Mexican Wine

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The history of Mexican wine production begins in the 1500s, when Hernan Cortes and his conquistadors exhausted their supply of wine while overthrowing the Aztecs. He ordered the colonists to plant 1000 grapevines for every 100 native “employees.” (Needless to say, “that mensch” is not something you hear people say about Cortes.) The Spanish conquistadors had vines brought over for religious mass, and more likely, wash down their food. With failed attempts to grow grapes in the more tropical regions of Mexico, the first grapes, known as Criolla (the mission grape of California and the Pais grape of Chile), were successfully planted in the Parras Valley of Coahuila. Growing in Puebla and Zacatecas soon followed. The first Mexican wine estate, Casa Madero, was founded in 1597 by Lorenzo Garcia in Santa Maria de los Parras in Coahuila and still exists.

The Spaniards were doing so well with their colonized wine production, that Charles I ordered all ships traveling Read more »

The Spaniards were doing so well with their colonized wine production, that Charles I ordered all ships traveling to “New Spain” to bring over grape and olive vines to step up production. This went great guns until the late 1500s when demand for Spanish wine took a downturn with the rise and prestige of French wine. To make matters worse, this wine from the colonies was faring better than Spanish wine. So in an effort to promote only local Spanish products, Philip II put an end to all production. Finito.This didn’t stop certain religious sects, particularly the Jesuits, from continuing to make wine, naturally for the sake of religious authenticity. Jesuit Priest Juan Jugarte is credited for leading this revolt and establishing the Santo Tomas Mission with vineyards in Baja California. The Dominicans soon set up in the Guadalupe Valley, now the center of the Mexican wine industry.

After Mexico’s War of Reform in 1857, all of the Catholic land holdings, and the vineyards, were seized by the government and became property of the state. These were then sold to a private group of investors who to this day operate as the Bodegas Santo Tomas.

The next rise in Mexican wine production came in the unlikely form of a group of spiritual Christian Russian emigres, the Molokans (a.k.a. “Jumpers”) who relocated to Guadalupe Valley to escape brutal persecution from the czar’s army. Many of them had an advanced farming background and reserved a good portion of their crops for quality wine making at the turn of the 20th century. Their legacy lives on to this day, despite an unsettling period during the Mexican Revolution in 1910.

Prestige wine production in Mexico, supported by the National Viticulture Association, began in earnest in the 1980s with the promotion of modern techniques. Many of the grapes grown are of either French or Spanish origin. The main grapes for reds are Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Carignan, Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Tempranillo. Whites are Chardonnay, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc, Macabeo, Moscatel, Palomino, Riesling, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Mexico is divided into these subregions:

*Sonora

*Baja California (which includes Valle Guadalupe)

*Coahuila

*Durango

*Aguascalientes

*Zacatecas

*Queretaro

~Amanda Schuster

– Description from Amanda Schuster (hide)

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Popular wines made in Mexico under $20

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Varietals Produced in Mexico View all

Cabernet Sauvignon

“King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...
Chardonnay

British wine writer and critic, Jancis Robinson, once noted that throughout the 80’s and 90’s in the United States, C...
Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is widely grown in California -- at over 15,000 acres, it’s now the third most planted variety -- and...
Pinot Noir

“With so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, they make the blood run hot,” Joel Fleischman, wine columnist at Van...
Syrah

The irony here is that Syrah’s origins could give Carmen Sandiego a run for her international wallet. Syrah’s deepest...
Merlot

The Occitanian word “merlot” translates to “young blackbird.” An accurate description for this popular, early-budding...

Subregions of Mexico

Popular Wineries in Mexico View all

Santa Fe Vineyards

"All our wine labels are from original paintings by Amado Peña" We have recently partnered with ...
Cavas Valmar

The story of CavasValmar starts when in 1919 arrives to Ensenada Don Federico Valentin, born in t...
Tularosa Vineyards

David Wickham, owner of theTularosa Vineyards Winery, is a native of Watkins Glen, New York. His ...
Baron Balch'e

Barón Balché is a symbol of Nobility. The Mission of the Barón Balché Vineyard is to produce the ...
Asombroso Tequila

The recipe for the original tequila, AsomBroso, dates to the time the first agave heart was cooke...
Casa Madero

Casa Madero is the first official wine estate in Mexico, founded in 1597 by Don Lorenzo de Garc...

People getting updates on Mexican Wines

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Mexico on Snooth

May 2013

L. A. Cetto Petite Sirah 2009

Snoothrank:

Pepper sweet flavors Read More

Wine review by TacTic
April 2013

Casa Rondeña White Blend Serenade 2006

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by TheJudgmentalCook
April 2013

Anasazi Fields la Luna

Snoothrank:

Mellow, fruity and slightly sweet. Very drinkable. Read More

Wine review by TheJudgmentalCook
April 2013

Wines of the San Juan Tempranillo

Snoothrank:

Nice spicy red, but I just don't care for dry wines. I think most people will love it though. Read More

Wine review by TheJudgmentalCook
March 2013

Debonne Vineyards Chambourcin 1998

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by Joey Hendrickson
March 2013

Bodegas San Lorenzo Cabernet-Merlot Monteviña 2012

Snoothrank:

Very affordable. Still very young but will gain extremely good flavours in 2 to 5 years. Read More

Wine review by YMorissettte
March 2013

Minotauro 2009

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by Elsee
February 2013

L.A. Cetto Private Reserve Nebbiolo 2006

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by menchum
February 2013

Campeon Silver Tequila NV

Snoothrank:

Very smooth and great taste! Good price for the high quality! Read More

Wine review by alanb1108
January 2013

Gruet Demi Sec

Snoothrank:

Very bubbly and a little too dry for my palate. Read More

Wine review by TheJudgmentalCook
Dec 29

I agree with what I saw, the Gruet, St. Claire, Tularosa, Santa Fe Vineyards, etc are NOT produced in Mexico and should not be included here. They are produced in NEW Mexico, part of the USA. We in NEW Mexico have as fine and old a wine-making heritage as California (maybe even older). I think you should update and correct this page. I did c...

Comment by 1171936casachavez 1171936
Jan 28, 2012

Sooo, any good Mexican wine out there? I am in Sonora State and so far not great!

Comment by 1027916KarinG 1027916
Aug 15, 2011

Mexican wine isgreat , balanced and usually with pepper and salty notes on its flavors . I recommend "Vino de Piedra"

Comment by 907466proxemia 907466
Aug 4, 2011

the wine im lookin for is bout 4.95 a bottle,its a cheaper wine but has all nateral ingretants,if u know what i mean please txt me,its sometg like reney barr,i missed the whole name

Comment by 907646barbarapyron 907646
Mar 5, 2011

Mexico is a wonderful diverse country. I live Chiapas, Sonora & Yucatan. I love the indigenous peoples.

Comment by 790712Sonqasawa 790712
Nov 13, 2010

I am confused. Is the wine industry in Mexico able to compete with other countries? Why can I find wines from Chile ,Argentina, Austraila,South Africa ,New Zealand but none from M exico?thanx

Comment by 639132frankc533 639132
Apr 12, 2010

The best wines to my taste have come from the oldest winery in the Western Hemisphere Madero the best are:CASA GRANDE Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz, combines or Shiraz and same grapes for CASA Madero, great wines!!!

Comment by 273527hgbecerra 273527
Mar 13, 2009

New image uploaded to this page.

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Mexican wine ratings and reviews

Winery:	Monte Xanic
Region:	Mexico » Baja California » Valle de Guadalupe
Varietal:	Syrah
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Gruet Winery
Region:	USA » New Mexico
Varietal:	Pinot Noir
Type:	Sparkling Wines

Winery:	Casa de Piedra
Region:	Mexico » Ensenada
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Gruet Winery
Region:	USA » New Mexico
Varietal:	Pinot Noir
Type:	Sparkling Wines

Winery:	Gruet Winery
Region:	USA » New Mexico
Type:	Sparkling Wines

Winery:	Casa Madero
Region:	Mexico » Valle de Parras
Varietal:	Syrah
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	L.A. Cetto
Region:	Mexico » Baja California » Valle de Guadalupe
Varietal:	Nebbiolo
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Cabo Wabo Tequila
Region:	Mexico
Type:	Spirits

Mexican Wine

Milagro

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El Tesoro Paradiso Tequila

Shrimp Boil

Casa Noble Reposado Tequila

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El Tesoro Tequila Anejo

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Breaded Curry Shrimp

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Varietals Produced in Mexico View all

Subregions of Mexico

Popular Wineries in Mexico View all

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