Mexican Wine Country

Querétaro · Tequisquiapan, Ezequiel Montes, Bernal

Querétaro

High, semi-arid country about two hours north of Mexico City, known for sparkling wine and artisan cheese along the Ruta del Queso y Vino. The vineyards sit in the shadow of the Peña de Bernal.

View on the map →

At a glance

Elevation
1,800–2,000 mWine reference
Climate
Semi-arid, 500–600 mm of rain, large day-night swingsWine reference
Harvest festival
Fiesta de la Vendimia at Freixenet, held since 1998Magazine
When vines are green
March to July, per one travel writer who visited in February and found them brownTravel blog

Wineries

Sparkling wine, rosé and sweet wines, with cheesemakers between the vineyards.

Ezequiel MontesFinca Sala Vivé by FreixenetBilled as Mexico’s largest sparkling-wine house. It offers a cellar tour 25 metres underground, a vineyard tram, a sommelier tasting with tapas and horseback rides.SparklingBusyEzequiel MontesViñedos La RedondaFounded in 1975 and a pioneer of French grapes in the region. A shop, themed events and “wine glamping” with an overnight stay. Wikipedia says most of its wine is sparkling.GlampingTunas Blancas, near BernalDe Cote Casa VitivinícolaFounded in 2008 by the Calderón brothers. Tours on foot, by bike or by train end in a tasting, with a grape-stomping experience and a sensory workshop. Wines come from estate fruit.Estate-grownSingle sourceNear TequisquiapanViñedos Los RosalesOrganic, artisan wines from about 12 hectares, started in the early 1970s. One travel writer’s favourite, for its quiet outdoor bar where you sample before buying.Organic

Grapes

White and sparkling-base grapes dominate, with Merlot as the main red.

WhiteChardonnayAmong the most widely grown grapes, according to Wine With Seth, and also grown at Los Rosales.WhiteMacabeoA Spanish white that Wine With Seth lists as one of the most widely grown in the region, a nod to the sparkling-wine tradition.Single sourceRed, for sparklingPinot NoirWine With Seth says Pinot Noir and Ugni Blanc are used for traditional-method sparkling wine here.Single sourceRedMerlotThe main red among the widely grown grapes, and part of La Redonda’s and Los Rosales’ ranges.RedMalbecGrown at Los Rosales, alone and in the Puerta de Cielo blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.Single sourceWhiteChenin BlancGrown at La Redonda, one of the French grapes it helped adapt to the region.Single source

Hotels

Stays range from a restored hacienda to a night among the vines.

Cadereyta de MontesHacienda TovaresA colonial hacienda from 1640, bought by its present owners in 2008. It has a boutique hotel, a hostel, a spa, horses and a courtyard restaurant. Wikivoyage calls it a romantic splurge.1640 haciendaSpaEzequiel MontesLa Redonda wine glampingAn overnight stay for two with breakfast, a vineyard tour and a bottle of wine.In the vineyardSingle sourceQuerétaro cityMesón de Santa RosaListed as the splurge option by one travel writer. It is in Querétaro city, not on the route itself.In the citySingle source

Restaurants

The route is stronger on wine and cheese than on restaurants. These come from few sources, so treat them as starting points.

BernalRestaurante El MesquiteA breakfast spot with a handsome interior and views of the Peña de Bernal.BreakfastViewsSingle sourceCadereyta de MontesHacienda Tovares restaurantAn open-air courtyard restaurant at the hacienda, with menus developed with a gastronomy institute. Mexico News Daily does not name it.CourtyardTequisquiapanChocolate MolinilloA minimalist café for coffee and cake, with a pecan pie the writer recommends.CaféSingle sourceBernalGorditas in BernalLocal street food: stuffed blue-corn pockets.Street foodSingle source

Where sources disagree

When sources conflict we show each claim with its source instead of averaging them.