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By Alfredo Espinola
The wines of Mexico now have their day. Mexican National Wine Day, October 7, was celebrated by the Mexican Wine Council in the Senate of the Republic. Mexican National Wine Day was officially decreed in early 2023 by the Official Gazette of the Federation, recognizing the importance of the wine industry and its prominent role in the culture and economy of Mexico.
This act marked the beginning of a solid commitment to the Mexican wine industry, highlighting the importance of joining forces for its continued growth and development.
The meeting brought together distinguished personalities from the political and wine fields, including Senator Ana Lilia Rivera, President of the Board of Directors of the Senate of the Republic; Senator Eva Eugenia Galaz; Senator Miguel Ángel Mancera; Senator Guadalupe Covarrubias of the State of Tamaulipas; Salomón Abedrop, President of the Mexican Wine Council; Maribel Quiroga, Executive President of the Commission for the Wine and Spirits Industry (CIVYL); Susana Barroso Salcedo, President of branch 27 of CANACINTRA alcoholic beverages.
The event highlighted the importance of promoting the wine industry in Mexico. Mexico has great potential for the cultivation of high quality grapes, thanks to its ideal soil and climatic conditions in various regions of Mexico. More than 39,000 hectares are dedicated for the cultivation of grapes for different uses, such as table grapes, raisins, grapes for juices, and grapes for wine and brandy.
“As legislators we are convinced that it is necessary to provide and promote Mexican wine, not only because of the excellence of its producton but also because of its economic importance; it is the second source of work in the agricultural sector,” commented Senator Eva Galaz Caletti.
Ana Lilia Rivera Rivera, President of the board of directors of the Senate of the Republic, celebrates the culture of moderate consumption and being able to bring Mexican wine to the table without class distinction.
Likewise, Senator Miguel Ángel Mancera Espinosa congratulates all Mexican wine producers who have achieved worldwide recognition, achieving great recognition and awards at different international events in the wine industry.
"It is essential to highlight that winegrowing, in addition to being a source of national pride, also plays a fundamental role in the economy of our country, since the wine industry is the second source of employment in the agricultural sector, generating 500 jobs distributed among 400 wineries.” These numbers are testimony to the constant growth and potential the country has in Mexico to produce high quality wines, mentioned Salomón Abedrop, President of the Mexican Wine Council.
“We are working for Mexican wine, for the good of agriculture, agribusiness, and finally for the consumption of Mexican wine, which has had growth in recent years,” Abedrop said. “In 2003, 225 milliliters per adult were consumed; starting in 2023 it was 1.3 liters per adult, which means consumption has increased by 6 times in the last 20 years. Its growth has been notable, however, our response must be with the same effort -- we have to produce the wines, the grapes, to be able to reach the market. In 2003, 10 percent of the wine consumed in Mexico was Mexican; today the consumption of Mexican wine is 34 percent. We have to continue working to be able to cope with this consumption since to maintain these numbers we have to plant 10,000 more hectares of wine grapes and if we want to aspire to 50 percent of the national market we have to plant 30,000 hectares.
Maribel Quiroga, Executive President of the Commission for the Wine and Spirits Industry, mentioned that Mexican wine represents a chain of high economic and environmental value, thanks to Mexican wine, family, old acquaintances and new friends gathering at the table.
For her part, Susana Barroso Salcedo, President of Sector 27 CANACINTRA, indicated that, “In the alcoholic beverages union, it has been proposed to work more united than ever, with the aim of transforming visible and invisible challenges into solutions that allow for inclusion of all alcoholic beverage producing units in the formal industry, no matter how small, medium or large they are.”
Mexican Wine Pavilion
Commemorating the event, the richness and diversity of this industry was highlighted through the presentation of a pavilion dedicated to Mexican wine. In this space, attendees had the opportunity to taste several quality wines, with the presence of 8 of the 15 wine regions of Mexico, such as Aguascalientes, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Querétaro and Zacatecas.
Some of the brands that participated in this Mexican wine pavilion were Altos Norte, Bodegas Domecq, Bodegas Santo Tomás, Casa Zamora, Clúster Vinícola de Querétaro, Concierto Enológico, Cuna de Tierra, De Cote, Don Leo, Freixenet México, Hacienda del Marqués, Hacienda Florida, Llano Colorado, Monte Xanic, Parvada Praón de María, Puerta de Lobo, RG MX, Sistema Producto Vid Chihuahua, Somos Vid Tierra Adentro, Tierra de Origen, Uva y Vino, Viñedos San Miguel y Vinícola Santa Elena.
The inauguration ceremony in the Senate not only marks a significant moment, but also reaffirms the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors for the constant growth and development of winegrowing in Mexico.
This union of efforts is essential to further promote the excellence and renown of the national wine industry, commented the President of the Mexican Wine Council, Salomón Abedrop.