Mexican Wine Country

Mexico is known widely for its Tequila and Mezcal production. They are the only country in the world that can produce those products, but their wine production goes criminally underlooked. The geography of the northern highland regions of Mexico gives it the perfect terrain and climate to produce some of America’s best wine, and Mexico’s best-kept secret.

History of Wine Making in Mexico

The Spaniards brought grapevines very early in their colonial days, most of their ships coming to the Americas carried grapevines, and those grapevines grew incredibly well in their new home. Mexico is thought to have the oldest vineyards in the Americas.

Wine growing in New Spain became so popular that wine exports from Spain to the new world dropped significantly. So in 1699, Charles II outlawed the production of wine in New Spain, with the exception of wine for the church. This decree lasted until Mexican independence in 1810.

Because of this, the majority of vineyards in Mexico were owned by the church until the Three Year’s War in 1858 when the church’s land was broken up, resulting in the vineyards going abandoned.

Modern Mexican wine

Today beer, Tequila, Mezcal, and Pulque (fermented Agave juice) dominate the alcoholic beverage market in Mexico. In fact, only about two glasses of wine are drank per capita in Mexico.

As the natural wine craze is making wine-growing more accessible in larger parts of the world, so too has this trend affected the wine produced in Mexico.

The Main Grapes

Tempranillo/Grenache/Carignan

The Spanish influence on Mexico’s wine is still felt today as these three classic Spanish grapes make up a sizable portion of the wine market. The main reason these red wine grapes are usually grown together is that they usually blend well together.

Tempranillo is a rather mild grape that grows well in chalky soil in a warmer climate. Because of this, this grape is popular in Spain, California, and of course, Mexico.

Popular in Australian vineyards, Grenache is another red wine grape that thrives in hotter weather. This grape contains a high sugar content, because of the hot climate, so in turn, has become synonymous with its high alcohol content as wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold red wine that is the result of combining Cab Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Cabernet is one of the world’s most popular grapes and is one of the most grown grapes in Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California.

Merlot

Chenin Blanc

Chardonnay

Sauvignon Blanc

Wine Producing regions in Mexico

Baja California

This region produces 90% of all wine produced in Mexico. The most prolific area in this region is The Valle De Guadalupe. Located just north of Ensenada, the valley is home to hundreds of vineyards. One of the most successful bodegas is L.A. Cetto

Sonora

Valle de Parras

This translates literally to Valley of the Grapevines

Aguascalientes

Querétaro

Conclusion