At a glance
- Founded
- 2005
- Winemaking
- Jessica Leija Moreno (since 2022)
- Vineyard
- about 6,070 ft (1,850 m)
- Grapes
- Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier, Chenin Blanc
- Style
- Viognier and Chenin Blanc whites · clay aging · varietal Cabernet Franc
- Visits
- By appointment
- Hours
- Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. · see hours
The house
Editorial review · reviewed on October 11, 2026In the 1970s, a good part of Aguascalientes grapes ended up in brandy. Santa Elena was born in 2005 with another idea, that the vine would become wine again in central Mexico, and in Pabellón de Arteaga it has stood out for aging part of its wines only in clay vessels.
The vineyard is at about 6,070 ft (1,850 m) above sea level, on soils of sand and clay that the house describes as rich in minerals. According to the winery itself, the year runs through temperatures from 93 F to freezing (34 C to 0 C), and it attributes the character of its grapes to that swing. The whites rely on Viognier and Chenin Blanc, and the reds on Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Since February 2022 winemaking has been in the hands of Jessica Leija Moreno, a chemical engineer with a specialty in enological research, who follows every stage, from analyzing the grapes in the vineyard to bottling. Earlier the house worked with outside consultants, and the technical sheet of the 2020 Sophie Tinto bears the signature of Spanish winemaker Aurelio García Herraíz and viticulturist Ricardo Álvarez.
In 2023 two wines of the Sophie line, the 2020 white and the 2019 Cabernet Franc Reserva, won gold at the Concurso Mundial de Bruselas, and the winery appears in Peñín's online guide. Next to the tasting there is a table at the restaurant E'lan, open Wednesday through Sunday by reservation, and a wine club, the Comunidad Santa Elena, for following the harvests.
The wines
Three lines. Sophie is the high-end one, where it gathers its most careful processes, Ámphora tests aging exclusively in clay vessels, and Baldosa is the third.
White
Sophie Blanco
Viognier, Chenin Blanc
The 2020 vintage is 60% Viognier and 40% Chenin Blanc, with partial time in wood. Gold in Brussels 2023.
Red
Sophie Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
100% Cabernet Franc. The 2019 Reserva won gold at the Concurso Mundial de Bruselas 2023.
White
Ámphora Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc
From the Ámphora line, which the house ages only in clay vessels.
Red
Ámphora Tinto
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
The 2023 vintage blends 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, aged in clay.
Grapes it works with
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Viognier
- Chenin Blanc
- Soils
- sand and clay
- Vineyard
- Temperatures from 93 F to 32 F (34 C to 0 C) over the year, according to the house
What to taste
Sophie Blanco, of Viognier and Chenin Blanc with partial time in wood, and alongside it a wine from the Ámphora line, to notice what the clay changes.
Why go
Taste wines aged in clay at 6,070 ft and then sit down at the table at E'lan.
Awards
- GoldConcurso Mundial de Bruselas · Sophie Blanco 20202023
- GoldConcurso Mundial de Bruselas · Sophie Cabernet Franc Reserva 20192023
The visit
Receives visitors by appointment. Reservations are required.
Offers:TastingsRestaurant
Hours
- Wednesday11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Thursday11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturday11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Sunday11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Visits by reservation only.
Hours are subject to change. Confirm with the winery before your visit.
Open Wednesday through Sunday, and both the visit and the table at E'lan are booked ahead.
Amenities
- Restaurant
Getting there
Carretera Valladolid a Emiliano Zapata (the Valladolid to Emiliano Zapata highway), km 4 marker, Ampliación Ejido Garabato, Pabellón de Arteaga
Carretera Valladolid a Emiliano Zapata km 4, Ampliación Ejido Garabato, Pabellón de Arteaga, Ags. · Get directions ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Open the driving route in Google Maps:
- Directions from your location (opens in a new tab)
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- Directions from Aguascalientes (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from Aeropuerto de Aguascalientes (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from Guadalajara (opens in a new tab)
- Directions from Ciudad de México (opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Vinícola Santa Elena?
Receives visitors by appointment.
What can you do at Vinícola Santa Elena?
Offers tastings. Tastings are for guests 18 and older.
Do you need a reservation to visit Vinícola Santa Elena?
Receives visitors by appointment. Reservations are required.
What are the hours at Vinícola Santa Elena?
Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. By day: Wednesday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hours can change. Confirm with the winery before your visit.
How do you get to Vinícola Santa Elena?
Vinícola Santa Elena is at Carretera Valladolid a Emiliano Zapata km 4, Ampliación Ejido Garabato, Pabellón de Arteaga, Ags. Carretera Valladolid a Emiliano Zapata (the Valladolid to Emiliano Zapata highway), km 4 marker, Ampliación Ejido Garabato, Pabellón de Arteaga. The Get directions button on this page opens the place in Google Maps.
Does Vinícola Santa Elena have a restaurant?
Yes, it has a restaurant.
