An Anniversary for Roger's Grapevine

Roger's Grapevine is one year old today. In honor of the occasion, The Wine Guy is re-posting the very first blog I published. (It appears to missing from the archives so, hopefully, I'm not being overly redundant in doing so).

Over the past year year, readership has ebbed and flowed, but I've enjoyed the attempt to pass along my thoughts and reflections and have learned a lot in the process. I hope you, as a reader, have found something relevant and enjoyable among my random selection of musings. If so, drop me a line (rogerthewineguy@gmail.com) and let me know. It will help me to do a better job as I continue to move forward with this blog. Remember, any of your comments, your questions and your topic suggestions are always welcome. Thanks for stopping by and I hope your visit(s) has (have) been worthwhile. It's time to go pop a cork in celebration and get ready for the next posting. Thanks again for your readership!

Roger



Great Ialian Food & Wine Just South of The Border:

My wife and I have traveled repeatedly to Mexico, mostly to the central highlands, but we also enjoy the Guadalupe Valley in Baja Norte. I'm always pleased at the quality of Italian food I find in restaurants south of the border and, more importantly, at the quality of Italian varietals I find from Mexican winemakers.

L.A. Cetto is one label probably well known to cruise ship passengers that dock at Ensenada as well as anyone who looked for Mexican wines on either side of the frontera (border region). While they produce some inexpensive fruity reds and whites, it pays to dig a little deeper. This Mexican winery produces one of the best Nebbiolos I 've ever had outside of Italy! ( I was also fairly pleased with their Don Luis Seleccion Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon.) Another Guadalupe Valley producer, Chateau Domecq, does a quite suitable Cabernet Sauvignon-Nebbiolo blend. Among the other Mexican vintners whose Italian varietals you may want to seek out are Monte Xanic, Casa Madero (America's oldest continuous winemaker) and Freixenet-Mexico. Dig into the history of most Mexican wineries and you'll discover an Italian connection, either in founding ownership or in the winemakers who put them on the map (As an exception, Freixienet, of course, is a branch of Spain's largest cava producer).

The old adage about good wine follows good food appears to be alive and well in old Mexico, as well. With little exception, all the reputable Italian restaurants we tried in Mexico were ventures well worth taking and that's no small compliment from The Wine Guy who gained ten pounds cruising through Tuscany in his Smart Car rental! If you plan to travel through central Mexico, here's a few recommendations: El Nahal in Tlaquepaque, L'Invito and Bella Italia in San Miguel and the restaurant at the Hotel San Diego in Guanajuato(Mr & Mrs Wine Guy pictured at same). If you love Italian wine and food as I do, don't despair if your travel plans take you south of the border. It appears our Mexican neighbors revere Italian cuisine as much as we do!