Wineries and cheese

Almost every estate offers a guided tour of the vineyard and the winery that ends with a tasting. The big ones sell timed tickets online, and they sell out on weekends; special experiences, such as pairings or private cellars, always need a reservation.

In 2026, tours cost roughly 250 to 750 pesos per person, depending on how many wines are included. Entering the vineyard or sitting down to eat is usually free. Minors are not served alcohol, but several wineries have a kids’ rate or a kids’ activity.

Freixenet came to Querétaro in 1979, planted its vineyards in 1982 and released its first sparkling wine, Sala Vivé, in 1984. Today it describes itself as the largest sparkling wine producer in Mexico.

What sets the visit apart is the descent into the cellar, 25 meters below ground, where the temperature stays at 18 °C or below: bring a sweater even if it’s hot outside. The tour lasts about 45 minutes with a tasting; on weekends it leaves every hour between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. There is a kids’ rate and free parking.

Across the highway from Freixenet, Viñedos Azteca has the feel of a Mexican hacienda, with gardens and lakes. Besides wine it makes vermouth, with its own tour.

Tours run from one hour to almost two, with one to five glasses. The vineyard is open all week, but the winery can only be visited on Saturday and Sunday. For kids there is a bottle-painting workshop that doesn’t require a reservation.

De Cote, also in Ezequiel Montes, covers more than 50 hectares and tours the vineyard on foot, by bike or by train, every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Los Rosales is the closest to town, about ten minutes away. It has had a vineyard for more than forty years but has made its own wine only since 2011; its oldest vine came from Bordeaux. It doesn’t publish opening hours: call before you go.

Viñedos La Redonda, one of the oldest in the region (1975) and known for its harvest festival with grape stomping, suspended operations in late 2025 because of a legal dispute. Before going, check whether it has reopened.

The Cava de Quesos Bocanegra, on state highway 200, was the first cheese cellar in Tequis. It ages the European-recipe cheeses of the Néole brand. The visit lasts 40 minutes, leaves every hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be done with wine, beer or no drink; children under five are free.

Finca VAI is half an hour away, at kilometer 30 of the toll-free highway to Querétaro (already in the municipality of Colón). It is a family ranch: you see the cows, goats and sheep, the factory and the aging cellar, and there is a tasting at the end. Small groups don’t need to book.

Without leaving the center, Quesos Quiroz has sold cheese on Andador Morelos since 1972, and in the surrounding area there are French-style goat cheeses, such as those from La Biquette.

The vendimia, the harvest festival, runs from July to September: each vineyard sets its own date, with grape stomping, music and food, and almost always a separate ticket. In 2026 the calendar ran from early June to mid-September and closed with the Festival del Vino Queretano in October, in Tequis.

In May and June, the Festival Internacional del Arte, Queso y Vino brings wineries and cheesemakers together in town, with free admission. It is the easiest way to try many of them in a single afternoon.