Wine Country Review

By Steve Dryden

The Baja Times is the first and only newspaper in the world to feature full page articles (bimonthly) promoting Mexico’s wine industry. In addition, our web site is reaching viewers around the world with updated news about our wines and wine industry developments. We’ve been presenting a wide variety of interesting and entertaining stories about wines, wineries, winemakers, vineyard managers, lodging, restaurants, and the rich diversity of the individuals responsible for creating “world class” wines and culinary delights. These articles have appeared for more than a year now and have provided our readers with wine country history, basic wine information, maps, directions, wine reviews and other information to enhance and expand their awareness and knowledge of the wine industry in this region. The Mexican wine industry has changed dramatically over the last few years and in this article we’d like to bring some of these amazing developments to light. It’s an incredible and fascinating success story!

The wine industry in Mexico has been growing and expanding for many years, and hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals have contributed money, time, energy and hard work to bring about todays “world class” wines. It really hasn’t been one or two dynamic individuals, families or companies, but lots of brave and courageous people from all walks of life and many nations who have contributed to the new wave of success in the national wine industry. It’s been a “slow and silent” revolution in acquiring sophisticated wine production technology, use of new equipment, improved enology education, gravity-flow techniques, modern vineyard management procedures and the introduction of classic grapevine varieties that has brought quality Mexican wines to the attention of serious wine enthusiasts around he world. Wine-related articles have been appearing in major newspapers and magazines on a global level, further exposing the world to the exciting discoveries abound in the Mexican wine industry.

Guadalupe Valley is the center of activity with the majority of grapes planted and wines produced in Mexico. In addition, Valle de Santo Tomas, Valle de San Vicente, Valle de las Palmas, Valle de Tecate and other growing regions contribute to grape production. There are about eighteen official wineries and several small artisan wineries along the fourteen mile wine corridor in Guadalupe Valley. Several distinct (unofficial appellations) growing regions in this corridor include: San Antonio de las Minas, Tierra Santa, San Marcos, Rancho Toros Pintos, Laja, Franciso Zarco, and Valle de Calafia. The four largest wine producing facilities are: L.A Cetto, Pedro Domecq, Monte Xanic and Chateau Camou. Some of the smaller boutique wineries are: Casa de Piedra, Vina de Liceaga, Viños Santo Tomas, Vinisterra, Vitivinicola Tres Valles, Mustafa’s, Viñas Pijoan, Three Women Winery, Mogor-Badan, Viños Bibayoff, Adobe Guadalupe Inn/Winery, Baron Balch’e, Vinicola Sueños, Santana, Doña Lupe and Sierra Blanca. Four new wineries are being designed or under construction at this time, several individuals are making wine on their own in small amounts, and five winery operations are based in Ensenada with Bodegas de Santo Tomas and Cavas Valmar being the largest.

One significant event took place last year gaining international attention and recognition to Mexico’s wine industry. L.A. Cetto’s winemaker, Camillo Magoni, was selected as “the top winemaker in the world” by the Dutch magazine, Vinbladet. This is important for two reasons: many international wine enthusiasts didn’t even know Mexico produced wine, let alone “world class” wines, and serious, knowledgeable wine buyers and brokers look to Vinbladet magazine as the foremost, unbiased, non-political, wine judging panel in the world. Another important element in the “wine revolution” is the fact that several of Mexico’s best enologists are producing “world class” wines. Those enologists are: Christoph E. Gartner, Hugo D’ Acosta, Victor Torres, Jose Luis Durand, Enrique Ferro, Sebastian Suarez, Engineer Fernando Martain. and winemaker, Hans Backhoff.

A key factor in Mexico’s move to international prominence is provided by Adobe Guadalupe Inn and Winery owner, Donald Miller. Don Miller has been able to gain international publicity for Mexico’s wine industry through ingenious and innovative use of the media. Don and Tru Miller were the ones who introduced “world class” lodging and hospitality to Baja California’s wine country. Miller’s winemaker, Hugo D’ Acosta has played an instrumental role in creating fabulous wines and by founding a school for winemaking in Guadalupe Valley. His school has helped inspiring winemakers improve the quality of their wines, thus moving the wine industry further along the path of success through the practical applications of proven winemaking techniques.

The future looks bright for Mexico’s wine industry and for Guadalupe Valley’s economic growth. International investors are purchasing land and developing projects that include: new wineries, hotels, destination resorts, restaurants, transportation systems and educational facilities. The University of Baja California plans to start classes in enology and a former executive from the “W” hotel in San Diego plans to build a resort in the valley. Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is interested in a joint winemaking venture in Guadalupe Valley and the world’s number one luxury hotel, resort and restaurant destination, Ritz Carlton, plans to include “select” Mexican wines on it’s new wine list in 2006.

Life is good in Guadalupe Valley and getting better! We’ve had some rain this winter providing needed moisture for the vines at the beginning of this 2006 season. Last season blessed the valley with a good crop of premium grapes and the 2004 growing season was a textbook example for producing superior wine grapes. The new releases from that vintage (2004) are once again providing evidence to the world that Mexican wines are quickly moving to the ranks of superior and premium wines.

The only negative issues facing the valley are WATER and LAND USE MANAGEMENT! Will one of the most important wine growing regions in the world and a major economic boast to the region have enough water to survive? Will there be a balance between the wine industry and development? Does anyone have a consistant and non-corrupted management plan? Will residents, businesses, wineries, growers, investors, developers and others demand some kind of management program and work together to protect this national treasure? Time will tell, and The Baja Times will be here to tell you about it. We’re here to give you a fair, balanced, all-inclusive review of Mexico’s wine industry. Thank you for reading this column and for your support during our first year promoting Baja California’s wine industry and the many wonderful people who have worked hard to create it.

Steve Dryden is a tour director and travel writer living in Guadalupe Valley where he guides private wine tours. He can be reached at (619) 300-4976 U.S - (646) 118-9801 MX cell or sbdryden@hotmail.com