This Austin Restaurant Is Flipping House Wine on Its Head With Help From Our Neighbors to the South

At Bacalar in Austin, Texas—the city's newest restaurant inspired by the Yucatán Peninsula region of Mexico—the wine list is not simply an afterthought to margaritas and ranch waters. Boasting an extensive by-the-glass list almost exclusively comprised of wines from across Mexico, the program is curated by Sommelier and Wine Program Manager Kaitlin Neve. Bacalar’s wine program aims to educate guests who might be unfamiliar with wines from the region, and offer the opportunity to enjoy them in a culinary setting.

With such close proximity to the border, Mexican wines aren’t unheard of on menus across Texas. So how does Bacalar stand out from the rest? By featuring a special wine label that won’t be found anywhere else in the country— Dos Búhos . Located in San Miguel de Allende, this organic vineyard imports their wine exclusively for Bacalar. Recognized as one of the best wineries in Mexico, Dos Búhos wine offerings on the Bacalar menu range widely—guests can explore a funky Pet-Nat, a fruit-forward Chenin Blanc, or a rich Tempranillo.

Located in the Mexican Altiplano, at the base of the Los Picachos mountains, Dos Búhos are an organic vineyard and family winery producing 100% artisanal wines from their own vineyards. Their work is poetry, a beautiful expression of the region's terroir and a winemaking philosophy that values quality without compromise. Their shallow silty soil is high in clay, contains neovolcanic fine gravel, and is protected from excessive rainfall thanks to the proximity to the Picachos mountains. The region is located about 2,000 meters above sea level, and the vineyards have a gentle south-facing slope aspect.

“ A lot of what we do at Bacalar has to do with relationships. From the families in Mexico that handmade plates and copitas for us, to the farmers we source our produce and proteins from— we wanted our wine program to be just as special. Kevin Burns, Urbanspace’s CEO, has known the Maycotte family for 3 decades and is a childhood friend of their son. The Maycotte family has been farming in San Miguel de Allende for nearly 70 years, mainly fruits and vegetables, as well as almonds. They set aside a small plot to start growing grapes in 2006. That passion grew and in 2018 they started producing wine commercially. When the opportunity came about and Bacalar was getting ready to open, we had the opportunity to taste their offerings (Mexico produces some amazing wines but most of them don't make it to the US) and we were blown away by the quality and flavors that came through. It was only right for us to keep that mindset of supporting those close bonds of family. Just like our motto says ‘comida milpera’ !” -Benjamin Smith, Director of Hospitality at Urbanspace, the commercial owner behind Bacalar

For more information on the restaurant or to make reservations visit bacalaratx.com