63 replies to this topic

[Ekdogg]

Some of you mention wine in your restaurant reviews, which makes me wonder: Do you generally drink Mexican or imported wines when dining in Mexico?

To be honest, I've never had a good Mexican wine. I'm not a wine snob; I just want something decent, but every single time I've ordered Mexican wine, I've been disappointed. I hold no prejudice against Mexican beverages: I like their beer; their brandy is great, but their wine...

Ordering California wine is not an option, I've found, because they're not to be found south of the border, so I either order something from France, Spain or Chile or drink something else.

What is your experience?

[JimLane]

I opt for Mexican wines. I also drink Italian wines with Italian food and so on. Something about food for a region and the wines being complementary. I also like Mexican beers with appropriate foods. Negra Modelo, XX Ambar, Bohemia.

Several Mexican wines have stood up well in international competitions with French, Italian and US wines.

Chateau Camou, Monte Xanic and several others come to mind. Right now, I am sipping on a LA Cetto Cabernet 2003. Okay, I've had better and worse.

If you get to Ensenada, let me recommend you spend some time at the counter of Sé de Vino.


jim

[Ekdogg]

Thanks for the tips, Jim. You have good taste in beer. I've been a Bohemia fan for many years, and Negra Modelo is good, too, although I prefer El Indio
(http://trikinhuelas..../cerveza-indio/). Have you tried it? If my memory serves me right, it's kind of hard to find in Baja.

Is "Sé de Vino" a wine shop or a bar?

[richsinc]

I am really open to any suggestions concerning any German wines; especially Mosel and Rhine; either store or restaurrant and prices.

[bombero]

no wonder I havent ever seen any winos in tj

[JimLane]

Se de Vino is a wine bar and upper scale restaurant. I've sent e-mail to my buddy to check on it. If it is open, I plan on having dinner and wine there either the 17th or 18th when I am in Ensenada.


jim

[diogenes]

If you want a great place to start your research about all things GFerman as far as wine goes then go to this link, http://www.german-em...erman_wine.html

Heck , if want to learn German, then there is a FREE (!!!!!!!!!!!) course through Deutsche Welle TV. NOw, if only a concern that utuilises Spanish would do the same

[diogenes]

If you want a great place to start your research about all things GFerman as far as wine goes then go to this link, http://www.german-em...erman_wine.html

Heck , if want to learn German, then there is a FREE (!!!!!!!!!!!) course through Deutsche Welle TV. NOw, if only a concern that utuilises Spanish would do the same

[Ekdogg]

Jim,

I did a web search and found this. It seems there is a Sé de Vino (note that "Sé" should be written with an accent mark here to show it is the first person singular form of the verb "saber" and not the pronoun) in Mexico City.

Note that there are no California wines listed! That seems to always be the case.

Se [sic] de vino

There are two such wine bars in the city and a third in Ensenada, Baja California, where you can taste wines from all over the world: Spain, France, Italy and the so-called “New World” wines from countries like Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and Chile. And to go with your wine, you can order a platter of cheese or cold cuts or a gourmet dinner. Ideal for a romantic evening with that special someone or for giving yourself a treat. There are over 40 wines to choose from on the wine list and 126 different wines on sale. The atmosphere is relaxed and entertaining and the decor is simple, verging on the minimalist, but without being inhospitable. Good wine is accompanied by soft music that’ll have you topping up your glass again and again.

Campos Elíseos 199, local C, col. Polanco.
Mon-Fri: 1:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Hotel Sheraton, Av. Juárez, historic city center.
Mon-Sat: 1:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

[Chiquito]

As a rule I just don't like wine, mainly Tequila. But I'm a rampage Tequila drinker so there's none in the house anymore. That's a story unto itself. The only wine I do like is Liebfraumilch, brand names that come to mind are Blue Nun and Black Tower. I believe it's German. Cheap but tasty. Other than that I'll sometimes buy a big box of supercheap white wine to make Teriyaki sauce.

[richsinc]

Danke schoen, diogenes. Speche Deustche? (sorry no umlats on my keyboard).

Liebfraumilch (loosely: loving lady milk) is Rhine; I kinda' like Mosels better like Schawtze Katze (sp?) Black Cat; both are very good and usually more expensive than most Rieslings.

Come to think of it I haven't seen California wines here either; wonder why?

[Ekdogg]

"Come to think of it I haven't seen California wines here either; wonder why?"

I suspect it has to do with NAFTA. Certain products were left off the free-trade list--at least temporarily-- to protect industries on both side of the border. I imagine the Mexicans are not allowed to freely export avocadoes to the States, for example, as they would quickly flood the market with cheap high-quality ones that would put the American growers out of business in no time.

As poor as Mexican wine is, I don't think their vintners would be able to survive if they had to compete with ours head-to-head unless they improved their product tremendously. What is strange is that one never sees any of our wines down there at all. You'd think they'd import them with a duty on them, as I'm sure is the case with those wines from other countries that are readily available in Mexico.

[Ekdogg]

I've been looking into the "no California wine in Mexico" conundrum, and I ran across this from a speech by Senator Dianne Feinstein:

NAFTA had an immediate negative impact on the California wine industry. The California wine industry produces 90 percent of our Nation's wine and 90 percent of the wine exported by the United States.

Coincident with NAFTA, Mexico gave Chilean wines an immediate tariff reduction from 20 percent to 8 percent and a guarantee of duty-free status within a year. By contrast, United States wines face a 10-year phaseout of a much higher Mexican tariff, leaving U.S. wines at a significant disadvantage in the Mexican market. It is actually a wipeout of our market share of wine in Mexico.

[richsinc]

I checked out Ley super(?)market (not my favorite store for variety) by me and all wines were Mexican, even tho the label said "California" even Carlo Rossi, that great California wine?

In liquours they had Irish (Baileys) and Scotch (Johnny Walker) and French Corvasier, all with 'Imported' stamps and that was it!

Will check out a small liquor store nearby today to see if they have a selection.

[JimLane]

Found out it is Sed de Vino and is in ensenada. Recent management changes and my friend I am chatting with hasn't been there in a long time. We've scheduled it for the weekend.

Who the hell would go to Mexico to drink California wines? Monte Xanic, Chateau Camou and several others have taken on Clifornia wines and come out ahead every so often.

Further, regionally, wines and foods go together.

I don't remember seeing French or German there, but all things ar epossible. I'll ask about California wines. Maybe Mexicans that drink wine get enough of them there is little demand in Mexico.

Maybe NAFTA.

Just send a note to Ensenada asking if he knows anything about California wines in Mexico. We'll ask one way or another.

Anyone else going to be there this coming weekend?


jim




jim

[Tcat]

"To be honest, I've never had a good Mexican wine."

You are kidding, right?

:shock:

Ensenada has some of the best wines in the world at really good prices.
They cannot make enough to make an export business. I buy directly from the creators when I am in Ensenada.

I'm not a wine snob but I can tell the difference between 2 buck chuck and $200 a bottle. The Value from Ensenada is probably the best bank for the taste buck. Now if your going to go for getting wasted, 2 buck chuck at Trader Joe's is hard to beat unless you find a grocery outlet with some fine down under wine's @ about $3. a bottle. I like Alice White @ $3.00 but I will only stock for guests the Ensenada wines.

Tcat

[Ekdogg]

"You are kidding, right?"

No, I'm serious. We even visited a winery in Baja. We enjoyed the tour. Everything was beautiful, and we were going to buy a few bottles from their wine shop, but when we were given some samples it turned out to be the most God-awful plonk we'd ever drunk, so we forewent buying it.

[JimLane]

Hmmm, what winery was it you went to? What was the specific wine?

If I hit one that bad, I would remember that information for a hundred years and I would name names.

And how long ago did this happen?


jim

[Ekdogg]

Jim, I must admit that I don't remember the name of the winery. This was about eight or ten years ago, and I've heard some people say that Baja wines have improved since then. I hope that's true, and I look forward to trying some varietals when I move to Baja in July.

[JimLane]

I might suggest you include such nuggets in your critiques to give your words some context. Anyone using 10 year old information to take shots at anything is out of the loop. That is only fair.

My next trip to Ensenada will involve a bit of time at Capricho's and a sampling of some of the other small boutique wineries in Valle de Guadalupe.


jim