Imported wine sales continue to grow in the U.S., and soon some wines may be coming from another source, closer to home than Australia, South America and Europe.

The wine industry in Mexico is growing rapidly, but more importantly, the quality is improving, and if the wines offered at the recent Wines, Cuisine & Art of Mexico at Copia are any indication, some of them can challenge many of the imports currently making their way into this market.

More than 400 people crowded into Copia for a taste of wines from two dozen wineries and food samples from some of Mexico’s top restaurants, and to watch cooking demonstrations and tour an art exhibit.

But it was the wines that attracted most of the attention.

Prior to the tasting, Hugo d’Acosta, winemaker for Casa de Piedra, talked briefly about the wines of Mexico, concentrating primarily on those produced in Baja California, an area that accounts for about 90 percent of all Mexican grape production.

Baja’s wine country is similar in climatic conditions to Napa Valley, particularly the Guadalupe Valley, about 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and ocean breezes produce cool nights and warm days, although d’Acosta called it more like the Mediterranean area, with rainy winters and hot dry summers.

Nearly 6,200 acres are planted to grapes in Mexico. Principal white grapes include chenin blanc, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and viognier, and reds include all five Bordeaux varietals plus grenache, tempranillo, dolcetto, syrah and petite sirah.

D’Acosta identified the primary grape producing regions in Baja as Guadalupe Valley, San Antonio de las Minas Valley, Santo Tomas Valley and San Vicente Valley, all relatively close to Ensenada.

U.S. grape growers are becoming more conscious of organic and biodynamic farming, and d’Acosta said that there is a strong movement toward organic farming among Baja growers, as well.

Information about the Mexican wine industry can be found on the Web site of the Asociacion Nacional de Vitivinicultores, A.C., which apparently is the industry’s promotional organization, but the Web site (www.uvayvino.com) is entirely in Spanish, with no indication of an English translation.

While the domestic market is important to Baja vintners and is growing, the export market is also appealing. “We would like to put our wine anywhere people enjoy wine,” d’Acosta said, and when asked what are plans to export wine to the U.S., he smiled and said simply, “We’re here.”