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REDACCIÓN
THE BAJA POST
Wineries are very important in Baja California and the Guadalupe Valley produces most of Mexican wines, about 80-85%, it has become one of the most important tourist attractiona in Mexico, and Baja Californian wines have won prizes all over the world, the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) has been mking a wine competition for a few years.
The name of the competition is Mexico International Wine Competition (MIWC) 2024, it is organized by UABC through the Faculty of Enology and Gastronomy (FEG), this year’s event concluded with an awards ceremony.
The Competition was sponsored by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), and thiss year’s event awarded and recognized the best national and international wines, consolidating the competition’s prestige on a global scale.
The complete list of winning wines can be found at: https://concursodelvino.ens.uabc.mx/
In the closing ceremony, several medals were awarded, including the Mexico Medal, which honors the wines with the highest scores in each one of several categories, awarded wines were: Syrah Nebbiolo 2022 from Casa Emiliana in the red wine category; Syrah Rosé 2021 from Vinos Rolu in the rosé category; Viognier 2023 and Vineyard Rosé Sparkling from South Coast Winery in the white and sparkling wine categories, respectively, two Grand Gold medals and 63 Gold medals were awarded to wines that stood out for their quality, .
The MIWC, which follows the strict guidelines of the OIV and is part of the calendar of major global wine competitions, gathered a jury of 20 international and national experts from countries such as Argentina, Spain, the United States, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, and Mexico. Each of these judges was selected for their experience and knowledge in the winemaking sector, ensuring impartiality and rigor in the evaluation of the participating wines.
Joaquín Caso Niebla, Secretary-General of UABC, highlighted the university’s commitment to the development of the wine industry in the state, which has positioned Baja California as the leading wine producer in Mexico.
«We are talking about a sector that last year alone generated an economic impact of 3.6 billion pesos in the region, around 10,500 direct and indirect jobs, which represents a significant achievement in the region’s tourism and economic development,» said Dr. Caso Niebla.
He also spoke about the strengths that the MIWC has consolidated; bringing together wineries from the main wine regions of Mexico, including Baja California, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, and Aguascalientes, which positions the competition, the state, and of course the university, at a national level.
Vittorino Novello, representative of the OIV, emphasized the relevance of the MIWC in promoting quality wine and strengthening the Mexican wine industry on the international stage.
Alejandro Jiménez Hernández, director of the FEG, thanked all the wineries that participated in this event and congratulated the winning labels. «Your dedication and effort to produce high-quality wines have borne fruit, in that sense, we as a university will continue to provide a neutral, growth-oriented platform with global projection for both national and international wine producers to showcase their work and be evaluated by experts in the field,» he commented.
He reiterated his gratitude to the Mexican Wine Council, Comité Provino Baja California, the State Council of Vine Producers of Baja California, and the Baja California Winegrowers Association, as well as the OIV, organizations that jointly promote and strengthen the competition. He highlighted the support of all UABC staff who assisted in the realization of this event.
