Of course, it was not always so. Until about 500 years ago the native people of Mexico, the Mayans, thrived here. A great culture, often violent, but at peace with nature had built a civilization unknown to Europeans.
Then came the Spanish conquistadores in 1521. Under the guise of religion, they decimated the Mayan culture, destroying anything connected that was not compatible with their beliefs.
We still do not know if wine was ever made and drank in Mexico before the Spanish invasion. What we do know is that the conquistadores, although ruthless in their religious quest, were too weak to forgo their own pleasure of drinking wine. Three years after invading Mexico, they proclaimed a law that ordered every Spanish settler to plant grape vines to make the new rulers self-sufficient from the old country. It appears each Christian Mission that sprung up along the west coast of Mexico all along the Baja and eventually right into California began growing grapes - the Mission Grape.
Developing great grapes in Mexico was never very easy. Growing conditions along the west coast were and still are the most suitable. Yet it is also an area that does not receive enough annual rainfall to be very suitable for any agriculture. It was only with the onset of irrigation that growing grapes in earnest could begin. Up until about the early 1980s most grapes were used for raisins and fresh fruit, and those that were made into wines, were used to make brandy.
The local Mexican wine industry had enormous difficulties competing with cheap German imports and it was not until the ‘80s when irrigation propelled the industry into the future unlike any other country before. A small number of commercial wineries sprung up overnight including the family-owned winery of L.A. Cetto.
I first became acquainted with the L.A. Cetto wines about ten years ago, but like so many things, they faded from my memory. I suppose this is the result of enjoying too much wine. Last month, while in Riviera Maya in Mexico, I had the fortune to be invited to one of the most beautiful natural wine cellars I have ever laid eyes on.
It was the Xcaret outside Playa del Carmen. Vino de México, as the limestone cave is named, is also the office of head sommelier José Luis. Surrounded by an incredible selection of 3500 bottles of the very best Mexican wines, José spends a lot of time matching food and wine with the chefs of Xcaret and researching as well as recording the history of Mexican wines.
Selecting a wine to accompany our discussion, I boldly asked for the very best he had in his collection. It was an L.A. Cetto wine produced from the noble Italian Nebbiolo variety. It was in that cave below the Mexican jungle I realized Mexico has made great advances in fine wine waking over the last 20 years. It was also there, in the coolness of Vino de México that I felt so badly for our good neighbours. Virtually a third world country where the average wage is still under a dollar an hour, Mexico has been unable to gain a place among the best winemakers in the modern world - a place they rightfully deserve.
Alex Recommends
L.A. Cetto Wines are listed in Ontario.
I can recommend the
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
CSPC 114066 for $10.45
and the PETIT SIRAH
CSPC 98374 for $11.95
The RESERVE CETTO NEBBIOLO
sells for about $20.00
but is currently sold out.
Weblinks:
for L.A.Cetto
www.cettowines.com
Xcaret is on www.xcaret.com
and I can be found at
www.winecop.com
For our latest venture
the Totally Scallops cookbook visit www.eberimage.ca