Haz clic aquí para leer esto en español
By Alfredo Espinola
Wines of Querétaro shown at the press conference.
The state of Querétaro has been awarded Indicación Geográfica Protegida (IGP) (Protected Geographical Indication) status for its wines, an important recognition of their authenticity and quality.
The IGP is granted by the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI), which guarantees that the wines come from that specific geographical origin and have qualities or reputation that are due to that origin.
The IGP declaration establishes specific criteria regarding fermentation, ageing, breeding, labelling, packaging and marketing, guaranteeing that Querétaro wines maintain their essence and are recognized for their unique production process, aroma and flavor.
This recognition comes as a result of work carried out since 2021, when the project to carry out a technical and zoning study began. The project was led by Lluís Raventós, general manager of Freixenet Mexico, who was then president of the technical committee of the Querétaro Winemakers Association, together with Valentina Garza, who was at that time the director of the Altiplano Wine School (EVA), in alliance with the University of Arkansas Campus Querétaro and the support of Dr. Soledad del Rio.
Attendees at the press conference in which the Indicación Geográfica Protegida for Querétaro was presented.
The project developed information about the Altiplano, a very large wine-producing region, including the anthropology of the wine and information about the evolution of each of the grape varieties. The project helped establish the specific characteristics of the climate, soil and traditions of each part of the region.
This work led to the creation of the first “wine cluster” in the country, on April 27, 2022. (A wine cluster is a geographic concentration of interconnected wineries, vineyards, suppliers, and wine-related institutions that work together to improve the wines in the region.) The cluster is led by Eugenio Parodi, who determined that once the cluster was established in Querétaro, it was time to pursue the IGP designation.
“We achieved this thanks to the efforts of large and small wineries, of winegrowers who take care of each bunch of grapes, of winemakers who transform grapes into art, of former presidents of the Querétaro Cluster, of businessmen, academics and authorities who have opted for the quality and authenticity of our land,” said Parodi in a press conference about the IGP in early March.
The general director of the IMPI, Santiago Nieto Castillo, highlighted the relevance of this recognition, which combines history, culture and production processes unique to Mexico.
“The character given to Querétaro wines has to do with its history, with the people who live and feel Querétaro and its natural conditions,” said Santiago Nieto at the press conference.
Querétaro's secretary of tourism, Adriana Vázquez Mellado, added that the state has consolidated its position as a leading wine tourism destination, being the first non-beach destination to position itself as the most visited in Mexico, with more than a million tourists a year and an economic impact of more than 4 million pesos.
“We have gone from having four vineyards to having more than 30, consolidating the state as the most visited tourist destination in Mexico,” said Vázquez Mellado.
Don't miss a thing! Subscribe to el Restaurante's digital publications for free by clicking here.