Viñedos Los Arcángeles: Listening To The Songs Of Sirens

By Frank "Sugar" Hudson

It’s Friday morning and my phone begins to ring. Sure enough, it’s one of the guys wanting to know if the group is going to be visiting a winery that afternoon. The question alerts me that they have something in mind.  Is thirty miles too far to travel? How about a small winery, quaint and out of the way?  Have you ever heard of Viñedos Los Arcángeles vineyard?

The plan develops: a visit to a local vineyard, a glass of wine, and a few unhurried hours together. We need to settle on who will drive, who will navigate and who will offer advice from the back seat.

Viñedos Los Arcángeles is located on the road from Dolores Hidalgo to Diego de La Unión at marker km. 13. You will spot it by the large arches announcing the vineyard and its restaurant Ithaca: The House Of Ulysses. "Ulysses always returns home in the Odyssey, this time our home is the vine." says the winemaker. The wineries first line of wine is called Song of Sirens, according to mythology the person who listens to a mermaid will find it impossible to resist its charm. In a way, their intention is for the wines to be a hypnotic and irresistible elixir

Los Arcángeles is a Mexican family winery, where Ulises Ruiz Mariño is the winemaker behind Viñedos los Arcángeles. Ulises studied viticulture in Europe and the United States. In 2016 he founded Los Arcángeles and seeks to develop excellence in wines.  From this small foot print they produce approximately 20,000 bottles each year. His goal is for México to become passionate about their wine and for the international market to appreciate its products, in order to promote the country's potential in the wine industry. The grapes grown at the property are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, a large assortment on such a small property.

The vineyard circles around the restaurant under the shade. We choose to sit outside overlooking the vineyard. Today we choose the Sauvignon Blanc, we do not wish to rush.  The afternoon, once something to be managed, has become something to inhabit. The day has offered nothing extraordinary—just wine, conversation, and good company.