Mexican wine

Viticulture in Mexico has been around since the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century. He is mainly limited to the region of Baja California.

History

The viticulture in Mexico and throughout the Americas began with the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century who brought vines to the area of ​​present-day Mexico from Europe. Charles II of Spain in 1699 banned the wine - with the exception of wine for religious purposes. Until the independence of Mexico in the country only a little wine was produced. After independence, the production of wine for personal use was not prohibited, and production increased, especially towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. However, going through the Mexican Revolution, the production of wine back, especially in the north of the country.

Wine production in Mexico is rising in terms of quantity and quality since the 1980s, although foreign wines and 40 % tax on the product make competition difficult in Mexico. The Mexicans also tend to prefer beer, tequila and mezcal. The interest in Mexican wine, especially in the big cities and tourist areas is, however, steadily grown in recent years. Many Mexican winemakers have since won international awards for their products.

Wine-growing areas

Due to its large north - south extent Mexico has different climates. Viticulture therefore focuses on winegrowing regions that lie between the 28th and the 38th parallel. There are three major wine regions in Mexico; 80 % of Mexican wine are produced in Baja California. There also the wine tourism is promoted with the annual Fiesta de la Vendimia ( Grape Harvest Festival ) and the Ruta del Vino ( Wine Road ), which connects more than 50 wineries with the port city of Ensenada and Tijuana and Tecate border towns. The second wine region is situated in the region of Coahuila Mexico. At an altitude of 1500m is the wine valley " Parras ". It is the oldest on the continent and one to the center of the Mexican wine industry. Aguascalientes is the third part of the country of Mexico, where vines are planted.

In addition, wine is grown in the regions of Aguascalientes, Coahuila, Sonora, Durango, Zacatecas and Querétaro.

Varieties

Among the most cultivated red grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Barbera and Zinfandel to the white varieties, especially Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.