Discover the Emerging Wine Region Near San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Reviving Traditions

Just outside San Miguel de Allende, dynamic winemakers are revitalizing centuries-old traditions. It was August, the peak of harvest season, and Taylor Goodall was driving me to Cava Garambullo. This small winery, located just 15 minutes north of San Miguel de Allende, is the creation of Branko Pjanic and Natalia López Mota, who invited Goodall to help crush grapes. As we traveled, a roadrunner hurried across Route 51, leading us into a landscape filled with pepper trees and cacti. Surprisingly, grapevines were nowhere in sight, raising my curiosity about this wine region.

“The region is less than twenty years old in the wine world, and some producers are really young,” Goodall explained, reflecting the area’s undiscovered charm. In town, local wines are a rare find, with most opting for beer or tequila.

Cava Garambullo Experience

Upon arriving at Cava Garambullo, I finally spotted a small patch of vines as Goodall joined the assembly line, passing buckets of Pinot Noir grapes. In the barrel room, the winery’s mascot, a healthy mastiff-Great Dane named Medo, observed as López hand-labeled bottles of the 2019 Azumbre, a sophisticated blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Franc.

López and Pjanic approach winemaking with a handcrafted philosophy, favoring experimentation over conventional techniques by using grapes from various farms to create natural blends. I savored the Azumbre, noting its complexities. López framed the significance of the Cabernet Franc grapes’ origin by highlighting their diverse terroirs and the value it adds to the tasting experience for visitors.

Dos Búhos Vineyard

My next stop was the nearby Dos Búhos, meaning “two owls.” Here, I experienced a Sauvignon Blanc tasting, imbued with hints of peach, courtesy of the soil that once nurtured peach trees, as noted by manager Lucero Lagarde. She emphasized that organic winemaking fosters trust in nature.

Visit to Viñedos San Lucas

The next day, I traded sneakers for heels for an afternoon at two upscale locations: Viñedos San Lucas and Viñedo San Miguel. At Viñedo San Miguel, featuring 14,000 vines across 13 grape varieties, I enjoyed a glass of Malbec while wandering through olive trees and lavender bushes. Although the brick building at San Lucas appears unassuming, it conceals a remarkable wine tasting experience in its expansive two-story cellar, complemented by equestrian and wellness offerings.

During lunch at San Lucas, I delighted in a dish of Bolognese, as sunlight filtered through the mesquite trees, merging Italian countryside aesthetics with the enchanting beauty of central Mexico. Like the roadrunner, I had ventured off the beaten path into a region rich with surprises at every turn.