The state in central Mexico is growing as an important wine region in the world
Three different types of wine from two brands from Querétaro, El Bajio and Vinaltura
More than 6,000 feet above sea level and under the warm sun of central Mexico lies San Juanito Vitivinícola, a vineyard site in the state of Querétaro, Mexico.
Although it is more than 1,000 miles away from Dallas-Fort Worth, some North Texas restaurateurs and bar owners believe it is the next wine-producing region in North America.
The contemporary Mexican food restaurant Don Artemio, in Fort Worth, has already incorporated Querétaro wine into its menu. The restaurant’s manager, Martín Quirarte, says that the fact that the region is little known is an opportunity to create a base to sell Querétaro wine in Texas.
“You ask 95% of our customers, and even more, and they don’t know that Querétaro is producing wine,” says Quirarte.
That is why he feels “an enormous responsibility” to introduce Querétaro wines to Don Artemio.
The restaurant is already one of the best high-end options for regional Mexican food and drinks in Dallas-Fort Worth.
“We have to find the balance between great taste and exceptional price quality for our customers,” he added.
Although the state of Baja California in northwestern Mexico is probably the best-known wine region in the country, Querétaro was one of the first regions to produce wine in the country, and presents an interesting and unusual opportunity for winemakers.
Querétaro is the southernmost wine-producing state in Mexico, located two and a half hours north of Mexico City.
This site defies almost every norm of viticulture: it is located in an unconventional location for this activity because it is closer to the equator than almost any other wine-producing region, and it is 6,500 feet above sea level.
“We are so far south that we should have a tropical climate and we do get strong storms, but it is very hot during the day and cool at night. This change is very beneficial for the vine,” said Antonio Treviño, winegrower at San Juanito Vitivinícola. “During the day [the grapes] receive sun and grow; and at night the coolness helps to preserve them.”
Beyond the fluctuation of the climate, which helps the grapes ripen and retain their acidity, Querétaro’s soil retains water during periods of drought and drains it when it rains too much.
“This combination of geographic, climatic and oenological factors has been key to the development and consolidation of Querétaro as a wine region,” said Treviño. “The foundations for this new renaissance of viticulture in the region are just being laid.”
The future of Querétaro wine in Dallas-Fort Worth
Don Artemio sells three Querétaro wines: Vinaltura Gewurztraminer, Vinaltura Malbec and El Bajío Brut (macabeo, xarello and ugni blanc).
“One of my goals is to make Mexican wine known, and I fell in love with that region,” he said. “Anything we do has to enhance the menu, it has to make an impression the first time and it has to be balanced. “I would love to see Querétaro have what we need.”
So far, Don Artemio is one of the few restaurants in North Texas that sell wines from this region of Mexico, but Quirarte would like others to take a liking to them as well.
Wine production in Querétaro was partially truncated by strict alcoholic beverage control laws, so it had no winegrowers until the mid-1970s.
The region has the potential to become a benchmark for wine, considers Treviño.
“It has already positioned itself as a producer of quality wine,”
projection. “There are young companies that have the desire to innovate and are willing to implement the latest in agricultural technology. I think Querétaro has a lot of room to grow nationally and internationally.”
Although Texas restaurant owners still have a lot to learn about this Mexican region, internationally known restaurants like Pujol in Mexico City have been serving Querétaro wines for years. This prestigious restaurant currently serves seven Queretaro wines.
“They are very balanced wines that have surprised us in recent years with their elegance and balance,” said Marianna Ramírez, beverage director at Pujol. “Although Querétaro has advanced a lot in wine production, it still has wineries that preserve their essence in a more exclusive way.”
Querétaro wine has given a lot of talk in Mexico and the United States, explains James Tidwell, master sommelier in Dallas and co-founder of TexSom International Wine Awards.
“I think it has a bright future because there are a lot of tourists who go there just to try the wine,” Tidwell said. “Also, people are talking about him in the media. He fulfills many things that people want from their wines.”
Even stores like Total Wine & More are joining the trend, as they already sell El Bajío Brut, from the Freixenet México winery in Querétaro.
The disadvantage that Querétaro had 50 years ago has changed radically and at some point, it could occupy a privileged place in the world of wine.
“Querétaro is already important, but I can say that Querétaro will be a very important place for Mexican wine in 10 years,” Quirarte said.
Source: Dallas News
