Valle de las Palmas (en. Palms valley) and south to the valleys of Santo Tomas and San Vicente Ferrer.

Both wines white and red are made with lots of dedication starting from the grapes Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Souvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, while reds typically uses Cabernet ouvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Genache, Carignan, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Zinfandel.

The wine route offers a wide range of attractions that goes from small familiar wineries to the great scale products. Reasons why you can find from a small familiar camping restaurants to the most fine table, and places for camping, ranch’s, artesian centers, museums, hotels B&B, wine boutiques, art galleries, Indian culture and natural places.

In this region you can enjoy a fun, active, exotic or romantic vacations in an interesting and secure place. The wine route is the perfect destiny for vacations for couples or family.

Interested ? The article continues here: http://www.mexicomatters.info/2011/10/valle-de-guadalupe-the-ensenada-wine-country/

Baja Wines: Using a Unique Business Model to Bring Mexican Wines to US consumers

2011-11-29T18:06:00.000-06:00

Anyone who has had the privilege of trying Mexican wines can tell you that they are fantastic. The Valle of Guadalupe, just outside of Ensenada in Baja California is home to some of Mexico’s premiere wineries. Every year in September, the Association of Viniculture organizes “Fiestas de la Vendemia”, a month long festival promoting wines from the region. Unfortunately, many of these boutique wineries do not receive the exposure or the distribution that they deserve. The problem has been getting these wines into the hands of consumers on the other side of the border without charging exorbitant import and distribution fees.

Interested ? The article continues here.

2011-11-28T18:03:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday our friends Carlos and Daniela had us over for dinner. After we’d finished Carlos’s sublime lime-cucumber-mint-tequila cocktail, and a bottle of muy suave Mexican Sauvignon Blanc, I started hollering about how difficult it is to find great Mexican wine in the stores here.

“You go to a restaurant and have an amazing bottle, and then you leave and you can never find it again. You can’t find it anywhere!” I said. “You can’t find it anywhere!” (Did I mention that you can’t find it anywhere? God. This is when I should probably have stopped drinking wine, and I did, but then we switched to mescal. And then tequila. Eeek.)

Don’t get me wrong: You can find Mexican wine in Mexico City. It’s just very hard to find the smaller, less-commercialized varieties. Near Reforma where I live, the supermarket sells a handful of big-label brands for around $15 to $35 USD each. La Naval, a high-end liquor store and gourmet deli in Condesa, has a larger selection, but they still tend to concentrate on the Big Mexican Heavies: L.A. Cetto, Domecq, Monte Xanic, Santo Tomás.

Interested? Continue reading the article here.

Support Mexican wine sold in the USA

2011-11-24T03:55:00.000-06:00

Mexico: Our wines as good as yours

2011-11-23T18:00:00.000-06:00

I get what seems to be an endless stream of email pronouncements from the press office of Mexico’s Congress. Most I simply delete with barely a glance. But occasionally one catches my eye.
Yesterday, one came over the transom with this headline:
Mexican wines are of equal or greater quality than imports: Deputy Vega Delamadrid

Monte Xanic and the wine industry in México

2011-11-21T10:58:00.001-06:00

Where can you buy Mexican wine ?

2011-11-05T12:07:00.000-06:00

Where can you buy Mexican wine in Mexico and in the US ? How to buy

these wines on the Internet ? Look hereafter for interesting addresses:

Wines from Casa de PiedraBuy through the Internet here: http://www.vinoscasadepiedra.com/
Winery Monte XanicBuy through the Internet here:http://www.montexanic.com.mx
Wines from the winery Chateau CamouHere you can find them:

http://www.chateau-camou.com.mx

Want to Buy Chateau Camou wines in the USA ?
Here are some addresses.
More information here: http://mexicanwines.homestead.com/BuyMexicanWines.html

Discover the seven states in Mexico where the grapes are grown in significant quantities.

2011-11-04T12:02:00.000-06:00

These are

- Baja California, Sonora (Wine region North)

- Coahuila and Durango, which together form the area of vineyards known as La Laguna (the lake)

- Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and Queretaro (Wine region Center).

More details here: http://mexicanwines.homestead.com/REGIONS.html

The Essential Valle de Guadalupe food and wine!

2011-10-26T09:34:00.000-05:00

It was another divine couple of days in Baja last weekend.The food, the wine, the people, the scenery.It has now been about 8 years or so since I've been traveling regularly to Tijuana, Ensesenada, and the Valle de Guadalupe.Occasionally Rosarito, and two trips driving all the way to Loreto.Much has changed.

I've also been in a couple of discourses on wine and food in the Valle de Guadalupe here and on the wine board in the past 7 months which got me to thinking recently,thanks ibstatguy and dnamj! "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in" What is the Valle de Guadalupe and Mexican wine?This is the question that drives the restauranteurs, vintners,chilango wine enthusiasts, journalists,quesotraficos, tourists, and adventurers alike.In Polanco, it's about the boutique and cult Mexican wines.Do you have any Tres Mujeres?Casa de Piedra? For the American media it's Laja, Monte Xanic,Adobe Guadalupe, and Cetto.I mean, every article sends you to the same five places!

Currently, I count 34 wineries in the Valle de Guadalupe(Francisco Zarco,El Porvenir),San Antonio de Las Minas(sub apellation), Ensenada, Santo Tomas, and Ojos Negros.There are an equal number in development in the Valle according to my friend Steve Dryden(Baja Times wine writer/D.F. columnists), and there are people making table wines from their own backyards being sold in restaurants and shops.Yet, where does everyone go?Cetto, Domecq,Santo Tomas,Monte Xanic, Chateau Camou, or Adobe Guadalupe.Where do they eat?Laja.Where do they stay?Adobe Guadalupe or La Villa del Valle.The report, so-so wines, great meal at Laja, wine was expensive, brought my own, I can find better wines cheaper.....

There are good wines at these places, but not necessarily on the tastings.Cetto wines are usually the cheapest in a restaurant and a good value wine with dinner, but they do have better wines not on their tastings in a higher price range.Dona Lupe makes organic wines, but her real talent is in the amazing food products she makes not her wines, which are OK.The Camou tasting has a nice blanc de blancs and chardonnay, but the reds are their cheaper offerings, again their best wines aren't part of the tasting.The more expensive Camou and Xanic wines are not on the tastings and are more of a reflection of their potential.There are wineries just like this in California, and anywhere for that matter.

Continues here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/578501

Looking for distributor of Mexican wine in the midwest United States?

2011-10-25T07:59:00.000-05:00

Hello,

I am looking for information on being a distributor of Mexican wine in the midwest United States. In particular, Illinois and Michigan. It is very hard, almost impossible to buy Mexican wines here. I am looking into how to become a distributor and if I can exclusively distribute Mexican wine. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Mary Ann Mosele
contact: mamoseley@gmail.com

looking for Casa Madero wine

2011-10-24T07:55:00.000-05:00

Hello,

An account of ours in Orange County, CA is looking for the Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon, Parras Valley, Mexico (any vintage)

Can you help me find the importer in the USA??

Help!!

Thank you,

Christopher Coon
Branch Wine Manager- Orange County
Advanced Sommelier
949.226.2129 Cell
714.734.6424 Fax
chriscoon@youngsmarket.com

Videos about Mexican Wines and Wineries from Mexico on YouTube

2011-10-20T08:01:00.003-05:00

Want know more about Mexican Wines without having to read long articles ? Like to look to YouTube videos in order to discover the Mexican Wineries ? Here you will find a lot of videos in Spanish on Youtube about Mexican wines and Wineries form Mexico :
http://www.youtube.com/user/vinosmexicanos?feature=mhee

Amazing Mexican Wines......yeah, they're really good

2011-10-15T06:32:00.000-05:00

I was just blind tasted and semi-quizzed on a few wines by a buddy of mine at the shop where I work. Imagine my surprise when after using up all five of my guesses (South Africa, South America, Paso Robles, Australia, and Canada) what he revealed??? Yeah, well you already read the title of the post....wines from our buddies down in Mexico. I don't actually know why I'm so blown away by the high quality of these wines. I mean, Mexico has been providing a large part of our really good quality produce here in the South West for decades or longer. Hell, California used to be part of Mexico.

Interested ? The article continues here