Mexico

Despite grapevines having been introduced to Mexico in the 1600s by Spanish colonists, it would be fair to say that until relatively recently Mexico had not been known for its wines. Winemaking really only started to increase in Mexico during the 1980s when modern wine making practices were introduced. Indeed, since then Mexican wine production has increased almost 40%. There are now seven states in Mexico where wine grapes are grown in significant quantities. These are: Baja California; Sonora; Coahuila and Durango, which together make up the area known as La Laguna; Zacatecas; Aguascalientes; and Queretaro. Without doubt, the Valle de Guadalupe is the “Napa Valley” of the Mexican wine industry. Located in northern Baja, near Ensenada, it is home to about 50 wineries and produces 90% of all Mexican wines. It is known primarily for producing red wine however, some exceptional white wines have also been produced over the last few years.