The Resurrection of Domecq Winery

By Steve Dryden

Do rumors go better with white or red wine? Did President Fox silently invest capital into the Domecq winery or was it purchased by a famous Napa Valley wine family. These questions come to mind as I write about Baja’s wines and live in Mexico’s premier wine country of Guadalupe Valley. Hundreds of rumors have flown through the local grapevine of communication ever since the closure of the Domecq winery last year. I hadn’t been able to locate The National Enquirer in this valley, so last week I drove over to Domecq winery to find the facts for myself, my readers and friends.

The gate was open and the security guard directed me to the tasting room near the famous fountain with huge clay amphorae that is once again flowing with water. I wasn’t greeted by President Fox, but everything looked back to normal and I was happy to see some familiar faces. There was a buzz of activity as workers harvested grapes and moved truckloads to processors beginning another vintage year of winemaking. Domecq is open again with some interesting and exciting changes!

This end of the valley is called Valle de Calafia. My first trip here was in 1958 when my father brought me here to meet his Russian (Molokan) friends and purchase jugs of wine. The Domecq winery wasn’t here then as it was established in 1972, but little has changed in this beautiful spot over the years. Domecq (Vides del Guadalupe) was the first commercial winery in the valley. Twenty years ago when I managed a Napa Valley winery I came to Domecq exchanging our California wines for their premium wines hidden underground in caves behind the winery.

The formidable and Spanish-sounding Domecq was actually founded in Spain by the Irishman, Patrick Murphy. Domecq international headquarters can be found in the old part of Jemez, Spain hidden behind long, whitewashed walls protecting the vaulted bodegas of the great sherry houses, high roofed, cool and classic buildings where row after row of tanks hold maturing sherry. This company is the driving force behind the modernization of winemaking and viticulture throughout Spain and is partly responsible for the new wave of world class Spanish wines. Pedro Domecq also produces El Presidente Brandy, Blue Rhin Lieberaumilch, Champagne Mumm Cordon Rouge, Spanish and Argentine wines at various locations around the world.

I walked into the tasting room and met with Minerva Josephine Cerda, the tasting room and tour manager for Domecq winery in Baja California. She worked here before the closure and everyone in the tour and travel industry is glad to see her back on the job as she is one of the best public relation hostesses in the Mexican wine industry. I was informed of the many new and exciting changes at the winery and rumors were politely replaced with actual facts.

Domecq winery has sold seventy-five percent of the business to Pernod Ricard. The winery name will remain Domecq and a new logo is in the works. New labels are now on all bottles of wine and some wines have been temporary discontinued. The most exciting news is the introduction of a new wine, Reserva Magna and the announcement of a new Argentine winemaker, Sebastian Suarez. The previous winemaker, Jose Luis Durand stills works in the region and is now making his own superior and outstanding wines with a business partner.

Reserva Magna is a blend of about sixty percent Cabernet Sauvignon, twenty percent Merlot and 20 percent Nebbiolo. It’s aged eighteen months in new French oak and bottled aged for a minimum of one year before release. Brilliant intense red color, well defined body, velvety, complex, notes of red fruits, hint of oak with a long humble finish. An excellent wine that would compliment New Zealand lamb, veal: osso buco alla milanese or braised veal shoulder, tender fillet mignon, sirloin strip, rib eye steak and many other culinary combinations to suit your own taste.

Domecq wines are marketed under several labels including: Calafia, X-A, and Padre Kino. Their premium wines are the Reserva and Chateau labels and fine wines are under the XA label. One of the most popular XA wines is the Blanc de Blanc: 100 % Chenin Blanc, low temperature fermentation in stainless steel with no oak or bottle aging. It’s very light in color with slight sweetness and acidity, fruit aromas and flavors with a clean lingering finish.

The winery has temporarily discontinued the production of their 100% Chardonnay, 100% Merlot and their white Zinfandel. Operations are being scaled back while plans are being made for some exciting and innovative additions to their wines in the future. Domecq is back, so be ready for some interesting and sophisticated new wine releases coming soon!

Domecq has a beautiful tasting room overlooking the Valle de Calafia. Tasting room hours are M-F 10-4 and Sat 10-1:30. Tasting fees are $2.50 per person for samples of three red and two white wines. The popular and interesting winery tours are again offered with no charge. Minerva Cerda is the bilingual tour and tasting manager and can be reached at 646 155-2249 extension 110. The winery offers quality wines at reasonable prices and is located on the Ensenada-Tecate Highway 3, Km 73 at the eastern end of Guadalupe Valley.