Mexican Wine

View All/ Add Photos

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)

Add description View 2 descriptions »

Discover the Difference Handcrafting Makes

View more Articles »

View More
Popular wines made in Mexico under $20

Find local availability for these wines:Submit

Varietals Produced in Mexico View all

Sauvignon Blanc

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

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

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

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

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 ...
Baron Balch'e

Barón Balché is a symbol of Nobility. The Mission of the Barón Balché Vineyard is to produce the ...
Château Camou

At Château Camou, we are striving day-in day-out to attain a single goal: creating great wines in...
Casa Madero

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

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

Milagro Vineyards and Winery strives to make fine wine, starting in the Vineyard by raising the f...

People getting updates on Mexican Wines

Page 50 of 50
Mexico on Snooth

View larger map

Best Wine Deals

$21.69

17%off

Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves Zinfandel Belle Canyon Estate 2006
$15.05

21%off

Peter Lehmann Dry Riesling Eden Valley 2009

See More Deals »

Community Activity

Recent Forum PostsView all

About Us
The Valerio Zenato “ Le Morette...
Beginner Oenophilia
Being in hospitality, opening a bottle of wine for someone is always...
Whatcha drinking tonight- part 2 (for Zuf)
Tonight some nice pinot from rrv...
Hello Snooth!
My name is Joseph and I just opened Paired Wine Co at 3325 N Halsted...

Mexican wine ratings and reviews

Winery:	Gruet Winery
Region:	USA » New Mexico
Varietal:	Pinot Noir
Type:	Sparkling 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:	Santo Tomas
Region:	Mexico » Baja California
Varietal:	tempranillo
Type:	Table Wines

Winery:	Villa Montefiori
Region:	Mexico » Baja California » Valle de Guadalupe
Varietal:	Cabernet Sauvignon , Sangiovese
Type:	Table Wines

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

Toasted Walnut and Pesto Pasta

El Tesoro Paradiso Tequila

Shrimp Boil

Casa Noble Reposado Tequila

Curried Calamari Ceviche with Mango and Avocado

El Tesoro Tequila Anejo

Basil-Parsley Pesto

Casa Noble Tequila Anejo

Barley with Winter Greens Pesto

Herradura Tequila Anejo

Lemon Basil Shrimp Pasta

Jose Cuervo Tequila 1800 Reposado

Shrimp Cocktail with Rach's Quick Remoulade

Gran Centenario Plata

Calamari with Tomato Sauce

Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo

Cazadores Tequila Reposado

Breaded Curry Shrimp

View More Popular wines made in Mexico under $20

Varietals Produced in Mexico View all

Subregions of Mexico

Popular Wineries in Mexico View all

People getting updates on Mexican Wines

Page 50 of 50 Mexico on Snooth

Stay Connected

Get our free newsletter

Snooth Newsletters

Best Wine Deals

Community Activity

Recent Forum PostsView all

Snooth Media Network

View More
Popular wines made in Mexico under $20

Page 50 of 50
Mexico on Snooth