By Joe Bonadio

Over the last half-century, for most people American wine has been synonymous with California wine–typically coming from producers in Napa, or maybe Sonoma. Indeed, ever since the momentous Judgement of Paris upended the wine world in 1976, nearly dethroning the French and elevating California wines to the stratosphere, Northern California has been the unrivaled standard bearer of North American viticulture. What the vast majority of wine drinkers don’t realize is the first wineries established in North America weren’t in California at all—they were in Mexico. In fact, the oldest among them, Casa Madero, is still doing business today, some 529 years after its inception. 

In fact, Mexico would likely have been a wine powerhouse decades ago if it weren’t for a few historic setbacks. King Philip II of Spain dealt the first blow, banning all wine production in its Mexican colony at the end of the 16th century. Fearing competition for Spain’s own producers, Philip ordered all vineyards destroyed–with an exception given to the Catholic Church, which was still permitted its sacramental wine. In the early 1800’s, a newly independent Mexico’s attempts to expand its wine industry were thwarted first by plagues of phylloxera, and later by the revolution of 1910, which obliterated most of the nation’s vineyards.

Happily, the last 15 years have been far more propitious for Mexican wines. By bringing in untraditional grapes like Chenin Blanc and Nebbiolo and applying modern winemaking techniques, Mexico has transformed itself from a niche brandy producer into a premium wine exporter, home to over 400 wineries. Today winemakers from all over the world are working in Mexico, cultivating over 100 different types of grapes. And it’s not only in Valle de Guadalupe: Mexican wines are now coming out of Coahuila, Querétaro, Chihuahua and elsewhere. 

Having worked with the owners of San Francisco’s celebrated Cantina Los Mayas to publish the U.S.’ first 100% Mexican wine list, I have tasted more than my fair share of Mexican wines over the past six years. And some of the best (and best value) bottlings that I’ve sampled have come from the hands of winemaker Cesar Reyes. Salvadoran by birth, Reyes regularly produces wine in both Mexico (under the Cē Ācatl label) and Napa (under Prohibido Wines). Cantina Los Mayas has been serving his Mexican bottlings since its very first days, and they’ve gotten consistently better with each vintage. 

Recently, Reyes’ newest Mexican offerings have been making inroads into bars and shops here in Oh-So-Italian North Beach. Popular spots like Belle Cora and Tupelo have been serving his Cē Ācatl Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Grenache by the glass–and Reyes recently brought an armful of new wines back from Mexico. He’s got a Durif from Coahuila (that’s what much of the world calls Petite Sirah) that truly must be tasted to believe. He’s also got a new Rose of Pinot Noir and a tasty Cabernet Franc, both hailing from Valle de Guadalupe. And that’s just for starters.

Reyes’ catalogue is becoming expansive, and he clearly has no intention of slowing his pace. I recently sat down with the busy winemaker for a brief chat; edited for length and clarity, our interview is below.

Joe Bonadio (JB): What’s happening Cesar? It’s good to see you.

Cesar Reyes (CR): A lot! There’s a lot going on. There are new wines coming in, new regions, new places in Mexico that we have been exploring. The industry is really developing.

JB: You’re a Salvadoran winemaker, but you make wine in Mexico and Napa Valley.

CR: Yes. I used to say that I make wine from B.C. to B.C.–from Baja California to British Columbia. And lately I’ve been traveling and discovering, and we’ve begun making wine in many different areas of Mexico. There are 17 states producing wine in Mexico, and we are making wine in four of them. So I’m pretty happy about it. 

JB: Which four?

CR: Baja California, Coahuila, Sonora and Chihuahua.

JB: As I’ve noted before, I’ve never worked with a winemaker who regularly makes wines in Mexico and here in California. What is it that makes you unique? Why do you think you’re the one who ends up in this position?

CR: Well, first of all, as you know I’m a viticultural management guy. So I naturally pay a lot of attention to the land, because that’s where everything starts. And each variety of grape has to be properly represented when you make it into wine. For that reason I usually avoid blends–because single variety wines reflect the terroir more clearly.

JB: I notice that you typically lean toward varietal wines.

CR: I do, I like single variety wines. It’s my belief that there’s a lot of work put into the field, into the vineyard. And you know, that work should show in a bottle of wine. So for me, when you add something at the end–like blending a Cabernet with a Petite Sirah, for instance–you can lose some of that work. You risk everything you’ve done in the field all year, trying to achieve the best grapes that you can possibly grow, so those grapes can become the best possible wine.

JB: It definitely shows in what you’ve been making. You’re kind of on a tear right now, making more and better wine all the time. Tell our readers what you just brought us back from your recent trip to Mexico. 

CR: So I just brought in Durif–that’s Petite Sirah, from Coahuila. I’ve also got a great new Cabernet Franc from Valle de Guadalupe, and I brought in a Cabernet Sauvignon from Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora. I also just started bringing in another Cabernet Sauvignon from Chihuahua, which is cool, because now people will be able to taste my Cabernet Sauvignon from three distinct areas of Mexico: Chihuahua, Hermosillo and Valle de Guadalupe. 

I also made an exception and came up with a new blend, just because I thought it might be something fun. It’s something I call Sarape. That’s the Spanish word for the traditional Mexican blankets with the blended colors, something you can see reflected in the design of the label. It’s 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Grenache. That’s the only red blend I have, and I think young people that are just starting to drink wine and looking for something different are going to love it.

JB: So that’s a slightly lighter red? 

CR: Yes, it’s a lighter red. It’s very fruit forward, and the nose is amazing–that comes from the Grenache. It’s really a unique wine. I wanted something more fruity, more aromatic, and think it came out pretty good. 

JB: Agreed. The new Durif is also sort of a pleasant surprise. I’ve always been a huge fan of Petite Sirah. It’s one of the densest, inkiest grapes, and I love wines like that. How would you describe this bottling?

CR: Actually this Durif comes from a very old vineyard, so the vines are over 50 years old. So it’s not as aggressive as you might expect; it’s very soft, and has a lot of subtle aromas. This is a very particular wine; it shows a little bit of clove, a little bit of black pepper, some savory elements. It’s very approachable, very enjoyable. 

JB: And like basically all your wines, it’s priced for BTG—by the glass.

CR: Yeah, very good for BTG. 

JB: So far your products have been doing very well in North Beach: they’re pouring your wine right now at Belle Cora on Green Street, and on Grant Avenue at Tupelo. You’ve also got a handful of your wines on the shelf at Friend Of A Friend, which is the hottest new wine shop in North Beach, arguably San Francisco. So far, so good.

CR: Yeah, I’m pretty happy about it. 

JB: And I think we’re just getting started.

CR: Yeah, it’s a big opportunity to be here in North Beach. You know, yesterday we also got a couple of our Cē Ācatl wines into a shop in Downtown Napa called Back Room Wines, which is great. I’m really happy to be on the shelf next to all the high-end bottles in Napa Valley. 

JB: Right in the middle of downtown Napa, and they’re offering Mexican wine. That’s amazing!

CR: Yes, we’re the first Mexican label they’ve ever carried. 

JB: That’s great, man. And like I said, this is just the beginning—people need to snap out of their 20 year old attitudes about Mexican wine, because the product coming out of Mexico these days is delicious. 

CR: It is, and I think you’re right—it’s time to give Mexican wine a little bit more respect. It seems like we have been almost dormant for the last hundred years, but as you know we were the first ones to make wine on the North American continent. Even today, the oldest North American winery is in Mexico. So it really is about time people start getting to know Mexican wine.

JB: I couldn’t agree more, Cesar. Thanks again for taking the time.

CR: Thank you, it was a pleasure.

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You can find Cē Ācatl Mexican wines at the below San Francisco venues, with more to come soon:

Belle Cora
565 Green Street, SF 94133

Tupelo
1337 Grant Avenue, SF 94133

Cantina Los Mayas
431 Balboa Street, SF 94118

Friend Of A Friend
705 Columbus Avenue, SF 94133

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