Cindy Sandoval’s status as one of the top sommeliers in Los Cabos is attested by her educational achievements and training, not to mention her experiences working with some of the top chefs in Mexico. Now based in Los Cabos, this wine expert has had a celebrated career, culminating in well-deserved plaudits from others in the industry. Originally from the state of Puebla, Sandoval studied as a sommelier at the Swiss Institute of Puebla, an educational institution focused on gastronomy and hospitality, and earned a diploma from the Association of Mexican Sommeliers (ASM) before adding several other certifications along the way. However, it’s Sandoval’s work with top chefs like Edgar Nuñez of the Michelin-star-awarded Sud 777 in Mexico City, and three-time Michelin star winner Jean-Georges Vongerichten, whose restaurant Seared by Jean-Georges is a dining centerpiece at One&Only Palmilla, that has earned her respect as one of the premier wine professionals in the country. Once Sandoval began work at The Cape in 2024, she had the opportunity to collaborate with another acclaimed chef: Enrique Olvera. Olvera, of course, helms Pujol, one of only two restaurants in Mexico to merit two Michelin stars, and both Pujol and Cosme, Olvera’s New York City restaurant, have been rated among the 50 best restaurants in the world. Since 2015, Olvera’s culinary mastery has also been displayed in Los Cabos. When The Cape premiered in June of that year, the Olvera-created Manta was installed as its signature fine dining restaurant. “I love the language of wine, its history and traditions. I see myself as a kind of translator of that language,” Sandoval says. Her wine knowledge has been put to good use at The Cape, where she acts not only as a sommelier but also holds the title of wine director and is responsible for all the wine menus at the resort. The Cape occupies one of the most stunning locations in Los Cabos, overlooking legendary surf beach Playa Monumentos and offering gorgeous views of the Land’s End headland at the tip of Cabo San Lucas. It also has several excellent sipping venues, from Manta to the Sunken Bar in its lobby and the majestic The Rooftop bar. This variety informed my first question when we sat down to talk. Mexico News Daily: How does the venue change how you recommend wine to guests? Are you making different suggestions at Sunken Bar than at The Rooftop or Manta? Cindy Sandoval: Definitely. For example, I might recommend rosé when you’re lounging by the pool, or a bubbly wine like Champagne if you’re enjoying sunset at The Rooftop bar. Manta is more fine dining, so maybe I’d suggest a Grand Cru class wine. MND: I know Mexico-made wines form a significant part of your wine lists here. How would you suggest guests who maybe aren’t familiar with Mexican wines get an introduction? Are there any specific regional wines you would recommend? CS: I suggest sampling wines from various parts of the country. Valle de Guadalupe is the most important region. However, there are many others with wines worth trying, from Chihuahua and Coahuila to Guanajuato, Puebla and San Luis Potosí. They’re all different in terms of their terroir and production profiles. As a general guide, I’d recommend trying white wines from Central Mexico, reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from Chihuahua and Coahuila and blends from Valle de Guadalupe. MND: How would you rank the quality of Mexico’s wines now versus some of the more famous wine-producing countries on your wine lists here at The Cape? How well do Mexican wines reflect Mexico? CS: The strength of our vines and the richness of our climate is a reflection of our identity, and I think over the past 10 years, the quality of Mexican wines has become very consistent, whereas twenty years ago, maybe that wasn’t the case. Certainly, in terms of quality, Mexican wine is better now than it ever has been before. It’s also much more varied, with producers in 17 states making wine now. It bears noting, as Sandoval points out, that Mexico’s wine industry has expanded dramatically in recent years. The country is famed for Casa Madero in Valle de Parras, Coahuila, the first winery in North America in 1597, and for Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California, which emerged beginning in the late 19th century and now produces more than 70% of the wines in Mexico. For a long time, Valle de Parras and Valle de Guadalupe were more or less the alpha and omega of the country’s viticulture. But as of 2025, about 400 wineries are operational in Mexico. The country is now the world’s 23rd largest producer of wines, turning out approximately 40 million liters annually. Because Valle de Guadalupe, like Los Cabos, is part of the Baja California peninsula, this growing area between Ensenada, Tijuana and Tecate would get lots of attention even if it weren’t the dominant area in terms of quality and quantity. However, over half the country’s states are growing grapes for wine, including Baja California Sur and Sandoval’s home state of Puebla. Mexicans are now drinking more wine, too — 22% more than they did only 10 years ago — so tourists from the U.S. and Canada aren’t the only people in Los Cabos interested in sampling the Mexican wines available on wine lists at The Cape, A Thompson Hotel. But because Sandoval is an expert on wines from around the world, when I asked about her tasting pairing suggestions at Manta, she continues to advocate for an international approach. MND: Thanks to the influence of Enrique Olvera, Manta is the big dining attraction at The Cape. What are the tasting menus like now, and how do you approach pairing options? What wines are you most likely to guide guests towards? CS: Manta’s tasting course currently has six courses. I often recommend a Japanese saké for the first course, because it’s fun and different. The other pairings can vary, depending on what the dishes are made from. Sometimes I propose a chenin blanc or chardonnay, sometimes a Bandol from Provence, or a Super Tuscan. For dessert, I usually suggest trying either a sweet Mexican wine or a Tokay from Hungary. Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.