The Vitis vinifera Vine and the concept of winemaking arrived in Mexico with the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Before the colony's wine production could meet local demand, wine was imported from Spanish vineyards, which maintained a healthy Flow of ships and trade between Spain and Nueva Espana ("New Spain" as Mexico was called at the time). This trade was so important that the King of Spain, King Carlos II, banned commercial wine production to keep it going.
Local wine production was only allowed for ceremonial purposes, but it was this legal exception that kept a tiny Mexican wine industry going until the early 19th century, when Mexico gained its independence from Spain.
The first Mexican vineyards were planted around the town of Parras de la Fuente, which translates as "vineyards of the spring," nestled in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains.
The wine regions of modern Mexico are now located in the slightly cooler, ocean-moderated Climate of northwestern Baja California, far west of the original wine-growing areas. Ninety percent of Mexican wine is now produced at the northern end of the Long, thin Baja California peninsula, in the valleys of Guadalupe, Calafia, Santo Tomas, San Vicente and San Antonio de las Minas. There are also scattered vineyards in La Laguna and further South in Zacateca and Aguascalientes where table Grapes are more common.
Because of the hot, sunny climate, irrigation is required in almost all locations; most Mexican vineyards are at a latitude similar to the deserts of Iraq and the northern Sahara. Rainfall is low, with the driest areas receiving as little as 200 millimeters (8 inches) per year. The entire region, with the exception of the northwestern corner of Baja California, is classified as a hot arid desert on the Koppen climate classification scale; viticulture is made possible by the presence of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Gulf of California to the east.
There are no native vinifera varieties in the Americas, so Mexican wine is produced from "international" varieties of French, Spanish and Italian origin.
It most certainly originates from the Anjou region and is registered in the official catalogue of wine grape varieties on the A1 list. It can also be found in South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Chile, the United States (California), New Zealand, etc. It is said to be a descendant of Savagnin and to have sauvignonasse as its second parent (Jean-Michel Boursiquot 2019). On the other hand, Chenin blanc is the half-brother of verdelho and sauvignon blanc and is the father of colombard.
When I first visited Bordeaux, the sleepy landscape of turreted stone châteaux and vineyards seemed timeless, with traditions so well established you felt they would go on forever. But new energy in this famous wine region is visible and audible: bees buzz and sheep graze in organic vineyards; brand-new cellars brim with sustainable features and wine fermenting in trendy amphorae; unusual grapes are gaining attention; and the number of women in key roles keeps growing. Yoga among the vines is s ...
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Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner, a director at La Rioja Alta, said the company had acquired 35ha of old vines, with a minimum age of 45 years, in the village of Elvillar at an average altitude of 600 metres. He also said La Rioja Alta would buy more old vines this year, bringing total ‘artisanal vineyard’ acquisitions to a minimum of 5oha, and potentially up to 75ha, by the end of 2022. ‘We are buying very old vineyards, pruned in the traditional way with very low production, some of which are fi ...
