Viña de Liceaga

The house

Editorial review · reviewed on October 11, 2026

Merlot made the Liceaga name. For years it was the wine this house in San Antonio de las Minas, at the entrance to Guadalupe Valley (Valle de Guadalupe), was known for, and it still sits at the center of the catalog as a gran reserva, next to reds that carry family names.

Eduardo Liceaga bought the land in 1982, drawn by the richness of the soil and the nearness of the sea, and planned it for his retirement, because he had always wanted a vineyard of his own. The purchase came eleven years before the first harvest, in 1993, with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc grafted onto rootstock chosen for the climate and soil of the site.

After the founder died in 2007, the winery passed to his wife, Myrna Liceaga. Their children, Melvin and Sofía, work in the business and give their names to two of its reds. Another, the L label, pays tribute to Eduardo, as does La Cava de Lalo, the space the family opened in his memory. Besides wine, the house makes spirits.

The hacienda-style tasting room stands on Federal Highway 3. Guided tours of the winery, the vineyard, and the gardens leave from there and are booked ahead by phone. It is unclear whether the winery takes walk-ins, so it is worth asking.