Gonzalo González
It all started with a barbecue among friends in 2020, during a time when the whole world was in lockdown because of the pandemic. During this uncertain period, a group of farmers from the Santo Domingo Valley decided to make the most of the situation by learning something new.
We decided to enroll in a barbecue course,” says Gonzalo González, a founding partner of Desert Wine. “We started preparing various cuts of meat in the oven and on the grill, pairing them with wine. We soon realized that wine complemented the food wonderfully; it helped our digestion far more than any cold drink.
The revelation sparked an idea. “Why don’t we give it a try and produce our grapes?” recalls Gonzalo. The enthusiasm was immediate. They gathered the group, bought plants, and planted them. Against all odds, they had a harvest in less than a year.
In most wine-growing regions, vines usually take three to five years to produce fruit. However, in Comondú, the climate and soil conditions were unexpectedly favorable. “We harvested our first crop in 2022 and sent the grapes for processing that same year. In 2023, we held our inaugural festival,” Gonzalo proudly recalls.
The event began as a small gathering in the village but eventually grew into a full-scale country festival. “We realized that people were not only interested in tasting the wine, but they also wanted to learn about the grapes, walk through the vines, and enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the vineyard.”
The Desert Wine Harvest Festival began in 2024 and was held for the first time at the vineyard itself, featuring music, food, wine, and the valley’s warmth. Now in its third year, the festival has become a popular event, drawing visitors from all over Baja California Sur and beyond. “People come from Los Cabos, La Paz, Loreto, various regions of the country, and even the United States. Fortunately, we have received an excellent response”.
Today, Desert Wine exemplifies how meaningful projects, filled with flavor and community spirit, can flourish even in tough times. As Gonzalo beautifully states, “The most rewarding part is that we have succeeded in adding value to our product, the vine, and the land we have lovingly cultivated for generations.”
