Tasting Notes: 

Produced by renowned Mexican winemaker Claudia Horta Meza this wine is 100% Merlot and is in fact a natural wine. The Natural wine scene in Mexico is actually quite prominent and growing very quickly. 

This wine is light and fresh and fun with tasting notes red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon. It is a natural wine so made with native yeasts but it's not funky or weird. Best served after decanting for about 10 minutes

Casta de Vinos Wines: 

Casta de Vinos is a family owned and run winery in the heart of Valle De Guadalupe run by a native Mexican family and committed to supporting and sustaining both the land and the local community. It was started by husband and wife team Sergio Castaneda Pina and Claudia Horta Meza. Founded in 2010 they are currently producing 3,200 cases annually, so absolutely a small operation. They both take the reins when it comes to the winery and the winemaking, but the natural wine label was specifically a project that Claudia wanted to take on and you know we love a woman winemaker.

Claudia is originally from Ensenada in Baja California and along with creating Casta de Vinos with her husband she is also a Sommelier and created two restaurants Baja Terra and Baja Artesanal in the city of Tijuana. 

Merlot: 

Merlot, like Cabernet Sauvignon, is from the Bordeaux region of France. Here Merlot is actually the leading grape in terms of total production. The region of Bordeaux is divided into two main sections by the Gironde River, the left bank and the right bank. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the left bank while on the right bank Merlot is dominant. However, in both regions, the majority of wines are blends.

In terms of common tasting notes expect lush fruits, like blackberry, cassis, black cherries, and plum. As well as characteristically smooth tannins that make Merlot much better suited to the table than Cabernet Sauvignon. Plus, those big fruit flavors are often complimented by herbal earthy notes. 

Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico: 

Valle de Guadalupe is often used as a catch-all label for Baja wines. However, most Valle de Guadalupe wineries source from several subregions, each with varied soils and microclimates. Only about 5,000 of the 11,000-plus planted acres in the region are in Valle de Guadalupe proper. 

The grapes for this wine for example come from the Valle de San Vicente. The southernmost Baja growing region and the closest growing valley to the ocean so it gets plenty of maritime influence. Wine growing in San Vicente started in 1780 when the Mission of San Vicente Ferrer was established by Dominican monks who started cultivating vineyards for their sacramental wines. The region is also famous for its red clay soils. This type of soil tends to stay cooler and retain water and they are known for producing bold and flavorful red and white wines. 

Food & Wine Pairing: 

Because of Merlot's big juicy fruit and herbal qualities these wines can pair comfortably with meats, in particular, anything grilled.  And it can pair with vegetables such as eggplant and broccoli. That herbal quality also means that it shines with any dish that incorporates fresh herbs in the recipe. Better yet incorporate some fresh herbs into your heat source when you are grilling for a truly excellent flavor combination.

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