Zona PVR No. 003

MOROCCAN OASIS No. 003

A look inside one of the area's most secluded and inspiring homes

May 2022

PVR

ZONA

ORGANIC, BIODYNAMIC, NATURAL WINES

What do these all mean and how is Mexico catching on to the natural wine movement that’s sweeping the wine world?

BEACH WEDDING

Oscar & Morgan a beach chic affair with international flair

C. Constitución 285B, Zona Romántica 322 297 6060

PLAYLIST Curated by @devindexplorer for ZONA PVR

Q. What do you get when you mix Kim Petras, the Weekend, Purple Disco Machine, with some tequila, lime juice, and triple sec???

A. A party! Whether you're at the beach, with friends, or jammin' out by yourself! zonaPVR radio is your ultimate playlist curated for those who love sexy beats, booty shakin' bass, and groovy house music that keeps you moving wherever you party is.

This playlist is updated frequently, please save and check back regularly for hidden gems and all your new number 1's. enjoy, @devindexplorer

PV Soundtrack ZONA PVR MAGAZINE/Summer 2022

Pitayas are now just popping up in our state and we tell you all about them. This unique fruit is a treat for the senses but is only available for a short period so dont say we didn't tell you to run and look for them!

In this issue we are happy to share with you the wedding of Morgan Granander (our premier issue cover star) and Oscar Brizuela.

Eden created the perfect backdrop for the occasion, and as the sun set it reminded me that Puerto Vallarta is also a perfect wedding destination.

A word from Memo, our Editor in Chief Welcome to our third edition, this May-June issue marks the transition from spring to summer which means perfect weather to explore this paradisiacal city more in depth.

From hole-in-the-wall bars to its more obvious staples there’s always something new left to discover in Puerto Vallarta. One of the most exciting parts of editing this magazine is discovering new places, ideas or people and getting to share their stories with you through these pages. As this publication grows I hope to continue creating a channel between our readers and the real life stories and events happening around us.

The idea for Open Doors was to give you a glimpse inside some of the most emblematic houses around town. Houses we’ve all seen before and have probably wondered what their interiors look like. In this first edition we visit a majestic Moroccan themed villa that is only accessible by boat (or hike, but no roads) and we talk to the inspiring woman who calls it home.

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We spoke with Sula Society about the labor they do for local animals and invite you to check them out and donate. Mama Tits gives us an exclusive interview about her new residency at The Palm cabaret with her amazing show and larger than life personality.

Megan, owner of local wine bar Vivero, gives us a crash course on natural wines and where to find them locally.

I hope you find all of this useful in your continued exploration of our beautiful port city. Please keep reaching out and helping this publication be better every edition.

Once again I'd like to thank our advertisers and contributors for their continued support.

They make this magazine and this city what it is.

OUR TEAM Luis Huerta - Assistant Editor Megan Stetzal - Writer Todd Calongne - Writer & Editor Josh Mitchell - Photographer Mihajlo Paras - Contributor Lorenza Mendoza - CFO

Contact Us info@zonapvr.com www.zonapvr.com

CONTENTS Luxurious Fruit P.18

Open Doors P.8

Pitayas are a once a year and for some a once in a lifetime delicacy.

Morrocon Villa off the beaten path.

Sula Society P.20 The shelter saving countless pups' lives.

Entertainer Spotlight P.30

Social P. 22 The Wedding of Morgan & Oscar.

Best in Travel P. 32 A Luxury Villa in the heart of Versalles.

Mama Tits is now at The Palm.

Pro Trainer P.34 Michael Paras explains the mental aspect of training.

Wine 101 P. 38 Crash course on the world of Natural wines in Mexico.

Music and Art P.36 Oswaldo Barri shares his experiences in PV.

E

verything packed and ready to go I jump in my car, coffee in hand and music playing. As I make it through the maze of streets and bridges, I know I'm out of Zona Romantica the moment I stop feeling the bumpy cobblestones and the smooth asfalt of carretera 200 slides under my wheels. I always enjoy the winding road that leads out into conchas chinas and beyond, the constant glimpses of the pacific ocean hiding behind large hotels and condo buildings. I prefer to take this road out in the morning, the sun climbing up behind the mountains to the East as its first golden rays penetrate the Mexican jungle and seemingly illuminate the pad that lays ahead of me. A few more minutes past “Los Arcos”, I arrive at Boca de Tomatlan and quickly park my car and head for the docks. I pay the typical 100 mxn and hop on to the panga next to other excited travelers on this local water taxi. Traveling by panga is always a fun experience and being one of the only spanish speakers I quickly park up a conversation with our driver, or captain. “Hermosas” he says as he catches me looking out at the sprawling homes that line the mountain heading out of Boca and into the open ocean. Waves are splashing against our ride and we’ve come around to the first cove, he asks the passengers where they headed and we hear different parties yell out “Yelapa!” and the leader of a group of young party goers replies “Maraikas”. Both accessible by boat or a long hike, the first is a small beach town that offers plenty of restaurants and the latter is a private hotel with a busy beach club and its appropriate parties. FInally I come out of my daze, turn to him and say “Colomitos” and the boat quickly takes a sharp left back towards land. Colomitos is the first cove after Boca, only about a 5 minute trip and so I’m the first to disembark. Lalo, our driver, looked puzzled that someone traveling alone would choose such a small beach with mostly couples hanging out there. I got off and waved to the panga as it disappeared into the ocean and around to the next cove. I looked up from the tiny secluded beach and just stood there, waves breaking at my feet, as I marveled at the stunning home that stood prominently over this pristine beach.

This small beach is secluded but not private, there are no private beaches in Mexico, but if you walk towards the mountain you'll find some stairs that discreetly lead up to, well, more stairs.

The steps wind and curve

through the landscape and eventually lead up to one of the most precious pieces of real estate. As I reach the summit, the last steps slowly reveal a terrace and pool overlooking the bay and a set of hands reaching for the sky.

The open arms belonging to a woman with dark black hair and piercing eyes that captivate and welcome you. The woman is wearing a dress so colorful that she seems to be an integral part of the soul of the home.

In

seconds, as I take these last few steps and she and her home are revealed my eyes vigorously scan my surroundings as if they were set upon a piece of art with perfect composition. The home, the woman, the dress… was this how Elizabeth Taylor greeted her guests upon arrival at Casa Kimberly?

True to its name, the home, or family complex, as she describes it is Moroccan themed with pieces of wood trimming, doors, tiles, etc. being imported from the African country and brought all the way to this remote beach in the Mexican Pacific coast.

Each space in the home is filled with color and artfully decorated. Peg Steley and her husband Alan bought this house in 2017 and have spent the last years restoring the once semi abandoned home and bringing it back to its glory and then some. She says that she was happy to put her stamp over the original owner and builder’s Moroccan stamp.

And that she did, Peg has

furniture from all over the world in her home. She has many Asian pieces she inherited from her mother which traveled from her native australia, to Canada where she lived for many years and her children live now and then making its way to Mexico.

These pieces mix very well with the

Moroccan details in the home and her furniture goes from classic, to museum quality antiques, to the very modern.

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You can learn more about the home and its specifics at villamaroc.mx Photography by Petr Myskawww.myskaphoto.com

The property also has a Casita up higher on the property, with a Mykonos white and blue decorative style and wide open spaces that let the cool breeze in. The view of the turquoise waters is best appreciated from this point and you can live the experience since Peg and her family love to host. Their casita, as well as an independent apartment on the first level of the home, are both available on airbnb and are usually booked but it's always worth checking!

Villa Maroc is one of only two private homes in this tiny bay. There’s also a by-reservation-only restaurant next to the properties. A hiking trail allows people to reach the bay on foot from Boca de Tomatlan, they can either stay in Colomitos but most continue on towards other beaches and restaurants, hotels or restaurants ahead.

The property has wifi so connectivity is easy but it's even easier to get lost in conversation with Peg. The hours seem to fly by as you listen to a flurry of wild species of birds. Some bright blue, others yellow or red. The area is also home to one of the largest populations of colorful Guacamayas (Macaws) so expect a loud but lively visit later in the afternoon. The area also has larger felines but my host assures me they don’t come down, they keep to themselves, I gladly choose to believe. As the sun sets on one of the most beautiful bays I’ve ever seen, a stampede of sailboats, yachts and pangas parade past us and towards Puerto Vallarta. Once the sun hides, the property comes alive with its warm lighting across the grounds and a shower of light from the stars on display thanks to a clear night.

I feel as if I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole and found myself in a far and foreing land. I can’t believe this place exists just a quick drive from Zona Romantica.

Everything in this home screams joy and wonder. From the pillows to the chandeliers, the chairs and even the doors themselves they all have a story and have traveled across the globe to find their place in this eclectic wonder that an Australian woman decided to restore so even if she may not stay in Mexico forever, this home will.

Your night starts here...

PITAYAS A FLEETING DELICACY

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What is luxury? Is it exclusivity?

Scarcity? An element of beauty, maybe even pleasure? Pitayas are a hard to get but worth the trouble experience. It's not a forbidden fruit, they're actually pretty accessible if you happen to be in the right continent, country, and state at the right time of year, that is.

Pitayas are a cactus fruit that grows in several parts of Mexico and South America yet the sweetest version of this fruit is said to be found here in Jalisco.

Vibrant almost neon like hues of pink, orange, red and yellow colors make pitayas as beautiful as they are delicious.

Collecting these fruits is just as hard as finding them, covered in an initial layer of thorns, workers use gloves to collect them from prickly cacti then a knife and quick movements are used to clear off all thorns on the fruit itself. The fruit tends to only last a couple of days unless refrigerated.

These wild and eccentric fruits appear as soon as the first rains fall in April but the heavy rains which start in June will rot the fruit, leaving only a short window of time to enjoy them. Starting at $10 pesos a piece then going down al low as $3 pesos per piece once the season is ending, it’s not the price but the availability that makes Pitayas so attainable.

So if you happen to be in the area and see this beautiful fruit be sure to try the fleeting delicacy that Jalisco offers.

Saving Unloved Lovable Animals

The sig ht of 150 dogs playing on a rolling hill along a stream is something I ’d imag ine this is where my past pups went when they passed over the rainbow bridge. In fact, I feel the Saving Unloved Lovable Animals Society or Sula Society is just what the other side of this metaphorical bridge would be. However, the shelter run by Barbra and Lisa in Ixtapa is a real place wi th real animals and real needs.

The amazing mother daug hter combo who run the shelter, Lisa and Barbara, are at maximum capaci ty in this local dog heaven.

Take beautiful Chuleta as one example. She was born from a pregnant pup in the society’s shelter. She was saved from having to be born on the “mean streets of Vallar ta” or as they would seem from an infant pup. She was g iven a chance to develop and grow wi th her pack.

At f irst g lance, today, she seems like a beautiful and happy pup. W hile being fostered by a Sula Volunteer, Mandy Williams, Williams noticed how uncomfor table Chuleta was on the beach and wi th people and on the streets of zona Romántica. Williams, worried about the well-being of the animal, strugg led wi th how to best help this lovable li t tle pup.

W hen volunteering in the shelter wi th Chuleta, Williams noticed how happy the anxious pup was in being free in a pack. As hear t wrenching as i t was, she knew i t was bet ter for this pup to remain at the shelter wi th the other street dogs to grow and be trained bet ter.

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Chuleta was not ready for a beach condo life.

She was not ready for a kill shelter ei ther.

This is why SUL A exists. They g ive an oppor tuni ty for success to each of i ts temporar y residents.

W hat’s next for Chuleta? Maybe she can f ind a nice family or farm to play in next and see if that can be her forever home.

Meanwhile, Williams, and her cat Sancho are thankful that there is a shelter for these wounded li t tle souls and that Chuleta has a safe place to be if not wi th them.

Sula society is growing to ser ve more and more of the needs of our reg ion. In August 2021, during Hurricane Nora, the Rio Pi tillal overf lowed and destroyed the SPCA de PV Sanctuar y. They were able to save the 56 dogs and 10 cats. This along wi th the great needs in the Vallar ta area has seen the SUL A Society grow in numbers and need in a shor t time. This growth has outpaced the abili ties of the t wo women and their funding capabili ties.

L ast year, Lisa and Barbara incorporated dog training to their incredi ble load of chores to house feed and hopefully rehome the 100+ pups in their Ixtepic shelter campus. Roy, their resident dog trainer, introduced an ag ili ty program, pack walks and even going on bike rides. He also teaches the dogs basic training, recall and socialization to g ive them the best star t in their furrever homes.

Another problem Barbara and Lisa face is veterinar y care for the pups. Volunteers at the shelter noticed the need for vet care and how much time and money is being spent on transpor tation, medication and time wi th the vet's cost. Williams wants to tackle this problem too. She wants to work wi th Lisa and Barbara to f ind new solutions to make their work easier and save more pups.

W hat can you do?

Aside from going to the w w w.thesulasociety.com websi te to g ive money, they have an Amazon wish list and other fun ways to suppor t their many sets of paws. Even something as simple as adding stuf f to your car t at Costco, Petco, or at L a Comer can help.

Here are a few of the easy to purchase needs the shelter needs regularly: COSTCO • Kirkland Puppy Food • Kirkland Dog Food • L aundr y Soap • Clorex • Fabuloso • Puppy Pads • Blue shop towels • Regular paper towels DONATE HERE • Toilet paper • Dog Beds • L A COMER or other stores • Brown Rice • Lentils • Sardines • Carrots • Broccoli • VETS • Bravecto (L arge - we spli t to sui t all sizes of dog) • NexGuard (L arge - again we spli t to sui t all sizes of dog)

“I have been inquiring about their needs and the possi bili ty of bring ing the vets to the campus rather than having them shut tle the pups to Vallar ta. It’s still a work in progress but i t’s my goal to help them wi th a bet ter solution this year.”

She and the other volunteers work to help Lisa and Barbara meet the shelter's needs even fur ther. “ Their needs at this point are hiring staf f who live near the Ixtapa shelter.

And they need an administrative person to help wi th entering data to help wi th the systems and back end of f ice work.” said Williams. She continues “ The organization is functioning in crisis mode rig ht now. I am working wi th some friends to help them . But their needs are tremendous.”

Todd Calongne is a Hypnotherapist and Career Coach living in both Puerto Vartalla and the United States. @toddthecoach @lifeofrenzo

Oscar & Morgan’s

Wedding Day

22

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The Venue Eden at Almar Only in Puerto Vallarta can a fairytale romance culminate in a picture perfect wedding. No glass slippers here.

Two families from small cities in different continents with different languages and vastly different cultures have been brought together by two Prince Charmings. The backdrop for this event being Eden at the local castle, Almar. A very international mix of close friends and family members created a fun and intimate atmosphere.

Roy, Ron & Engeber

Morgan

Memo Huerta, Morgan & Tim Gabbert Lars Bergström & Cecillia Hedstrom

Oscar Brizuela

Jimmy and Christopher

Morgan, Javier Jimenez & Oscar

Todd

Kim

Memo Huerta, Morgan & Mihajlo Paras

Austin

Rob Curtis

Morgan & Rafael De Leon

Alex Silva

Jason & Mihajlo

Clint

Israel, Chuck & Manuel

Joel

MAMA TITS Mama Tits can you share some general information about yourself for those readers new to PV? As a professional Entertainer since 2001, it's my passion to bring as much laughter, strength and joy to as many people as possible.I'm an activist and community builder at heart. I try to create an environment where we all feel connected, free to be ourselves and live out loud.

How did you end up with your name Mama Tits?

I used to work as the hostess of a celebrity impersonation show in Seattle and my name was Busty McGee, but I HATED the name. So one day I was backstage with another entertainer and we were talking about changing my name and they said “you’re like the show mama, you always look out for everyone, plus you have giant tits so why not call yourself Mama Tits, so I went on stage that night and introduced myself as Mama Tits and the audience loved it, so it stuck!

Where did you learn to sing?

I’ve been passionate about music my entire life. Unfortunately when I started I was horrible at singing, but I never gave up. I worked for years and years to learn how to sing and even after all that I still loved it. I sang in school after school and anywhere I was allowed. Later when I developed Mama Tits it was natural to incorporate singing into my shows. And the rest as they say is history.

How long have you been performing?

My entire life, starting at 5 years old. I’ve done community theater, school theater, choir, I even was part of the Opera Idaho company when I was in high school. Though once I found Drag, I knew this is what I was meant to do.

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How has the venue change been?

The change has been amazing, the Palm family of staff and entertainers have been so welcoming and embracing to me. The audiences have also been amazing, though throughout my entire 7 seasons working in PV the audiences have always been so amazing and loving. I do miss my Act2 family, but the silver lining is we are all still able to see each other and go to each other’s shows!. PV is a small town after all, and that’s amazing.

Change can oftentimes be hard but hopefully, ultimately it is good in the long run. I truly have the utmost respect and adoration for the entire family of entertainers and venues in town. This community is magnificent and truly a special place in the world and I am honored to be part of the PV entertainment community.

What's the most special thing about living in PV? The community is the most amazing part aside from the scenery, this place is one of the most special places in the world.They say, Todo se puede en Vallarta and everyone is welcome in Vallarta! That goes for the people, locals and foreign, the entertainers, culture, food, everything.

But also this place changed our lives, my husband and I, and I am forever grateful for the community embracing us so much.

Mama Tits is at The Palm Saturdays at 8pm and will have her band, The Underwires, with her next season.

Lounge Bar 5pm - 10pm After Dark 10pm - 3am

BEST IN TRAVEL

V Located in central Puerto Vallarta, near the beach, romantic zone, and the vibrant Versailles neighborhood that is full of great restaurants and cafes, is the fully staffed Villa Vallardin. The 6,000 sf., walled and gated villa, features 2 heated pools and has been restored by its owners, architect Dwight Broadneax, and his realtor husband, Greg Moesser. This was a labor of love for the West Hollywood couple, bringing together the best of classic architecture and contemporary design, and hiring local artisans and craftsmen for the gallery art, murals and custom furniture design.

Upon arrival, you are greeted with refreshing margaritas and homemade guacamole, prepared by your own personal staff, Angela & Antonio. A daily gourmet breakfast is served, with fresh squeezed juices, seasonal fruit, French press coffee, and a variety of Mexican egg dishes, meats, sides, etc.. and can be served pool side or in the dining room. The house also offers a full menu and additional lunch or dinners can prepared anytime by request.

The home is perfect for friends and family gatherings, and offers 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, with luxury linens and marble tiled bathrooms. The villa can be booked for up to 14 guests but is also ideal for smaller groups as well. Throughout the property are local artwork & custom furniture, murals by renowned artist Alejandro Trejo, gilded wood carved chandeliers, marble floors, a beautiful Greek Key heated pool plus a second jetted dipping pool, as well as several resort style lounging and dining pavilions.

Rates for the villa start at $495 and weekly discounts are available. Reserve on VRBO-2463175 or directly at www.VillaVallardin.com by Out & About Villas.

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VALLARTA LUXURY

ILLA LIVING

Villa Vallardin, Puerto Vallarta – Out & About Villas

Sporty Issue 02 / november

MIHAJLO PARAS PRO TRAINER

ANTHONY FERRIS 6 Best Endurance Tips

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Mental Aspect of Training

Feeling unmotivated, lazy, sluggish, and have no desire to work out? I’m going to give you some pointers on how to change your mindset towards training. The link between exercise and your mood is very strong. Usually within five minutes after just moderate exercise you can get a mood enhancement effect, but you will also enjoy this mood boost for long after you’re done exercising as well!

There psychological benefits of exercise, such as: - Improved mood - Decreased stress - Energy boost - Improved body image - Better sleep - Pride from your physical accomplishments - Enhanced memory and cognition As you start experiencing these benefits you will most likely be motivated to keep working out to continue receiving these benefits. How much exercise is needed to produce those effects?Even a brief low intensity walk can improve mood and increase energy. As little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise can have a positive effect. For long term benefits, you should work out at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes at a moderate intensity. But how do you even get started with exercising? It can be intimidating to start exercising if you haven’t done it in a while, but a plan can help you start and stick with it.

MOTIVATIONAL START

Here are a few things you can do to make it more enjoyable: - Choose an activity you like that suits your abilities and fitness levels.

- Start small, baby steps, increase your activities gradually - Variety - switch it up, try different things to keep you interested and excited and to ward off boredom - Write your workout plan and goals in your calendar as a part of your schedule - Regularly revisit your workout plans, and try something different if it’s not working out for you.

Exercise outside There are plenty of different activities you can perform outside including lifting weights, cardio, yoga, or participating in group classes. There are studies that show that people who exercise outside are more likely to exercise again compared to those that only exercise inside.

Fresh air and sunshine always win!

Whether you decide to exercise inside or outside, try to develop an exercise program as part of your daily lifestyle. And remember, on the days that you really don’t want to train, and you do, those ones count as double!

MUSIC & ART OSWALDO BERRI

Hi! I’m Oswaldo Berri, Colombian artist living in Mexico for the past 5 years. I studied dramatic art and audiovisual production in Bogotá. I launched my own blog on tumblr sixteen years ago and then I was doing photography by assignment covering different events for magazines as a freelancer.

I always wanted to act but In Colombia that never really happened. I visited Mexico for the first time for a vacation road trip 7 years ago and it changed my life. In that experience through different states I fell in love with the country, I felt the magic, I heard the call. Somehow I knew I had to move here and I did, a year after that I was landing in riviera Maya where I started working with a production house creating promo videos for local brands and music festivals, shortly after I moved to Mexico City because I had a contract for a talent agency that required me to be present in the capital for auditions and casting so I was working as a model doing campaigns and commercial for different brands. Acting has always been a thing for me so I ended up involved in theater projects in Mexico City doing two different plays during three seasons each. I was living a dream, everything was doing great until Covid hit and suddenly all these projects got canceled or postponed. There was no more casting, no more calls, nothing to do, it was a very difficult time for a lot of people especially for artists, we didn’t have incomes anymore.

I'm always the kind of guy that tries to get the best out of any situation and during Covid, I bought my own mixer back in 2017 and I start playing with it, it was my hobby until I start playing music in little bars and rooftops in Mexico City and also in riviera Maya so I start having so much fun and earning some money while I was doing it that I knew in my mind I had to do this for real so during Covid I felt that call, somehow I find myself turning my own room into a studio spending weeks in lock down there submerged in my work. Finding unique tracks and remixes, I can say that music saved me from depression those days for sure and helped me control my anxiety level so much that it was like therapy for me, music help me to stay healthy and spending that time staying at home we’re was how I feed my music library with thousands of cool pieces that definitely take my dj level to another lever but again there was no bar, no rooftop, no clubs to play and that is how I hearded the city everyone was talking about, Puerto Vallarta. I visited for my birthday planning to stay for a weekend that turns out into two weeks and when I saw the energy of the town and all the things that were still happening, the underground scene, the parties at the villas (oh gosh I miss those ones) and everything else I came back to Mexico City, I packed my stuff and move to PV December 2020 right for New Year’s Eve. It has been more than a year since then and I feel so happy about making t hat decision because I found myself doing what I love the most, which is playing music and I have been able to live from this through this past year which is something that I feel grateful for.

Right now I’m starting to produce my own sound so before this year ends I’ll be releasing something on my own.

You can find me as the resident Dj in la madalena from Thursday to Monday.

Follow me on social media & SoundCloud and if you have any questions or you wanna meet me in person don’t hesitate to DM me on Instagram (@oswaldoberri) & let me hear back from you.

OwBe

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TWO GOGO CAGES, POLE, LEATHER BOUTIQUE LASER LIGHT SHOW AND MORE!!!

BASILIO BADILLO 283, EMILIANO ZAPATA, ZONA ROMANTICA PUERTO VALLARTA

Wine 101 Organic, biodynamic, natural! What do these all mean and how is Mexico catching on to the natural wine movement that’s sweeping the wine world?

Winemaking in Mexico can be traced back to the Spanish missionaries, (it’s always the nuns!) but it didn’t truly gain traction until the 80s/90s when mainstream wine production around the world exploded. Mexico now has a number of wine making regions with Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California getting the most hype. Mexico hasn’t established a denominacion de origen for wines like they have for Mezcal, Tequila, etc. which allows many regions around Mexico to experiment with funky, different and creative grapes, wine making styles and growing practices.

Watch out, this leads to some really adventurous tasting experiences but also some really delicious ones!

Many wineries around the world are shifting their practices to more sustainable, cleaner, and eco-conscious practices to keep up with the demand from consumers looking for ‘healthier’ more Earth-friendly bottles and Mexico is no exception. When it comes to natural wines in Mexico, Guanajuato has become the epicenter of some extraordinary varietals.

In the bigger cities in Mexico, wine bars and shops specializing in wines are popping up left and right to keep up with the increase in demand for not only imported wines, but Mexican wines as well! Check out Vivero Wine Bar in 5 de diciembre in Puerto Vallarta for a changing selection of imported and Mexican and natural wines!

As this trend becomes more and more popular, different classifications are popping up left and right and you may be asking yourself, “BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN!?”

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Even before getting to the Biodynamic, organic and natural conundrum, another term you’ll see thrown around is minimal intervention. No, it doesn’t refer to kindergarteners running around a classroom completely unattended. In its purest form, minimal intervention means winemaking that doesn't add or remove anything — it's about turning grapes into wine with as little interference from the winemaker as possible. It’s incredibly subjective and anyone can be the decision maker on what ‘minimal’ exactly means to them though so take it with a grain of salt.

Organic Wine - These wines can mean one of two things, either the wine itself is organic or it was made from organically grown grapes. What’s the difference? If it is an organic wine, that means the grapes, the yeast, anything going into the wine must be completely organic - ie. no pesticides or fertilizers. Unlike the USA and wine regions in Europe, there aren’t distinguished classifications for organic in Mexico.

If a wine is just said to have organically grown grapes, that means that the yeast used probably wasn’t organic.

Typically, also no sulfites are added to these wines. There are naturally occurring sulfites in some wines, so even if it’s organic that doesn’t always mean it’s sulfite free. If you’re ready to try, Vivero Wine Bar has the Organic Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon which falls right into this category nicely!

Biodynamic - You will often see biodynamic and organic grouped together when describing a wine. Biodynamic wines are often organic but organic wines aren’t always biodynamic. Biodynamic wines won’t have fertilizers or pesticides used and they’ll have specific farming techniques that utilize compost and other natural fertilizer methods.

The other element of biodynamic is utilizing a century-old calendar system when planting which references certain days as fruit days, root days, leaf days and flowering days.

So they are often organic but organic wines don’t need to use biodynamic methods to be considered organic. It’s confusing, I know.

Natural Wines - These are the holy grail of the natural, biodynamic, organic world. Natural wines are not allowed to be manipulated so don’t even try to tell them what to do.

Natural wines will often have the absolute lowest sulfite concentration, this does mean they don’t last quite as long as wines with even just higher levels of naturally occurring sulfites.

Fun fact: often, to filter wines and collect any extra sediment or let’s call it, pieces, winemakers will add collagen or egg whites to wines. Natural wines, you can imagine, can’t have any of this so there will often be sediment collecting in natural bottles.

Another element of natural wines is that they can not be aged in oak. Because natural wines are often more unstable they are typically produced in much much smaller batches.

The Tierra de la Pena Cabernet from Queretaro was one of the most beautiful natural Mexican wines I’ve tried ever and they only produced a few hundred bottles.

There are a few key styles of natural wines that’ll help you to narrow down what you want to try first!

1. Orange wines. No, in fact, no oranges are harmed in the making of orange wine. No oranges are even used in the making of orange wine. It’s still made from grapes. Orange wines are made with white wine grapes and the skins are kept on during the fermentation process which gives it the orange hue that gives these their name.

Bichi Wines is a vineyard from Tecate in Baja California and the La Gorda Yori 2020 Orange Wine is gaining a lot of traction even internationally. It has a slight kombucha-like experience to it but it’s lighter than a kambucha with aromas of sandalwood, herbs and apples.

2. Pet-Nat. These are a type of sparkling wine, I won’t bore you with the details of what makes them different than say a champagne but basically, they are made in a more rustic way which gives them a bit more grip when you drink them. The Pet-Nat bottles are often bottled with a bottle cap like a beer bottle which makes it fun and a little different. PetNats are often full of surprises and no two are the same, so have fun exploring these fun wines!

Duoma Vinos is from Guadalupe Valley and O jos Negros in Baja California, Their Pet-Nat Sparkling Rosé has a really pronounced, intense smell or nose of red fruits and cherries.

It doesn’t have a full sparkle like a prosecco, more of a strong fizz like a sparkling Vinho Verde. Definitely a unique Mexican Natural wine drinking experience that can’t be missed!

3. Funky. Really, these are officially called funky in the wine world. They refer to weird smells, tastes, grapes, styles, etc.

Be prepared, go in with an open mind and expect to not like everything. Funky natural wines in MEXICO are an even bigger risky experience that can have some high rewards.

Try the Octagano Vino Blanco from Vergel de la Sierra in Guanajuato for something that is almost cider-like, vinegary, and a wildly interesting wine tasting experience!

Keep your eyes peeled for a good Mexican Natural Wine Tasting! They have them often at Vivero Wine Bar, these events are a great way to try new wines and find new favorites!

Megan is from Upstate NY, and has been in the wine world for nearly 15 years. She’s a Level 3 WSET Master of Wine, and loves exploring and getting to know Mexican wines.

She’s traveled and lived around the world for the past 10 years working in digital marketing and social media. She’s often got a foster dog or two in tow and loves getting immersed in the local Vallarta community.