The Big Belly & the Mexican Soil

The story of Vinos Barrigones begins in 2020, in El Marqués, Querétaro, Mexico — a high-altitude municipality in the central Mexican plateau, where the elevation reaches 6,266 feet above sea level and the landscape is a patchwork of agricultural fields, dry forests, and volcanic hills. Querétaro is not the most famous wine region in Mexico — that distinction belongs to Baja California, where the majority of Mexican wine is produced — but it is one of the most interesting, with a growing community of small, independent producers who are exploring the potential of high-altitude viticulture, indigenous and hybrid varieties, and natural winemaking techniques. The climate is semi-arid, with warm days, cool nights, and low humidity — ideal conditions for organic and regenerative farming, as fungal pressure is minimal and the wide diurnal temperature range produces grapes with excellent acidity and flavor concentration.

Xaime Niembro is the founder and visionary behind the project — a man who spent ten years producing mezcal in Oaxaca, the heartland of Mexico's most iconic distilled spirit, before deciding to explore what else the Mexican soil could offer. Mezcal production taught Xaime the importance of terroir, tradition, and the relationship between the producer and the land — lessons that he carried with him when he turned his attention to wine. But Xaime is not a man who does things by halves or follows the beaten path. He was not content to make conventional wine with conventional methods; he wanted to create something that honored the Mexican soil, respected the environment, and offered drinkers an authentic, unadulterated experience of place. The result was Barrigones — a project that combines the artisanal spirit of mezcal production with the creative possibilities of natural winemaking, producing wines and ciders that are as much about joy and friendship as they are about grape and terroir.

Xaime was joined by Julio Rodríguez and Daniela Jiménez, and together they form the team that makes Barrigones possible. There is no single winemaker at Barrigones — the three of them make wine as a team, dedicating part of their time to creating beautiful and delicious completely natural wines. This collaborative approach is not merely practical; it is philosophical — a rejection of the cult of the individual vigneron in favor of a model that emphasizes friendship, shared labor, and collective creativity. Each member of the team brings their own skills, perspective, and energy to the project, and each is represented on the wine labels by a cartoon character with a big belly and a fun attitude — a visual reminder that wine is not serious business but a source of pleasure, laughter, and connection. The labels are a statement of identity: Barrigones is not a faceless corporation but a group of friends who make wine because they love life, and who want to share that love with everyone who opens a bottle.

Today, Vinos Barrigones manages 6 hectares of estate vineyards in El Marqués, plus a small supplement of grapes from the organic vineyards of a friend's estate in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato — another high-altitude site at 6,300 feet, where the soil profile is mostly clay with some organic matter. The estate produces approximately 1,900 cases annually across a range of wines and ciders that includes reds, whites, rosés, oranges, and sparkling wines — all made with the same commitment to natural methods: wild fermentation, no corrections, no fining, no filtration, and no sulfites at any point in the process. The wines are listed by Raisin, La Competencia Imports, Beso Imports, Grand Wine Cellar, Molly's Bottle Shop, Mexican Wine US, and a growing network of natural wine retailers in the United States and Mexico who appreciate their authenticity, their playful spirit, and the genuine pleasure of wines that are made with love, laughter, and a big belly full of joy.

At Vinos Barrigones, the cellar philosophy is one of radical naturalness, creative freedom, and a deep rejection of the technological interventions and commercial pressures that define industrial winemaking. Xaime, Julio, and Daniela's approach is guided by a single principle: let the grapes speak, let the vintage dictate, and let the wine be what it wants to be — no corrections, no additions, no manipulation. All wines are fermented on ambient yeast — the wild yeasts that live on the grape skins and in the air of the winery, carrying the microbial fingerprint of the vineyard and the vintage. There are no commercial yeasts, no enzymes, no nutrients, no additives of any kind — just the natural, living yeasts that have been making wine for millennia without human intervention. The fermentations are "salvajes" — wild, untamed, unpredictable — and that is exactly how the team wants them. They receive no corrections: no acid adjustments, no tannin additions, no de-alcoholization, no concentration. The wine is what the grapes and the vintage produce, nothing more, nothing less.

The winemaking process is deliberately low-tech and hands-on, reflecting the team's belief that the best wine comes from the closest possible relationship between the producer and the product. The grapes and apples are hand-harvested, with careful selection to ensure that only the healthiest, ripest fruit enters the cellar — fruits that are past their prime are set aside, as they can compromise the entire fermentation. After harvest, the fruit is verified again by hand, kept in a cool place to prevent premature fermentation, and then destemmed or crushed. For the red and orange wines, the juice ferments with the skins, extracting color, aroma, flavor, and body. For the white wines, the juice is separated from the skins using a manual press, gently squeezed to avoid breaking the seeds and extracting bitterness. The carbonic maceration wines are made by leaving half the grapes whole and crushing the other half — a technique that produces wines of extraordinary freshness, fruit, and drinkability. The fermentations take place in wooden vats or stainless steel tanks for 14 to 18 days, with manual punch-downs or pump-overs three to five times a day to extract aromas and prevent the formation of off-flavors. Temperature is controlled not with refrigeration but with ice plates, added several times a day to keep the fermentation below 24°C and preserve the delicate aromatics.

"Tinto Remix" — The Tempranillo of Everyday Joy: The Tinto Remix is Barrigones' most popular and approachable wine — a red blend that is mostly Tempranillo with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon and a smidge of Merlot, fermented with wild yeasts, aged briefly in used French oak barrels, and bottled without fining, filtration, or sulfites. The name "Remix" evokes the playful, creative spirit of the project — a wine that is not a traditional, solemn expression of terroir but a fun, accessible, slightly irreverent blend that is designed for immediate pleasure and everyday drinking. The grapes come from the estate vineyard in El Marqués, hand-harvested at optimal maturity and fermented with ambient yeasts in stainless steel or wooden vats. After fermentation, the wine is aged in third-use French oak barrels — barrels that have been used twice before and that impart only the lightest touch of wood, allowing the fruit to remain the protagonist of every bottle. In the glass, it is medium ruby with purple reflections. The nose offers red cherry, plum, blackberry, and a hint of spice, with a subtle earthy, mineral note from the Querétaro soils. The palate is medium-bodied, with soft tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, fruity, refreshing finish. It is a wine of pure joy — the perfect companion to a Tuesday night with friends, a glass by the pool, or a delicious meal of tacos, grilled meats, or spicy Mexican dishes. Serve at 14–16°C. Drink within 2–4 years for maximum freshness. ~€15–€22 / ~$17–$25.

"Remix Blanco" — The Xarel·lo of High-Altitude Freshness: The Remix Blanco is Barrigones' flagship white — a natural white wine made from Xarel·lo, a Catalan variety that is rarely seen in Mexico but that thrives in the high-altitude, semi-arid conditions of Querétaro, producing wines of remarkable freshness, texture, and mineral character. The grapes come from the estate vineyard in El Marqués, hand-harvested at optimal maturity and gently pressed using a manual press to separate the juice from the skins. The juice is then fermented with ambient yeasts in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures, preserving the delicate aromatics and crisp acidity that define great white wine. There is no skin contact, no oak, no malolactic fermentation — just the pure, unadorned expression of Xarel·lo from healthy, regeneratively farmed vines. In the glass, it is pale straw with greenish reflections. The nose offers green apple, citrus zest, white flowers, and a distinct mineral, earthy note from the Querétaro soils. The palate is light to medium-bodied, with crisp acidity, a gentle texture, and a long, refreshing, mineral finish. It is a wine of purity and pleasure — perfect as an aperitif, with seafood, ceviche, or light Mexican dishes, or simply as a refreshing glass on a warm afternoon. Serve well chilled at 8–10°C. Drink within 1–2 years. ~€15–€22 / ~$17–$25.

"Rosé" — The Pink of the Mexican Sun: The Rosé is Barrigones' most charming and versatile wine — a pink wine made from a blend of red varieties (likely Tempranillo, Grenache, and perhaps Merlot), fermented with brief skin contact to extract just enough color to create a beautiful salmon hue, and bottled without fining, filtration, or sulfites. The grapes come from the estate vineyard in El Marqués, hand-harvested at optimal maturity and fermented with ambient yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The maceration period is short — just a few days — extracting color and flavor without excessive tannin, creating a wine that is crisp, refreshing, and utterly drinkable. In the glass, it is pale salmon with copper reflections. The nose offers wild strawberry, watermelon, citrus zest, and a hint of rose petal. The palate is light-bodied, with crisp acidity, gentle texture, and a long, refreshing, fruity finish. It is a wine of summer and sunshine — perfect for picnics, poolside afternoons, or simply as a refreshing glass with friends. Serve well chilled at 8–10°C. Drink within 1–2 years. ~€15–€22 / ~$17–$25.

"Orange" — The Skin-Contact White of Adventure: The Orange is Barrigones' most adventurous and distinctive wine — an orange wine made from white grapes (likely Xarel·lo, Macabeo, or Albariño) fermented with extended skin contact, extracting color, tannin, and phenolic complexity to create a wine that is amber in color, textured on the palate, and utterly unique. The grapes come from the estate vineyard in El Marqués or the friend's vineyard in Guanajuato, hand-harvested at optimal maturity and fermented with ambient yeasts in wooden vats or stainless steel tanks. The maceration period is extended — several days to several weeks — allowing the skins to impart their color, flavor, and structure to the juice. The wine is then aged in used French oak barrels, developing subtle spice and complexity while retaining the primary fruit and the wild, untamed character of the fermentation. In the glass, it is deep amber with copper reflections. The nose offers dried apricot, orange peel, wild herbs, and a distinct mineral, earthy note. The palate is medium-bodied, with gentle tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, savoury, mineral finish. It is a wine of curiosity and exploration — a wine that challenges preconceptions, rewards open minds, and proves that Mexican wine can be as bold and original as any in the world. Serve at 10–12°C. Drink within 2–4 years. ~€18–€25 / ~$20–$28.

"Sidra" — The Cider of the Mexican Orchard: In addition to wine, Barrigones produces natural cider — a fermented apple beverage that is made with the same wild fermentation, no-additive philosophy as the wines, and that offers a refreshing, low-alcohol alternative for those who want to explore the world of natural ferments beyond grape. The apples are hand-harvested from local orchards, selected for their sugar and pH levels, and fermented with ambient yeasts in wooden vats or stainless steel tanks. The cider is then aged in American oak barrels — some new, some second-use from bourbon production — imparting a light touch of wood and a subtle vanilla, caramel note that complements the apple fruit without dominating it. In the glass, it is pale gold with a slight haze from the natural sediment. The nose offers fresh apple, pear, citrus, and a hint of spice. The palate is light-bodied, with crisp acidity, gentle tannins from the skin contact, and a long, refreshing, fruity finish. It is a beverage of pure, unadulterated pleasure — perfect for warm afternoons, casual gatherings, or as a refreshing alternative to beer or wine. Serve well chilled at 6–8°C. Drink within 1–2 years. ~€12–€18 / ~$13–$20.

Vessels & Ageing: Vinos Barrigones works with a combination of wooden vats, stainless steel tanks, and used oak barrels, chosen to match the needs of each wine and cider. Wooden vats — used for the red and orange wines — provide a traditional, artisanal environment for fermentation, allowing for gentle extraction and the development of complex, earthy flavors. Stainless steel tanks — used for the white, rosé, and some of the red wines — provide clean, neutral environments that preserve primary fruit, crisp acidity, and the delicate aromatics that define these wines. Used French oak barrels — third-use barrels for the red wines — impart only the lightest touch of wood, adding subtle spice and texture without overwhelming the fruit. American oak barrels — used for the cider — provide a slightly sweeter, more vanilla-forward character that complements the apple fruit. The ageing periods are brief, reflecting the estate's philosophy that these are wines and ciders meant to be enjoyed young, when their freshness, fruit, and joyful character are at their peak. The result is a portfolio that is unmistakably Barrigones: wild, natural, joyful, and deeply connected to the high-altitude soils, the regenerative vineyards, and the big-bellied, fun-loving spirit of Xaime, Julio, and Daniela.