State by Plate: The wines of Querétaro

Of Mexico’s 19 protected denominaciones de origen, astir fractional are fixed to spirits (tequila, mezcal, bacanora, sotol, charanda, and raicilla) oregon coffee-growing regions (Chiapas, Pluma, and Veracruz). Notably missing from the database is wine. There is nary comparable designation successful Mexico to thing similar the AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) successful France, oregon the AVA (American Viticultural Area) successful the U.S., which tells you that a vino came from say, Champagne oregon Napa Valley, and that it’s from a increasing country with a long-standing estimation for quality.

As of March 2025, however, Mexico does person 1 wine-growing area that has been granted an indicación geográfica (or IGP) by the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI), a designation that is reserved for products that showcase characteristics and prime unsocial to their geographic region. No, it wasn’t for 1 of the renowned valleys of Baja California, the authorities that produces upwards of 70% of each vino made successful Mexico. Nor was it fixed to Coahuila, tract of the oldest winery successful each of North America (Casa Madero). Instead, the IGP was announced for Querétaro.

The yearly vino and food festival successful Tequisquiapan is 1 of Querétaro’s astir fashionable attractions. (Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino)

What, you didn’t cognize Querétaro was the country’s premier shaper of sparkling and effervescent wines? Well, it is.

How wines are grown successful Querétaro

Although vino grapes were planted successful Querêtaro arsenic acold backmost arsenic 1531, the state’s vino manufacture is comparatively young, and galore of the state’s 50-plus wineries opened wrong the past 2 decades. The astir important opening, however, was that of Freixenet Mexico, which began producing sparkling wines successful the authorities successful 1986. 

Freixenet, of course, is the largest shaper of Cava successful Spain, a sparkling vino made utilizing the accepted method of champenoise that, similar champagne successful France and Prosecco successful Italy, precise overmuch has a denomination of origin. This means that the sanction Cava cannot beryllium utilized successful Mexico. Thus, sparklers from Freixenet Mexico’s flagship brand, Finca Sala Vivé, and different notable Querétaro producers similar San Juanito Vitivinicola, Viñedos La Redonda, and De Cote Casa Vitivinicola statement their wines arsenic vino espumoso.

Wineries successful Querétaro often usage grape varieties similar macabeo, xarel-lo, and parellada that are besides utilized successful Spain for Cava. The terroir, though, is precise different. Despite not being successful a accepted wine-growing latitude, growers successful Querétaro tin nutrient high-quality wines acknowledgment to 2 factors: vineyards planted astatine precocious altitudes betwixt 6,200 and 7,000 feet supra oversea level (1,900 to 2,300 meters), and superb calcium-rich clay soils.

These conditions person not lone proven fertile for sparkling wines, but besides array wines made from planetary grape varieties specified arsenic merlot, syrah, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc, allowing Queretaro to nutrient an estimated 3.5 cardinal bottles annually, and physique a vino manufacture that brings successful astir 4 cardinal pesos (US $208 million) a year. 

Not lone is sopa queretana delicious, but it besides played a pivotal relation successful the penning of Mexico’s constitution. (Stay QRO)

Included successful the vino industry, it should beryllium mentioned, is wine’s accepted pairing partner, cheese. Querétaro is an fantabulous Mexican shaper of sheep, cow, and goat milk-based cheeses, astir notably from Rancho San Josemaría successful the Huimilpan municipality, which has been honored with 10 medals astatine the World Cheese Awards and Concours International de Lyon, and has established itself arsenic the astir awarded artisanal cheesemaker successful each of Latin America. 

La Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino, y La Ruta del Queso y el Vino

The astir spectacular showcase for these 2 determination products, vino and cheese, is what, since 1976, has been known arsenic the Feria Nacional del Queso y el Vino successful the pueblo mágico of Tequisquiapan. However, this year, the lawsuit has been renamed Festival Internacional del Arte, Queso, y Vino and volition instrumentality spot May 22 done June 8 with an expanded absorption that includes creation exhibitions, music, and dance. Organizers are expecting this alteration to turn attendance from the accepted 60,000 oregon truthful to arsenic overmuch arsenic 100,000. As always, however, vino tastings and food samplings volition proceed to beryllium a absorption of the event.

Queretaro-bound travelers who won’t beryllium determination successful clip for the festival tin inactive illustration vino and food to their heart’s content, acknowledgment to the year-round Ruta del Queso y el Vino, which stretches immoderate 35 kilometers from Tequisquiapan to Bernal, with stops astatine Ezequiel Montes and different viticultural hotbeds on the way. Harvest play is June to September, truthful this is the optimal clip for those who privation to stomp immoderate grapes. But the vino pouring ne'er stops.

The signature nutrient dishes of Querétaro 

Naturally, there’s much than conscionable food to devour successful Querétaro. The authorities is besides famed for iconic namesake dishes similar sopa queretana and enchiladas queretanas. The erstwhile was legendarily created during the Mexican Revolution era, arsenic the communicative goes, arsenic nourishment for congressmen drafting the country’s constitution successful 1917. The 3 indispensable ingredients are chickenhearted broth, avocado, and fried crispy tortilla strips, but yes, pick and queso are often added, too.

Enchiladas queretanas are the emblematic crockery successful Querétaro. (Querétaro Travel)

Enchiladas queretanas person an adjacent longer past, with their roots successful Mexico’s pre-Hispanic past, erstwhile ingredients similar maize and chilies became staples of the nationalist cuisine. Guajillo chilies, successful particular, cooked successful milk, springiness enchiladas queretanas their distinctive flavor. Milk, on with pork, was added aft the Spanish arrived successful the aboriginal 16th century, starring to the dish’s estimation arsenic 1 of the archetypal mestizo culinary recipes. It was successful cookbooks by the 19th period and is inactive a staple successful Querétaro homes and restaurants.

Barbacoa, meanwhile, is not astir arsenic celebrated successful Querétaro arsenic it is successful Hidalgo, but it’s made overmuch the aforesaid way: lamb is wrapped successful maguey leaves and slow-cooked successful underground pits. The astir celebrated practitioner of this benignant needs nary instauration to astir anyone who has driven done Querétaro. Barbacoa Santiago, a premier purveyor of the accepted delicacy, is located astatine Km 152 connected the Mexico-Querétaro highway, conscionable aft the Palmillas toll booth, wherever it has exerted a magnetic unit connected truckers and anyone other driving by since 1982, erstwhile it was opened by its namesake, Don Santiago. More large barbacoa has followed, including an abundance astatine the yearly Feria de la Barbacoa y el Pulque successful Boyé, but Barbacoa Santiago remains the mecca.

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas section adept for the USA Today question website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos question guidebook and a contributor to galore websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related contented and manner features focused connected food, vino and golf.