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Mi casa es su casa- great wines from Mexico

By Darryl Beeson

Wines from Mexico are having a big impact, quality wise, with their neighbors further North. Though still upon a learning curve as well as a marketing challenge, the wines speak for themselves with beauty and true terroir as the French might say. They speak, in flavors, of their rugged and distinctive origins.

Casa Madero is the oldest winery and vineyard in the North American continent. About seven decades after Cortez conquered the Aztecs, Don Lorenzo Garcia explored the north of Mexico, discovering an oasis and native grape vines within the desert. The place was called "Santa Maria de las Parras," or Holy Mary of the Vines. The official Spanish land grant for the developed vineyards was issued in 1597.

Experts from Europe were brought in around 1900 to introduce more mainstream grapes and equipment. The red wines have continued to evolve over the years into complex, fruit-forward wines. The merlot has won medals in Brussels, Barcelona, Seville, Toronto and New York. It is packed with delightful, ripe fruit flavors. California, watch out.

"Casa Medero's terroir has for millennia provided a suitable environment perfect for wild, native grapes," observes owner José Milmo. "Situated 5,000 feet above sea level, the warm days and cool nights help European variatals of grapes capture bright fruit flavors while retaining the crisp acidity needed to make premium wines."

Uno mas, por favor!

The Nebbiolo grape has roots in the west. Northwest Italy, specifically the Piedmont, that is. L.A. Cetto produces a fun interpretation of Nebbiolo (neb-ee-OH-lo), offering pepper and spice in the nose. The sip is like velvet with berries and spice. Complex enough to ponder, but easy to drink. This is a wine to enjoy. Positioned in a valley near Ensenada, this winery makes a joyous statement.

L.A. Cetto was founded in Mexico's Baja California by an Italian immigrant in the 1930's and has grown exponentially, now producing half of the nation's wine, cultivating 2,500 acres of vineyard, along with tequila and olive oil concerns.

Though  pre-Columbian Indians used native vines to produce a drink to which they added other fruits and honey, Spanish conquerors brought traditional vines from Europe. In 1524, the governor of New Spain, conquistador Hernando Cortes, ordered every Spaniard with a land grant from the crown to plant 1,000 grape vines for every 100 old vine plants, every year for five years. The resulting wines were so good that officials in Madrid later attempted to pull the plug on the potential of New World competition.

L.A. Cetto has garnered distribution in the U.K. and a good deal of the Southwestern United States. Though Spain has looked the other way concerning the competition of this Mexican wine export, maybe Napa and Sonoma should take note.

Also watch for premium wines from Mexico’s Chateau Camou. This is the winery that I predict will wine the race, that being Mexican wines vs. the world.

Darryl Beeson travels the world looking for great wine values. In the past, he has been wine steward or cellar master for The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Voltaire, and The Adolphus Hotel. Not one for stuffiness or secret handshakes relative to wine, this Texan might now be described as a "ki-yi-yippee sommelier, sommelier." Beeson reports on wine, spirits, food and travel for numerous publications.

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