Wine Industry Mexico

Despite being the first wine producer in the Americas, Mexico has not been distinguished for the quality of its wine. But the industry here has undergone a revolution since Mexico opened its market to wine imports in 1986, and in recent years Mexican wineries have tried hard to prove that their products are world-class. They have been entering--and winning--international competitions in London, Bordeaux and Los Angeles. They are exporting to Germany, Holland, some U.S. cities and even Spain.

Although the devaluation of the Mexican peso over the last month has hurt most Mexican businesses, it was supposed to help the country's exporters. But from the corporate trenches in northernmost Mexico, the peso crisis looks like bad news for everyone. Take the case of L.A. Cetto of Tijuana, Mexico's largest and perhaps best winery.

Although the devaluation of the Mexican peso over the last month has hurt most Mexican businesses, it was supposed to help the country's exporters. But from the corporate trenches in northernmost Mexico, the peso crisis looks like bad news for everyone. Take the case of L.A. Cetto of Tijuana, Mexico's largest and perhaps best winery.

Despite being the first wine producer in the Americas, Mexico has not been distinguished for the quality of its wine. But the industry here has undergone a revolution since Mexico opened its market to wine imports in 1986, and in recent years Mexican wineries have tried hard to prove that their products are world-class. They have been entering--and winning--international competitions in London, Bordeaux and Los Angeles. They are exporting to Germany, Holland, some U.S. cities and even Spain.

California vintners and dairy farmers are caught in the cross-fire of an escalating trade war that could cost two of the state's most important agriculture businesses millions of dollars in lost sales to its southern neighbor. Mexico this month became the fourth U.S. trading partner to slap retaliatory tariffs on American products, responding to a U.S. trade practice that has inflamed allies and been deemed illegal by the World Trade Organization. U.S.