The Rubio family is from Tijuana. The parents, Francisco and Sofía, purchased a ranch in El Porvenir in 2002 to be able to spend time together as a family on weekends.
They planted vines starting in 2006, and in the first few years, they sold the grapes. When their distant cousin, Alberto Rubio, who lived in the valley and was a winemaker and producer of Mogor Badan wines and a disciple of Hugo d’Acosta’s school, visited them, he was impressed by the care of the vineyard.
So he convinced Francisco Rubio to stop selling the grapes and start producing wine, beginning the adventure with the construction of the winery. Today, Francisco’s son manages the winery, his brother Alex is a chef and takes care of the restaurant, and his sister Jessica oversees the administrative side.
They produce wines from their vineyard, which has loamy and clay soils, and they use natural water from the local mountains.
Viticulture in Mexico has historical roots dating back to the time of the Jesuit missionaries, who planted vines in missions to produce sacramental wines, with the “Mission” grape being the original variety. Hernán Cortés also played a significant role by planting a thousand hectares of vines in Coahuila, where the climate and water availability were ideal for cultivation.
By the late 16th century, wines from “New Spain” were challenging Spanish wines, prompting King Philip II to order the destruction of vineyards, except those belonging to monasteries. After independence, Mexicans began planting vines and producing wines once again. The arrival of Italian immigrants, such as Ángel Cetto and Vittorio Giaginto Bortoluz, revitalized the wine industry in Mexico.
Currently, Mexican viticulture is experiencing a boom with increasing interest and consumption both domestically and among tourists. Wineries have focused on improving the quality of their wines, and young Mexicans are traveling abroad to train in winemaking techniques. The diverse Mexican cuisine is driving demand for quality wines, and a new generation of chefs and sommeliers promises a bright future for the wine industry in Mexico.
Today, Mexico has approximately 7,000 hectares of vineyards in seven productive regions, including Baja California Norte, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes, and Zacatecas, producing around 65,000 liters of wine per year.
