Saturday, April 26, 2025

Mexican wine is highest scoring white at global wine competition

A Mexican white wine has been crowned the highest-scoring “international revelation” at the thirtieth Concours Mondiale de Bruxelles (CMB), a prestigious international wine contest held this year from 12-14 May in Poreč, Croatia.

The winning wine – Cenzontle Blanco 2019 – is produced in Valle de Guadalupe by enologist Jesús Rivera, for Finca El Empecinado. It is made with grapes from Baja California and aged in French oak barrels.

Cenzontle Blanco 2019
The Cezontle Blanco 2019 is the third prize-winning wine by Jesús Rivera, the first enologist to win with both a red and a white wine. (Finca El Empecinado)

It was awarded the highest score in its category out of 7,504 competitors from 50 countries, after a blind tasting by 304 judges.

The wine is described as a medium-bodied fusion of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Palomino, with aromas of pineapple, green apple, peach, mandarin, guayaba and notes of butter. It is a canary yellow color with golden flecks.

This is Rivera’s third prize-winning entry at the CMB, after his first winning white in 2016, followed by a red in 2019. He is the first competitor in CMB history to win the contest’s highest award with both a red and a white wine.

A total of 85 Mexican wines were given medals at the awards. Besides Cenzontle Blanco 2019, other winners of the highest Grand Gold medal were the Vino Santo Domingo 2017, another Baja California wine, and Tres Raíces Pinot Noir 2021, from Guanajuato.

Next year’s CMB will be held from June 7-9 in Guanajuato, Mexico. It will be the first time the competition has been held in the Americas.

With reports from Reforma

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Young woman standing at a wooden restaurant serving booth handing over a coconut shell glass of coconut water to a young female customer on the other side of the booth, which is located outside in a verdant background of trees.

For the love of coconuts: new cafe in Xalapa goes all in on the tropical treat

0
Sure, you'll find coconut water and coconut ice cream here, but Xalapa's La Tierra del Coco goes further, selling everything from coconut soap to candles to toothpaste.
Sign along an airport roadway that says Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juarez Ciudad de Mexico

Forget airport chips, candy and coffee: try these 6 great AICM restaurant reccs

3
Get away from the hustle and bustle of Latin America's busiest airport and enjoy a meal at one of writer Gabriela Solis' six favorite restaurants at AICM.
Image of a three-layer yellow cake with white frosting in between all the layers and on top, with grated lime zest on the top of the cake. The cake sits on a white plate, which is on a white tea towel. In front of the cake is half a lime and a tiny dipping bowl filled with honey. To screen left of the cake is an open can of Modelo Especial beer.

Modelo Especial lime cake: The ‘tangy-twist’ trend comes to Mexico

2
Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, this classic lemon-beer cake recipe goes muy mexicano, incorporating lime and Modelo Especial.