Harvesting Heritage: Temecula’s Deep Roots in Mexico and Baja

Temecula Valley’s proximity to Baja California makes it unlike any other wine region in the state, where Hispanic heritage, borderland culture, and Mediterranean terroir converge in every glass.

While Northern California may dominate the global imagination of California wine, the state’s earliest vineyards were planted much farther south. Spanish missionaries introduced the Mission grape to San Diego in the late 1700s, and those first vines laid the foundation for the entire industry.

Today, Temecula Valley carries that heritage forward, shaped in no small part by its proximity to Mexico and the Baja Peninsula. Just an hour from the border, Temecula is a place where cultures converge – and where Hispanic heritage is deeply rooted in its wines.

Stories of Heritage and Innovation

Born in Ensenada and raised in San Vicente, Nadia Urquidez of Doffo Winery brings her Baja background and a scientist’s training to Temecula. She speaks of Cabernet Sauvignon as if it were a bridge to her culture – its fermentation aromas reminding her of Mexican cuisine, a sensory link between her homeland and her adopted valley. “The welcoming people in the industry, the solidarity, and passion about wine are what attract me to Temecula Valley,” she says. “Also the hard work they do every day to put the name of The Valley on the map with high-quality, award-winning wines.”

Javier Flores, one of Temecula’s most respected winemakers, began his career at LA Cetto in Tijuana before crossing the border to work in Temecula, where he has spent more than two decades at South Coast Winery and Carter Estate. “I was attracted to Temecula Valley because of the proximity to my family in Tijuana and friends in the Mexican wine industry in Valle de Guadalupe,” he says. He still credits his Baja beginnings for shaping his curiosity and versatility. Today, he works with as many as 30 different grape varieties, proof of the creative freedom Temecula afford.

Raised in Tijuana after being born in Sonora, winemaker Renato Saís is another example of the cross-border spirit that defines the region. With nearly two decades of vintages behind him, he consults for wineries across Temecula, bringing both technical mastery and an unrelenting drive to raise the quality bar. “I am living my dream job,” he says. “I am proud to say that I consider this wine country my home and have the most respect for it and for the people who are trying to do the same for this amazing Valley.”

Born in Mexico City, Giovani Verdejo grew up in a family of wine lovers and began his career in Napa at just 19. After more than two decades making wine in Northern California, he moved to Temecula to join Callaway Vineyard & Winery. “Temecula had been on my mind for quite some time,” he says. “I have always loved Southern California, and when the opportunity at Callaway arose, I did not hesitate to move my family to be able to make wines here. The hot days with cool nights are not too different from where I started my career.”

Then there is Raúl Ramirez of Raúl Ramirez Bodegas y Viñedos, who came to the U.S. from Michoacán as a farmworker and eventually built his own winery and vineyards in Temecula. On his website, he calls his journey “Harvesting Dreams,” a reflection not only of his own story, but of the larger narrative of resilience and possibility that characterizes Temecula’s Hispanic wine community.

What Sets Temecula Apart

The influence of Mexico and Baja is not an afterthought in Temecula – it is foundational. It’s in the flavors that echo Mexican kitchens, in the collaborative spirit that mirrors Baja’s winemaking culture, and in the determination of families who crossed a border to plant roots in Southern California soil.

California wine is not defined by any single place. It is a patchwork of regions, each offering something distinct. Temecula Valley’s contribution to that patchwork is its borderland identity – a vibrant, living connection to Mexico that infuses the wines with history, culture, and heart.

As we raise a glass this Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the winemakers whose Baja and Mexican heritage continues to shape Temecula Valley, reminding us that wine is more than a drink. It is story, culture, and community, harvested and shared across borders.