Introducing Americans To Wines From Mexico
After working for ten years in the spirits business, Dale and Stephen Ott decided to switch career tracks and start a wine import company. But they chose a very specific type of wine to import to the U.S. – only wine brands produced in Mexico and Portugal.
“We decided to focus on wine because it connects us to the earth, and has a lower alcohol level than whiskey,” explained Dale Ott, Founder and Managing Director of Nossa Imports, during a Zoom interview. “And we only focus on importing wine from Portugal and Mexico, because they are a nice blend of the Old World with Portuguese wine and the New World with Mexican wine.”
So in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15), Ott shared some of the wines they import from Mexico in an online tasting. During this special month, cultures and contributions from Hispanic and Latino Americans are celebrated, including wine made by people in countries with a Latin heritage, like Mexico.
“Very few people realize that Mexico is the oldest winemaking country in all of the Americas,” stated Ott. Indeed, Mexico is home to Casa Madero, the oldest continually operating winery in the Americas, established in 1597. Today, Mexico has over 400 wineries, whereas in the U.S., there are just over 100 Hispanic owned wineries (out of 11,500).
The Challenges of Establishing a Wine Import Company
In order to import wine from Mexico, the Otts invested several years of time in acquiring the correct import licenses, permits to sell wine in the U.S., identifying shipping, warehouse, and logistic systems, and developing relationships with U.S. distributors (80% of the wine in the U.S. is sold via distributors).
“Fortunately, I had worked with U.S. alcohol distributors when I was in the whiskey business, and I also have a background in logistics and compliance,” stated Ott.
Without this background and these connections, it would have been much more challenging to launch Nossa, which means ‘ours,’ in Portuguese. As it was, the articles of incorporation for the company were finally filed in January of 2020, so the Otts encountered other holdups due to the pandemic, including a shipment of wine from Portugal that was delayed for 7 months.
“But given that our company is based in Tucson, Arizona, and we have been visiting Mexico for years, it wasn’t difficult to identify some Mexican wineries to work with,” said Ott. Plus the fact that the couple speak fluent Spanish and Portuguese was very helpful.
Today the Otts import around 48,000 bottles of wine each year from Mexico and Portugal, ranging from $12 to $100 per bottle in retail price points. The wines are currently available for sale in 40 different states and sold at fine wine shops, online retailers and restaurants. In the next few months, the Otts will also be licensed to sell wine directly to consumers via their website.
Nossa Imports is currently working with four Mexican wineries: Bodegas de Santo Tomas, Vinedo San Miguel, JC Bravo and Posdata Sidra – and hoping to identify other Mexican wines to import in the future.
“There is still a perception, even in Mexico, that Mexico doesn’t produce wines of quality, but this is not true,” stated Ott. Indeed, as we tasted through the samples of wine, they were all well-made, with pure flavors and good complexity. Three highlights of the tasting were:
Bodegas de Santo Tomas Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($26): Ripe nose of mixed berries, plum jam, and spice with a palate of pure concentrated fruit, leather, allspice, clove, and a hint of white pepper. Very elegant, with big velvety tannins, and a long finish. Aged in French oak for 9 to 12 months. Only 13.9% alcohol, and winner of the Sommeliers Choice Awards for the 2020 Gold Medal in the Mexico International Wine Competition. Crafted by Cristina Pino, head winemaker for Bodegas de Santo Tomás.
JC Bravo Palomino 2018 ($30) – a seductive nose of dusty pear, citrus, and nuts with a palate of complex mineral notes, dried apple, marmalade and a hint of salt. Made from the same grape as most sherry wines, but this is a dry style with a lower alcohol (only 11.5%). Made from organic grapes in a very old vineyard, using 100% native yeast, in a natural style. Pairs well with seafood, fatty fish, anchovies, green chili and vegetables. Small family owned and operated winery.
Bodegas de Santo Tomas Mision 20 Red Blend ($16) – Made from a unique blend of red grapes: 34% Mission, 33% Tempranillo, and 33% Carignan. Nose of dried cherries, earth and spice, with a palate filled with berries, clove, and a hint of dusty clay soil. Light bodied and elegant, with a tart finish. Surprisingly good for the price point, with a similar taste to a tart sangiovese or very light cool-climate pinot noir. Made from 120 year old Tempranillo and Mission grape vines. Pairs well with fatty spiced meats, such as carnitas, as well as with creamy and mild cheeses.
Connecting Americans to the Wines of Mexico
One challenge the Otts encountered was encouraging Americans to try wines from Mexico, so they decided to let people taste their wines at special events and pop-up venues throughout Arizona.
“Currently the wine industry is not doing a good job marketing to young people, and people are not bringing wine home to the dinner table. We hope to change that with our wine tastings throughout Arizona. We introduce many people in their twenties to wine and show them how it can be matched to food and enhance the experience. It is great to see the expression on their faces when they taste the wine and then taste it again with the food,” said Ott.
In order to reach a larger audience, they just launched a very successful event called, ‘Mexico Unearthed, Arizona’s First Celebration Dedicated to Mexican Wine.’ This was done in partnership with Compa Spirits, and held at the FOUND:RE in Phoenix. The event appeared to be a huge success because they ran out of wine, due to unexpectedly large crowds showing up.
“We see the future as promising, and we have nothing but optimism now. The moment people get to taste the wine in their mouths, then they are no longer afraid of it, and they can feel more confident and have fun,” explained Ott.
