My first Mexican wine...

The family and I spent a short week down in Cabo San Lucas. On the evening of our arrival, we took our very tired kids to the first restaurant at our resort. It was Italian (hey, don’t judge me, we had travel-weary kids and it was late…we figured things out the next morning!). A quick appraisal of the wine list and I was, not surprisingly, shocked at the high prices. The few Mexican wines on the list there the exception. So, I blindly pulled the trigger. I was very, very pleasantly surprised.

2017 Bodegas Roganto Piccolo (Valle de Guadalupe and San Jacinto, Baja, Mexico) - 13.5% alc. It was around $30 off the list and was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Tempranillo. There was cool, clean, bright fruit with a great juicy presence in the mouth. The tannins were nicely managed, if not slightly drying.

There aren’t any other bottles of that vintage in CT yet. Apparently, they made 60,000 bottles. Regardless, I was a fan. We had another bottle later that week.

Any other Mexican wines you all like?

I tasted a few in San Miguel de Allende last year. The Rosewood list there has a ton of nice Mexican wine. Much better than expected.

We drank a ‘15 Casa Madero Syrah and finished with a Sauternes-like dessert wine from Chateau Camou. It was a 2001 “El Gran Divino” and had aged well. My understanding was that both of these wineries are very well established names there.

Try anything from Lulu Martinez in the Valle de Guadalupe area. The queen of natural wines down there. She makes a really savory fizzy orange/rose wine for Bodegas Henri Lurton. It was poured blind for me on a recent trip and really impressed.

When in Mexico I drink Casa Madero Gran Reserva 3V for about $35 bucks a bottle. “Pies de Tierra” is also very good and can be had for slightly less.

The greatest wine I’ve tried from Baja is 2006 Torres Alegre “Cru Garage” Tempranillo. It’s incredibly tasty, but you’ll drop $100. Truly fine wines in San Diego is one of the few importers supporting Baja wines and sells these. Another good producer is Adobe Guadalupe, they make a great cab/nebbiolo blend. Wine Connection in Del Mar is their importer.

Are Mexican wines refermented?

Had a bottle of 2014 Hacienda La Lomita Cursi a friend bought while on vacation in Puerto Vallarta.
Rose, expected it to be awful, but it actually wasn’t half bad.

I see what you did there!

I’ve yet to try but I am on the lookout. A lot of great things are being said and about wine production in Valle de Guadalupe. A few US wineries have invested there.

I love their wines, and a very unique winery. I used to be a big fan of Monte Xanic’s Cabernet Sauvignon, but haven’t had it in ten years plus -

If you like AG wines, you’ll love Cru Garage wines, they’re a level up.

Following along as wife and I are down in Baja California Sur next month.

Come with the suggestions…

This tasting note is old, but I enjoyed this a lot. Not a phenomenal QPR, though.

• 2010 Vinedos Malagon Cabernet Sauvignon - Mexico, Baja California, Valle de Guadalupe (3/2/2012)
  I tried researching the wine but could only find scant information online. This is a red blend that prominently says “Tinto Mexicano” on the label. It looks like the blend might be Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Petite Syrah 15%, Grenache 15% based on past vintages. Poured a dark garnet. Clocking in at 13.5% abv, the nose gave off a bit of heat, and dark, smoky fruit. Flavors of dark fruits, with just a touch of green herbs that added interest. Medium - full bodied in the mouth. Nice velvet tannins. A surprisingly fun and tasty bottle. This was a gift from my friend David, who informed me it was approximately $80 in Mexico.

But the sun still shines in the summer time
I’ll be yours if you’ll be mine
I tried to change, but I changed my mind
Think I’ll have another glass of Mexican wine (92 pts.)

Interesting. I’m headed to Cabo tomorrow. I’ll keep an eye out for these

If you can find any older vintages of Mogor Badan Red, snag 'em. I still have a bottle of '12 that I’m holding onto. Absolutely amazing wine.

Living in San Diego, we make the trip down to the Valle fairly regularly. The wines have certainly improved over the last ten years. I would recommend

Villa Montefiori - they do some surprisingly nice Italian varietals.
Adobe Guadalupe - Rafael or Gabriel
Torres Alegre Cru Garage Series
Lechuza - Sav Blanc
Monte Xanic - Gran Ricardo

I have a friend who was down there last year and did tastings. He liked the wines. Not sure of the availability in the US.

Agree on the Monte Xanic and Adobe Guadalupe recommendations.

I never made it. If I went, I’d give Solar Fortún a try.

Being that I live in San Diego I have good access to wines from Mexico, especially from Valle de Guadalupe.
I have had some intersting and descent wines from there.
Also had a good Nebbiolo made by a local winery from grapes grown in Mexico.
My daughters have spent some time visiting the wineries there.
My wife and I still do not feel safe going there.
When I was in college and under 21, I used to go to Tijuana with friends to the bars and restaurants and have fun.
I got into bicycle racing and rode a lot of races in Mexico including one where Greg Lemond showed up and won it.
It was very much like racing in Europe compared to California which had very few races due to cities not wanting to shut down roads.
In Mexico the police would just precede the race and force cars off the road, no problem.
We used to take regular trips to Baja with our kids, but at some point it became not safe with the drug cartels and daily killings.
Maybe someday I may return and visit the wine region I have yet to experience.