Mexico

Question 1

Who was the first person to plant vines in the state of Baja California?; while at what mission?

Answer 1

• Juan Ugarte, 1701
• Mission in Loreto

Question 2

What’s significant about the following years for the wines of Mexico?

1701:

1791:

1904:

Answer 2

1701:

• Juan Ugarte became the 1st to plant in the state of Baja, while at the Mission in Loreto

1791:

• Jesuit priests with Misión Santo Tomás started growing a significant number of vines

1904:

• Government gave a group of Russians immigrants escaping Tsar Nicolas II 100 acres in the Guadalupe Valley
• During the time known as the Porfiriato (when Mexico was ruled by Porfirio Díaz)
• They began to grow vines for personal winemaking and encouraged others to do the same, contributing to the region’s growing reputation as an area for quality winemaking

Question 3

In the 1800s, what happened to many of the church vineyard holdings during the reform war in Mexico?

Answer 3

The vineyards were sold to private investors, while others were abandoned

Question 4

Bodegas Santo Tomás was established in what year?

Answer 4

• 1888, after a private investor bought the land
• Example of original Church holdings had been sold to private ownership in the 1800s

Question 5

Currently, how many of Mexico’s 32 states produce wine?

Answer 5

8

N to S

• Baja California (Norte)
• Sonora
• Coahuila
• Durango
• Zacatecas
• Aguascalientes
• Guanajuato
• Querétaro

Question 6

From N to S, what are the 8 states of Mexico that produces wine?

Answer 6

• Baja California (Norte)
• Sonora
• Coahuila
• Durango
• Zacatecas
• Aguascalientes
• Guanajuato
• Querétaro

Question 7

Name 3 key regions of Mexico.

Answer 7

• *Baja California: 1st and foremost
• Coahuila
• Querétaro

Question 8

Does Mexico have any type of government regulation for viticulture or viniculture?

Answer 8

No

Question 9

How many ha does Mexico have planted?

Answer 9

25,000 ha

• Increases every year

Question 10

What state produces the majority of Mexico’s wine?

Answer 10

Baja California

• 85% of Mexico’s wine across 3,360 planted ha
• Maritime-influenced, Mediterranean climate
• Production areas
  
  • Guadalupe Valley
  • Ojos Negros Valley
  • San Vicente Valley
  • Santo Tomás Valley
  • Valle de la Grulla
  • Tecate

Question 11

Explain the 1970s for Mexican wines.

Answer 11

• Industry saw a resurgence
• Mexican wines heavily promoted in Mexico City’s restaurants
• Winemakers began participating in international competitions
• Established Spanish wineries such as Casa Pedro Domecq and Freixenet invested in the winemaking regions of Baja California and Querétaro

Question 12

What is the largest winery in Mexico?; where is it located?

Answer 12

L.A. Cetto

• Located in Guadalupe Valley, along with 140 other wineries

Question 13

What is the geology, climate and soil of Guadalupe Valley?

Answer 13

Guadalupe Valley

• 25 km from the Pacific Ocean, 400 m above sea level
• Strong oceanic influence
• Sandy soils - Valley floor
• Granite, poor clay - Hillsides

Question 14

How many wineries are located in Guadalupe Valley?

Answer 14

140 wineries

• L.A. Cetto, Mexico’s largest winery is also locate with Guadalupe Valley

Question 15

What is the highest altitude valley in Baja California?

Answer 15

Ojos Negros Valley

• 800m
• Coolest, occasional snow
• Sand, clay

Question 16

What is the northernmost valley of Baja California?

Answer 16

San Vicente Valley

• 11 km from the Pacific Ocean
• Vineyards divided by a hillside, limits humidity entering the valley
• Deep red clay, high mineral content

Question 17

Santo Tomás Valley: Santo Tomás is 45 kilometers from Ensenada. Soils here are a blend of clay and volcanic soil.

Sonora

Sonora has a semi-arid climate. The important regions in the state are Bahía Kino, Caborca, and Hermosillo.

Coahuila

Coahuila is located to the east of Baja and Sonora, bordering Texas. Production areas include Arteaga, Saltillo, and Parras de la Fuente.

Parras de la Fuente is the most important winegrowing region in Coahuila. An oasis in the middle of the desert, this valley is situated at 1,500 meters above sea level. It has a tempered continental mediterranean climate with cool winters and warm summers. The soils are clear clay. Located here is Casa Madero, the oldest winery in the Americas, founded in 1597.

Durango

Durango has a semi-arid climate and soils composed of sand and clay. The region is divided by the Sierra Madre mountain range, creating microclimates. The key sub-region in the state is Gómez Palacio.

Zacatecas

The viticulture areas of Zacatecas are in the southern part of the state. Elevation ranges from 400 to 2000 meters above sea level. The soils are clay and sand, and there is a semi-arid climate, with consistent temperatures year-round. The key regions are Ojocaliente and Valle de la Macarena.

Aguascalientes

A small region tucked along the southern border with Zacatecas, Aguascalientes has a semi-arid climate and soft sandy soil with gravel and clay. Its altitude is 800 to 1,800 meters above sea level. The growing regions are Pabellón de Arteaga, El Llano, Asientos, Jesús María, and Rincón de Romos.

Guanajuato

Guanajuato was one of the first Mexican states to produce wine and is known for being the place where the Mexican revolution began. It is home to three different climates due to the proximity of the Sierra Madre mountains, but in wine country, the climate is mostly continental. Its altitude is 1,900 above sea level, and the soils are a mix of volcanic and gravel. The important areas for winegrowing are San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo.

Querétaro

Located in the very center of Mexico, Queretaro is between 700 and 3,300 meters above sea level and has a semi-arid climate. The soil is chalky and sandy. The key areas are Ezequiel Montes, San Juan del Río, and Tequisquiapan.