BajaNomad

A Wine Story, "Tres Mujeres"

JESSE - 5-5-2007 at 04:38 PM

A few years ago we got lost during one of those visits to the Guadalupe Valley, we where looking for a big winery, but we ended up in the middle of nowhere. The day was hot, clear, and typical of summers in Guadalupe. We where on a dirt road so narrow, two cars couldnt fit in, so i decided to drive to see where this road would lead me, and we ended up in a small ranch on a hill, surrounded by vineyards. As we where debating to see how we would get back, a Mexican lady showed up and offered us to sample her wines. We where in a hurry because we wanted to try as many wines as we could, so we where a little unsure about wanting to spend time in mom and pop operation. But finally, we decided we where there, so might as well try them.

We walked to the ranch, and on the side there was this small cellar that was made of local rocks, and half of it was underground and half outside, we went in and the lady had several oak barrels and equipment and a rack with at least 200 bottles of wines. We started to sample wines, and Eva, thats the name of the lady, Eva Cotero, explained to us that the wines where made by her and 2 other friends, so they called the wines "3 mujeres". Eva is a marine researcher and she works in Ensenada, and makes wine because as she says "i need to vent my frustations after raising several children". The wines where good, and i don't mean amateur good, they where good wines that would not dissapoint you if you bought them at a store. The reason is that Eva and her two friends where trained by non other than Hugo D'Acosta, probably Mexicos most famous winemaker and the owner of Casa de Piedra, of Vino de Piedra fame. We bought a few bottles and this story would have ended there if it wasnt for the fact that somehow we stayed in touch. This past week, Eva came to La Paz for a convention on marine sciences, and was coming with a box of wine. This wasnt very unusual, except for the fact that she mention she wanted me to try several wines, and she had a surprise.

After a few days in La Paz, Eva finally finished her work and came to the restaurant to visit. She brought 2 wines, a Merlot, and a Cabernet. We opened the Merlot, and oh my god!!! i am a wine lover, i try at least 3 or 4 wines a week in order to find good wines, but this Merlot was amazing, complex, full of fruit, balanced, and better than anything i have tasted from 100+usd bottles from Chile and California. And then came the shocker, we opened the Cabernet, i ordered braised lamb to try with the wine, and we tried it, and i am still in shock, this 60yr old Mexican lady that i just happened one day to meet by accident, had managed to make a true masterpiece, a wine so perfect, so complex, so full of fruit and balance, that made me get up and run to the kitchen asking the chef, "you better try this" "you better try this". I have drank several great wines in my life, but this was in par or better than the big french chateaus that sell for hundreds of dollars at auction.

For years i have heard many people complain about Mexican wines, and i personally have been dissapointed with many of them, yet one thing eluded me, i had never tried a great Mexican wine, at least, not one that could compare with the best of Napa or France. But that day was now here, and Eva was the lady in a small ranch in the middle of Guadalupe, who had managed to produce a masterpiece in conditions no one would ever had imagened.

"Tres Mujeres" is the winery, i am not going to tell you where it is, because some Baja secrets need to be kept, and this one was and is very special to me. But i can now proudly say to anyone, Baja is capable of producing amazing wine, and i know an old Mexican lady who makes it.



Gracias Eva.

Oso - 5-5-2007 at 06:54 PM

Great story, Jesse! Lookking forward to sampling "3 Viejas":spingrin:

No mas pa que sepas= "Where"= donde. "Were"=eran. "We're"=somos.;D

Paula - 5-5-2007 at 07:12 PM

Jesse, what a nice story. Although I'm generally a white wine person (I know, I know... I have reasons...) I sure hope to try some Tres Mujeres cabernet!

Y a sesenta años...¡es posible que una mujer pueda ser en flor de su piel!:dudette::lol:

A great wine story, Jesse...it brought back a memory.

Pompano - 5-5-2007 at 07:57 PM

Thanks Jesse, for a wonderful account and for jogging my memory of a similar time.

I, too, truly love good red wines..and I think it is absolutely necessary to have at least 2 glasses a day to promote good health. Anything less is flirting with the Grim Reaper.

My Mexican-Swiss friend, Pier Azcona, stopped overnight at mi casa enroute to his home near San Jose del Cabo. He brought me some great wine made by 3 close friends in the Napa Valley. Not a huge winery, either..and likely somewhat like your friend, Eva's, a small, very personal enterprise.

I had a little gathering going on that night for a few other friends, so Pier opened a few bottles and we had a most memorable experience savoring his amigo's vinos. They had an amusing label..."Two Basques and a Portuguese."

Pier said his friends did not produce any for sale, but gave it out to thier close friends. Maybe someone reading this has had some of this great wine?

I need to meet those guys..and Eva!

Sharksbaja - 5-6-2007 at 12:19 AM

Como se dice; your passion is acknowledged? Nice story Jess.

JESSE - 5-6-2007 at 03:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by morgaine7
Lovely story, Jesse ... I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Can't help wondering how much we've all missed by being in too much of a hurry to stop somewhere unusual.

Errr ... is there any left? I may pass by again tomorrow (did so early Thursday but you weren't there).

Kate <-- nueva vecina :saint:


I still have a few bottles of merlot left.:bounce:

[Edited on 5-6-2007 by JESSE]

JESSE - 5-6-2007 at 03:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano
Thanks Jesse, for a wonderful account and for jogging my memory of a similar time.

I, too, truly love good red wines..and I think it is absolutely necessary to have at least 2 glasses a day to promote good health. Anything less is flirting with the Grim Reaper.

My Mexican-Swiss friend, Pier Azcona, stopped overnight at mi casa enroute to his home near San Jose del Cabo. He brought me some great wine made by 3 close friends in the Napa Valley. Not a huge winery, either..and likely somewhat like your friend, Eva's, a small, very personal enterprise.

I had a little gathering going on that night for a few other friends, so Pier opened a few bottles and we had a most memorable experience savoring his amigo's vinos. They had an amusing label..."Two Basques and a Portuguese."

Pier said his friends did not produce any for sale, but gave it out to thier close friends. Maybe someone reading this has had some of this great wine?

I need to meet those guys..and Eva!


Eva and the girls are planning on selling their wines to some restaurants, and friends. They want to make just several thousand bottles per harvest, and who knows, if theres more people like me, start a cult following. I already told her i could start a group here in bajanomad for wine lovers that would appreciate getting their hands on some bottles of the best wine in Mexico.

bajalera - 5-7-2007 at 09:07 AM

What a wonderful story!

Hook - 5-7-2007 at 10:40 AM

It would probably take a small winery willing to reduce their yields to accomplish this in Guadalupe, Jesse.

But on a par with Napa Cabs........well, that would really be something.

I've got a 97 Plumpjack and an 01 Beringer Private Reserve that I'll bring to the taste-off! Maybe at your restaurant this fall????

Thanks for the tip on Tres Mujeres.

Martyman - 5-7-2007 at 11:22 AM

Yesterday I went to the passport wine days in Hopland CA (Mendocino Co.). If you ever see any wines by Dogwood Cellars... buy them! They just opened and were the best that we tasted by far.

Hook - 5-7-2007 at 11:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Martyman
Yesterday I went to the passport wine days in Hopland CA (Mendocino Co.). If you ever see any wines by Dogwood Cellars... buy them! They just opened and were the best that we tasted by far.


What varietals did you enjoy by them, Marty? Looks like they have a Zin and a Cab.

[Edited on 5-7-2007 by Hook]

Martyman - 5-8-2007 at 01:13 PM

Both were great. My favorite was the Meritage (Cal Bordeaux)