Vinos Fincas MX Vinicultores: Crafting Terroir-Driven Wines in Baja California

Nestled in the dynamic and sun-soaked valleys of Baja California, Fincas MX Vinicultores (often shortened to Fincas MX) has emerged in recent years as a winery devoted to expression, minimal intervention, and exploring the identity of individual vineyards. Their wines capture the spirit of place, the challenges of climate, and the creativity of their winemaking team.

The origin: a vision of many vineyards

Fincas MX began in 2016 with a simple but bold idea: to select small, individual vineyards (fincas) across Baja California and craft wines that spotlight their distinct personalities. Rather than controlling everything under one estate, they approach winemaking as a process of curation—visiting, assessing, and collaborating with existing growers to reveal terroir through wine.
Their head winemaker is Sergio Heras, originally from Mendoza, Argentina, who oversees the blending and vinification across the diverse sites of Fincas MX.

They also have a partner, Teresa Landa, from Monterrey, who brings complementary experience and commitment to the project.

Philosophy & stylistic approach

Fincas MX is committed to crafting unique, low-intervention wines that let each vineyard speak. Their philosophy is characterized by:

  • Emphasis on terroir: each wine aims to reflect the character of its source vineyard ("finca").

  • A line of minimal intervention: within their portfolio they offer wines made by carbonic maceration, Pét-Nat (ancestral method), and experimental barrel lots when the grapes and vintage allow.

  • Blending tradition and experimentation: while they produce conventional whites, rosés, and reds, they reserve a portion of their portfolio for wines made in more adventurous styles.

  • Working across multiple vineyard zones: they draw on vineyards in places like Ojos Negros, San Antonio de las Minas, Valle de Uruapan, San Vicente, Santo Tomás, among others.

  • Native yeasts, gentle handling, minimal corrections—seeking balance rather than domination.

| Feature                  | Detail / Range                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Location & regions       | Baja California, Mexico — vineyards scattered across Valle de Guadalupe, Ojos Negros, San Vicente, Santo Tomás, etc.                                                                                                     |
| Foundation year          | Project initiated in 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Key personnel            | Winemaker: Sergio Heras (Mendoza, Argentina); Partner: Teresa Landa                                                                                                                                                      |
| Grape varieties used     | Broad palette: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, also white varieties like Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Moscatel, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier            |
| Styles produced          | Whites, rosés, reds, minimal intervention wines (carbonic, pétillant naturel, small barrel lots)                                                                                                                         |
| Vinification practices   | Partial carbonic maceration (especially in reds), use of native yeasts, gentle extraction (pisoneos, délestage) to preserve skin integrity                                                                               |
| Aging / handling         | Some barrel lots in limited-edition capacity; mostly neutral or older oak, rest in glass before bottling                                                                                                                 |
| Color / appearance       | Reds: intense red, often with violet edges; unfiltered or lightly filtered in more natural styles                                                                                                                        |
| Aromas                   | Red fruits, earthy notes, pepper/spice, hints of terroir (minerality, soil)                                                                                                                                              |
| Palate / structure       | Balanced acidity, medium body, marked but integrated tannins, freshness, lingering red fruit and terroir notes                                                                                                           |
| Example wine             | *Fincas Tinto* (Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot) — described as fruity with toasty notes, and marked tannins.                                                                                                                |
| Example red vinification | The red wines undergo **carbonic maceration with whole clusters**, interspersed pisoneos and délestage to manage extraction gently. Malolactic fermentation follows to stabilize the wine for bottling within ~2 months. |