BACK IN THE SADDLE after spending five days in the Guadelupe Valley in Baja, California, which is the center of the Mexican wine industry.
We spent our time in the Guadalupe Valley which now has some two dozen wineries. All are working with increasing success to convince their fellow
countrymen that there are other beverages to enjoy beyond cervesa and tequila. Winemaking in Mexico dates back to the 1600s when Spanish explorers
brought the Mission grape to the new world, but the modern wine industry only dates back to the early 1980s. The Guadalupe Valley is very dry and
surrounded by mountains that receive the majority of rain which flows down to underground aquifers beneath the valley floor. Most of the vineyards are
drip-irrigated from deep wells. We found the valley’s vintners a fascinating lot. Like some California vintners, some in Baja discovered winemaking
after careers in other fields. Among the vintners we met were a plastic surgeon, an oceanographer, a veterinarian and an international banker.
Any trip to the wine country of northern Baja must be predicated on obtaining a room at the Adobe Guadalupe Inn, a 20,000-sq.-ft., breathtakingly
beautiful hacienda. Its owners are Don Miller, a retired international banker (the only American winemaker in Mexico), and his wife, Tru, (of Dutch
descent) a linguist who speaks 10 languages. The inn’s dinners are prepared by a Swiss chef and are marvelous. The Millers also have a stable of 16
horses (Tru is a devoted equestrian and rides every day) and a winery which produces about 4,000 cases of very exciting and excellent wines. Some of
the Baja vintners have a very clever winemaking philosophy. Rather than making varietal wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot which consumers
would automatically compare with French or California wines, they are producing blends, including French, Italian and Spanish varieties, which make
their wines distinctive and exciting drinking experiences.
We visited as many wines as we could in our short stay. The L. A. Cetto Winery is Mexico’s largest winery, and produces about 500,000 bottles
annually.
Hugo D’Acosta is the Baja wine guru and consults for many wineries … sort of the André Tchelistcheff of the area. Speaking of Mr. T., did you know
that his son, Dimitri, (now the winemaker at Jarvis Winery) was the winemaker at Santa Tomás Winery in a coastal valley in Baja for many years?
We visited as many wineries as we could in the five days we were there, and each winery visit was a fascinating adventure. Wish I had room to tell you
more. But here is the good news. On Sunday afternoon, Jan. 27, 2007, many of the Mexican vintners will be at Copia to showcase their wines. Mark your
calendars in heavy black ink for a don’t-miss, imbibing experience.movinguy - 11-17-2006 at 02:09 PM
What/where is Copia? BajaNews - 11-17-2006 at 02:27 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by movinguy
What/where is Copia?
COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts
707.259.1600
888.512.6742
500 First Street
Napa, CA 94559
