“Mexicans are drinking more and more wine,” says ambassador Manuel Negrete

As the food and wine scene ramps up in Mexico (the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and Michelin teams have been in town...) our ambassador names seven more Red Stars.
Sommelier Manuel Negrete has reported for Star Wine List from his hometown of Mexico City since 2022 and assures us that, “wherever you go in my beloved country, you will always eat and drink well – you just have to decide where you want to go.”
He’s making matters easier for you by adding seven new Red Stars to our guide, spread across Mexico City, Guadalajara, Saltillo and the Riviera Maya.
Manuel is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers: Americas, one of the few Mexican holders of the ASI Diploma, and has represented his country at international sommelier competitions. He is currently Wine Director at the Wine Bar by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, in Mexico City, teaches for the Association of Mexican Sommeliers and writes for Buena Mesa magazine.
This past year has been busy for Manuel. He helped to organise the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles’ first Red and White Session in Mexico – a “titanic” effort involving 7,500 wines, 350 judges from 60 countries, and 400 staff – and the wine bar rehauled its kitchen, along with welcoming a new chef. Manuel also managed to travel to two of his bucket-list wine destinations: Northern Italy (for 10 days prior to Vinitaly) and South Africa (taking in Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and the “legendary” Constantia).
“Yes, there were many activities to attend in 2024,” he says, “but here we are again, with more options for the Mexa wine lovers and those who visit our country!”
Since his last update, he is buoyed by the ever-increasing awareness of – and care surrounding – wine service meaning that, in searching for Red Stars, he is looking for places that “were not specialised in wine [before], but now offer it more due to the demand that the consumer has presented in recent years. Back then, you saw many waiters who did not even know how to use a corkscrew or present a bottle correctly, and now you see that they themselves offer wine as they used to do with a beer or a soda.”
And does he have any personal favourites amongst his new selections?
“I try to frequently visit as many wine bars as I can, but I have to say that in this last update, maybe Cuvée 09 and Plonk.”
Here’s what Manuel has to say about wine in Mexico in 2025.
How would you describe the food and wine scene in Mexico right now?
“Mexico has a constant revolution in terms of hospitality – of course restaurants, and now, certainly, a trend in recent years towards wine bars. When we opened back in 2020, there were three or four wine bars in the city; now you find more than 20, and this is being replicated in other parts of the country, such as Guadalajara, Monterrey, Cabo and Merida.
“In the main cities it is not uncommon to find restaurants of all kinds: Russian, Pakistani, Indian, Thai, Peruvian, Mexican fusions with all kinds of countries and of course, the famous and delicious traditional Mexican food.
“Last year the Michelin guide was released in Mexico, full of controversy of course, but those who visit Mexico always get a great impression of how well you can eat here, whether in a street food business or in a fine dining restaurant.”

Have you noticed any trends emerging on wine lists recently?
“Yes, many more natural wine options, low intervention, no-low alcohol options and much more Mexican wine in all the lists of restaurants and wine bars.”
Are there any challenges facing the wine industry, and professionals, in Mexico right now?
“Taxes will always be our worst enemy in Mexico: we pay double taxes on alcoholic beverages, which, together with the price of transportation, often makes the products more expensive. However, despite this, Mexicans are drinking more and more wine, contrary to the global trend that has seen the consumption of alcoholic beverages decrease in general.”
Which area is the biggest hotspot for interesting or good wine right now?
“Of course Mexico City is a cultural melting pot that allows you to enjoy all kinds of experiences, especially in the area between Polanco, Zona Rosa, Roma and Condesa. Places are always bustling: good bread, coffee, wine bars, omakases, ramen, dumplings, gyros? What are you craving? You got it.
“Outside Mexico City, Mérida takes the trend without a doubt, where you can eat delicious food every day, in a quiet city close to great beaches, cenotes and pre-Hispanic archaeological sites such as the legendary Chichén Itzá.
“Just southwest of the Yucatán, we have Oaxaca, which is so popular with international visitors, attracted by its delicious gastronomy, laid-back atmosphere, Mexican handicrafts and of course: lots of mezcal.”
What's an emerging region you've got your eye on?
“In Mexico, the new trend of wineries in Coahuila should be followed closely, with a lot of quality in their wines without a doubt. In addition, Guanajuato, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí are attracting a lot of attention from visitors, their food and wine routes are being very successful, and their wines are getting better every day.
“Outside Mexico, I have fallen in love again with South African wine – great wines for phenomenal prices, and now I see a sense of nationalism and identity that I have found wonderful. Of course I always have my eye on English sparkling wines and great wines that I have now tasted from the Sierra de Gredos, near Madrid. But probably the wines that have surprised me the most in the last year were those from Moldova; I have tasted sparkling, rosé, white, orange, everything! And they seem to me really undervalued – there is a lot of quality at fair prices, and I think they deserve more of our attention.”
What are you looking for in a wine list?
“In Mexico we are still far from really directing people's attention to visit a place only for the wine list, since food has always been a very powerful cultural factor in this country. However, while many places used to consider a wine list unnecessary, now they offer one and are concerned about a correct wine service, however basic it may be, but correct.
“And of course, here and abroad, I'm looking for those options that do not always appear on the wine list, and might be suggested as special surprises!
“Especially in Mexico, I look for a wine selection that has good prices, good selection even if it is small, and that is well adapted to the type of place it is. I always say, it's not about having 400 labels, but that the ones you have should offer an option for all the people who visit your business and even more, that they help create an experience. Sommeliers sell experiences, not just wine per se.”
Discover Manuel's top recommendations, across Mexico.
Manuel’s new Red Stars
Brava
Bu’ul
Cuvée 09
Gastón Wine Bar
Piazza Pasticcio
Plonk
Tannin Artbar
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