¡Arriba! Mexican Wine Day
October 7 is “Dia del Vino Mexicano,” so we asked some of our favorite wine directors for some of the best selections you can find upstate.
ELISSA FEIST — TROY WINE CO.
Rosé: “Árbol de Fuego” 2024 ($33)
“Árbol de Fuego is the first wine from the independent project of Silvana Pijoan, second generation winemaker at Vinos Pijoan in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico. The family winery was founded by her father, Pau Pijoan, in 2002. Silvana is a former professional dancer but grew up on her family's estate vineyards.
The 2025 rosé is a blend of old-vine Zinfandel, Grenache, and Colombard grapes. Organically grown, hand-harvested, spontaneously fermented, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Through this wine, Silvana explores a softer expression of Valle de Guadalupe, focusing on acidity, texture and complexity within a region often associated with power and ripeness. Notes of fresh, bright red berry notes with a savory, herbaceous edge.”
- Elissa Feist is the manager of Troy Wine Co.., Clark House Hospitality, Troy, N.Y.
And a non-wine inclusion for a low-ABV Mexican tepache. Elissa tells us:
“We're also completely obsessed with the Piña y Canela Tepache from Tepache Sazón in Nayarit, Mexico! At 7% ABV, this is a great lower-alcohol beverage when we want to switch it up from drinking wine. It's naturally fermented using only three locally sourced ingredients: hand-picked honey pineapples (piña miel), Ceylon cinnamon (canela), and raw unrefined cane sugar (piloncillo).
Tepache is an effervescent, fermented beverage with origins dating back to Pre-Columbian indigenous people in Mesoamerica. Originally made using corn, the classic recipe evolved over time to use pineapple, as a delicious and refreshing way to use the rind and scraps when cutting up the fruit. Tepache is still wildly popular today in Mexico as a home-brew recipe and sold by street vendors and mercados.” — EF
MARIAH FORSTMAN, Casita at Mass MoCA
Red: Casa Jipi Nebbiolo
“My current fave on our menu is the Casa Jipi Nebbiolo from Valle de Guadalupe. Crafted under the direction of Lulu Martinez Ojeda, one of Mexico’s most well known/badass female winemakers. We love pouring it because it instantly blows people away and flips the script on a traditional Nebbiolo. Minimal intervention, juicy, vibrant, fruit forward. We would love to pour you a glass on your next visit!”
— Mariah Forstman is co-owner of Casita, a modern Mexican restaurant + bar at MASS MoCA (North Adams) with natural wines + small batch Mezcal.
PURDY’S WINE & LIQUOR, Saratoga Springs
Rosado, Naranja + Nebbiolo: Dominio de las Abejas
When I first asked around, three people told me to check with Purdy’s for their ”entire Mexican wine section.” Sure enough, we were surprised to find not one but 8 organic wines, from Lomito’s 60-year old family estate in Valle de Guadalupe to a Muscat/Semillon blend grown and produced in Guanajuato. But we were taken by a rosé, skin-contact orange wine + Nebbiolo trio all grown in Valle de Ojos Negros, Baja California. All $30. - SDP
About the winery: “Dominio de las Abejas translates to Domaine of the Bees, and the organic vineyards buzz with bees throughout the growing season. It’s the only CCOF organic certified vineyard in the Valle de Ojos Negros + sits at 2200ft elevation. Their wines are made naturally with ambient yeast fermentation, no corrections, additions, filtration or fining and only a small sulfite addition at bottling.”
- Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquors. Purdy’s is family-owned and has been in Saratoga Springs for over 60 years.