Mexican wine: Introductory guide plus 12 top bottles to try

While Mexico’s drinks industry conjures up visions of earthy, herbaceous tequilas and warm days sipping crisp lagers, the country is also home to some of the world’s most compelling emergent wine regions.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 12 Mexican wines to try

‘What makes Mexico a unique place for winemaking is the fact that you’re confronted with a lot of different forces from people being open to new tastes, experimenting with new vines and agriculture but also having a deep interest in tradition,’ explains Maryam Hariri, partner at Bichi Wines, which makes some of the country’s exciting natural wines.

Of the 14 states producing wine, a handful have distinguished themselves thanks to their superb quality. Dozens of talented winemakers are now moulding Mexico’s modern identity as a rising wine nation producing serious tipples.

Rich wine history

The concept of Mexican wine may be new to many imbibers, but it has a viticultural heritage stretching back hundreds of years. This is the birthplace of winemaking in the Americas. Vinifera vines arrived in the New World on Spanish ships during the 16th century. In Coahuila’s Valle de Parras, vitis vinifera made a new home where it flourished, while Jesuit missionaries helped to spread vines everywhere from California to Chile.

Mexico’s wine industry has seen plenty of stops and starts since these first vines took root. Worried about the unfolding competition across the Atlantic, King Charles II of Spain outlawed winemaking in the colonies to protect the interests of wine back home. Consequently, the small quantity of wine vinified during this period was produced by the Church.

In the early days after Mexico won independence in 1821, wine production rose. But it subsequently succumbed to phylloxera and the Mexican Revolution (roughly 1910-1920), with its following period of unrest. Production didn’t bounce back until the 1980s when wineries such as Monte Xanic opened their doors and began crafting wines that captured international attention.

Grape varieties

Winemakers in Mexico aren’t beholden to the strict winemaking regulations seen in Europe. The lack of laws gives them a carte blanche. ‘People are a lot more adventurous,’ says winemaker Gustavo González of Finca la Carrodilla, one of the pioneers of organic and biodynamic viticulture in Baja.

Hariri agrees. ‘There’s a lot of creativity. People are able to experiment and play. There’s a lot of young energy. It’s a really interesting blend of traditional and modern.’ As a result, you’ll encounter the usual suspects: international red grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, plus whites including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. However, many wineries embrace their viticultural freedom, planting vineyards with Tempranillo, Barbera, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.

Many Mexican winemakers craft blends outside the classical European styles, not thinking twice about blending Iberian, Italian and French grapes. The results, frankly, are stunning. Listán Prieto, an original variety brought over by the Spanish, is still found in vineyards around the country. Today, it is known as the Mission grape. Winemakers such as Noel Téllez of Bichi breathe new life into this overlooked variety, introducing it to a new generation of wine lovers.

Mexico at a glance

Area planted: 6,474ha

Wineries: over 200

Annual production: 2.5 million cases

Major red grapes: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Misión [Mission], Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Zinfandel

Major white grapes: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion

Sources: Consejo Mexicano Vitivinicola 2018 and Gobierno de México 2015

Wine regions

Mexican winemaking is extreme winemaking. Across the country, irrigation is a must – a consequence of farming grapes along the Tropic of Cancer. In otherwise inhospitable climates, elevation allows vines to thrive. There’s no Mexican appellation system to speak of just yet. However, within the prominent wine-producing states, many sub-regions have distinguished themselves for their superior quality.

Baja California

Accounting for between 80-90% of the country’s total wine production, Baja dominates the Mexican wine industry. The cool California Current runs along this thin strip of land, generating morning fogs which roll in off the Pacific and funnel marine air into the coastal valleys. It’s an alchemical synthesis beautifully suited to viticulture.

Further inland, vineyards benefit from sites around 800m above sea level. Valle de Guadalupe is the epicentre of Mexican wine’s modern renaissance. A former seabed, the terroir is marked by an attractive minerality, which yields a saline character in some wines. Soils range from sand and loam near the coast to clay and granite near the mountains – perfect for accommodating a variety of grapes.

Major varieties planted in Baja California include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. But varieties such as Nebbiolo perform well here, too. ‘I’m amazed at the quality of the whites, the Sauvignon Blancs and Chenin Blancs in particular,’ says González. ‘In terms of reds, Tempranillo works really, really well there without having to do too much.’

At Bichi, Hariri is reviving Mission, Rosa del Peru and Palomino. But as she notes: ‘We want to make terroir-focused wines. We’re not so obsessed with the variety, it’s more about the expression of the terroir. The cleaner your agricultural practices are, the more your terroir will be reflected in the glass.’

The sobriquet ‘Napa of Mexico’ gets tossed around in reference to the Valle de Guadalupe, but its wines stand on their own, without need for comparisons. Beyond Valle de Guadalupe, other valleys are establishing their names on Baja’s wine scene: Calafia, Puerta Norte, Ojos Negros, plus the valleys of Santo Tomas, San Vicente and San Antonio de las Minas are a few areas to keep an eye on.

Coahuila

Established in 1597, Casa Madero, the oldest winery still operating in the New World, is Coahuila’s main claim to fame. After centuries, the fertile Valle de Parras (‘valley of the vines’) remains Coahuila’s most promising region. Although situated right along the Tropic of Cancer, vineyard altitudes over 1,500m ensure a significant diurnal shift, with cool nights tempering the heat of the days here.

Querétaro

It is often said that exceptional wines can’t exist outside the traditional 28° to 50° latitude belt, yet producers in Querétaro defy this notion. Mexico’s most southerly wine-producing state spans dusty, cactus-studded deserts, rugged mountains and dense rainforests. The state’s most noteworthy vineyards sit upwards of 1,500m to 2,000m above sea level. Herein lies the secret of their greatness. Grapes benefit from cool nights, which preserves acidity. It’s a much-needed balancing act to slow the ripeness that comes so easily in this hot, semi-arid climate.

While Bordeaux grapes, Syrah and Chardonnay often star in Querétaro’s vineyards, sparkling wine is something of a speciality. Classic Cava varieties such as Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Paralleda make their way into delicious vinos espumosos that are some of the best in Mexico. Look out for wines from Ezequiel Montes and Tequisquiapan. The sandy-clay soils of these sub-regions offer the best of both worlds: excellent drainage during the rainy summer and water retention when it’s dry.

Zacatecas

Craggy mountains shape much of the terrain in Zacatecas. Being landlocked, the best vineyards, such as those of Tierra Adentro, are ensconced high in these mountain ranges. Some reach nearly 2,300m above sea level, placing them among the highest vineyards in the world. Bordeaux varieties, Syrah and Malbec perform well in Zacatecas, as do Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier for white wines.

Beyond these states, you’ll find enclaves in Durango, Sonora, Aguascalientes, Chihuahua and Guanajuato. While more notable for their brandies and table grapes, wine production remains small but holds promise. The same is true of San Luis Potosí, Michoacán, Puebla, Nuevo León and Jalisco. As interest and production continue to develop, the future may well bring additional vineyard plantings and more high-quality wine production to these other regions.

The future of Mexican wine

Mexico’s wine industry has come a long way over the past few decades. ‘The level of comprehension has increased dramatically. There’s a lot more know-how than when I started out,’ says González.

While still accounting for a small portion of an emerging industry, organic and natural wines are an especially thrilling niche for Mexico. ‘Now that they have more awareness, what people are looking for is that individuality of style. I see more producers having a natural wine offering, maybe not the entire portfolio, but a desire to make wines that are just a little bit different,’ he adds.

Global recognition has been arriving in the form of hundreds of awards and accolades. But as a winemaking country, Mexico is still discovering its identity. The lack of a distinctive style is both a great strength and a great weakness.

Experimentation with different grapes, blending and discovering what works with the country’s terroirs make Mexican wine a delight – particularly for wine lovers on the hunt for something new and unusual. On the other hand, the lack of focus could prove challenging when introducing wines to foreign markets. Argentina has Malbec. Chile has Carménère. Perhaps Mexico would benefit from a signature style.

Another issue is that outrageously high taxes drive up the cost of wine. Forced to pay a minimum of 42% tax on a bottle, it’s no wonder Mexicans drink less than a litre of wine per person, per year. But there’s hope. According to the Consejo Mexicano Vitivinícola (CMV), wine consumption has doubled over the past five years.

Meanwhile, across the border in the US, consumers are beginning to embrace Mexican wines – no surprise when you consider America’s love affair with Mexican cuisine. In major cities on both coasts of the US, wine lists featuring a Mexican bottle or two are on the rise. The best of the bunch are phenomenally food-friendly.

As for the future, González leaves us with this. ‘Everyone identifies the wines from Valle de Guadalupe as being the top wines in the country. Now there’s a proliferation of other regions where people are thinking: “Why don’t we try this here?” There are a lot more up-and-coming regions, which is great to see. It goes with this level of experimentation. There’s an openness to trying other varieties that maybe tell the story of that region.’

Mexican wine: 12 great bottles to try

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