Our current favorite Mexican wines

Mexico is very well known for its beer, tequila, and mezcal, and as if those weren’t enough… we’re also famous for our wines! Did you know? In fact, Mexican wines have won over 1,500 medals in international wine competitions.

A little bit of context… 

Mexico was the first country to produce wine in America! It was Hernán Cortés who brought grapevines from Spain and had the missioners produce the consecrated wine, but it wasn’t until 1948 that the National Association of Wine Producers was created. Today, there are over 2,100 wine producers spread around 11 regions (Baja California Norte, Sonora, Coahuila, Durango, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Chihuahua and Puebla). 

There are tons of delicious options from each of these wineries, and there many other vineyards we haven’t had the chance to get know, but these are some of our current favorite Mexican wines:

Disclaimer: we’re not experts, so if you’re a winey take this information with a pinch of salt. 

Our current favorite Mexican wines

1. Orlandi Sauvignon Blanc, La Redonda Vineyard
San Juan del Río, Querétaro

It’s very smooth and has fruity notes, like peach, banana, and apple, with a hint of vanilla. Pairs well with paella, provolone cheese, and Alfredo pasta.

2. Calixa Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah, Monte Xanic Vineyard
Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte

It’s a dry wine with very intense notes of plums, cranberries, strawberry jam, cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, coffee, and wood. Pairs well with tacos al pastor, tortas ahogadas, hamburgers, or a nice steak.

3. Monte Xanic Chenin Blanc (cosecha tardía), Monte Xanic Vineyard
Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte

This wine is considered semi-sweet; very smooth and fresh in taste, with hints of anise, peach, and apricot. It goes well with chicken, fish, flan, and crème brûlée.

4. ST Grenache, Santo Tomás Vineyard
Ensenada, Baja California Norte

It’s fresh and sweet, with a strong taste of strawberry and cherry. It pairs well with bittersweet salsas and any dessert made with berries. We served it at our wedding with cochinita pibil, and it was a hit!

5. Nebbiolo, Cuna de Tierra Vineyard
Dolores HIdalgo, Guanajuato

This wine, which has won several medals, has a very special mix of three different grape varieties (all cultivated in Mexico): Nebbiolo from Piedmont, Italy; Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina, and Tempranillo from La Rioja, Spain. You will get intense flavors of black fruits, black pepper, chocolate, vanilla, and black tea, which will accentuate if your pair it with a fruitcake.

6. Petit Syrah, L.A. Cetto Vineyard
Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte

An intense wine with fruity tones and light hints of chocolate and vanilla. It pairs wonderfully with medium-aged cheeses and many Mexican dishes, like chiles en nogada and mole.

7. Blanc de Zinfandel, L.A. Cetto Vineyard
Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California Norte

Our favorite one for dessert. It’s a white wine with a light touch of red. The notes you’ll get are of peach, apple, and strawberry. Very light, sweet, and fresh.

8. Malbec, Casa Madero Vineyard
Valle de Parras, Coahuila

Casa Madero is the most awarded Mexican winery, so it’s not a surprise that many people love their wines, we included. This particular one is mild and sweet, as many Malbecs, and has notes of vanilla, cranberries, black cherries, raspberries, and blackcurrants. You can pair it with tortilla soup, steak, paella, and tlayudas.

9. Gama Viña Doña Dolores Dulce, Finca Sala Vivé Vineyard
San Juan del Río, Querétaro

This fresh and semi-sweet sparkling wine has a mix of three grapes: Macabeo, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc. But what really sets it apart is that it’s done traditionally through 18 to 30 months of aging. You can pair it with sweet dishes or fruity desserts.

Have you tried any of these? Do you have other favorite Mexican wines?

Some other curious facts about Mexican wines:

-In Mexico, we drink 1L of wine per year, per person. Very low consumption in comparison with some European cities where people drink 1L per week.

-The wine industry in Mexico has grown over the years, and now we have 30% of national product in the market, against 70% importation.

-Baja California Norte is still the most important wine region with 57% of Mexico’s total wine production.