Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Wine tastings have always attracted me ever since I lived near Napa Valley, California, one of the meccas of American Wineries. So, after I moved here to Puerto Vallarta, I was happy to hear about Uncork Mexico.
About three years ago, I attended one of their wine tasting events. This is where I met Vanusa and Natalia, the two very knowledgeable women who own this small boutique wine business. I was so impressed that I wanted to know more.
In December 2019, they opened their charming shop on Matamoros, where I recently met them to find out how their business was doing and what inspired them to open in our town. Sitting among hundreds of bottles of merlots, cabernets, whites, and roses, Vanusa told me how they got started.
Vanusa is from Brazil. Natalie is from Guadalajara. They met in New York City among friends who enjoyed the finer qualities of good wine. In 2016, they had this crazy idea to start a wine business and chose Vallarta as their location, partly because there were no wine tastings happening here and partly because they thought, as a tourist destination, it would be a good place to start.
In 2017, they hosted their first event at OPC art gallery in central Vallarta. It was a resounding success and introduced Uncork Mexico to the many people who attended. They went on to hold numerous other tastings in people’s homes and hotels.
During this time, they were also doing loads of research on the best wines to offer, wanting especially to feature wines from Mexico. They lost track of how many glasses of wine they drank… all in the name of research!
By 2019, it became clear that they needed to have a home base where they could display their wines and hold tastings. Their new location opened on Matamoros in December 2019. They are the only wine shop in Banderas Bay that offers natural wines (no pesticides or chemicals) which is almost the same as organic without the expensive certification.
They also showcase over 25 wineries from Mexico, many from Valle de Guadalupe, an area near Ensenada, Baja California, that is fast becoming one of the best locations for excellent wines in North America.
During their research they ran across a small farm in northern Jalisco that produces aged cheeses following the methods of the European masters. You can now find many of these cheeses in their shop. You will also find wines from Spain, France, and Italy as they are available from their broker.
Stop by to see their cute wine shop at Matamoros 425-A in the Gringo Gulch neighborhood. Enjoy a flight of 3 featured wines of the day as you walk around their shop. Or arrange a tasting for yourself and a few friends. Tastings are held after 6 pm. The shop is open Tuesday-Friday 11-6 and Saturday 10-2.
To learn more about Uncork Mexico Puerto Vallarta, call 322-260-0102, email hola(at)uncorkmexico.com, or visit uncorkmexico.com.
Sandra Cesca has lived in Puerto Vallarta for 12 years. She is a cultural tour guide with her own small business: Puerto Vallarta Walking Tours. She is also a freelance writer and cultural photographer whose work can be found on Your Cultural Insider and Sandra Cesca Photography. Contact her: sun4sandra(at)gmail.com.
