Guanajuato is the founding host of the CMB International Gala

Guanajuato will once again bring together some of the best wines in the world by becoming the founding host of the CMB International Gala Guanajuato, an experience that will bring wine, gastronomy, tourism and the state’s identity together in San Miguel de Allende on November 29 and 30.

For the Government of the People led by Governor Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo, and the Secretariat of Tourism and Identity (SECTURI), it is a cause for celebration that the best wines in the world will come together in Guanajuato for an experience set in one of the most recognized destinations in our state.

“After the great experience we had with the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in 2024, Guanajuato is once again earning the trust of this international organization to take an even bigger step. Now we will be the founding host of the CMB International Gala Guanajuato, an experience that will bring together wine, gastronomy, tourism, and identity in one of the most recognized destinations in our state: San Miguel de Allende”, said the Secretary of Tourism and Identity, María Guadalupe Robles León.

The program for this high-level event, open to the public, will be hosted at Hacienda San José Lavista and will begin on Sunday, November 29, with the World’s Best Tasting, which will take place at the Hotel Pueblo Bonito Vantage in San Miguel de Allende, where guests can taste labels from important wine regions in Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, South Africa, Belgium and China, among other countries.

Among the regions represented are Bordeaux, Haut-Médoc, Rioja, Douro, Stellenbosch, Valais, Vaud, Istria and Ningxia, with labels such as Alto Moncayo from Spain; Château Larose Perganson from France; labels from Stellenbosch, South Africa; as well as proposals from Switzerland, Portugal and Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Ningxia, China.

And on Monday, November 30, the central moment will arrive with the CMB International Gala, an unprecedented ceremony that will bring together in Guanajuato the protagonists of the global wine and spirits industry.

“That night, the great international winners of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles will be recognized with the Grand Gold Medals and the Revelation Trophies, but special awards will also be presented that highlight the talent, leadership, innovation, sustainability, and impact of those transforming this industry”, said the Secretary.

The categories include:

• Wine Personality of the Year by CMB.
• Woman of the Year by CMB.
• Young Winemaker of the Year by CMB.
• Winery of the Year by CMB.
• Sustainable Winery of the Year by CMB.
• Best Emerging Region by CMB.
• Best Design & Packaging Award by CMB.
• Spirits Producer of the Year by CMB.
• CMB Humanitarian Award, which will recognize the human and social impact within this industry.

Guanajuato will present a brand-new award for the first time

This first International Gala will also present the INSIGNIA Awards by CMB 2027, a new international recognition that honors excellence in wine and beverage lists, as well as the work of the professionals responsible for their creation, development and service.

The Secretary of Tourism and Identity, accompanied by Carlos Borboa, Director Latin America & North America of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, explained that “Guanajuato will be the stage where the first generation of 17 founding INSIGNIA by CMB establishments in Mexico will be recognized, establishments that have made their wine and beverage offerings a fundamental part of their identity and of the experience they offer their guests.”

“This speaks to the magnitude of what we are presenting today. It will not be just a gala to reward great labels; it will be a night to recognize wine, people, wineries, regions, innovation, sustainability, service, and an entire global industry.”.

Guanajuato in wine

Guanajuato is currently Mexico’s fourth-largest wine producer, with 82 winemaking projects, 27 vineyards geared toward tourism, and more than 600 hectares under cultivation, producing over 1.6 million bottles a year, with more than 165 labels, in an industry that employs more than 2,000 people.

Through products such as the Wine Route of the Valley of Independence and the grape harvest festivals, Guanajuato continues to strengthen experiences that link wine with gastronomy, landscapes, culture, and communities, with the goal of ensuring that each bottle is also an invitation to discover the state.

That is why in the Government of the People we know that the CMB International Gala Guanajuato is the result of the joint work of producers, wineries, sommeliers, chefs, entrepreneurs, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and the entire wine value chain.

In this regard, we recognize the trust of Baudouin Havaux, President of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles; Carlos Borboa, Director Latin America & North America of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles; and the organizing committee, in bringing an event of international significance back to Guanajuato.

With this celebration, San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato will become a meeting point for great wines, great stories and great experiences, strengthening the state’s positioning as a destination for wine tourism and showing the world an industry that is taking Guanajuato’s identity further and further.

“Wine is identity. It is the countryside. It is tourism. It is gastronomy. It is employment. And it is economic development for our people. That is why we strongly promote wine tourism (…). We want those who visit us to discover that here we not only know how to produce great wines. We know how to turn wine into an experience with identity, capable of staying forever in memory”, said the Secretary of Tourism and Identity.

This is how the Government of the People, headed by Governor Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo, is promoting wine tourism as a way to strengthen the tourism value chain and create new opportunities for the communities linked to this activity.