As mexican I am always looking for mexican wines in the US. Now I have seen a great interest in my audience both on Instagram and on this blog to get to know more about Mexican Wines. Hence I have been reaching out to sommeliers and wineries in Mexico to get to know more about the origins of Mexican Wine. Thereafter, my first Instagram live was with Sommelier Ale Garduno from Mexico City to discuss Mexican Wine. This IG Live was on Wednesday October 18, 2018. See below a transcription of our interesting coversation.
Transcription of IG Live about Origins of Mexican Wine
Welcome!
WineDivaa: Welcome to this first live ever. I want to introduce my friend the sommelier Ale Garduno and we are going to share about Mexican wines now.
WineDivaa: Hi Ale how are you?
Ale G: I’m good Diva thank you happy to talk about Mexican Wines
WineDivaa: ok so let’s start, tell us a bit about you. Who is Ale Garduno?
Ale G: I’m a sommelier very passionate about wine and my mission is to bring people to wine and to help them get to know their senses, I like to share the exquisite world that I discovered in wine.
WineDivaa: Ok thank you for that Ale, is such an honor to have this live with you. Let’s get into the main topic of this Live, let’s talk about Mexican Wine.
Mexico has been producing wine since the latest 1500s
WineDivaa: Since when is Mexico producing wine?
Ale G: Mexico is producing wine since long time ago, it is supposed that Hernan Cortes, the first settler from Spain, brought vitis vinifera with him, but our ancestors knew about fermented beverages, acachul it’s a beverage made of Wild (uva silvestre) grape fermented added with honey , also we had our Mexican God of wine named Patécatl mexica God of medicine and wine. In the beginning of the sixteen century, circa 1520 the Spanish King Carlos V , ordered to plant one thousand vine shoots and olives for every one hundred Indians. In 1590 Mexico produced enough wine, so Spanish wine it was of lower consumption, but then King Felipe II ordered to to tear off (arrancar) all the vines. Then on 1597 Lorenzo García established his Vinícola San Lorenzo that is now known as ‘Casa Madero’ the oldest winery in Latin America.
WineDivaa: That’s very interesting I wasn’t aware of all that. But nowadays, how many wine regions there are in Mexico?
Ale G: Mexico has 32 thousand hectares, 12 states produce wine each one with regions, Baja California produce 75% of all wine, then Queretaro, Aguascalientes and Coahuila are the most popular
State of the Mexican wine industry as of 2018
WineDivaa: How many wine labels there are in Mexico?
Ale G: there are 50 thousand labels, each one with a wonderful story to tell.
WineDivaa: How many of those have you tried?
Ale G: I think I’ve tried only 200, I have homework to do
WineDivaa: Do you have any favorite Mexican wine as of right now?
Ale G: It’s very difficult to say each one leaves a very good taste and memories but one of my favorites its Norte 32 black label
WineDivaa: What type of mexican variety would you recommend to our wine lovers?
Ale G: Nebbiolo from Baja California everybody have to taste it, Coahuila is doing excellent pinot noir
WineDivaa: is there anything that you want to add to this Live?
Ale G: Mexican wine is growing and oenologists are doing great job in all states, vineyards are so beautiful so you have to see it by yourself and enjoy Mexican wine.
Mexico has been producing wine since long time ago, it is supposed that Hernan Cortes, the first settler from Spain, brought vitis vinifera with him, but our ancestors knew about fermented beverages, acachul it’s a beverage made of Wild (uva silvestre) grape fermented added with honey…
Sommelier Alejandra Garduno Melgarejo
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