Elizabeth Rojas
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By Alfredo Espinola
Some stories develop slowly, like wine. One such story is that of Elizabeth Rojas Martínez, new director of the Mexican Wine Council (CMV), a woman whose passion for the land and wine has become her professional compass.
Taking over the helm of the CMV is not simply a job, it is a declaration of love for the Mexican countryside. “It is an honor, but also a great responsibility, because Mexican wine is at a crucial moment and we must respond with vision, unity, and strategy,” Elizabeth says with a firm voice and clear gaze.
A path woven with history and commitment
Elizabeth did not arrive at the CMV by chance, nor was she unfamiliar with the countryside. She studied International Trade in Agricultural Products at the University of Chapingo and later specialized in Agricultural Economics and Marketing. From her first steps at ProMéxico, her focus was clear: to bring Mexican agricultural products to the world with a narrative of quality, identity, and pride. The agro-industrial sector has always been a driving force in her career.
In Durango, she promoted mezcal, and in Aguascalientes, she led local and international trade strategies. “Mezcal taught me the importance of territorial identity, and now with wine, that lesson takes on a different dimension. Wine not only tells a story, but also preserves it in every drop,” she reflects.
“I was always more focused on building relationships, connecting producers with the market, and strengthening entire chains, not just products,” she recalls. That vision of ecosystem and structure would be key to what would come next: wine
The moment of Mexican wine
Today, at the helm of the CMV, Elizabeth represents not only technical leadership but also a different sensibility. She knows that Mexican wine is at a crucial moment. “We face many challenges, especially in terms of legislation and consumption, but there is also a great opportunity. Mexican wine is growing, and it is doing so with identity.”
That word, “identity,” comes up again and again in her speech, not as a slogan, but as a conviction. For Elizabeth, Mexican wine is not just a drink, it is an expression of territory, history, and people who have committed themselves to a grape, a land, and a harvest.
Wine as an experience, not a luxury
Mexico currently has 17 wine-producing states; however, Mexican wine faces crucial challenges, such as increasing consumption, demystifying its apparent elitism, and building bridges between large, medium, and small producers. For Elizabeth, the focus is clear: “It's not about selling wine, it's about telling stories. The consumer needs to understand that behind every label there is a field, a family, a living region.”
Wine should not be an exclusive experience, but an inclusive one. “We have to leave behind the idea that wine is only drunk on special occasions or with technical knowledge. Wine is for enjoying, for those who want to toast, laugh, talk, and feel.”
A wine that doesn't need permission
At a time when the idea that wine is elitist still persists, Elizabeth responds bluntly, “Mexican wine is for everyone, you don't need an occasion to open a bottle.”
With price accessibility campaigns and pairings that include tacos, potatoes, and chiles en nogada, the CMV seeks to dispel myths and conquer palates.
“We want people to know that they can enjoy a white wine with pizza or a red wine with their favorite pasta. There are no rules, only emotions,” she says with conviction.
Wine and tourism: a strategic partnership
For Elizabeth, tourism and wine are not circumstantial allies, they are a natural pairing. And that's where wine tourism comes in, because wine, when experienced from the vineyard and through the history of its makers, becomes an emotional experience. "In many vineyards, up to 80% of sales come from domestic and international tourism. You understand wine when you know its origin, when you hear its story, when you taste it, where it was born."
The message is powerful: Mexican wine is not exclusive to formal tables or thin glass cups. Mexican wine is for everyone, for gossip among friends, for barbecues with friends, or for an afternoon alone watching the rain.
A generation that believes
She is particularly enthusiastic about the role young people are playing in the industry. “I see more and more passionate young people, winemakers, sommeliers, restaurateurs, investors. There is a real commitment, a different energy. It's no longer just about selling bottles, it's about building a culture.”
Social media has been a key ally. “They allow us to tell stories, to show consumers that behind every bottle there is a life project, a story worth listening to and, above all, worth tasting.”
Nowadays, tastings are no longer just about explaining tannins or aromas; they are also spaces to explain why a wine tastes the way it does, who is behind it, how the vineyard was born, what difficulties were faced, and what dreams drove them.
Women in the land of wine
Women are also gaining ground on this emotional map of Mexican wine. From groups such as “Mujeres In Taninos” (Women in Tannins) to technical, commercial, and strategic areas, their presence is growing stronger. “There is natural and committed leadership and, above all, great communication. Women are making decisions at all levels of the industry.”
A united chain, a shared future
Unlike other agro-industrial sectors, the wine industry has shown remarkable cohesion, with large, medium, and small producers sharing knowledge, training together, and promoting their regions. “Each winery has its own personality, but we all work toward the same goal: to position Mexican wine.”
This unity also extends to the academic sphere, with agreements with national universities and collaboration with international institutions such as the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) strengthening the training of agronomists, winemakers, and technicians.
“We are professionalizing every link in the chain. We don't just make wine, we cultivate the future," she says. "The CMV does not work alone. We have formed alliances from Chile to France and Spain, and the Council has woven a network that promotes not only consumption but also the professionalization of the sector."
A glass with the Elizabeth of the past
When we ask her for a word that defines Mexican wine, she does not hesitate: identity. “Because it expresses who we are, it tells us who we are, it has history.”
At the end of our chat, I ask her a more personal question: what would Elizabeth, now director of the CMV, say to the young woman who has just graduated from university?
Elizabeth allows herself a moment of contained emotion, her voice breaks a little, but not her message.
“I would tell her that she made the right choice, that her commitment to the countryside was worth it. I would say it with a glass of Nebbiolo in my hand. Because that wine is my story, and the story of many who, like me, believe that Mexico tastes like earth, hard work, and wine.”
“You made the right choice,” she reiterates.
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