Hispanic Heritage Month 2026: 6 Wine Moves for America's Next Wine Drinkers

One in five Americans is Hispanic, and that group grew 23% in a decade while the country as a whole grew 7%, according to Nielsen. More than half are 34 or younger. Now set that next to the wine aisle: the Wine Market Council counted 76 million adult wine drinkers in its December 2025 benchmark, about 9 million fewer than in 2023. Wine needs new drinkers, and the largest pool of them is celebrating right now.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, and it is not a single party. It opens on the independence days of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (Sept 15), moves through Mexico's Independence Day (Sept 16) and Chile's Fiestas Patrias (Sept 18), and closes the week after October 12, Día de la Hispanidad, Spain's National Day. Four weeks, a dozen countries, a lot of family tables. Here is what that means for anyone who buys, sells or pours wine in the US.

Key Takeaways

• Hispanic Americans are 19% of the US population and more than half are 34 or younger (Nielsen).
• Projections cited by Hispanics in Wine put nearly 1 in 5 potential US wine drinkers of Hispanic origin by 2028, and 1 in 4 among young adults.
• US wine spending still grew 3% in 2025 to more than $115 billion (BMO), so the money is there; the drinkers are the constraint.
• Spain and Chile speak directly to this month, from a burlap-wrapped Rioja to a Maule Valley Carmenere.
• Retailers and restaurants that build a September 15 to October 15 program now get four weeks of reasons to sell.

Is Wine's Popularity Declining in the US?

Partly, and that is exactly why this month matters. The Wine Market Council's 2025 U.S. Wine Consumer Benchmark, a survey of nearly 5,000 adults balanced to the census, found that 29% of legal-drinking-age Americans drink wine at least every two to three months, down from 34%. Baby Boomers' share of wine drinkers fell from 32% to 26%, while Millennials are now the largest cohort at 31% and Gen Z climbed from 9% to 14%.

The same study reports real progress on the category's ethnic skew: the shares of non-Hispanic White, Black and Asian Americans who drink wine are now close to their share of the adult population. Hispanic Americans are not on that list, and that tells you where the headroom is. A young, fast-growing community that is still under-represented in wine is not a niche. It is the growth plan.

Meanwhile the spending side holds up. BMO's 2026 Wine Market Report puts total US consumer spending on wine in 2025 at more than $115 billion, up 3%. Fewer drinkers spending more per bottle is the pattern of a premium category, which is good news for anyone selling wines with a story and a score.

What Is the Buying Power of US Hispanics?

Nielsen cites the Latino Donor Collaborative's 2025 figure: $4.1 trillion in purchasing power. Older industry research pointed the same way. Hispanics in Wine gathers projections that Hispanic consumers could represent up to 40% of the category's total consumption growth between 2013 and 2033 (Abasto), and that nearly one in five potential wine drinkers will be of Hispanic origin in 2028 (Vintage Economics).

Numbers like these get repeated in conference decks every year. What rarely follows is a concrete plan for the shelf and the wine list. So here is one.

6 Wine Moves for Hispanic Heritage Month 2026

1. Put a recognizable Rioja at the center of the table: Siglo

Few bottles are as easy to spot from across a store as Siglo, the Rioja wrapped in burlap. Siglo Tempranillo carries 92 points from Wine Enthusiast and 92 from James Suckling, and the Crianza Selección (Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano) adds oak spice and a velvety finish. It is the bottle for a Sunday of carnitas, tamales or a slow-roasted lechón, the kind of meal where the wine has to please three generations at once.

2. Bring out a serious bottle for the family celebration: Manzanos Gran Reserva

For the milestone dinner, Manzanos Gran Reserva 2015 earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast and Decanter Gold at 95 points. A blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, it shows dried prune, licorice, tobacco and cedar with silky tannins. Pair it with beef in mole, cabrito or a grilled picanha. The sibling Manzanos Reserva scored 93 points from Wine Enthusiast, and for a truly special night, the Manzanos 125 Aniversario holds a Decanter Platinum 97.

3. Grill night calls for Navarra Garnacha: Las Campanas

Las Campanas Garnacha from DO Navarra earned 92 points and a Best Buy from Wine Enthusiast. Black fruit, violets and a round, mellow body make it a natural with carne asada, chorizo and anything that comes off the parrilla. Serve it slightly cool, around 60 to 62°F, when the evening is still warm.

4. Open a rosé for ceviche and fish tacos

Las Campanas Rosé is pure Garnacha, pale pink with fresh red fruit and a finish that recalls blood orange. That citrus edge is what you want against lime-cured ceviche, aguachile or Baja-style fish tacos. Chill it to 45 to 50°F. In South Florida and Texas, rosé season never really ends, so this is also a pour that works well past October.

5. Toast Chile with the Maule Valley: Cremaschi Furlotti

September 18 is Chile's Fiestas Patrias, and Cremaschi Furlotti brings generations of Italian-Chilean winemaking from the Maule Valley. Carmenere is the obvious pour with beef empanadas de pino, and the Chardonnay from Valle de Loncomilla handles pastel de choclo beautifully. We covered the full holiday menu in our Dieciocho pairing guide.

6. Close the month with Spain on October 12

Día de la Hispanidad is Spain's National Day and the natural finale of the month. Build it around paella and a white: Manzanos Blanco Barrica (Viura and Chardonnay, Mundus Vini Gold) brings citrus, pear and a touch of buttered toast that works with saffron rice and seafood. Add jamón, manchego and a glass of Rioja, and you have a table that looks like Haro on a Sunday.

What Wine Goes Best With Mexican and Latin American Food?

The short answer: wines with bright acidity and ripe fruit, and not too much heavy oak with fiery dishes. A practical cheat sheet:

• Tacos al pastor and carnitas: young Tempranillo or Garnacha (Siglo Tempranillo, Las Campanas Garnacha).
• Mole and braised beef: a Rioja with some age (Manzanos Reserva or Gran Reserva).
• Ceviche, aguachile, fish tacos: Garnacha rosé or a crisp white.
• Empanadas and grilled meats: Chilean Carmenere or Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Paella and seafood rice: barrel-fermented Rioja white.
• Very spicy dishes: keep alcohol moderate and serve reds a little cooler; chile heat amplifies alcohol.

For Retailers and Restaurants: Build the Program Now

The trade does best when Heritage Month is treated as a four-week program rather than a single end-cap. What works:

• One display, three countries. Group Rioja, Navarra and Chilean wines by occasion (family dinner, grill night, fiesta) rather than by country alone.
• Bilingual shelf talkers. A two-line pairing note in English and Spanish does more than a paragraph of tasting notes. Scores sell: 92, 93 and 95 points belong on the tag.
• By-the-glass flights on the menu. A Rioja, a Navarra rosé and a Chilean Carmenere as a three-glass flight lets guests explore without committing to a bottle.
• Anchor the calendar. Sept 15 and 16, Sept 18, and Oct 12 are three built-in promotions inside one month.
• Stock depth before the dates. Our wines are in stock in the U.S. and ready to ship to all 50 states, so reorders arrive while the promotion is still running.

Our Spanish wines come from five generations of the Fernández de Manzanos family, winemaking in Rioja and Navarra since 1890, and the portfolio carries more than 600 wines rated 90 points or higher. That depth is what makes a month-long program possible: you can refresh the display every week without leaving the same importer. Distributors and buyers can source directly through us.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Hispanic Heritage Month 2026?

It runs from September 15 to October 15, 2026. The start date matches the independence days of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, followed by Mexico on September 16 and Chile on September 18.

Is wine's popularity declining?

The number of US wine drinkers has dipped: the Wine Market Council counted 76 million adult wine consumers in late 2025, about 9 million fewer than in 2023. Spending held up, though, growing 3% in 2025 to more than $115 billion according to BMO, and younger generations are gaining share.

What is the projected buying power of US Hispanics?

Nielsen cites $4.1 trillion in purchasing power, based on the Latino Donor Collaborative's 2025 report. Hispanic Americans are about 19% of the US population and more than half are 34 or younger.

What Spanish wine pairs with Mexican food?

Young Tempranillo and Garnacha are the most versatile, thanks to ripe fruit and fresh acidity. Save aged Rioja Reserva or Gran Reserva for richer dishes like mole or braised meats, and reach for a Garnacha rosé with ceviche and seafood.

Where can I buy Manzanos wines in the US?

Our wines are available at retailers including Costco, Total Wine & More, Albertsons, Spec's, BevMo!, Binny's, Hy-Vee, Rouses, Sedano's, Lunds & Byerlys and Haskell's, depending on the state. Use Find Our Wines to see what is near you, or browse our full collection.

En español

El Mes de la Herencia Hispana (15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre) es la mejor ventana del año para el vino en EE. UU.: los hispanos son el 19% de la población y más de la mitad tiene 34 años o menos. Para la mesa familiar, Siglo o Manzanos Gran Reserva (95 puntos Wine Enthusiast); para la parrilla, Las Campanas Garnacha; para el ceviche, un rosado; para el Dieciocho chileno, Cremaschi Furlotti; y para el 12 de octubre, paella con Manzanos Blanco Barrica. Encuentra nuestros vinos en Find Our Wines.

Find Your Bottle

Hosting a family dinner this month? Find our wines near you. Buying for a store, restaurant or distributor? Talk to our trade team and put the program on the floor before October 12.

Manzanos Wines USA is the premier importer of premium wines from Spain, Italy, Chile, South Africa, and France, serving all 50 US states through our nationwide distributor network. Learn more at manzanoswinesusa.com.

Please enjoy responsibly. Must be 21+.